Pray

(album: American Gangster - 2007)

Deliver me from my enemies, oh God
Defend me from all that rise up against me
Deliver me from the work of iniquity
And save me from the Bloody Men

Look: Mind state of a gangster from the 40s
Meets the business mind of Motown's Berry Gordy
Turned crack rock into a chain of 40/40s
Sorry, my jewelry's so gaudy
Slid into the party with my new pair of Mauris
America, meet the gangster, Shawn Corey
"Hey, young world," wanna hear a story?
Close your eyes, and you can pretend you're me
I'm cut from the cloth of the Kennedys
Frank Sinatra having dinner with the Genovese
This is the genesis of a nemesis
Mother America's not witnessed since
The Harlem renaissance birthed black businesses
This is the tale of lost innocence
As the incense burn
And the turntables turn and that Al Green plays
I see my mother's afro
As Mama taps her toes, as she rolls her Js
And my papa just left the house
In search of the killer of my Uncle Ray
And she's trying to calm her nerves
As I observe, this is just one day
And what tomorrow has in store, we can never be sure
So all we can do is pray

Because of your strength
While I walked upon thee
For God is my defense
Pray for me!

As I head to my homeroom
I observe the ruins, dope needles on the ground
I hear a car go, "Vroom"
Drug dealer in the BM with the top down
As the girls start to giggle
I ask, "Why you laugh?" They say, "You're too little"
"One day, you'll understand when you become a man
About things you have to get you"
Fast-forward, freeze-frame on my pistol
Fistful of dollars, ignorance is so blissful
I didn't choose this life, this life chose me
Around here, it's the shit that you just do
I just left school
The same BM is pulled over by the boys dressed blue
They had their guns drawn, screaming, "Just move!" ("Don't move!")
"Or is there something else you suggest we can do?"
He made his way to the trunk, opened it like, "Huh?"
A treasure chest was removed
Cops said he'll be back next month
What we call corrupt, he calls paying dues
Now, when the rules is blurred—
As they is and were—what am I to do?
But pray? Pray the Lord forgive me
Pray He guides me by for what I'm 'bout to go through
Pray

Deliver me in thy righteousness
And cause me to escape
And climb thine air unto me
Save me thine Lord (pray for me!)

Geah... Anywhere there's oppression
The drug profession flourishes like beverages, refreshing
Ah! Sweet taste of sin
Everything I seen made me everything I am
Bad drug dealer or victim, I beg
What came first? Moving chickens or the egg?
This is why I be so fresh
I'm tryna beat life 'cause I can't cheat death
Treat shame with shamelessness
Aim stainlesses at anuses
You know the game this is?
Move coke like Pepsi, don't matter what the brand name is
I stand behind mine
Everything I do, I'm a man behind mine
I'm not an angel, I'm sure
But every night before I lay, I drop my knees to the floor
And I pray

The name shall endure forever
The name shall be continued as long as the sun
Pray for me!
Men shall be blessed in Him
All nations shall call Him blessed
In Your name, I pray
Pray for me!
Lord bless us