[Intro]
There's gon' be some stuff you gon' see
That's gon' make it hard a smile in the future
But through whatever you see
Through all the rain and the pain
You gotta keep your sense of humor
You gotta be able da smile through all this bullshit
Remember that
Mmm, yeah, keep ya head up
Yeah

[Verse 1]
Our lifestyles be close-captioned, addicted to fatal attractions
Pictures of actions be played back, in the midst of mashing
No fairy tales for this young black male
Some see me stranded in this land of Hell, jail, and crack sales
Hustlers hardly think of culture
Or the repercussions, while busting on backstabbing vultures
Selling my soul for material wishes, fast cars, and bitches
Wishing I live my life a legend, immortalized in pictures
Why shed tears? Save your sympathy
My childhood years were spent burying my peers in the cemetery
Here's a message to the newborns waiting da breathe
If you believe, then you can achieve – just look at me
Against all odds, though life is hard, we carry on
Living in the projects, broke wit' no lights on
To all the seeds that follow me, protect your essence
Born with less, but you still precious: just smile for me now
[Chorus]
Smile for me now
Smile
What cha looking all sad for?
N***a, you Black, smile for me now
N***a, you ain't got none' da be worried about
Won't cha smile? No doubt, smile for me now
And the next generation

[Verse 2]
Fuck the world, as we unloading, witness furious speeds
Unanswered questions keep us all stressing, curious G's
Backstabbed and bleeding
Crooked thoughts laced with weed, learning
Ducking stray shots, bullets be hot, they burning
Inhale the sherm smoke, visualize the flames
Will I be smothered by my own pain?
Strange whispers, cowards conversate, so quick da diss us
Taking pictures for the Feds, in desperate hopes they'd get us
Hit us all, give us plenty centuries
Forgive my sins, since I entered many penitentiaries
The best revenge is "Fuck friends" – we military-minded soldiers
Busting shots blindly, trying da find Jehovah
To help me, somebody save me – lost and crazy
Scared to drop a seed, hoping I ain't cursed my babies
Maybe now n***as feel me now, picture my pain
Embrace my words, make the world change
And, still, I smile, n***a