Only Life I Know Lyrics - Mourning In America And Dreaming In Color - Brother Ali

[Hook:] 

(It's my life) 

Yeah, the only one that I'll ever know 

Feeling extra low 

Please let me go 

Hold on, no 

(It's my life) 

Yeah, the only that I'll ever know 

And it stressed me so 

Oh God, bless me soul 

Hold on 

[Verse 1:] 

Wether it's the projects or a trailer park mess 

Raggedy the apartment complex 

With a stressed out single mom sitting on the steps 

Waiting on the mailman, looking for a check 

Boys on the corner, pushing out the chest 

Questing for anything that resembles respect 

Young girls swinging their hair with every step 

Looking for affection, settling for sex 

Bodies decorated with tattoos and chains 

Trying to put armor between you and pain 

Wood grain steering wheel, the bass bang 

But not enough to drown out the hatred in your brain 

The only out is smoking out 

Get lean, get wet, get meth, get tore down 

Cause who the hell would want to stick around? 

Put me in a haze, I ain't never coming out 

[Hook] 

[Verse 2:] 

They just wanna get you in the system, stick you into prison 

List you in the military ship you to the desert 

Pigs don't exist for you to make a decent living 

But we got three illegal wars to shoot the pigs from 

Keep stressing marvels and personal decisions 

Tell me what's marvel about these conditions 

Who decided you don't got enough to teach children? 

Stay spending billions, on stadiums and prisons 

How many roles can folks really choose? 

When you're oppressed only three lead to you 

First one is follow the rules and stay in school 

Be the square dude, that society approves 

Get a little job or a shitty appartment 

Sub-prime mortgage in a failing house market 

The after your life dedication and hardship 

You died just as poor as you was when you started 

Fuck that, what's up with the second option? 

You could always hit the corner and try to get it popping 

Get fast guap when you're out dropping and clocking 

But, chances are that you'll probably die violent 

The best hope that you got is getting knocked 

And end up with a job in a prison metal shop 

They ain't paying nothing but three hots and a cotch 

Don't you know that's the biggest hustle they got? 

Or door three you can get on that welfare 

But they ain't trying to help, they'll put you in hell there 

Give you just enough so you're not gonna starve 

And constantly harass you while you're looking for a job 

Do lock up and someone that got you to punch a clock 

And they found about it and your check is getting docked 

Can't win for losing, dehumanizing 

You'll never get caught up, you caught up in a cycle 

[Hook] 

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