"Yo Nate, shit is crazy, I shook hands with mad dead niggas yo, all the
niggas that used to be on the block, Ill Will, Marty, Black Ed, yo Son,
mad niggas is gone, rest in peace though."

Verse 1:

Fifty-Two blocks, Gazelle frames
bald heads and heavy chains
somehow caught in the game
back in '83, before cable TV
when these so called thug niggas played in the street
I used to hear the stories
live niggas here before me
like the Rich Porters, the Fat Cats, the Pauly's
outlaw league, from the street to the Pen
eyes glossy, niggas only speak when they bent
off the perfect mixture
forcin' down herbs and liquor
only hot slugs 'll hurt ya quicker
think it out and elevate, I gave years to the state
as a 92-R-7478, it set me straight
the changing of a stubborn cat
the one that used to hustle on the block mad hard and loved to rap
in goose down coats and wool hats, the youth in me
I guess life on the streets ain't what it used to be.

Chorus
I remember! (echo)
When niggas used to live it up, live it up
flashin' dough all night
I remember! (echo)
when niggas didn't give a fuck, gettin' drunk
shootin' guns all night.

Verse 2:
Straight shots of Hen with no chaser
mo' paper, stubborn, hard headed like Joe Frazier
the Gremlins, the pack that I come with
keep gats by the stomach
act up and stack hundreds
niggas don't want it, see me I be the ring leader, Lion tamer
do the bankhead and Macarena
a black entertainer, bottom line
ya'll niggas know who got the hottest rhymes
face it, I got the whole globe on some Nate shit
straight from the corners to the covers of the latest Rap Pages
turn the Projects to black Vegas
Don Kingin' niggas, make 'em sign blank papers
It's the American way, do my enemies pray or is it just me?
hustlin', hopin' the fiends trust me
talkin' to us, hold up, let me walk you through this
wannabe pimps, hoes, often shooters
niggas need to know what the truth is
fuck the sarcasm
I miss my nigga Mark but God has 'em
when I see his flics I start spazzin'
I learned to let it go
but I guess livin' this life a nigga never know.

Chorus

Verse 3:
I used to love Starters, thug garments
boppin' into Spofford, R.O.R. on drug charges
writin' on walls, florescent markers and krylon
savin' my loot to buy a firearm
broken safety, borough hall and Jay street
hopped the train not knowin' that a fall awaits me
problems came when I started slingin'
late night I hear revolvers ringin'
the echos cause cops to start Rodney Kingin'
many riots, is there any silence?
everybody sipped Henny, hustled with many clients
growin' up on the same block my Pops was raised
rocked waves, blend tapes playin' on hot days
brought the speakers out
police made us put the wrieffer out
peep it, I was too young to leave the house
I'm tryin' to see the World, runnin' the streets without a care
I remember it well 'cause I was there.

Chorus