[Verse 1: Kendrick Lamar]
I was sitting on the couch reading yellow paper
 letter in reply, 7 days later after I wrote 'em
 "Stay strong, keep your faith in God," what I told him
 Hoping that he's listening
Said that they tried to give him like a hundred years
 What a coincidence, I was bumping some Plies
I can taste the salt from my tears
 As the water had start to flood on my eyes
 I know it gotta be hard being 21
 Doing time in the pen and your Gram's old
 Your brother's getting older
 And the streets is getting colder
 And your hoping that he's focused to stay on the right road
Sleeping in a cell, it's been 30 weeks
 Ain't recieved any mail
 It's cold and the hole stinks
And you can't even blink without niggas testing your life
 As I read every word that you write, I can only imagine
 Jason Keaton, I can only imagine

 [Hook: Javonte]
Life's about decisions man
 It's in your hand and you got it
 Just take control if you can
 It's in your hand and you got it

 [Verse 2: Kendrick Lamar]
Sitting on the couch, that was my Uncle Bobby
 After he just got out, 15 years to count
 Haven't seen the world in so long
 Haven't seen a girl in so long
And before the sun came up, he was gone
 Like a fiend off the best rock
 Trying to get his life together, or what not
Typed his name in the system and they couldn't find his identity
 Got it straight, got a place, found some serenity
Found a job, found his Mother's grave site, found a 40 ounce
 Then he found God, then he bounced, then he found a new chick
 Two kids, wide hips, found something in her we didn't see
Found this spot in Pasadena and shack with her, an investment
 Then found guilty, somebody had yelled domestic
 Violence on my Uncle, was working with two strikes
 Only out a year, now facing life
 I can only imagine
 That's [bad word] up
 I can only imagine, Uncle Bob

 [Hook]

 [Verse 3: Kendrick Lamar]
Sitting on the couch, thinking about the ratio
 Of blacks in prison [bad word] in prison
 When blacks pack with minorities
 System grab more of these 18 year olds
 18 year sentence with no parole
 The state won't oversee
 They make the term severe, a conspiracy?
 That's what I call it, it's full of [bad word]  toilet can help quick, the government help?
 No, just put us on death row
Just give us some more guns, then give us some more coke
 Then give us another chair, then give us some more rope
 Then hang it like right there, yeah
 It's justice for all but 90 percent unfair
 Care? No
Alcatraz was purchased by a white man
 For 5 grand, with intentions to expand
 More prisons
 So these correctionals ain't for rehabilitation
 They for grossing a bigger business
 Imagine
 We're being used
 Imagine
 The [bad word] shall be told

 [Hook]