Up early in the mornin', dressed in black
Don't ask why? 'Cause I'm down in a suit an' tie
They killed a homie, that I went to school with
I tell ya, life ain't shit to fool with
I still hear the screams from his mother
While my nigga laid dead in the gutter
An' it's getting to my temple
Why is that the only time black folks get to ride in a limo?
It make me so mad, I want to get my sawed in
An' have some bodies hauled in
But no, I pay my respects an' I'm through
Hug my crew an' maybe shed a tear or two
An' I wanna get blitz
Grab my 40 ounce an' then I reminisce
About a brother who had to be the one an' only
So I dedicate this to my dead homie
Another homie got murdered on a shakedown
An' his mother is at the funeral, havin' a nervous breakdown
Two shots hit him in the face, when they blasted
A framed picture an' a closed casket
A single file line, about 50 cars long
All drivin' slow with they lights on
He got a lotta flowers an' a big wreath
What good is that when you're six feet deep?
I look at that shit an' gotta think to myself
An' thank God for my health
'Cause nobody really ever know
When it's gonna be they family on the front row
So I take every thin' slow, go with the flow
An' shut my motherfuckin' mouth if I don't know
'Cause that's what Pops told me
But I wish he could have said it to my dead homie
I remember we painted our names on the wall for fun
Now it's 'Rest in Peace' after every one
Except me, but I ain't the one to front
Seems like I'm viewin' a body after every other month
Plus, I knew him when he was yea big
Pour beer on the curb, before I take a swig
But somethin' ain't right
When it's a tragedy, that's the only time that the family's tight
Lovin' each other in a carin' mood
There's lots of people an' lots of food
They say, Be strong, an' you're tryin'
But how strong can you be when you see your pops cryin'?
So that's why Ice Cube's dressed up
Because the city is so fuckin' messed up
An' everybody is so phony
Take a little time to think about your dead homie
This is dedicated to all my dead homiez