[Intro: Skee-Lo & Joe Love]
Yeah
Dedicated to my cousin, [?], rest in peace (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
All my folks out there livin' the street life
[?] (Mmm-mmm)
Cousin Marl, bruh, I love you, boy (Yeah, yeah, mmm-mmm)
Yeah, street life (Oh, street life)
I'm livin', I'm livin'—
[Chorus: Joe Love]
Street life, street life, street life, street life
Street life, street life, street life, street life
Street life, street life, street life, street life
Street life, street life, street life, street life
[Verse 1: Skee-Lo & Joe Love]
Last year when I went home, got in my car and got gone
Hit the streets and shot on, 18 years since I'm gone (Yeah)
Call my homie Jerome, spoke to his brother Tyrome
Who seemed a little distant cause my calls were not persistent
He say Rome went to prison for resistin' arrest
And mamma had some problems with her chest, what, cardiac arrest
I was hurt and ain't even been here a week
After hearin' all of that bad news, I couldn't speak
And my toes went weak and my legs got numb
It gets crazy in these streets tryin' to live with no funds (No funds)
Don't cheat, you don't eat, your case you can't beat (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
Public defenders is there to make the deals go sweet
For the prosecution, it's like an execution
But you can make it if you're patient and avoid confusion
It took a while for me to learn this and stay on my feet
But if this rappin' don't happen for me, I'm goin' back to the streets
[Chorus: Joe Love & Skee-Lo]
Street life, street life, street life, street life (Yeah)
Street life, street life, street life, street life (Yeah, yeah)
Street life, street life, street life, street life
Street life, street life, street life, street life (Come on, I'm livin')
[Verse 2: Skee-Lo & Joe Love]
Before the day that I blew up back when I grew up
Back when I had a shag, chewin' gum, wearin' chucks
Before I even thought about makin' the big bucks
I was busy throwin' rocks at cars and dump trucks
Even then, I can hear her mamma callin' my full name (Callin' my name)
Me and Uncle Joe would be watchin' the Bulls game
Before they had Jordan, when all you needed was change
To get yourself some candy, some pickles and sugar canes (Oh yeah)
Even then, I could feel the streets movin' all through my veins
And everything I seen absorbed in my brain (Not afraid)
I'm not afraid to tell it my brothers, I'm not ashamed
You take a look at me now and look at where I came (Yeah)
Robert Taylors, 4500 on State Street in Chicago (State Street)
Where most of the hoodsters and thugs be
If it hadn't been for all the people that loved me (Oh, oh)
And for God's grace life get cruel and ugly in the streets
[Chorus: Joe Love & Skee-Lo]
Street life, street life, street life, street life (Yeah)
Street life, street life, street life, street life (I'm livin', I'm livin')
Street life, street life, street life, street life (Yeah)
Street life, street life, street life, street life (Get out the streets, come on)
[Verse 3: Skee-Lo & Joe Love]
It's all good
But people don't, got it misunderstood
The street code is simple, you stick to your own hood
You stay in your own woods and chop your own tree
And if something jumps off, pretend you didn't see
Keep your mouth shut up 'fore you get knocked up
Ain't no since in tryin' to get somebody else locked up (Get somebody else)
And that's the truth, that's why I send messages to the youth
Hope the lord makes a way out
Forget the gang and stay out (Oh lord, [?])
'Cause everybody wants to live in the sunshine (Sunshine)
If not right now, at least at one time (One time)
Look back in your mind remember you was a kid
Remember before you grew up how innocent you lived (Oh yeah)
From big wheels to big thrills and big heights
From innocent to killin' your brother for Air Nikes (Yeah, yeah)
And I can't believe that none of these things don't strike y'all brothers in the head like this ain't right
In the streets, [?] right—
[Chorus: Joe Love & Skee-Lo]
Street life, street life, street life, street life (Woah woah-oh-oh)
Street life, street life, street life, street life (Oh, baby)
Street life, street life, street life, street life (Street life)
Street life, street life, street life, street life (Street life)
Street life, street life, street life, street life (Street life, ooh-ooh-ooh)
Street life, street life, street life, street life (Ahh, ahh-ahh-ooh-ooh)
Street life, street life, street life, street life (Now you find the street life)
Street life, street life, street life, street life (The street life)
[Outro: Skee-Lo & Joe Love]
Yeah (Street life)
Let's make a better way for our kids (Street life)
For our families, for our loved ones (Street life)
It's a whole new millennium now
Let's do the right thing, y'all (Street life)
Let's get out these streets
Let's move on
I'm livin', I'm livin' (Street life, street life)
