Yo where I'm from it
ain't cookies and cream
There's a lot of peer pressure (2)
growin up as a young teen
You never know
when you gonna get wet
Cause mad clowns
be catchin wreck with a tec
just to get a rep
Instead of cool friends,
they'd rather hang
with male thugs
Instead of goin to school,
they'd rather sell drugs
It's best to go the right route
and not the wrong one
Because it's gonna catch up
witchu in the long run
Brothers be all up on us,
actin stupid,
gettin lifted
They life is twisted,
and most of them are quite gifted
In other words, they got TALENT;
but they'd rather sell cracks
and bust gats
and run the streets
actin violent
To them it's all about hittin skinz
and makin some easy green
Cause that's all they show you
on the TV screen
All they care about is a buck
or bustin a sweet nut
They don't give a (WHAT?)
cause they street struck


[ Ritornello - Big L ]
You betta listen
when L rhyme;
cause bein street struck'll
get you nuttin but
a bullet or jail time
So pay attention when L rhyme;
cause bein street struck'll
get you nuttin but
a bullet or jail time


[ Verso 2 - Big L ]
Before the rap contract,
I was sellin crack
Stay strapped with a Mac,
I was into alla that
I started rappin
and got nice as hell
If it wasn't for this
I might be doin
life in jail
And some of my peeps are
still in the game sellin 'caine
If that's what you gotta do to maintain,
go 'head and do your thang
But with the cash profit
make an investment
And try not to go to the grave
like the rest went
Cause you can be rich
with crazy loot,
own a house and nine cars
What good is that,
if you're dead, or behind bars?
And yo it's not even funny
I've seen a lot of my peers
give up they careers
for some fast money
They could've been boxers,
ballplayers or rap singers
Instead they bank robbers
and crack slingers
Aiyyo they used to be legit kids,
now they corrupt
They had dreams but gave em up
cause they street struck


[ Ritornello x 2 - Big L ]
You betta listen
when L rhyme;
cause bein street struck'll
get you nuttin but
a bullet or jail time
So pay attention when L rhyme;
cause bein street struck'll
get you nuttin but
a bullet or jail time


[ Verso 3 - Big L ]
I still chill with my peeps
in the streets;
but most of the time
I'm in the crib,
writin rhymes to some dope beats
Or either callin up
some freaks to bone
But word up,
I try to leave the streets alone
But it's crazy hard kid,
in other words, it's spooky
The streets be callin me,
like the crack be callin Pookie (3)
It ain't a dumb joke,
listen to this young folk
Cause where I'm from --
you can choke from the gunsmoke
Stay off the corners;
that might be your best plan
Before you catch a bullet
that was meant
for the next man
Or end up with a deep cut
Or relaxin on a hospital bed,
from bein street struck


[ Ritornello x 2 - Big L ]
You betta listen
when L rhyme;
cause bein street struck'll
get you nuttin but
a bullet or jail time
So pay attention when L rhyme;
cause bein street struck'll
get you nuttin but
a bullet or jail time


[ Outro - Big L ]
Worrrd up!
Aiyyo take it from me, the Big L
Cause I been through it all,
youknowhatI'msayin?
Stay off them corners
you'll stay out of trouble
And I gotta say
rest in peace
to all the cats teasin streets
I'm outta here


Yo where I'm from it
ain't cookies and cream
There's a lot of peer pressure (2)
growin up as a young teen
You never know
when you gonna get wet
Cause mad clowns
be catchin wreck with a tec
just to get a rep
Instead of cool friends,
they'd rather hang
with male thugs
Instead of goin to school,
they'd rather sell drugs
It's best to go the right route
and not the wrong one
Because it's gonna catch up
witchu in the long run
Brothers be all up on us,
actin stupid,
gettin lifted
They life is twisted,
and most of them are quite gifted
In other words, they got TALENT;
but they'd rather sell cracks
and bust gats
and run the streets
actin violent
To them it's all about hittin skinz
and makin some easy green
Cause that's all they show you
on the TV screen
All they care about is a buck
or bustin a sweet nut
They don't give a (WHAT?)
cause they street struck


[ Ritornello - Big L ]
You betta listen
when L rhyme;
cause bein street struck'll
get you nuttin but
a bullet or jail time
So pay attention when L rhyme;
cause bein street struck'll
get you nuttin but
a bullet or jail time


[ Verso 2 - Big L ]
Before the rap contract,
I was sellin crack
Stay strapped with a Mac,
I was into alla that
I started rappin
and got nice as hell
If it wasn't for this
I might be doin
life in jail
And some of my peeps are
still in the game sellin 'caine
If that's what you gotta do to maintain,
go 'head and do your thang
But with the cash profit
make an investment
And try not to go to the grave
like the rest went
Cause you can be rich
with crazy loot,
own a house and nine cars
What good is that,
if you're dead, or behind bars?
And yo it's not even funny
I've seen a lot of my peers
give up they careers
for some fast money
They could've been boxers,
ballplayers or rap singers
Instead they bank robbers
and crack slingers
Aiyyo they used to be legit kids,
now they corrupt
They had dreams but gave em up
cause they street struck


[ Ritornello x 2 - Big L ]
You betta listen
when L rhyme;
cause bein street struck'll
get you nuttin but
a bullet or jail time
So pay attention when L rhyme;
cause bein street struck'll
get you nuttin but
a bullet or jail time


[ Verso 3 - Big L ]
I still chill with my peeps
in the streets;
but most of the time
I'm in the crib,
writin rhymes to some dope beats
Or either callin up
some freaks to bone
But word up,
I try to leave the streets alone
But it's crazy hard kid,
in other words, it's spooky
The streets be callin me,
like the crack be callin Pookie (3)
It ain't a dumb joke,
listen to this young folk
Cause where I'm from --
you can choke from the gunsmoke
Stay off the corners;
that might be your best plan
Before you catch a bullet
that was meant
for the next man
Or end up with a deep cut
Or relaxin on a hospital bed,
from bein street struck




[ Ritornello x 2 - Big L ]
You betta listen
when L rhyme;
cause bein street struck'll
get you nuttin but
a bullet or jail time
So pay attention when L rhyme;
cause bein street struck'll
get you nuttin but
a bullet or jail time


[ Outro - Big L ]
Worrrd up!
Aiyyo take it from me, the Big L
Cause I been through it all,
youknowhatI'msayin?
Stay off them corners
you'll stay out of trouble
And I gotta say
rest in peace
to all the cats teasin streets
I'm outta here