Do The Right Thang

Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah, hip-hop nation

This is Spizzike Lee

Been sleepin 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 yo' senses mayne

Snow is all around you, but you don't play in no winter games

Cartridges surround you, but you ain't playin Nintendo games

Load 'em up and fill 'em up to the top before you cock and aim

Tryin to get from the bottom to the top, like the stock exchange

Shower, shit and shave and 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 survivor or survivor of the streets

And only the strong survive, it'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 niggas'll peel you for your shoes

It's the blues but not on Hill Street, you can call it

Kill-or-be-killed street, lost-a-pint-of-blood, let-it-spill street

Stop and WAKE UP! WAKE UP!

They say my folks'll do whatever for the fortune and the fame

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

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

(Lemme talk to 'em) Use your brain homie do the right thang

You say the only family that you got is in a gang

And the only way to make it is by sellin cocaine

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

(Lemme talk to 'em) Use your brain homie do the right thang

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

Years we spent together, used to break up get-togethers

With a fight every night, gettin cheddar, movin white

Our thang, so we had to do it right like Spike

Holdin 40's, gettin green on acres, these broads were our mules

That's when we used to serve in front of Caldwell School

View for cars and jewels, chains and tools

It was organized crime but we remained confused

Mom in the pew, sayin "Lord protect him"

You might not agree with our views but you had to respect him

Diamonds in the rough, but what we were reflectin

A system that's abrupt, the streets of oppression

One mornin 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 sayin from heaven, "WAKE UP!"

WAKE UP! WAKE UP!

They say my folks'll do whatever for the fortune and the fame

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

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

(Lemme talk to 'em) Use your brain homie do the right thang

You say the only family that you got is in a gang

And the only way to make it is by sellin cocaine

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

(Lemme talk to 'em) Use your brain homie do the right thang

I, woke up this mornin and got a call

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

She got fo' baby daddies, fo' kids by fo' 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

Lookin for back payments and fightin for that child support

Chasin checks, chasin a ounce of respect, chasin paper

Chasin entertainers or rappers and ballplayers

Not carin about a condom, I say help her Lord please

'Fore she stuck with mo' babies or ends up fightin some disease

You know that you a momma and mommas we can't lose you

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 decision 'til you're ready to give birth

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

Baby stop and WAKE UP! WAKE UP!

They say my folks'll do whatever for the fortune and the fame

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

But I'm sayin, use your brain baby do the right thang

(Lemme 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 fo' his change

But I'm sayin, use your brain baby do the right thang

(Lemme talk to 'em) Use your brain baby do the right thang

Wake up, wake up

It's a new day

C'mon brothers, wake up

C'mon sisters, wake up

A-T-L, 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