[Verse 1]
Don't say sticks and stones, they might break your bones
But the nine millimeter, it'll bore your dome
I'm talkin' about the toe-taggin', huh, the body-baggin'
Man, niggas are dyin', huh, mommas are cryin
Casket buyin', who, me dyin', leave my family cryin'?
Hell no, I cause, um, bloodbaths and showers
Send me commissary, motherfuck them flowers
Thoughts of slaughter, of leaving my daughters
Hours and hours of fears running through my mind
As I pick up the Zig 9
Beef starts with the shove then ends with the shovel
And niggas standing on your corner reminiscing of you
But your ass is out and you're dead and gone
So who'd you rather be? The murdered, or the murderer?
Niggas got me stressed, I grab my TEC and my vest
And I sing who Jah bless, let no man curse
Or one of us will leave here tonight in a hearse
When we'll be tried by 12 and fertilizing daisies
Crying mommas and cousins and crying babies
Due to the fact that death is a must
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
Niggas getting bust for in God we trust
So if you're comin' to my town and try to slow the dough down
You must be casket-bound
[Hook]
'Cause I'd rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6
Nigga, I sign my name in the book at your funeral
The Zig's on my hip with an extra clip
'Cause I'd rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6
[Verse 2]
La-di-da-di, Saturday night and we like to party
But punks are fucking around so we might catch a body
Early Sunday morning, don't really wanna hurt nobody
Say, what they tryna get? I already got it
Chump motherfuckers just a-schemin' on my shit
But little do they know I got the Zig on my hip with an extra clip
And I'd rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6
Aw shit, murder commit
And there goes another statistic runnin' through ballistic
The witness say I'm wicked but that's how I kick it
'Cause I'll be the bastard who blasts and didn't get blasted
Boy kiss 'em casket, I peel your wig back, kid
Now sucker, look who died, body will be identified
Momma and poppa will cry, your bitch-ass man says he'll testify
To see me tried, but his ass lied
Upon the same corner where you did
And I'm still facing a bid
[Hook]
'Cause I'd rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6
Nigga, I sign my name in the book at your funeral
The Zig's on my hip with an extra clip
'Cause I'd rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6
[Outro]
To my man Phillip Phoenix, rest in peace
And my nigga Shakim, rest in peace
And my man Dillion, rest in peace
Tried by 12 was written by Spencer Bellamy.
Tried by 12 was produced by Spencer Bellamy.
East Flatbush Project released Tried by 12 on Mon Jan 01 1996.