[00:00.49] Little something for my godson Elijah [00:02.34] And a little girl named Corin [00:05.75] [00:10.40] Some say the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice [00:13.41] I say the darker the flesh, then the deeper the roots [00:16.09] I give a holla to my sisters on welfare [00:18.71] 2Pac cares if don't nobody else care [00:21.62] And I, I know they like to beat you down a lot [00:24.50] When you come around the block, brothers clown a lot [00:27.33] But please don't cry, dry your eyes, never let up [00:30.55] Forgive, but don't forget, girl, keep ya head up [00:33.21] And when he tells you you ain't nothin', don't believe him [00:36.22] And if he can't learn to love you, you should leave him [00:39.22] 'Cause, sister, you don't need him [00:41.35] And I ain't tryin' to gas you up, I just call 'em how I see 'em [00:44.72] You know what makes me unhappy? [00:46.36] When brothers make babies [00:47.80] And leave a young mother to be a pappy [00:50.69] And since we all came from a woman [00:52.55] Got our name from a woman and our game from a woman [00:56.18] I wonder why we take from our women [00:58.19] Why we rape our women, do we hate our women? [01:01.75] I think it's time to kill for our women [01:03.74] Time to heal our women, be real to our women [01:07.14] And if we don't we'll have a race of babies [01:09.35] That will hate the ladies that make the babies [01:12.54] And since a man can't make one [01:14.88] He has no right to tell a woman when and where to create one [01:18.04] So will the real men get up? [01:20.31] I know you're fed up, ladies, but keep ya head up [01:22.97] Keep ya head up, ooh, child [01:26.32] Things are gonna get easier [01:28.32] Keep ya head up, ooh, child [01:31.04] Things'll get brighter (Oh-oh) [01:33.96] Keep ya head up, ooh, child [01:37.27] Things are gonna get easier [01:39.29] Keep ya head up, ooh, child [01:42.38] Things'll get brighter [01:44.52] Ayo, I remember Marvin Gaye used to sing to me [01:48.02] He had me feelin' like black was the thing to be [01:51.18] And suddenly the ghetto didn't seem so tough [01:53.78] And though we had it rough, we always had enough [01:56.50] I huffed and puffed about my curfew and broke the rules [01:59.20] Ran with a local crew and had a smoke or two [02:02.26] And I realise Mama really paid the price [02:04.83] She nearly gave her life to raise me right [02:08.66] And all I had to give her was my pipe dream [02:10.62] Of how I'd rock the mic and make it to the bright screen [02:14.16] I'm tryin' to make a dollar out of 15 cents [02:16.95] It's hard to be legit and still pay the rent [02:19.78] And in the end it seems I'm headin' for the pen [02:21.57] I try to find my friends, but they're blowin' in the wind [02:24.97] Last night my buddy lost his whole family [02:27.57] It's gonna take the man in me to conquer this insanity [02:30.66] It seems the rain'll never let up [02:32.52] I try to keep my head up and still keep from gettin' wet up [02:36.11] You know, it's funny, when it rains it pours [02:38.35] They got money for wars but can't feed the poor [02:41.84] Say there ain't no hope for the youth [02:43.98] And the truth is it ain't no hope for the future [02:47.25] And then they wonder why we crazy [02:49.39] I blame my mother for turnin' my brother into a crack baby [02:52.92] We ain't meant to survive, 'cause it's a set-up [02:55.48] And even though you're fed up, huh [02:57.24] You got to keep ya head up [02:57.98] Keep ya head up, ooh, child [03:00.75] Things are gonna get easier [03:03.33] Keep ya head up, ooh, child [03:05.87] Things'll get brighter (Oh-oh) [03:08.67] Keep ya head up, ooh, child [03:12.05] Things are gonna get easier [03:14.46] Keep ya head up, ooh, child [03:16.96] Things'll get brighter [03:19.55] And uh, to all the ladies havin' babies on they own [03:22.36] I know it's kinda rough and you're feelin' all alone [03:25.32] Daddy's long gone and he left you by your lonesome [03:28.09] Thank the Lord for my kids even if nobody else want 'em [03:32.23] 'Cause I think we can make it, in fact, I'm sure [03:34.75] And if you fall, stand tall and come back for more [03:37.54] 'Cause ain't nothin' worse than when your son [03:39.78] Wants to know why his daddy don't love him no more [03:42.93] You can't complain you was dealt this [03:44.82] Hell of a hand without a man, feelin' helpless [03:47.84] Because there's too many things for you to deal with [03:50.60] Dyin' inside, but outside you're lookin' fearless [03:53.68] While tears is rollin' down your cheeks [03:56.27] You steady hopin' things don't fall down this week [03:59.22] 'Cause if it did, you couldn't take it [04:01.73] And don't blame me, I was given this world, I didn't make it [04:05.02] And now my son's gettin' older and older [04:07.71] And cold from havin' the world on his shoulders [04:11.09] While the rich kids is drivin' Benz [04:13.11] I'm still tryin' to hold on to survivin' friends [04:16.23] And it's crazy, it seems it'll never let up [04:19.07] But, huh, please, you got to keep ya head up [04:20.16]