"It's not me exactly, that touches people
It's what I represent
The possibility that dreams long ago, may still come true
Even if they look lost forever"
I had a homey named Tony, 16, 6'2
Headed to the NBA straight from high school
My nigga had his ball game on lock
But at the same time, he was in love with the block
All the stuff that came wit it, the drugs and the guns
The gangs, the slang and all the funds
He just got a letter of intent from the Cavaliers
Sayin' how they love him and they wish he was there
He had it made like Special Ed, about to get the bread
But chose, to do, sumthin' dumb instead
Go to war with the crew on the other side of town
And was mo' ready, and Tony got laid down
He ain't even have a chance
Died before the ambulance, even got to him
So many went through him
I hate to tell the story, but that's how it is
Growin' up in the hood as a kid
When you got big dreams, don't listen to what nobody say
And don't let nobody turn you away
When you got big dreams, keep your eyes on the prize
Don't fall to the wayside
When you got big dreams
Don't listen to what nobody say and don't let nobody turn you away
When you got big dreams, keep your eyes on the prize
Don't fall to the waste side, reach for the sky
Knew a girl named Gina that was a hell of a singer
And everybody fell in love with her when they seen her
Baby girl was on the verge of signing a big deal
Eighteen, and life looked so-so real
She was stuck wit a dude that was all bad news
And all he ever did was give baby the blues
But she was true to a nigga, do for a nigga
Pop you and ya whole crew for a nigga
One night he came, picked her up told her, "let's ride!"
That's the same night that he watched her die!
They was tryna hit a lick, but the lick hit back
Put a end to the deal, and all of that
She ain't even have to be there, he know it wasn't right
Now he gotta deal with it for the rest of his life
And the part I don't like, he ain't even get grazed
But the homegirl, Gina, is layin' in the grave
When you got big dreams, don't listen to what nobody say
And don't let nobody turn you away
When you got big dreams, keep your eyes on the prize
Don't fall to the wayside
When you got big dreams
Don't listen to what nobody say and don't let nobody turn you away
When you got big dreams, keep your eyes on the prize
Don't fall to the waste side, reach for the sky
I got a few relatives givin' family drama
Always got they hands out when they see me and my momma
One coulda been a doctor, the other a chef
But when he got his own kitchen, he was cookin' sumthin' else
Now his life in the drain, a triflin' shame
He all washed up, wife took everything
No car, no mo', no house
And everywhere he go, he stole, so they throwed him out
I was growin' up, lookin' up to be like them
Now I'm throwin' up cash, rollin' up in the Bent
I was stuck wit a dream I had since a shorty
I be damned if I let another man support me, now
Uncle Junebug's sick, skinny as hell
He got AIDS in his body from the needles he shared
Everytime he get his welfare checks, he don't care
If you wanna see him go to the crack house, he there
When you got big dreams, don't listen to what nobody say
And don't let nobody turn you away
When you got big dreams, keep your eyes on the prize
Don't fall to the wayside
When you got big dreams
Don't listen to what nobody say and don't let nobody turn you away
When you got big dreams, keep your eyes on the prize
Don't fall to the waste side, reach for the sky
When you got big dreams
When you got big dreams
When you got big dreams
When you got big dreams, keep your eyes on the prize
Don't fall to the waste side, reach for the sky