Don’t Understand Songtext

von Kendrick Lamar

His eyes bloodshot red
I watched him as he took
A fifth of henney to the head
In memory of his brother
Reminiscing on them plans
Said they'd go with eachother
He was hurtin
I can see it
Plenty tears
No kleenex
I stood by his side because that was my homie
Gave him a hug
Some of his brother's blood got on me
Clenching his fist on some angry shit
Stood up, sat back down on the curb
And asked me who they be hangin' with
I wasn't sure so I gave him no answer
But I was sure that he had a plan on him
He wanted war
What do you say to a good friend
That's just lost it and grabbin' choppers out of the closet
I tried my best to make him renig
But he was like, my nig
This feeling is more than personal
I stood down
He hopped in a four door, honda accord before he
Binged the block
He said kdot

These streets can turn a kid to killer in minutes
Not by choice, but forced to be a menace
Can someone just pray for me, or war
(Or at least, try to understand) the city pressure
The AK-47, twin MAC-11s
The Desert Eagle, shotty and the Smith & Wessons
Pray for me, or war

Corners become monuments for the dead
Candles on the pavement, postcard read
Rest in peace, the yellow tap blockin' off the streets
A baby mama yellin at the police
But you don't understand
You figure that we're just a bunch of niggas
But the picture here's a story untold
Y' see this wasn't in our plans
Babies from the late eighties wasn't born crazy
We was raised that way
Put that Malcom X book down
Then raise that k
Complete chaos when we off x pills and zan i's
Let the devil hem the face
From a sane eye
Cast the spell on you like akheela in the bee
Every killer in the street is a teen with a corrupted
Mind
Substance, time is no longer an issue
We don't have it, so pass the tissue
Then close the casket, kiss the momma when you can
And tell her you understand
But you don't understand

These streets can turn a kid to killer in minutes
Not by choice, but forced to be a menace
Can someone just pray for me, or war
(And hopefully you'll understand) the city pressure
The AK-47, twin MAC-11s
The Desert Eagle, shotty and the Smith & Wessons
Pray for me, or war

He came back fifteen minutes later
He said dot, I went on one
Do me this favor
Put these guns in a safe place, let nobody see you
This as critical as it gets
My nigga I need you
I said alright, so what happened?
Seen a few niggas slippin
And I just started clappin, I didn't care who I was hittin'
Thats wild shit
But anyway I gotchu
I love you nigga make sure you hit me up by tomorrow
I woke up the next mornin' with a cold
Allergies got me sneezin and wipin' my nose when it was leaking
Checked the medicine cabinet
Lookin for some dayquil
But all I seen was some asprin, just my luck
I got up
Went to Right Aid, hopin that the pharmacy department had the right aid
I bought it and left
Walked to the parking lot, when I see the faces of death
Said they was lookin for my man with a chopper in they hand
Prayin it would jam
But you don't understand

These streets can turn a kid to killer in minutes
Not by choice, but forced to be a menace
Can someone just pray for me, or war
(Now tell me, do you understand?) the city pressure
The AK-47, twin MAC-11s (huh?)
The Desert Eagle, shotty and the Smith & Wessons (do you understand?)
Pray for me, or war

It's like, it's a revolving door
That I've been a part of my whole life
Fucked up right?