Hard Times

[Chorus: Carl Thomas]

I'm tryin to make it through these hard times (hard, times)

I'm tryin to make it through these hard times

I'm tryin to make it through these hard times (hard, times)

I'm tryin to make it through these hard times

I'm tryin to make it through these hard times (hard, times)

I'm tryin to make it through these hard times

I'm tryin to make it through these hard times (hard, times)

Hard times (hard), hard times (hard)

[Verse One: Ludacris]

You never know how much you miss a person, until they gone

Like to hear it? Hear it go, I'm rehearsing, gotta sing my song

I know I've done some wrong, but I can't get right

Cause life is like a big fight

I'm stickin-and-movin, tryin to get my shit right

My family's been houndin me, friends they done turned against me

Kinda like they hearts was on a full tank, but now they empty

And they say I've changed, but like twins I'm just the same

It's because of my job, mo' money mo' prob in this dirty game

This industry FUCKED UP

That's right I said it, and it's fake as ever

Keep real niggaz around me, stay "Space Age 4 Eva"

Po-ppa never went and jumped the broom, never got that one degree

But if you looked down from heaven, you'd still be proud of me

Your son was DUI, but my momma made it by

I didn't shed no tears when you left me

but the rest of the family cried

Trials and tribulations, ruined my concentration

Losin my patience, hard times for goodness sake'n

[Chorus]

[Verse Two: Eightball]

As this Valium slowly starts to kick in

Them subconcious, subliminal thoughts, start tickin

This whole world around me, diseased, and crumblin

Babies doin dope cause daddy did it right in front of them

Everybody wanna blame music for they bad kids

Sittin up in the court talkin 'bout Eminem made me do what I did

My own hard times rolled in like the fog

Try to think of others, but I can't get past my own thoughts

My momma, in 1967, pickin cotton

While other blacks was gettin liberated, boycottin

My old man was a player, ain't no hidin that

He started tootin then he graduated to smokin crack

I never saw him, never needed to see that muh'fucker

He left me and my mother stuck down here in this fuckin gutter

I tattoed it on my arm so I can't forget it

It's in my mind and my heart so I'm forever with it

[Chorus]

[Verse Three: MJG]

A drum machine, the old fo'-track, and a pack of new tapes

In the middle of, 1988, in a corner cafe

We made beats, and hung with old heads, and stayed out late at night

Do talent shows, fo'-way split the dough, that was our way of life

My momma stayed, home full time so she could raise me

Knowin without a, household father, things could get crazy

Sometimes I listened, sometimes I thought I knew it all

But nevertheless, momma was with me through it all

I graduated out of nothin, not out of school, it was like

12, 13, 14 years I'm thinkin cool

I might as well, be focusin on me tryin to get paid

Usin these rhymes I've been writin since in the 7th grade

Our team played, and had physical sex with minimum wage

It was just like a piece of pussy

It fucked me long as I stayed

But still I prayed, Lord I'm tryin now please help me out the water

It can't get no harder

Help me to get back up and get my shit tomorrow