That's How I'm Livin - Ice T

I was born in new jersey  I said it before 
But I guess nobody heard me 
My mother died young 
No sistas or brothas  I was the only son 
When I was twelve my pops died too 
What a brotha was supposed to do? 
They sent me out West 
To live with my aunt 
I guess they though it was the best 
But there was no love there 
Growin' with no moms 
I guess I was prepared to live in a vacuum 
The bedroom the kitchen  the hall and the bathroom 
I didn't leave home much, didn't like L.A. 
Didn't have no friends to trust 
Got busted to a school 
Blacks and whites, I guess the shit was cool 
But in highschool I changed 
Didn't wanna bust, didn't wanna play the game 
I walked to Crenshaw high, shit was fly 
I hooked up with new cru 
Some brothas that knew what the fuck to do 
You might call it gang but we called it a set 
And it was our own thang 
The whole school was down 
And one way or another everybody fucked around 
When the hardcore or not 
you wore the right color or your ass got shot 
That's how i'm livin'... 

I did three years in and made close friends 
Havin' no love my homies came my only 
I was glad: a family I never had 
But I grew up fast got a girl on 10th grade pregnant 
Needin' cash, I had to change my style 
Switched from bangin' to hustlin' 
No more goin' buckwild 
Had to get a cashflow 
But my hustle was weak, it was a no go 
I join the army, four years in that shit 
Be all fucked you can be 
Came back to the hood 
My homies had done good 
Had elevated their game 
About 100 gees a lick, no mothafuckin' shame 
Passed for the jewels 
Baby sledgehammers with the tools 
I speak on this with a hesitation 
Even though it passed the statue of limitation... 

I checked the bank 
Bought a porsche and gear, earn high streetrank 
But as I grew my whole crew fell thru 
Cops had us on the books as innerstate crooks 
Murd