Yeah, I'm about to fill you all in on some things ya know what I'm sayin
See what you don't know aint nothin but one big gamble
It's like a big ol' roulette wheel you know what I'm sayin
But peep this
I'm abut to put you all up on this story

It's about this youngster
Strugglin, strivin, doing what he thought had to be done
So Check this out

(Verse 1)
He was only a youngster
Strapped between two foundations
Father was a minister
Mother worked for the board of education
He had the will to do right but peer pressure took his grip
A long trip down that dirty road he's about to flip
School became unimportant so he dropped out
Started following the wrong influences, he can't stop now
Caught up in the hustlin, servin small time at first
Started buyin jewels tryin to prove his self work
His mom could only hang her head and pray for a change
Dreadin the call that would say they found her son's remains
You could see it in him, million dollar signs in his eyes
His office was the drive, his bank was the ride
Run-ins with the police of course you knew that would come
He bought a strap, that's another youngster with a gun
So now I guess this boy think he tough right
He had some words with somebody, pulled his heater last night
I guess he feels he gotta do what he gotta do
Different situations call for different actions dude
I hope for the best
For his moms sake
It would be a shame to see another youngster put in an early grave

(Chorus)
Life is a gamble
We don't know what tomorrow may bring
Life is a gamble
Could today be the last we see
Life is a gamble
I've got to do the things that must be done
Life is a gamble
Cuz I have responsibility

(Verse 2)
He arises from his sleep unaware of the gal layin next to him
All that bumpin last night got his mind ruined
Still persuing the ultimate dream of getting his money right
At anyone's expense on any given day or night
Checks his pager to see what's popping on his block
Just some pennies but his boy informs him of a plot
Here's the scheme
Take money from an institution
We can get major bread in 20 seconds, just listen to me
You'll drive the car and I'll run on in
When I come out we'll have big wood to spend daddy
Aight he's all for it, thinking of his kids
It's been a drought for a minute so he's gotta handle his buiz.
At the spot, his boy runs in ,demands the bread
"Give me all the loot unless you want this teller dead"
Out the door, to the car, hit it, then they speed off
Unaware that the police ha already been keyed off
About two miles down the street the cop slows in
All this led to a five year sentence in the pen.
I guess god said "enough's enough I'll slow his role some,
Give him a little time to see what type of man he'll become"

(Chorus)

(Verse 3)
Release date, a long bus ride home
After four and a half long years a lot of his homies are gone
Either dead or in jail but they aint there no more
i guess it's true, we ?? what we saw
He's got a little brother workin on his album now
Gets to the crib, calls him up, "hey what's up pal"
"Ya headin to the studio, well aight then"
"Give me an hour to get my self together, I'll slide in"
He had all this talent but never channeled it
Could he go a starightened arrow or could he handle it
His decision
His brother asked him to drop a verse
Sees his boy, "damn I see you're still puttin in work"
The rest is history as they say "my oh my this kid has came along way"
God decided he didn't have to die for his mistakes
Just suffer a bit, to get his mind straight
I guess some gamblers are worth it if in the end
The big picture comes into focus, so you can win
This kid has been blessed, in a major way
The trip is, I see him in the mirror everyday

(Chorus) X 2