Criminal Lyrics - Rising Down - The Roots

Monday they predict the storm 

Tuesday they predict the bad 

Wednesday they cover the grass 

And I can see it's all about cash 

And they got the nerve to hunt down my ass 

And treat me like a criminal 

Look, it is what it is 

Because of what it was 

I did what I did 

Cause it does what it does 

I don't put nothin' above 

What I am, what I love 

My family, my blood 

My city and my hood 

Hater for the greater good 

I'm back from Hollywood 

And I ain't changed a lick 

Though, I know I probably should 

But, what I'm doin' is not a good look 

I never did it by the good book, as a lifetime crook 

All the petty crime took a toll on me 

I look around at my homies that's gettin' old on me 

But still somethin' gotta hold on me 

Maybe it's faith 

If it's comin', yo I'm willing to wait 

I'm not runnin', I done ran through the mud 

I done scrambled and such 

I done robbed an odd job and gambled enough 

Till I'm put up in handcuffs 

And pissin' in a cup 

If there's a God 

I don't know if he listenin' or what 

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Yeah, it is what it is 

And that's how it go 

Get treated like a criminal 

If crime is all you know 

Get greeted like a nigga 

If a nigga saw your show 

A public enemy, to send a eye in the scope 

My city like a island where you can't find a boat 

Have you wishin' for a raft 

And prayin that hope flows 

Some real (?) going down on soul (?) 

Who lookin' for a chair and some real strong rope 

Just to end it all here 

Screamin' "fuck the mayor" 

He see the faces at the bottom of the welfare 

They act like I'm somethin' to fear 

Trapped in urban warfare 

And pullin' triggers at a college career 

Can't ignore the call of the wild 

That's drawin' 'em near 

Try to make fast money last long some years 

Try to laugh it off 

Still couldn't lose the tears 

To the rules, I will not adhere 

Break the law, yeah... Who wanna challenge mine? 

I'm sick of St. Valentine 

I did the violent crimes 

That's why I got this style of rhyme 

Seek repentance to spittin' them sentences 

To senseless experience is the difference 

You can't convince this 

In a crime sense, niggas is infants 

I'm like a senior citizen 

Still livin' but gettin' benefits 

Put emphasis on hittin' my nemesis in high percentages 

Crooked ass cops is the reason for my belligerence 

And it gets deeper than that 

Remember nights I used to sleep wit a gat 

With a package of crack under my sneaker strap 

D's sneak attack and raid me 

It took a week for that 

Beat the rat, but you're sayin' "look, he think he the mack" 

Fuck y'all! 

Niggas who thinkin' they might try us 

Watch us inside riots 

Blue cars and light fires 

We already been knocked, scrutinized 

Plus, cops rush to brutalize us 

America's polluted by lust 

Who could I trust? 

If I can't trust you, then I might touch you 

If I ain't got love for you 

Then fuck you! 

Photos