Look Of Pain - Soul Position

That’s the look of pain

You never want to see

When a ghetto youth finds out

His dreams my never be

Verse One:

I’ve seen crack sales in broad daylight on park benches

Old folks watch it from the windows in they kitchens

Convinced the police don’t care and won’t listen

Hopin' that they got some under covers takin' pictures

They ain’t tryin' to be the ones that gotta save the system

For every five thugs, maybe one will go to prison

The other four are left to intimidate the witness

Go to trial against them and you might come up missin'

Lookin' at the odds it’s a no brain decision

Unless you wanna jeopardize your family and children

And so they keep their eyes closed, continue feedin' kittens

And open up their blinds again, when the sale is finished

They hope that dope don’t invade their fam

But how would you cope if your moms was smokin' grams?

See that’s what I be thinkin' when I bump into my man

Gave him a bear hug and shook his cold hand

Asked about the future, if he had a plan

Aside from the hustlin' and corner store scams

He said, «Life is hard», I said, «I understand»

The weight of his home life was more than he could stand

The oldest of four seeds, he’s only fifteen

But everybody lookin' towards him to make the cream

He said, enroll in college might help him to change things

Managin' a smile while he spoke so painfully

Then he started to choke up

As if he woke up

And realized that whatever he made his mom would smoke up

Verse Two:

It’s hard to stay optimistic as a ghetto youth

When you can’t anticipate the days ahead of you

It’s like, dope fiend next to you

Gangs keep stressin' you

Pharmacists operate the block makin' revenue

They never get caught cause they know the cops schedules

And every time you come home it’s like your mom questions you

She don’t wanna see you on the street corner gettin' loot

You told her that was something you would never do

You concentrate on school

Your grades exceptional

You visualize yourself as a black professional

Plus your girlfriend is in the same class as you

But it’s drama when you walk her home after school

These knuckleheads on the block they be harassin' you

You say, «Chill»

That you just passin' through

You used to be cool with 'em but now they actin' new

You crack jokes but they gettin' more mad at you

Now they puttin' up their dukes so they can scrap with you

And when it’s over

You leave 'em ALL black and blue

Now they talkin' about blastin' you

Now they got guns chasin' after you

You didn’t think that they would pull it

But now you find yourself runnin' from the sound of stray bullets

You get closer to the crib and start smilin'

Felt somethin' in your back it was a bullet in a spinal column

Now you startin' to bleed

You blackin' out, it’s gettin' harder to see