Do The Right Thang

Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah, hip-hop nation
This is Spizzike Lee
Been sleepin for too long
Wake up, wake up

WAKE UP! WAKE UP!
I see the sunshine gazing through the window pane
Blazing like indo flame, it's time
To WAKE UP, come to yo' senses mayne
Snow is all around you, but you don't play in no winter games
Cartridges surround you, but you ain't playin Nintendo games
Load 'em up and fill 'em up to the top before you cock and aim
Tryin to get from the bottom to the top, like the stock exchange
Shower, shit and shave and hit the corner for a block exchange
Amazing what my people'll do, for some pocket change
But maybe this ain't the life that you chose
This is the life where you stay strapped
And pack a knife or end up with a bloody nose
Street survivor or survivor of the streets
And only the strong survive, it's no survival for the weak
Catch a sneak peak of death if you ain't on your P's and Q's
They carry banana clips and niggas'll peel you for your shoes
It's the blues but not on Hill Street, you can call it
Kill-or-be-killed street, lost-a-pint-of-blood, let-it-spill street

Stop and WAKE UP! WAKE UP!
They say my folks'll do whatever for the fortune and the fame
And it'll take a fortune to get rid of all the pain
But I'm sayin, use your brain homie do the right thang
(Lemme talk to 'em) Use your brain homie do the right thang
You say the only family that you got is in a gang
And the only way to make it is by sellin cocaine
But I'm sayin, use your brain homie do the right thang
(Lemme talk to 'em) Use your brain homie do the right thang

I've been in his ear since we were drinkin beers
Years we spent together, used to break up get-togethers
With a fight every night, gettin cheddar, movin white
Our thang, so we had to do it right like Spike
Holdin 40's, gettin green on acres, these broads were our mules
That's when we used to serve in front of Caldwell School
View for cars and jewels, chains and tools
It was organized crime but we remained confused
Mom in the pew, sayin "Lord protect him"
You might not agree with our views but you had to respect him
Diamonds in the rough, but what we were reflectin
A system that's abrupt, the streets of oppression
One mornin in the mirror, I seen my reflection
A young man with good spirits, but needed direction
I guess my man's death, was my resurrection
Cause now I hear him sayin from heaven, "WAKE UP!"

WAKE UP! WAKE UP!
They say my folks'll do whatever for the fortune and the fame
And it'll take a fortune to get rid of all the pain
But I'm sayin, use your brain homie do the right thang
(Lemme talk to 'em) Use your brain homie do the right thang
You say the only family that you got is in a gang
And the only way to make it is by sellin cocaine
But I'm sayin, use your brain homie do the right thang
(Lemme talk to 'em) Use your brain homie do the right thang

I, woke up this mornin and got a call
My partner said he had news about a girl named Baby Doll
She got fo' baby daddies, fo' kids by fo' different men
And she just found out she's pregnant, I said, "NO, not again!"
Man, when she gonna learn she don't wanna spend her life in court
Lookin for back payments and fightin for that child support
Chasin checks, chasin a ounce of respect, chasin paper
Chasin entertainers or rappers and ballplayers
Not carin about a condom, I say help her Lord please
'Fore she stuck with mo' babies or ends up fightin some disease
You know that you a momma and mommas we can't lose you
Treat yourself better, you carry seeds to the future
And the future looks dim if we don't get ourselves together
We gotta sacrifice, some do whatever for the cheddar
So make the right decision 'til you're ready to give birth
And know you're the most precious gift we have on this earth

Baby stop and WAKE UP! WAKE UP!
They say my folks'll do whatever for the fortune and the fame
And it'll take a fortune to get rid of all the pain
But I'm sayin, use your brain baby do the right thang
(Lemme talk to 'em) Use your brain baby do the right thang
You say you want a family but it's hard without a man
And the only way to make it is to get him fo' his change
But I'm sayin, use your brain baby do the right thang
(Lemme talk to 'em) Use your brain baby do the right thang

Wake up, wake up
It's a new day
C'mon brothers, wake up
C'mon sisters, wake up
A-T-L, wake up, wake up baby
Chi-Town, wake up wake up wake up
Brooklyn's in the house
Wake up Brooklyn
Ludacris, Common Sense and me, Spike Lee
"Always do the right thing"
I got it, I'm gone