Some say the blacker the berry

The sweeter the juice

I say the darker the flesh

Then the deeper the roots

I give a holler to my sisters on welfare

Tupac cares and don't nobody else care

And uhh

I know they like to beat ya down a lot

When you come around the block

Brothas clown a lot

But please don't cry

Dry your eyes never let up

Forgive but don't forget girl

Keep ya head up

And when he tells you you ain't nothin'

Don't believe him

And if he can't learn to love you

You should leave him

'Coz sista you don't need him

And I ain't tryin' to gas ya up

I just call 'em how I see 'em

You know it makes me unhappy what's that

When brothas make babies

And leave a young mother to be a pappy

And since we all came from a woman

Got our name from a woman

And our game from a woman

I wonder why we take from our women

Why we R**e our women do we hate our women

I think it's time to k**l for our women

Time to heal our women be real to our women

And if we don't we'll have a race of babies

That will hate the ladies that make the babies

And since a man can't make one

He has no right to tell a woman

When and where to create one

So will the real men get up

I know you're fed up ladies but keep ya head up

Keep ya head up ooo

Child things are gonna get easier

Ooo child things are gonna get brighter

Keep ya head up ooo

Child things are gonna get easier

Ooo child things are gonna get brighter

Aiyyo I remember Marvin Gaye used to sing to me

He had me feelin' like black was the thing to be

And suddenly the ghetto didn't seem so tough

And though we had it rough we always had enough

I huffed and puffed about

My curfew and broke the rules

Ran with the local crew and had a smoke or two

And I realize momma really paid the price

She nearly gave her life to raise me right

And all I had to give her was my pipe dream

Of how I'd rock the mic

And make it to the bright screen

I'm tryin' to make a dollar out of fifteen cents

It's hard to be legit and still pay the rent

And in the end it seems I'm headin' for the pen

I try and find my friends

But they're blowin' in the wind

Last night my buddy lost his whole family

It's gonna take the man in

Me to conquer this insanity

It seems tha rain'll never let up

I try to keep my head up

And still keep from gettin' wet up

You know it's funny when it rains it pours

They got money for wars but can't feed the poor

Say there ain't no hope for

The youth and the truth is

It ain't no hope for the future

And then they wonder why we crazy

I blame my mother for turning

My brother into a crack baby

We ain't meant to survive 'coz it's a setup

And even though you're fed up

Huh ya got to keep ya head up

Keep ya head up ooo

Child things are gonna get easier

Ooo child things are gonna get brighter

Keep ya head up ooo

Child things are gonna get easier

Ooo child things are gonna get brighter

And uhh

To all the ladies havin' babies on their own

I know it's kinda rough and you're feelin' all alone

Daddy's long gone

And he left you by ya lonesome

Thank the Lord for my kids

Even if nobody else want 'em

'Coz I think we can make it in fact I'm sure

And if you fall stand tall and comeback for more

'Coz ain't nothin' worse than when your son

Wants to know why his daddy

Don't love him no mo'

You can't complain you was dealt this

Hell of a hand without a man feelin' helpless

Because there's too many things

For you to deal with

Dying inside but outside you're looking fearless

While tears is rollin' down your cheeks

Ya steady hopin' things don't all down this week

'Coz if it did you couldn't take it

And don't blame me

I was given this world I didn't make it

And now my son's gettin' older

And older and cold

From havin' the world on his shoulders

While the rich kids is drivin' Benz

I'm still tryin' to hold on to my survivin' friends

And it's crazy it seems it'll never let up

But please you got to