I wish the way I was living could stop, serving rocks, Knowing the cops is hot when I'm on the block, And I, Wish my brother woulda made bail, So I won't have to travel six hours to see him in jail, And I, Wish that my grandmother wasn't sick, Or that we would just come up on some stacks and hit a lick, And I, (I wish) Wish my homies wouldn't have to suffer, When the streets get the upper hand on us and we lose a brother, And I, Wish I could go deep in a zone, And lift the spirits of the world with the words within this song, And I, (I wish) Wish I could teach a soul to fly, Take away the pain outcha hands and help you hold them high, And I, Wish my homie Butch was still alive, And on the day of his death we had never took that ride, And I, (I wish) Wish that God could protect us from the wrong, So that all the soldiers that were sent overseas come home, And uh, We will never break, though they devastate, we shall motivate, And we gotta pray, all we got is faith, Instead of thinking about who gonna die today, The Lord is gonna help you feel better, so you ain't gotta cry today, Sit at the light so long, And then we gotta move straight forward, 'cause we fight so strong, So when right go wrong, Just say a little prayer, get ya money man, life goes on, Let's hope. (Chorus) 'Cause I'm hopeful, yes I am, hopeful for today, Take this music and use it, Let it take you away, And be hopeful (hopeful) and He'll make a way, I know it ain't easy but that's okay, 'Cause we hopeful. I wish that you could show some love, Instead of hatin' so much when you see some other people comin' up, (I wish) I wish I could teach the world to sing, Watch the music and have 'em trippin' off the joy I bring, I wish that we can hold hands, Listen instead of dissin' lessons from a grown man, And I, (I wish) Wish the families that lack, but got love, get some stacks, Brand new shack and a lack that's on dubs, And I, Wish we could keep achieving wonders, See the vision of the world through the eyes of Stevie Wonder, (you feel me) (I wish) And I hope all the kids eat, And don't nobody in my family see six feet, (ya dig) I hope them mothers stayin' strong, You can make it whether you with him or your man's gone, And I, (I wish) Wish I could give every celly some commissary, And the po-po bring the heat on the priest like they did R. Kelly, And I, Wish that DOC could scream again And bullets could reverse so Pac and Biggie breath again, (I wish) Then one day they could speak again, I wish that we only saw good news every time we look at CNN, I wish that we could never get the blues, Wish I could bring back the people that died, Eddy too, I wish that we could walk a path, stay doin' the right thing, Hustle hard so the kids maintain up in the game, Let's hope. (Chorus) Tho' I'm hopeful, yes I am, hopeful for today, Take this music and use it, Let it take you away, And be hopeful (hopeful) and He'll make a way, (He'll make a way) I know it ain't easy but that's okay, 'Cause we hopeful. Wish the earth wasn't so apocalyptic, I try to spread my message to the world the best way I can give it, We can make it always be optimistic, If you don't listen gotta live my life the best way that I can live it, I pray for justice when we go to court, Wish it was all good so the country never even went to war, Why can't we kick it and just get 'em on, And in the famous words of Mr. King, "Why can't we all just get along?" Or we can find a better way to shop and please, And I, Hope we find a better way to cop a keys, And I, Wish everybody would just stop and freeze, And ask "Why are we fulfillin' these downfalls and these prophecies?" You can be wrong if it's you doubting, With the faith of a mustard seed you can move mountains, And only the Heavenly Father can ease the hurt, Just let it go and keep prayin' on your knees in church, And let's hope. (Extended Chorus) Oh I'm hopeful, yes I am, hopeful for today, Take this music and use it, Let it take you away, (Let it take you away) And be hopeful (hopeful) and He'll make a way, (Yeah) I know it ain't easy but that's okay, (I know it ain't easy) 'Cause we hopeful, (Hope) Yes I am, hopeful for today, (Oh today) Take this music and use it, Let it take you away, (Let it take you away) And be hopeful (hopeful) and He'll make a way, (Be hopeful) I know it ain't easy but that's okay, (No no no) 'Cause we hopeful. ('Cause we hopeful, hopeful)