[Fate Wilson]
Okay, I remember the days
High rights, low lefts, Even Stevens and Fades
Troops Lottos and BKs, those was the days
High tech boots spray painted wit'cha name
T-shirts airbrushed that read the same
They carryin' Bone chain
One gone but yo we miss ya
Harris photos school shots can you remember
Bury him told his bitch go get a perm and die
Didnt lie shot himself in the head with the 4-5
When she disobeyed hand off clated craze
Just to reiterate dog those was the days
Fo' da invasions of hatas man cools to miles around
Use to get down at True Flavas bumpin Key Lo
Walkin' damage Cross-Coloured and Paco
While playboys stepped in talent shows
Prom nights tux and Kangol its so cool
Fuck them new model cars we ridin' old school (old school)

[Shawna]
It used to be all good when we played double-dutch in the hood
On the softball team, I was swinging that wood
I remember eating kool-aid and sunflower seeds
Jelly shoes, hair braided with a thousand beads
Mama sittin on the porch till the lights come on
Or when I woke up in the morning and my bike was gone
I was sick to my stomach, couldn't eat for days
Sweeping beauty shops just to make minimum wage
Then I copped a 10-speed and got back on my feet
A whole pack of girls riding 20 deep in the street
Playing catch-a-boy, freak-a-boy, switching up the rules
A summertime splash party get you in the cool
Ladies if you feel it, holla back is you wit me
Shout my niggas Kia, Toni Mac, Jay-lay, and Nikki
This for all them hood parking lots in every city
Ludacris, Face, Lil' Fate, and Shawna, you wit me
We tryin' hard...

[Chorus: Keon Bryce]
We was tryin so hard
Hard to survive
Cause even though we were young
We had to stay strong
No matter what we went through
It was me and my crew
And thats how it went
When we were kids

[Ludacris]
I had a Long John but no Silver, no gold or plat
I was simply red from the years I been holdin' back
With 2 sides to a book I lick stamps and light matches
And set fires in garbage pales and cabbage patches
A child of the corn been wild since I was born
Climbin' over barb wire clothes got torn
Shoes got muddy and my click turned cruddy
Wherever I go they went they my buddies
I brush teef brush naps and comb streets
Dreamin' of Cadillacs, wood wheels, and plush seats
Cats with gold teeth and raps with such beats
Macks with no grief and some sacks of green leaf
When I loaded my cap gun I was ready for action
Starin' at beer cans and a moment to crack one
Wanna roll with the big boys and play with the big toys
And be with the people makin all that gotdamn noise

[Scarface]
Remember, swatch watches, ???
Levi denims, dried out gerry curls
Back when the girls wore striped chic jeans
Straight leg Lees on sown at the seams
And some grondo papers good if you head bang
Long as you riding you ain't need to have game
And even back then chicks was starving to touch status
You either had a car, favorite Jordan, and kept stats
Old school homies did nothing but block rap
Stayed going off the old E and Pac jams
Mama had to monitor the niggas you hung around
To the point where you came in the house when they come around
And, my dad was dead so these streets had to raise me
And even back in 1983 shit was crazy
Young black bro, nigga first to smoke
It's good to kick some ass
I'm tired of school, shit's depressing
I'm trying hard...

[Chorus: Keon Bryce] 2 x's
We was tryin so hard
Hard to survive
Cause even though we were young
We had to stay strong
No matter what we went through
It was me and my crew
And thats how it went
When we were kids