2nd Chance - Plies

I went to see my nigga, he doin seventeen

One of the realest niggas, I done ever seen

Got caught with a bird, but his record was clean

Comin back from Dade, on the Gator with speed

He a real soldier, but his partner was green

Get out when he 40, went in at 23

How seventeen years worth one key (kilo)

Some shit cost twenty grand can get you over ten piece

He ain’t wanna hurt nobody, he was just tryin to eat

He had a real job, went to work fo' days a week

Said this his last trip, and he was gettin out the streets

He a good nigga, second chance all he need

Some niggas make mistakes, off fucked up circumstance

Now they life gone, probably gon' die in the pen

They done gave up on life, done put it in God’s hands

I thought this was America, what happened to a second chance?

Wish I had one chance, to sentence the Judge kids

And watch 'em beg fo' they life like my niggas did

Give them a life sentence, fo' some shit that wasn’t big

'Fore they get granted they appeal they gotta do ten

Shoe got to be on the other foot for you to understand

The scariest shit in the world to be a black man

What my future holds, wish I knew in advance

I 'proach life everyday just hopin I win

A lot us already lost, we sittin in the pen

This shit crazy cause God, he forgive sin

But when it come to the system that shit don’t bend

I guess it do, dependin on the color of yo' skin

I thought it was understood, nobody was perfect

So how can one mistake, make yo' life worthless?

God made us all, put us here to serve a purpose

Yo' life in twelve strangers hands to come back with a verdict

But is that really fair?

What if they all was dirty?

You mess up one time, and they come back with thirty

But if you ain’t got money, yo' whole family hurtin

Then you ain’t got a choice, you gotta cop out early

But if you was rich, you wouldn’ta got them thirty

What if the Judge racist?

Nobody to overturn it

This system fucked up, because it ain’t sturdy

Welcome to America, home of the controversy