[Common] Memories on corners with the fo's and the mo's Walk to the store for the rose, talking straightforward to hoes Got uncles that smoke, and some put blow up they nose To cope with the lows, the wind is cold and it blows In they socks and they soles, niggaz holdin' they rolls Corners leave souls opened and closed, hopin' for mo' We know where to go, niggaz rollin' in droves They shoot the wrong way, cuz they ain't know and they goes The streets ain't safe cuz they ain't knowing the code By the foes I was told, either focus or fold Got cousins with flows, hope they open some doors So we can cop clothes and roll in a Rolls Now I roll in a Olds, with windows that don't roll Down the roads where cars get broken and stole These are the stories told by Stony and Cottage Grove The world is cold, the block is hot as a stove On the corners [Kanye West] I wish I could give you this feelin' I wish I could give this feelin' On the corners niggaz robbin' or killin' And dyin' just to make a livin', huh? [Lost Prophets]--------- [Last Poets] We overstated, we underrated, we educated The corner was our time when time stood still and Gators and snakeskins and Yellow and pink and powder blue profiles glorifying that [Common] Street lights and deep nights, cats tryin' to eat right Ridin' no-seat-bikes, with work to feed hypes So they can get sweet Nike's, they head and they feet right Desires of street life, cars and weed types Its hard to breathe nights, days are thief-like The beasts roam the streets, the police is Greek-like Game that is deep, we speak and believe hype Banged in the streets has cop left for deep life Its steep life, coming up where niggaz is sheep-like Rappers and hoopers, we strive to be like G's with three strikes, seeds that need light Cheese and recite, needs and BE strife The corner, where struggle and greed fight We write songs about wrong cuz its hard to see right Look to the sky, hoping it will bleed light Reality's a bitch, and I heard that she bites The corner [Kanye West] I wish I could give you this feelin' I wish I could give this feelin' On the corners niggaz robbin or killin' And dyin' just to make a livin', huh? [Lost Prophets]------------- [Last Poets] The corner was our magic, our music, our politics Fires raised as tribal dances and war cries Broke out on different corners Power to the people Black power Black is beautiful [Common] Black church services, murderers, Arabs serving burgers As cats with gold permanents, move they bags as herbalists The dirt isn't just fertile, its people workin' and earnin' this The curb getters go where the cats flow and the current is Its so hot that niggaz burn to live The furnace is, whether money movin', the determined live We talk shit, play lotto, and buy German beers Its so black packed with action that's affirmative The corners [Kanye] I wish I could give you this feelin' I wish I could give this feelin' On the corners niggaz robbin' or killin' And dyin' just to make a livin', huh? [Lost Prophets]---------------- [Last Poets] The corner was our Rock of Gibraltar, our Stonehenge Our Taj Mahal, our monument Our testimonial to freedom, to peace, and to love Down on the corner