I Want to Be Free (That's the Truth)

You think Oakland, California, is a city of punks
 It only takes a second to pop the trunk
 And just like that, you know it's real
 You're in the right damn town to get killed
 It's all about the game and nothin' else
 You come out here, you better watch yourself
 'Cause you can wear what you want, even blue or red
 But cross the wrong brothers and end up dead
 You catch a body full of bullets and get blasted
 Tryin' to be a gangsta but you just ain't lastin'
 This little town is gettin' wild as hell
 Check the penetentiaries and all the jails
 If they could lock us all up, that would be just fine
 Got my partners from Oakland doin' serious time
 You can't argue with the truth, it's hard to be black
 But it's a mindgame and you gotta deal with that
 I wake up everyday and I just can't wait
 To make mo money 'cause back in the days
 When I rapped, I did the same damn thing I do now
 Grab the microphone and show you how
 But I was broke, the only thing I had was game
 I started makin' money and knew things would change
 Bought a Benz, thought it might earn respect
 But the OPD found it hard to accept
 I got jacked by the tax and jacked by the
 Face down on the ground, keep my hands in sight
 Put the handcuffs on backseat, I'm in it
 Illegal search for about thirty minutes
 Askin' me where's the dope
 Where's my gun but I don't know
 I said I'm rappin', they laugh like I told a joke
 And to this day they think I'm sellin' coke
 I want to be free, ohh yeah
 (And that's the truth)
 I want to be free, ohh yeah
 ♪
 I be in Oakland, California every day of my life
 Bass so hard, you think I'm smokin' a pipe
 And if I don't smoke it, I gots to grind
 Searched all my stuff and all you find
 Is a pocket full of money, count seven G's
 Now you wanna think I'm sellin' keys
 'Cause I'm a black man, but I run my own business
 So why the police wanna send me to prison
 They see a brother makin' major cash
 They knock a patch out his black ass
 And that's the truth, you can't argue you at all
 Tryin' to give you ten years for a phone call
 Ain't even trippin' on the dank smoke
 'Cause all they wanna find is guns and coke
 In court all the time, tryin' to fight it
 We get rich, we get indicted
 So what's the problem officer, this time?
 Is havin' big money, bein' black a crime?
 Or did you take me to jail to teach me a lesson
 Charge me with somethin' or just ask questions
 About the brothers I hang around?
 What's really goin' on in the Oakland town?
 Tell me who went broke, and who got rich
 But Too $hort baby, just ain't no snitch
 You say you're just doin' your job
 But you're gettin on my nerves, just like Bob
 Every time I hit a corner, I see you
 Always tellin' brothers what to do
 You lock me up 'cause I don't know how to act
 But I'm down for mine, so I be talkin' back
 And when I do, you treat me bad as hell
 I'm sick of spendin' nights in jail
 I want to be free, ohh yeah
 (And that's the truth)
 I want to be free, ohh yeah
 ♪
 Got out
 Walkin' down the street like a broke dopefiend
 Had a pocket full of money tryin' to play the role
 Benz got towed and I was hella cold
 But I ain't trippin', I'm gettin' used to it now
 Handcuffed, your boy took me straight downtown
 For three warrants, had to catch me sooner or later
 'Cause the five-oh's always tryin' to jack a playa
 For no reason, wasn't doin nothin wrong
 You think I'm lyin', singin' that same ol song
 Well I'm a black man, ridin' in a Benz
 How in the hell did I make these ends?
 Here we go, I pull over to the right
 Stop the engine, keep my hands in sight
 I start cursin' 'cause it don't make sense
 Why would I run and try to jump a fence
 If I was plannin' a smooth getaway
 I never woulda stopped in the first place
 You'd be high speed chasin' me but this time you ain't
 'Cause all I got on me is a big fat bank
 And I hope I don't get robbed by you know who
 Make me donate some G's to the boys in blue
 And if I sue, I won't get nothin' back
 But I ain't mad, I'm just black
 I want to be free, ohh yeah
 I want to be free, ohh yeah
 
 I want to be free, ohh yeah
 I want to be free, ohh yeah