Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Hip hop nation, this is Spiz-ike Lee Been sleepin' for too long, wake up Wake up Wake up! I see the sunshine gazing through the window pane (yeah) Blazin' like indo flame, it's to wake up! Come to yo' senses manye Snow is all around you, but you don't play in the winter games! Cartridges surround you, but you ain't playin' Nintendo games! Load 'em up and fill 'em up, to the top before you cock and aim Tryna get from the bottom to the top like the stock exchange Shower, shit and shave and hit the corner for a block exchange Amazing what my people'll do for some pocket change But maybe this ain't the life that you chose (chose) This is the life where you stay strapped and pack a knife or end up with a blooded nose Street survivor or survivor of the streets! (streets!) And only the strong survive, there's no survival for the weak! (weak!) Catch a sneak peak of death if you ain't on ya P's and Q's They carry banana clips and niggas'll peel you for ya shoes It's the blues, but not on Hill Street, you could call it "kill or be killed" street "Lost a pint of blood, let it spill" street Stop and wake up! Wake up They say my folks'll do whatever for the fortune and the fame And it'll take a fortune to get rid of all the pain, but I'm sayin' Use your brain homie, do the right thang! (Lemme talk to 'em) Use your brain homie, do the right thang! (Lemme talk to 'em) You say the only family that you got is in a gang And the only way to make it is by sellin cocaine, but I'm sayin' Use your brain homie, do the right thang! (Lemme talk to 'em) Use your brain homie, do the right thang! (Lemme talk to 'em) I've been in his ear since we were drinkin' beers Years we've spent together, used to break up get-togethers With a fight every night gettin' cheddar, movin white Our thang, so we had to "Do it Right" like Spike Holdin 40s, gettin' green on acres, these broads were our mules That's when we used to serve in front of Com'wealth School Fuel for cars and jewels, chains and tools It was organized crime but we remained confused Mom in the pews, singin', "Lord, protect 'em" You might not a-gree with our views, but you had to respect 'em Diamonds in the rough, but were we reflectin' A system that's abrupt, the streets under pressure One morning in the mirror, I seen my reflection A young man with good spirits but needed direction I guess my man's death was my resurrection 'Cause now I hear him sayin' from heaven, "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" They say my folks'll do whatever for the fortune and the fame And it'll take a fortune to get rid of all the pain, but I'm sayin' Use your brain homie, do the right thang! (Lemme talk to 'em) Use your brain homie, do the right thang! (Lemme talk to 'em) You say the only family that you got is in a gang And the only way to make it is by sellin cocaine, but I'm sayin' Use your brain homie, do the right thang! (Lemme talk to 'em) Use your brain homie, do the right thang! (Lemme talk to 'em) I woke up this morning and got a call My partner said he had news about a girl named Baby Doll She got four baby daddies, four kids by four different men And she just found out she's pregnant, I said, "No, not again!" Man, when she gonna learn she don't wanna spend her life in court? Lookin' for back payments and fightin' for that child supports Chasin' checks, chasin' her ounce of respect, chasin paper Chasin' entertainers or rappers and ballplayers Not carin about a condom, I say, "Help her Lord, please" 'Fore she stuck wit mo' babies or ends up fightin some disease You know that you a momma, and, mommas, we can't lose ya (no!) Treat yourself better, you carry seeds to the future (who!) And the future looks dim if we don't get ourselves together We gotta sacrifice, some do whatver for the cheddar So make the right decisions 'til you ready to give birth And know that you the most precious gift we have on this earth Babies, stop and wake up Wake up They say my folks'll do whatever for the fortune and the fame And it'll take a fortune to get rid of all the pain, but I'm sayin' Use your brain baby, do the right thang! (Lemme talk to 'em) Use your brain baby, do the right thang! (Lemme talk to 'em) You say the only family but it's hard without a man And the only way to make it get him for his chains but I'm sayin' Use your brain homie, do the right thang! (Lemme talk to 'em) Use your brain homie, do the right thang! (Lemme talk to 'em) Wake up, wake up It's a new day! Come on brothers, wake up Come on sisters, wake up ATL, wake up, wake up, baby Chi-Town, wake up wake up Brooklyn's in the house! Wake up, Brooklyn! Ludacris! Common Sense and ME, Spike Lee! Always do the right thing I got it, I'm gone