What's Going On

It's a cryin' shame, brothers takin' life as a game

Growing up against the law, but no-one knows who's to blame

Dealin' drugs on the corner, you don't have to, but you wanna

A meal is hard to make, but you tell yourself you're gonna

Dealing 12 to 12, day into evening

I wonder how you continue to be grieving

Your meal is made and it's time to chill

You buy the black Mercedes Benz with the gold to the grill

Cruisin' up the ave while your friends get jealous

You find out, you quickly get restless

You buy a gun, it doesn't help but hurt you

Because your so-called friend rattled on you

You're in the pen serving 10 to 20

Your boy snatched your girl and put use to your money

You're out for teen, but what does it mean?

You're just a wasted, young brother who lost it all on a dream

Chorus: (sampled from What's Going On by Marvin Gaye)

What's goin' on, I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I

Yeah, what's goin' on, I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I

Verse 2: Afrika, Mike G

My blood brother is bleeding, it's a cryin' shame

Out on the street tryin' to play the game

Formally an in-mate straight from upstate

Can't stop him now 'cause you see it's just too late

He's on the run and he's got a gun

Stay out his way unless you want some

See, he's gettin' older, a bit more bolder

Got his name written up in the 5-0 folder

A big Christmas list of all the crime's he's committed

He says he didn't do it, but we know he did it

Summons his lawyers, fingerprints, bung shots

Lookin' for my brother, yo, he's at the drug spots

Livin' off that cheap Chinese food

He says he only bumps the people when he's in the mood

Runnin' 'round with his crews and his 2-2's

I saw him last night in the prime time news

Shot and killed by a

His birth to the earth was a big mistake

Now, history was not my favourite subject

I used to flip through the pages and get upset

Seein' little of black and too much of the other

(They tried to brainwash you) Picture that, a jungle brother

Read this, read that, answer question 3

But when I got to 3, it had nothin' to do with me

Somethin' was wrong, and I knew it all along

Now tell me (please) what's goin' on

Repeat chorus

Verse 3: Afrika, Mike G

A: Now, I've been told all the do's and don't-do-not's

My mother, hallelujah, she called the shots

She said, "Don't play with guns and play with knives

And most of all, don't play with other people's wives

When you're walkin' down the street, pay the pushers no mind

'Cause all they wanna do is put your mind on cloud nine

Put your head up high and your feet on the ground

You don't have to be like everybody else to be down

Stay in school

G: Don't be no fool

A: Don't lose your temper

G: And keep your cool

A: Follow your heart

G: And not your friends

A: And some of your friends

G: Could lead you into dead ends"

A: The other day my father said, "Son, God bless your soul

Our life is gettin' tougher and the world is cold"

I said, "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, what do you mean?" He said,

G: "You ain't got nothin' 'less you got the green"

A: I realise to myself things are gonna be hard

So each and every day I pray to God

I say, "Now I lay me down to sleep

G: I give the Lord my soul to keep

A: If I should die before I wake

G: Take me to heaven 'cause I need a break

A: But if you let me live to another morn

G: I'd like to know what's goin' on

Chorus 2:

What's goin' on, I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I

Tell me what's goin' on, I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I