My Mamma Said

[Hook] Even though these crackers hate me They can never break me They can only motivate me to rise Even though these niggas judge me They could never fade me Because my mamma raised me with love Even though these crackers hate me They can never break me They only motivate me to rise Even though these niggas judge me They could never fade me They could never touch me [Talib Kweli] Yeah, although my mamma raised me with love Snakes laid in the cut They want me laid in the mud Throw salt in the cuts So when I talk I cuss When I walk I strut I dip it all in the dutch When I blaze and I contemplate Sometimes it's hard to concentrate Tired of jake trying to stop my people right to congregate My girl want me to quit smoking But every door been closed only way I get open Is putting something in the air It's been part of my life since fifteen I'm rolling the spliff clean With the cigarette holder As a nigga get older Addiction is a chip on my shoulder This is the shit that the soldier play before he go to battle The song that haunt the loser dream when he throw the towel Snitch niggas known to tattle As bitch niggas run into official niggas who known to blast you [Hook] [Stic.man] What I know? I'm supposed to be dead by 24 But if a nigga got that shit it in his head how can he grow? I was raised up not to be led by any ho Got exposed to the game from a different angle When you young black and poor there's places you can't go Ain't no big pot of gold at the end of the rainbow Still, I'm thankful Even on them hungry days when my belly ain't full I know what I came through I was raised this way N I double-G A Sucka-free all day every day From the womb to the grave Baptized in the game Early age Dirty thirty-eight special in my waist Getting paid blowing weed like it ain't no thang Rolling blunts getting drunk and it ain't gon' change I let my khakis bang White tee Chuck T's on my feet Hollering "Fuck the Police!" Got some fresh gold teeth - my nigga! [Hook]