I got something I want y'all to do   Take a look around      Take a look around, take a look around and ask yourself: why?    See all those people on the other side of town, livin large and postin high?    Take a look around, see that bumrush to this liquor store?    He sold out of thunderbird, but I got to say more   Take a look around as the wealthy and rich   Go to plush parties and do-si-do together, ain't that a bitch?    Cause they're movin on while most of us sit back complainin   Bout, "ain't nuff opportunities for our people", like it's always rainin   But take a look around, cause I see plenty of sunshine in the sky   Maybe next time, instead of complainin, you go out and get a piece of the pie      Take a look around   Take a look around      Take a look around as more young people take their eyes off the prize   See my man simon talkin bout he's gonna put a kit   And a rag-top on that 560 s-e-c he buys?    Take a look around at the music man on the corner playin his sax   Fillin the air with jazz   He's a one-man symphony, see that 2 dollars in change in his hat?    Yo, that's all that brother has   This is just a little letter about the situations we live in   Take a look around and realize: to succeed we just can't give in      Now take a look around   Hey brother, take a look around   Hey sister, take a look around      Now money made is not necesserally money earned   But those who earn money seem to have a lot less   And not very often are those tables ever turned   But then again, money's not a measure of success   The power of 3, you see, is ever present   Slide and ride this groove, to get the meanin   Only a true king can call someone a peasant   You hold a microphone, but for a throne I find you fiendin   Pursuit of happiness and money are not the same   There is some overlap, but they're still separate goals   Because it's possible to have one without the other, a shame   Some don't realize it, so they sell away their souls      Take a look around   Take a look around      As I walk through grand central I see so very many   Brothers and sisters that are down on their luck   Is there really pie, and they just aren't gettin any?    Or is it cause they're lazy and they just don't give a fuck?    Walkin through the park I see bam-bam playin celo   4-5-6, bam just lost 3 g's and a kilo   Who says they only play for kicks?       Take a look around   Take a look around      I remember jackie, when jackie was a hottie   Jeans used to fit her like the skin upon a grape   Me and every other brother fiened for her body   But she's smokin, so now look at her shape   Now mrs green goes to church like every single sunday   And she had three sons, ron, mike and dale   Maybe if she'd done a little bit more than just pray   Ron wouldn't be dead, and the other two, they wouldn't be in jail   I remember mr. tee, he used to walk with a limp   He had a wooden leg, y'know, cause he lost it in the war   Maybe if this country had made some attempt   To take care of their veterans, mr. tee, he wouldn'ta have to die poor      Take a look around   Hey - brothers, sisters   Take a look around