Livio, N.O.R.E. - Life I Know lyrics

Understand that I am a man
And even when it's time to go
(Nigga, what, what)
Understand that I live this life
Cause it's the only life I know
(Nigga, what, what)
Live the life, will I die tonight?
That's all I'd like to know
(Nigga, what, what)
I know it isn't right, but I live this life
Cause it's the only life I know
(Nigga, what, what)

I want you to understand why I
Got this work in my hand
Why I sometimes flip out and
Resort to hurtin' a man
Why these city streets turn me
To a thug machine? Why my niggas addicted to
Sellin' drugs to fiends?
Why do I love the cream? Why
Am I a ghetto king?
Why be down wit petty hustlin' if I
Ain't bout to get a thing?
Why every block I live
On full of methamphetamines?
Why I see niggas die over
Watchin' a set of rings?
Why is Livio dirty and won't
Let God get him clean?
And why am I thinkin' like
This if I'm only seventeen?
Why did I see a dead end
Livin' life on the street?
And why'd I get behind the mic and
Put my life on the beat?
Livio, I know ya starvin', I want you to eat
You'd have to die and go to Heaven to
See who I want you to meet
Why me? Why can't I put
Trust in other people?
Why didn't I go out instead of my brother
Rico? Why ya evil? While you thinkin' hate
I'm thinkin' love
Life is really meaningless when death
Is all ya thinkin' of
And that's what you can spread
Drugs or spread love when I shed blood
I'm a be just another dead thug
Why is death chasin' me and
I'm tryin' to hide? Why my body feel live
Although I'm dyin' inside?
Why I got money and feel broke?
Who else advances the pay?
Yeah, I can hear death callin'
But I won't answer today
And wherever God stay is where I'd like to go
But understand I live this life 'cause
It's the life I know


Eh yo, Livio, I hid the blow in the stereo
Guns from overseas, coke from right here
Niggas think I'm missin', but look
I'm right here
Got a nawmeanuheard, naw mean you heard?
I keep the jump off, cuz they not mean
You heard?
Shit, mocking bird, I'll mock ya bird
And if ya niggas got weed
Then I'll mock ya herb
You can check the records, shit
Not a nigga thugs me
Wish 'Pac was here, nigga would've loved me
Just like Christ, I say fuck the ice
Bitches hate me
But lovin' my whips wit blue lights
Had a gun battle, had to hit the horse cattle
Forget Sleepless, have you dead in Seattle
Ain't shit changed, nigga, but my underwear
Niggas think I like jail, lived under there
Shit, slip in ya house, gutter ya spouse
Plus I like her
The bitch let me cum in her mouth
I'm the same on all albums
Thuggin' it out! It go

I hit the scene thuggin'
Evil fiends mean-muggin'
We from the same place
But that shit don't mean nothin'
Hope it means somethin'
Especially when them things bustin'
I'm young Livio, boy, I'm seventeen, hustlin'
I just block out everything
I done forgot the disruption
I just keep it goin' on
And I ain't stoppin' for nothin'
Skip all the worthless discussion
Ya people hurtin' and sufferin'
You mothafuckas be actin' like
You allergic to hustlin'
I gets specific wit you
What you expect 'em to do?
What's the real reason ya livin', dog
What's gettin' you through?
It's time to get smart, no time to stay dumb
Them niggas who stay dumb is
Who I stay away from
'Cause they just wanna get me high
Not be earnin' a thing
They don't wanna let me fly
They keep burnin' my wings
That's why I am what they isn't
And I'm touchin' the sky
And you can't tell me different
I ain't trustin' ya lies
And I keep on sellin' truth
You keep buyin' the lies
And just 'cause I say I'm ready to
Go don't mean I'm tryin' to die


Fades out