Betrayal by Six
(sigh) Used to walk these corners like brothers,
man.
West side by Sixth.
Now you look across the asphalt and it's cold.
Corner of West and Sixth,
where the asphalt cracked Used to hold my shoulder,
had my blindside backed Taught me how to stand tall,
read the room in the rain Now your name in the whisper
turns straight to pain Saw the sirens flash twice,
tape stretched cross the lane Lessons from a mentor now tied to
a stain You said keep your circle small,
watch the hands you shake Never said the hardest cut is the
one they make Now you walk the far side,
eyes turned down and hard Brotherhood buried in the boulevard
West by Sixth, where the teachings turn cold Heavy is the burden
that we gotta hold Big brother turned stranger across the yellow line
Hardest lesson learned at the edge of the grind
(yeah,
across the line)
Remember sitting on the stoop,
you was drawing the map Told me avoid the crossfire,
never fall for the trap Now you on the other end,
holding weight in the crew That we swore we'd never bend to,
look at what you do
Cops at the intersection,
yellow tape in the breeze
Lost a piece of my youth underneath these palm trees I still
keep the game you gave,
every rule in my chest
Even when the teacher becomes the test Looking at the rearview,
gripping on the wheel
Crazy how the closest ones forget how to feel
West by Sixth, where the teachings turn cold Heavy is the burden
that we gotta hold Big brother turned stranger across the yellow line
Hardest lesson learned at the edge of the grind
(yeah,
edge of the grind)
Was it pride? Was it fear?
Was it blood on the hands?
Funny how survival breaks down all the plans
(all the plans) I hear your voice when the night gets low
Telling me to watch where the cold winds blow
West and Sixth.
Still standing here.
Just without you, homie.
(without you)