Pray (It's a Shame)

[Intro: Joe Budden]

Lord...

Please continue to guide, direct, and protect my niggaz

From the world, and from themselves

[Chorus: Joe Budden]

Lord can you please shine that light on your sons

They sent you a million prayers, you ain't answered near one

{"Ohh, it's a shame, baby baby"} It's a shame

I'm down on both knees, Father talk to 'em please

All you put 'em through is pain, but will it ever cease?

{"Ohh, it's a shame, baby baby"} What a shame

[Joell Ortiz:]

Yowwa! What up world? I'm Joell

Sixth floor, project door, broke bell

Only child, no brother, no sis

Moms runnin out the door to go sniff

My highwater pants don't fit

Afro growin all wild, no pic man

{"Ohh, it's a shame, baby baby"}

Is what my teacher said for class pics

My pops? I don't know where he at

He left one day, he said he'd be back

The stove keep me warm in the winter

I'm tired of Beefaroni for dinner

My grandmoms got a bad liver

I'm just watchin her fade away

Man, I don't know what else to say

So at the end of every day I pray, I say

[Chorus]

[Royce Da 5'9":]

What up world? I'm the SHIT

I'm headed to Hell in a hand-basket

I pop pills, abuse liquor and kill niggaz

When I die, God ain't gon' judge, he gon' deal with us

That's why them reckless quotes come with my drama

My pops while coke-infested, cum in my momma

{"Ohh, it's a shame, baby baby"}

I know, right?

For those nights that I was havin them seizures

For those mornings that I was havin trouble breathin

C'mon listen; I was only a fo'-pound baby

So I grew up into grown and went fo'-pound crazy

Daddy was gangsta, mommy was passive

Boxin gloves for Christmas, I needed classes

My daddy beat our ass, that's probably why we assassins

But he'll do anythang for me; Joey pray for me

[Chorus]

[Crooked I:]

What up world? I'm a lost soul

Challengin the devil standin at the crossroads

I just shot a dirty snake with my .38

He shot me too, now I'm waitin at the Pearly Gates

I seen the angel Gabriel and I came real

A lame tried to kill me, so I aim steel

{"Ohh, it's a shame, baby baby"}

Ask God is that somethin that he can't feel

I had a six-shot popper and I brought it with me

I put his thinkin cap somewhere he never thought it would be

I didn't son him, he's a daughter to me

Instead of hangin with thugs he's slangin drugs, shoulda got a college degree

But growin up in the hood'll leave your mind baffled

We put haters in the past like time travel

That's my murder story, I'm past purgatory

I need prayer though, Joey put a word in for me

[Chorus]