You think Oakland, California is a city of punks
It only takes a second, to pop the trunk
An' just like that, you know it's real
You're in the right damn town to get killed
It's all about the game an' nothin' else
You come out here, you better watch yourself
'Cause you can wear what you want, even blue or red
But cross the wrong brothers an' end up dead
You catch a body full of bullets an' get blasted
Tryin' to be a gangsta, but you just ain't lastin'
This little town is gettin' wild as Hell
Check the penitentiaries an' all the jails
If they could lock us all up, that would be just fine
Got my partners from Oakland doin' serious time
You can't argue with the truth, it's hard to be black
But it's a mind game an' you gotta deal with that
I wake up everyday an' I just can't wait
To make mo' money 'cause back in the days
When I rapped, I did the same damn thing I do now
Grab the microphone an' show you how
But I was broke, the only thing I had was game
I started makin' money an' knew things would change
Bought a Benz, thought it might earn respect
But the O.P.D. found it hard to accept
I got jacked by the Task an' jacked by the Vice
Face down on the ground, keep my hands in sight
Put the handcuffs on, backseat, I'm in it
Illegal search for about thirty minutes
Askin' me, ‽Where's the dope?”
Where's my gun, but I don't know
I said I'm rappin', they laugh like I told a joke
An' to this day they think I'm sellin' coke
I want to be free an' that's the truth, oh yeah
I want to be free, oh, yeah
I be in Oakland, California every day of my life
Bass so hard, you think I'm smokin' a pipe
An' if I don't smoke it, I gots to grind
Searched all my stuff an' all you find
Is a pocket full of money, count seven Gs
Now you wanna think I'm sellin' keys
'Cause I'm a black man, but I run my own business
So why the police wanna send me to prison?
They see a brother makin' major cash
They knock a patch out his black ass
An' that's the truth, you can't argue you at all
Tryin' to give you ten years for a phone call
Ain't even trippin' on the dank smoke
'Cause all they wanna find is guns an' coke
In court all the time tryin' to fight it
We get rich, we get indicted
So what's the problem Officer this time?
Is havin' big money, bein' black a crime?
Or did you take me to jail to teach me a lesson?
Charge me with somethin' or just ask questions
About the brothers I hang around
What's really goin' on in the Oakland town
Tell me who went broke an' who got rich
But Too Short, baby, just ain't no snitch
You say you're just doin' your job
But you're gettin' on my nerves, just like Bob
Every time I hit a corner, I see you
Always tellin' brothers what to do
You lock me up 'cause I don't know how to act
But I'm down for mine, so I be talkin' back
An' when I do, you treat me bad as hell
I'm sick of spendin' nights in jail
I want to be free an' that's the truth, oh yeah
I want to be free, oh, yeah
Got out of jail about fo' fifteen
Walkin' down the street like a broke dope fiend
Had a pocket full of money tryin' to play the role
Benz got towed an' I was hella cold
But I ain't trippin', I'm gettin' used to it now
Handcuffed, your boy took me straight downtown
For three warrants, had to catch me sooner or later
'Cause the 5 oh's always tryin' to jack a playa
For no reason, wasn't doin' nothin' wrong
You think I'm lyin', singin' that same ol' song
Well I'm a black man, ridin' in a Benz
How in the hell did I make these ends?
Here we go, I pull over to the right
Stop the engine keep my hands in sight
I start cursin' 'cause it don't make sense
Why would I run an' try to jump a fence?
If I was plannin' a smooth getaway
I never woulda stopped in the first place
You'd be high speed chasin' me but this time you ain't
'Cause all I got on me is a big fat bank
An' I hope I don't get robbed by you know who
Make me donate some Gs to the boys in blue
An' if I sue, I won't get nothin' back
But I ain't mad, I'm just black
I want to be free, oh, yeah
I want to be free, oh, yeah
I want to be free, oh, yeah
I want to be free, oh, yeah

SUBMIT CORRECTIONS