Oh, yeah

Didn't take nothing that I didn't need

'Cause they didn't offer classes in what I wanna be

They didn't offer manhood responsibility

Had to learn it the hard way, earn my degree in the streets

Graduated from hard knocks, I got my education

And hard knocks cared a little about the situation

Hard knocks, got the bumps and the bruises to prove it

Hard knocks

Can't bust through the ceiling without feelin' the burn

And I ain't got nothing that I didn't earn

Chasin' that dollar, still hittin' the books

Studyin' Donnie and Stevie, I learn to tell the hooks

Talk about those hard knocks, got the bumps and the bruises to prove it

Hard knocks, got the rhyme and the reason to choose it

Hard knocks, out on the street

Hard knocks

Had a real good teacher, named mister life

Didn't teach no chemistry, but he taught me how to fight

Didn't teach biology, but I learned it from the birds and bees

Said stay close to your friends, closer to your enemies

(Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah) That's right

(Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah) That's right

(Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah) So right

I graduated from hard knocks, I got my education

And hard knocks gettin' in and out of situations

Hard knocks, got the bumps and the bruises to prove it

Hard knocks, oh, Lord, hee, hee

Feel it at my soul, all the hurtin' pain

From hard knocks

I've got the bumps and the bruises to prove it

Deep inside, oh, yeah