Styles P › Lyrics › A Gangster and a Gentleman

My pops came from Bed Stuy, my mom came from Africa
I'm more a nigga if you know what I mean
They hooked up in the '70's when liquor and weed was heavy
And have me and crone their dreams

By the time I was seven my mom left my pop
Then we moved to the south side of Yonkers, New York
Then my mom remarried, had my little brother Gary
My sister a year later, let me gather my thoughts

By the time I was nine, I was outta my mind
My step pops didn't like me beat me outta my mind
Ten and eleven the same I never would change
He still had to hit me, aggravate a little nigga

Still wearin' skippys
Bob had Adidas and Pumas, I could a had a pair
My mommy said, wait 'til Christmas but I needed 'em sooner
If you heard I was broke dawg it wasn't a rumor

I said, gangstas ride, ride with me
Gentlemen live your life, live it up
'Cause gangstas die, we all gon die
It's only a matter of time, the clock tickin'

I said, gangstas ride, ride with me
Gentlemen live your life, live it up
'Cause gangstas die, we all gon die
It's only a matter of time, the clock tickin'

It was 1986 and I was twelve years old
That's right around the time when crack came out
It was the best thing that happened to me
I swear to God 'cause I was gettin' everything that I was askin' about

First we started off bangin' up, me and golf
Then s*** start addin' up, we gettin' smart
Now we on Broadway, coppin' our own bench
Bring it home and put it in bottles, send us a rottle

Drink a old ease grem like it wasn't tomorrow
I'm gettin' kicked out of Junior High, thinkin' I'm grown
God bust with the yellow rabbit
And I had every color dealt we was gettin' it on

I was out robbin' Mexicans six in the morn'
Mom said, I'd had to ep again, rip it I'm gone
Nigga get a little loony and grown, soup in the dome
Bump me up worst when I went to the group home

I said, gangstas ride, ride with me
Gentlemen live your life, live it up
'Cause gangstas die, we all gon die
It's only a matter of time, the clock tickin'

I said, gangstas ride, ride with me
Gentlemen live your life, live it up
'Cause gangstas die, we all gon die
It's only a matter of time, the clock tickin'

I'm leavin' out a lotta s***, nigga it's too real
My alcoholic back round, the welfare motels
Abuse that I had to take struggle at my mom's recruit
How the f*** I'm gon bomb wit you

And the cases I got up to date told you that I bust a eight
My niggas I can't name, outta state, my niggas f*** with weight
Little brother gone but I got a baby angel
You f*****' with a dirty name, don't let these niggas change you

The present's what you get
And the past is what make the man future
I can't tell you I ain't God or lil' Superman
No there ain't a S on my chest, but it's a D on my block
(D block)
And said life the deepest lesson is death

I'm determined and I'm disciplined and destined to rest
I'm a gangsta and a gentleman, Panero the best
When I pass I'm like gas, m************
'Cause I'm a leave a stain that you'll never forget

I said, gangstas ride, ride with me
Gentlemen live your life, live it up
'Cause gangstas die, we all gon die
It's only a matter of time, the clock tickin'

I said, gangstas ride, ride with me
Gentlemen live your life, live it up
'Cause gangstas die, we all gon die
It's only a matter of time, the clock tickin'