Do the Right Thang (feat. Common & Spike Lee)

Yeah yeah yeah yeah hip-hop nation

This is Spike Lee

Been sleeping for too long

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

I see the sunshine gazing through the window pane

Blazing like indo flame, it's time to wake up

Come to your senses, man

Snow is all around you

But you don't play in no winter games

Cartridges surround you

But you ain't playing Nintendo games

Load 'em up and fill 'em up to the top

Before you cock and aim

Tryna get from the bottom to the top

Like the stock exchange

Shower, shit and shaving

Hit the corner for a block exchange

Amazing what my people'll do

For some pocket change

But maybe this ain't the life that you chose

This is the life where you stay strapped and pack a knife

Or end up with a bloody nose

Street survival or survival of the streets

And only the strong survive

There's no survival for the weak

Catch a sneak peak of death

If you ain't on your P's and Q's

They carry banana clips and ****'ll peel you for your shoes

It's the blues but not on Hill Street

And you can call it Kill Or Be Killed Street

Lost A Pint Of Blood, Let It Spill Street

Stop and wake up

Wake up

Wake up

They say my folks will do whatever for the fortune and the fame

And it'll take a fortune to get rid of all the pain

But I'm saying, use your brain, homie, do the right thang

Let me talk to 'em

Use your brain, homie, do the right thang

You saw the only family that you got is in the game

And the only way to make it is by selling cocaine

But I'm saying

Use your brain, homie, do the right thang

Let me talk to 'em

Use your brain, homie, do the right thang

I've been in his ear since we were drinking beers

Years we spent together

Use to break-up, get togethers

With a fight every night, getting cheddar, moving white

Our thing so we had to do it right like Spike

Holding 40s, getting green on acres

These broads were our mules

That's when we used to serve in front of com wealth school

Fuel for cars and jewels, chains and tools

It was organized crime but we remain confused

Mom in the views, singing, Lord, protect 'em

You might not agree with our views

But you had to respect 'em

Diamonds in the rough

But what we were reflecting

A system that's abrupt

The street's in oppression

One morning in the mirror

I seen my reflection

A young man with good spirits

But needed direction

I guess my man's death was my resurrection

'Cause now I hear him saying from heaven, wake up

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

They say my folks will do whatever for the fortune and the fame

And it'll take a fortune to get rid of all the pain

But I'm saying

Use your brain, homie, do the right thang

Let me talk to 'em

Use your brain, homie, do the right thang

You say the only family that you got is in the game

And the only way to make it is by selling cocaine

But I'm saying

Use your brain, homie, do the right thang

Let me talk to 'em

Use your brain, homie, do the right thang

I woke up this morning and got a call

My partner said he had news about a girl named Baby Doll

She got four baby daddies

Four kids by four different men

And she just found out she's pregnant, I said, no, not again

Man, when she gonna learn

She don't wanna spend her life in court

Looking for back payments and fighting for that child support

Chasing checks

Chasing an ounce of respect

Chasing paper

Chasing entertainers or rappers and ballplayers

Not caring about a condom

I say help her, Lord, please

Fore she stuck with more babies or ends up fighting some disease

You know that you a mama

And, mamas, we can't lose ya

Treat yourself better, you carry seeds to the future

And the future looks dim if we don't get ourselves together

We gotta sacrifice, some do whatever for the cheddar

So make the right decisions till you ready to give birth

And know that you the most precious gift we have on this earth

Baby, stop and wake up

Wake up

They say my folks will do whatever for the fortune and the fame

And it'll take a fortune to get rid of all the pain

But I'm saying

Use your brain, baby, do the right thang

Let me talk to 'em

Use your brain, baby, do the right thang

You say you want a family but it's hard without a man

And the only way to make it is to get him for his change

But I'm saying

Use your brain, baby, do the right thang

Let me talk to her

Use your brain, baby, do the right thang

Let me talk to her

Wake up

Wake up

It's a new day

Come on, brothers, wake up

Come on, sisters, wake up

ATL, wake up, wake up, baby

Chi-Town, wake up, wake up, wake up

Brooklyn's in the house

Wake up, Brooklyn

Ludacris

Common Sense

And me, Spike Lee

Always do the right thing

I got it

I'm gone