La Recompensa

The reward is enough
And life is only one
Living hour after hour
To die and be me
The reward is enough
And life is only one
Living hour after hour
To die and be me
(Eliel!)

Sometimes one wonders if life is fair
Why did my old lady have to die of cancer
And not be here with me watching me succeed
Why did they kill Georgie, Charlie, Tony
Carmelo and his cousin Michael
Why did they kill them and leave them unrecognizable
And we had to bury them
And cry for them
And even forget them
Sometimes one wonders if life is worth it, partner
Because life in the projects
Is not the same as life in a gated community
Because Victor Fajardo stole the money
That was for our kids to study
And get out of the neighborhood with a diploma
Instead of a gunshot
Because Pedro Rosello was never linked to the town's stick
Because there are false prophets in front of a church
And they even allow them to have TV shows
Because the war continues in the projects
And the AK-47s, like wolves of an endless fucking night
Because, Mrs. Governor, the government robs us of faith
And kills our hopes
Because we have to keep living finding so many difficulties
Because Sundays in my neighborhood are not the same as in Torrimar
Because Norberto Nieves was able to attend his son's graduation
When thousands of prisoners are not allowed
Because Buzo is serving his sentence at home
And our little brother Tempo is serving in the Federal
Because there is war between the United States and the Middle East
Because we have to keep seeing more hatred, more anger, more ratings
More prisons, more massacres, more shattered dreams, more tears
More stories of overcoming, of making up charges
Why live, my brother?
Sit down, I'm going to tell you
We live, because the reward is being alive, daddy

I clung to the truth
And embraced reality
Because living is not just to live
But to live to overcome
And I clung to the truth
And embraced reality
Because living is not just to live
But to live to overcome

I clung to my old man loving me
However, Edwin Otero threw his daughter into the void
I clung to believing in God
When his representatives on earth committed lewdness
I clung to believing in loyalty
Yet in my neighborhood even cousins betray each other
I clung to the government being something true
Yet the government turned out to be a total lie
I clung to believing in peace
When thousands of Puerto Ricans are called to the war field
And die for drops of oil
I clung to believing that marriage, according to the Catholic Church
Is until death do us part
And yet, our governor comes and divorces us
I clung to the idea that street hustlers don't snitch
And a couple of my buddies made a deal in the Federal
And what did the two kids who came out of Grabiela Mistral cling to
Without knowing that afternoon they would die in Cerro Maravilla
Brother, I clung to love
And I'm alive
This is my testimony
Gallego...
Don Omar...

I clung to the truth
And embraced reality
Because living is not just to live
But to live to overcome
And I clung to the truth
And embraced reality
Because living is not just to live
But to live to overcome

The reward is enough
And life is only one
Living hour after hour
To die and be me
The reward is enough
And life is only one
Living hour after hour
To die and be me