A picture's worth a thousand tears

My friend's mother once told me

as they were burying her son

"You've already taken a life, child

now go and save one..."



Six in the evening

and I'm layin' in bed

tryin' to clear the cobwebs

outta my head

Tryin' to get right

from the night before

"BANG!" "BANG!" "BANGIN!"

on my front door

My homie Tony-Tony

and he looked upset

So I got ready for a night

that I would never forget


I didn't fire the round that put my friend in the ground

but it never would've happened if I wasn't around


Summer-time night

and it was just like any other

I love Tony-Tony

like I love a little brother

He's got a problem

then it's my problem, too

Never know what the streets

are gonna make you do

He says it's no big deal

and he doesn't wanna fight

but somebody, somewhere

is gonna hurt tonight


I didn't fire the round that put my friend in the ground

but it never would've happened if I wasn't around


You know how it goes

you gotta stay "true"

and I made him do somethin'

that he didn't wanna do

We found out real fast

where they were partyin' at

Rat-a-tat-tat

Sometimes it happens like that

Runnin' out the house

to the echo of a Glock

but Tony-Tony didn't make it

to the end of the block


I didn't fire the round that put my friend in the ground

but it never would've happened if I wasn't around


I look at a picture

on my living room wall

of me and Tony-Tony

standin' proud, standin' tall

and sometimes I picture

where he'd be

and what he'd be doin'

if it wasn't for me

I know his mother meant

to move up and move on

before my own family

has to picture me gone