Family Business Lyrics - The Score - The Fugees

Where I was born, nothing is promised 

My life is filled with less hope than the prophecies of Nostradamus 

Omega marks the ending of predictability, birth of agility 

Who will it be to test me and expose their futility 

Iron like a lion from Zion stop tryin' so hard 

I think I smell your brain cells fryin' 

The family's behind you if you're worthy 

Philosophies developed deep in the back streets of dirty Jersey 

Troops with scully hats and Timberland boots 

No more break-dancing for loot 

Niggas hustle and shoot 

In the Garden State, it grows stink weeds and criminals 

Government funds are minimal 

Oppression's subliminal 

These days its hard for we to find peace of mind 

Between insanity and sanity there lies a thin line 

Some dwell in hotels with Jezebels 

A stone age and fall a victim to the Plague 

Unclean bad dreams of Wyclef being a fiend 

One last kiss from my sweet serpentine 

Eliminate then break 

Navigate to rejuvenate thoughts of suicide with my nickel plate 

Reconciliation came from my enemy-friend 

Who said family don't bend 

We stay silent till the end 

Now who would think that your best friend 

Would be your worst enemy and your enemy your best friend 

Stare into the air inspiration from the atmosphere 

I think of old ghosts, that ain't even here 

Like Alex Haley take notes on this Biography 

My family tree consists of street refugees 

A ghetto land, where we talk slang 

Stolen cars bang, like my chitty bang-bang sh-bang 

For the heads, we ain't sellin' cocaine today 

So refrain and let my family reign okay 

Just walkin' the streets death can take you away 

It's never guaranteed that you'll see the next day 

At night the evil armies of Shaton don't play 

So defend the family that's the code to obey 

But if I fall asleep and death takes me away 

Don't be surprised son, I wasn't put here to stay 

At night the evil armies of Shaton don't play 

So the family sticks together and we never betray 

Nah fuck that 

Fifty-two pick up, no cops around 

Fifty-two thousand in cash, I don't want no savings bonds 

Have the money ready, I smell something fishy 

Your wife's in my custody 

One false move and you'll find her body in the sea 

That's the voice of the kid, that's the kidnapper 

I do my work and then I catch my ticket to Jamaica 

Meet me in the alley, make sure you bring the money 

This ain't the seventies I'm far from a jive turkey 

My circle it can't be broken 

Open, cut-throatin', provokin' 

Record promotin, tokens chokin' on they words like smoke and 

Cause we soft spoken, doesn't mean that we've forgotten 

Your bootie smells rotten and one day you will be gotten 

See joker's is scatter-brained, their focus is unrestrained 

My army is trained, you never find us beefin' in vain 

Cause I've seen fire and I've seen rain 

You claim fame, while modest niggas remain 

I can judge a character like Ito judge a verdict 

And if you bringin' threats I give you sex if I ain't heard it 

See poppin' shit's about your attitude and how you word it 

I've seen the biggest niggas on the block get murdered 

And they deserved it 

Or so the beast said when they served it 

That shit is nervous 

So what's my purpose? 

Family, we must preserve it 

Your number's retired 

I hope you like the hell fires 

You'll be screamin' Murder she Wrote like Chaka Demus and Pliars 

Just walkin' the streets death can take you away 

It's never guaranteed that you'll see the next day 

At night the evil armies of Shaton don't play 

So defend the family that's the code to obey 

But if I fall asleep and death takes me away 

Don't be surprised son, I wasn't put here to stay 

At night the evil armies of Shaton don't play 

So the family sticks together and we never betray 

We used to jump rope 

But now we gun hope 

Bustin' shots off of project roof tops 

Sending signals with the blunt smoke 

Ock, don't talk a lot if you can't hold it in lock 

If you think lips sink ships 

Imagine full glock clips 

I hold a glass of Remy Martin 

Gettin' milks by the carton 

Extortin' the light weights for thinkin' they important 

The night pays and heavenly ways 

Ain't nothin' free ah 

Knowledge of your family and steppin' to your B.I. 

You see I, stay on top of shit like a fly 

My niggas reach when they got beef 

Then jet down to South Beach 

Yo mouthpiece is yappin' 

I hear it in your rap and 

My family is thick so that bullshit could never happen 

Just walkin' the streets death can take you away 

It's never guaranteed that you'll see the next day 

At night the evil armies of Shaton don't play 

So defend the family that's the code to obey 

If I fall asleep and death takes me away 

Don't be surprised son, I wasn't put here to stay 

At night the evil armies of Shaton don't play 

So the family sticks together and we never betray