Think Like Them, Act Like Me

Came up broke on the wrong side of dawn

Empty pockets, heavy heart, still pushin' on

Lost my job, lost my pride, lost my last good chance

Till a back-alley crew said,"Boy, you wanna advance?"

Thought I'd score quick cash, shake loose from the pain—

Didn't see the trap hidin' under that chain

But when you ride with wolves, you get bit by the game

And the judge don't care about your hard-luck name

Think like them, act like me

If you wanna get jailed, you'll see

Walk that line where the shadows creep

Trade your soul for a little relief

Bars slam shut, now the truth's set free:

Think like them act like me

If you wanna get jailed

Just follow my lead

Started runnin'"dirty work," thinkin' I was slick

Talkin' tough in the yard, learnin' hustle tricks

Did a couple pickups just to feel alive

But every bad dollar cuts like a knife

Then the sirens hit hard like a hammer to stone

Hands on the hood, boys scattered and gone

Now I'm wearin' state grays, payin' dues in the yard

Lookin' back at a life tryin' way too hard

Think like them, act like me

If you wanna get jailed, you'll see

Walk that line where the shadows creep

Trade your soul for a little relief

Bars slam shut, now the truth's set free:

Think like them act like me

If you wanna get jailed—

Just follow my lead

In the block at night, when the lights go dead

You hear men confess what they never said

And I learned one truth in that cinder-block sea:

Ain't no fast cash worth losin' who you could be

Yeah, think like them, act like me

You'll end up wearin' chains, believe

If you chase that street-made fantasy

You'll lose more than you see

Now I walk my time, tryin' to rebuild me

Think like them act like me

If you wanna get jailed

Take that road

But you ain't gotta be me