[Styles - Verse One]
My pops came from Bed Stuy, my mom came from Africa
I'm more a n**** if you know what I mean
They hooked up in the '70's when liquor and weed was heavy
and had me in Corona, Queens
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 n****
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
[Chorus (repeat 2x) - Styles]
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)
[Styles - Verse Two]
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 baggin up, me and golf
Then s*** start addin up, we gettin smart
Now we on Broadway, coppin our own base
Bring it home and put it in bottles, send us a rottle
Drink an OE and scramble 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
n**** get a little loony and grown, soup in the dome
b**p me up worst when I went to the group home
[Chorus (repeat 2x) - Styles]
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)
[Styles - Verse Three]
I'm leavin out a lotta s***, n**** it's too real
My alcoholic backround, 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 n***** I can't name, outta state (My n***** f*** with weight)
Little brother gone but I got a baby angel
You f***** with a dirty name, don't let these n***** 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 Blok)
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
[Chorus (repeat 2x) - Styles]
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)
My pops came from Bed Stuy, my mom came from Africa
I'm more a n**** if you know what I mean
They hooked up in the '70's when liquor and weed was heavy
and had me in Corona, Queens
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 n****
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
[Chorus (repeat 2x) - Styles]
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)
[Styles - Verse Two]
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 baggin up, me and golf
Then s*** start addin up, we gettin smart
Now we on Broadway, coppin our own base
Bring it home and put it in bottles, send us a rottle
Drink an OE and scramble 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
n**** get a little loony and grown, soup in the dome
b**p me up worst when I went to the group home
[Chorus (repeat 2x) - Styles]
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)
[Styles - Verse Three]
I'm leavin out a lotta s***, n**** it's too real
My alcoholic backround, 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 n***** I can't name, outta state (My n***** f*** with weight)
Little brother gone but I got a baby angel
You f***** with a dirty name, don't let these n***** 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 Blok)
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
[Chorus (repeat 2x) - Styles]
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)