Ay, ay, ay
Good to see you, come on in, let's go
Yeah, let's go
Alright, alright
OK, uh, alright, OK
Alright, OK
Return of the Mack, get up!
What it is, what it does, what it is, what it isn’t.
Looking for a better way to get up out of bed
Instead of getting on the Internet and checking a new hit
Get up! Fresh out, pimp strut walking, little bit of humble, little bit of cautious
Somewhere between like Rocky and Cosby. Sweater gang, nope, nope y’all can’t copy
Yup. Bad, moon walking, this here is our party, my posse's been on Broadway,
And we did it our way.
Grown music, I shed my skin and put my bones into everything I record to it
And yet I’m on.
Let that stage light go and shine on down,
Got that Bob Barker suit game and plinko in my style.
Money, stay on my craft and stick around for those pounds,
But I do that to pass the torch and put on for my town
Trust me. On my I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T shit hustler,
Chasing dreams since I was fourteen with the four track bussing
Halfway cross that city with the backpack, fat cat, crushing
Labels out here,
Now they can’t tell me nothing
We give that to the people,
Spread it across the country
Labels out here,
Now they can’t tell me nothing
We give it to the people,
Spread it across the country
Can we go back, this is the moment
Tonight is the night, we’ll fight 'til it’s over
So we put our hands up like the ceiling can’t hold us
Like the ceiling can’t hold us
Can we go back, this is the moment
Tonight is the night, we’ll fight 'til it’s over
So we put our hands up like the ceiling can’t hold us
Like the ceiling can’t hold us
Now, can I kick it? Thank you. Yeah I'm so damn grateful.
I grew up, really wanted gold fronts
But that’s what you get when Wu Tang raised you
Y’all can’t stop me, go hard like I got an 808 in my heart beat
And I’m eating at the beat like you gave a little speed to a great white shark on shark week
Raw. Tell me go up. Gone!
Deuces goodbye. I got a world to see, and my girl she wanna see Rome,
Caesar make you a believer. Now I never ever did it for a throne.
That validation comes from giving it back to the people. Now sing this song and it goes like
Raise those hands, this is our party
We came here to live life like nobody was watching
I got my city right behind me
If I fall, they got me. Learn from that failure gain humility and then we keep marching ourselves
Can we go back, this is the moment
Tonight is the night, we’ll fight 'til it’s over
So we put our hands up like the ceiling can’t hold us
Like the ceiling can’t hold us
Can we go back, this is the moment
Tonight is the night, we’ll fight 'til it’s over
So we put our hands up like the ceiling can’t hold us
Like the ceiling can’t hold us
And so we put our hands up
And so we put our hands up
Let's go!
Hey
And all my people say
Hey
And all my people say
And all my people say
Can we go back, this is the moment
Tonight is the night, we’ll fight 'til it’s over
So we put our hands up like the ceiling can’t hold us
Like the ceiling can’t hold us
Can we go back, this is the moment
Tonight is the night, we’ll fight 'til it’s over
So we put our hands up like the ceiling can’t hold us
Like the ceiling can’t hold us.
Let the night come, before the fight's won
Some might run against the test
But those that triumph, embrace the fight cause
Their fears then prove that courage exists
Hope
And on on and on and on we go
And on on and on and on we go
We love who we are but now it’s gone
Let’s leave before we eat each other alive
Alive
Same city, yeah, we can’t break up
Nice mask on, wear the same one
The greatest trick that the devil ever pulled
Was convincing women that they looked
Better in their makeup
I wear war paint, fight to the casket
Too tired to apologize on this mattress
Emotional detachment – what’s the matter?
She’s learning that she never should have
Dated a rapper
I don’t blame her, my mind is gone
I’m at dinner, checking phone calls
Texts & blogs
I don’t hear a word, I know nothing at all
Just concerned about the world
Memorizing these songs
Goes on and on
Don’t wanna break you
But I’m leading you on
On, on, on, on
And now it’s gone
And on on and on and on we go
And on on and on and on we go
We love who we are but now it’s gone
Let’s leave before we eat each other alive
Alive
You are the love of my life
You are the love of my life
You are the love of my life
This time we know we know
It’s over, over
Didn’t believe in love until we fell out
Gave the keys back, now I’m on the homie’s couch
Always going out, sleeping ‘round with strangers
Danger! But you can’t live without her
Now you’re paranoid, checking on her cellphone
Making sure she ain’t like you alone
Haven’t made love with the lights still on
It’s like you’re hiding something from me
Let’s fake another toast to the good life
Predict the future, clean slate, blue sky
Fantasy: I see me husband, you wife
Lyin’, staring into those two eyes
And I can’t take it, back to where we came from
My pavement, past the emotional earthquake foundation
Yeah, let’s keep swimming in the snake pit
Get bit, get out then jump back into the suffocation
Make up and fuck to save us like we got this
Come on, this is just us baby
And this is just a fight, this is just love – maybe
Is it just you or am I fucking crazy?
I swear to god, I wish that I could Photoshop the scars off
Cold world and get all my heart throbbed
And I said it all and never get lock jaw
Mouth is a sawed off shotgun at any second could pop off
How does the truth taste?
My job comes with complimentary toothpaste
Lately, I’ve been living up out of my suitcase
Building trust in that I’m leaving on Tuesday
Bought a one night stand, just a bootleg
A duplication of something authentic
Heart augmented, and it’s so hard to end it
I said peace before but this time I meant it
Can’t get her out of my head
This place is a mess
Holding onto cobwebs
That has us both on the fence
She walks that thin line
In and out of my bed
Each time I love her less
Can’t get her out of my head
This place is a mess
Holding onto cobwebs
That has us both on the fence
She walks that thin line
In and out of my bed
Each time I love her less
And on on and on and on we go
And on on and on and on we go
We love who we are but now it’s gone
Let’s leave before we eat each other alive
Alive
You are the love of my life
You are the love of my life
You are the love of my life
This time we know we know
It’s over
Everything is gold, everything is equal
Posted on the porch just chillin', me and my people
Eyelids closed, gold sun shines on
The world’s coated in the gold Krylon
Yea, and these days days days
They never run away
Gold tints, shades, that block out that golden haze
Take all the gold from the pawnshop that lives behind the case
And get to give it away
My gold erupted from volcanoes in the heavens
And every shrine that existed in time melting
Tombs open, Dookie Ropes on the bells
When everything is gold, who cares about the carats?
They say that gold's the skin of the gods
You can’t take the band there when you’re gone
Now I’ll tip over that kiosk in the mall
As the sunset falls into tomorrow
Today we’re feeling like gold, five hundred thousand sold
Slick Rick Gold, Rope On, hella cold
And we stay fresh, so fresh head to toes
Goldschläger faded, 14 carat plated
So we’re feeling like gold
Five hundred thousand sold
Slick rick gold, Rope On, hella cold
Yea we’re feeling like gold
So fresh head to toes
Goldschläger faded, 14 carat plated
So we’re feeling like gold
Alright now we open up that car door
Hop out, hope they notice us
Throughout society we been locked in that cobra clutch
More gold bottles, gold bottles, never sober up
Ditch Jesus, In Gold I Trust
I solemnly swear to wear my cross and stunt
Separate myself by sticking out just because
That’s how you illustrate power and who you’re above
But nah, tonight we take it, take it, giving it back
Crack open the vault, let everyone mob in the bank
Take whatever they want, we party and give thanks
I've been rocking gold chains since pee was in the tank
You only live once, you only live once
Watch Rick Ross give his Jesus piece to a bum
Cause tonight we ball, we ball, we comin’ up
Paintin' the globe gold, two steppin’ on the sun
Like gold, five hundred thousand sold
Slick Rick Gold, Rope On, hella cold
And we stay fresh, so fresh head to toe
Goldschläger faded, 14 carat plated
So we’re feeling like gold
Today we’re feeling like gold
Gold coins, gold phone, gold car
Costs at least 10 racks to get 16 gold bars
Gold rush, suck on my gold dust stunting
Under these gold trunks, that’s two golden nugget, uh
Flyin' on the gold eagle, flier than the rest of ‘em
Pass the space needle, golden shower on pedestrians
Excuse me, that’s my bad, that’s my eagle and he shouldn’t of
My eagle got hair, that motherfucker got a mullet bruh
And it’s gold, two girls gold brass
Lounging on the water, feet in the gold sand
Sipping on Orangina, arms around them both pants
They’re sipping Olde English right out of a gold can
Two girls, gold spandex so pretty
That girl ain’t even gold, she just got golden girl titties
I’m kidding, everyone is gold in my city
You paint Betty White gold, even Betty White can get it
Get it get it get it.
Today we’re feeling like gold, five hundred thousand sold
Slick Rick Gold, Rope On, hella cold
And we stay fresh, so fresh head to toes
Goldschläger faded, 14 carat plated
So we’re feeling like gold
Today we’re feeling like gold, five hundred thousand sold
Slick Rick Gold, Rope On, hella cold
And we stay fresh, so fresh head to toes
Goldschläger faded, 14 carat plated
So we’re feeling like gold
So we’re feeling like gold
Uh
I hope that God decides to talk through him
That the people decide to walk with him
Regardless of pitchfork cosigns I've jumped
Make sure the soundman doesn't cockblock the drums
Let the snare knock the air right out of your lungs
And those words be the oxygen
Just breathe
Amen, regardless I'mma say it
Felt like I got signed the day that I got an agent
Got an iTunes check, shit man I'm paying rent
About damn time that I got out of my basement
About damn time I got around the country and I hit these stages
I was made to slay them
Ten thousand hours I'm so damn close I can taste it
On some Malcolm Gladwell, David Bowie meets Kanye shit
This is dedication
A life lived for art is never a life wasted
Ten thousand
Ten thousand hours felt like ten thousand hands
Ten thousands hands, they carry me
Ten thousand hours felt like ten thousand hands
Ten thousands hands, they carry me
Now, now, now
This is my world, this is my arena
The TV told me something different I didn't believe it
I stand here in front of you today all because of an idea
I could be who I wanted if I could see my potential
And I know that one day I'mma be him
Put the gloves on, sparring with my ego
Everyone's greatest obstacle, I beat 'em
Celebrate that achievement
Got some attachments, some baggage I'm actually working on leaving
See, I observed Escher
I love Basquiat
I watched Keith Haring
You see I study art
The greats weren't great because at birth they could paint
The greats were great cause they paint a lot
I will not be a statistic
Just let me be
No child left behind, that's the American scheme
I make my living off of words
And do what I love for work
And got around 980 on my SATs
Take that system, what did you expect?
Generation of kids choosing love over a desk
Put those hours in and look at what you get
Nothing that you can hold, but everything that it is
Ten thousand
Ten thousand hours felt like ten thousand hands
Ten thousands hands, they carry me
Ten thousand hours felt like ten thousand hands
Ten thousands hands, they carry me
Same shit, different day, same struggle
Slow motion as time slips through my knuckles
Nothing beautiful about it, no light at the tunnel
For the people that put the passion before them being comfortable
Raw, unmedicated heart no substitute
Banging on table tops, no substitute
I'm feeling better than ever man, what is up with you?
Scraping my knuckles, I'm battling with some drug abuse
I lost another friend, got another call from a sister
And I speak for the people that share that struggle too
Like they got something bruised
My only rehabilitation was the sweat, tears and blood when up in the booth...
It's the part of the show
Where it all fades away
When the lights go to black
And the band leaves the stage
And you wanted an encore
But there's no encore today
Cause the moment is now
Can't get it back from the grave
Part of the show
It all fades away
Lights go to black
Band leaves the stage
You wanted an encore
But there's no encore today
Cause the moment is now
Can't get it back from the grave
Welcome to the heist
Welcome to the heist...
I don't know why
But it's like I can't stay quiet
This is my voice
I can't let it die inside me
See I'll be scared if there wasn't a riot
Pushin and pullin, grabbin some hair,
Pukin and fuckin up the sidewalk
This battle makes it interestin
I abide desires
Like a dog pissin on the hydrant
Just to spite the fire
It's not to be taken lightly
The page is a set of eyelids
The booth is an instrument that God created
To record us tryin to find him
But don't let the word throw you off
Religion and spirit are two different pilots
Just know that it's bigger than me and my ego
When I'm flyin
Take me higher
I've got somethin to pray for
Please leave me when I'm guided
Who said that life is cinema
This is epic, be present
I'm right here
Selfish, selfish, selfish me, yeah, me
Yeah, girlfriend, break-up, new one, one-night stand, cheat, cheat, repeat that
Drug use, clean up, drug use, drug use, clean up, drug use, rehab
Fuck you I suck dude, self-loathing, self-esteem, ego, then me again
Put a soundcheck right in the middle
A never ending quest to try and get fans
There you have a beginning, a middle and a really shitty end
Nah, give me a break through, can I get a montage, come on I need that
Humble me, give me a conflict, a hardship, let me break through this cement
They're gonna be so disappointed when they roll the credits in
I realized that my movie sucked and I was the only one that could edit it
Well the course, the chain of events, that would be the evidence, some say it's coincidence
I say I found something greater than myself and started accepting it
And I can see, feel, taste and smell again
And I'm the only one with the hammer to break this shell I'm in
It's gonna take me crackin' this mirror to finally be myself again
Met my potential a long time ago and I'm not stopping til I resemble him
(I got soul but I'm not a soldier...)
I don't know why
But it's like I can't stay quiet
This is my voice
I can't let it die inside me
See I'll be scared if there wasn't a riot
Pushin and pullin, grabbin some hair,
Pukin and fuckin up the sidewalk
This battle makes it interestin
I abide desires
Like a dog pissin on the hydrant
Just to spite the fire
It's not to be taken lightly
The page is a set of eyelids
The booth is an instrument that God created
To record us tryin to find him
But don't let the word throw you off
Religion and spirit are two different pilots
Just know that it's bigger than me and my ego
When I'm flyin
Take me higher
I've got somethin to pray for
Please leave me when I'm guided
Who said that life is cinema
This is epic, be present
I'm right here
Selfish, selfish, selfish me, yeah, me
Yeah, girlfriend, break-up, new one, one-night stand, cheat, cheat, repeat that
Drug use, clean up, drug use, drug use, clean up, drug use, rehab
Fuck you I suck dude, self-loathing, self-esteem, ego, then me again
Put a soundcheck right in the middle
A never ending quest to try and get fans
There you have a beginning, a middle and a really shitty end
Nah, give me a break through, can I get a montage, come on I need that
Humble me, give me a conflict, a hardship, let me break through this cement
They're gonna be so disappointed when they roll the credits in
I realized that my movie sucked and I was the only one that could edit it
Well the course, the chain of events, that would be the evidence, some say it's coincidence
I say I found something greater than myself and started accepting it
And I can see, feel, taste and smell again
And I'm the only one with the hammer to break this shell I'm in
It's gonna take me crackin' this mirror to finally be myself again
Met my potential a long time ago and I'm not stopping til I resemble him
(I got soul but I'm not a soldier...)
Now nod your head and wake up.
I see so many people lost who really try to pretend
But am I just another white boy who has caught on to the trend
When I take a step to the mic is hiphop closer to the end?
'Cause when I go to shows the majority have white skin
They marketed the windmill, the air flair and head spin
And white rappers albums really get the most spins
The face of hip hop has changed a lot since Eminem
And if he's taking away black artists' profits I look just like him
Claimed a culture that wasn't mine, the way of the american
Hip hop is gentrified and where will all the people live
It's like the central district, beacon hill to the south end
Being pushed farther away because of what white people did, now
Where's my place in a music that's been taken by my race
Cultural appropriated by the white face
And we don't want to admit that this is existing
So scared to acknowledge the benefits of our white privilege
Cause it's human nature to want to be part of something different
Especially when your ancestors are European Christians
And most whites don't want to acknowledge this is occurring
Cause we got the best deal, the music without the burden
Of being black in a system that really wants you to rock
Cause all you need is a program and you can go and make hiphop
And we hate the mainstream cause we're the ones that took it
Now we listen to Aesop Rock and wear t-shirts that say Brooklyn
But it's not about black and white right
I mean good music is good music regardless of what you look like
But when you don't give them props isn't that selfish?
That's like saying rock was actually started by Elvis
So where does this leave me?
I feel like I pay dues but I'll always be a white MC
I give everything I have when I write a rhyme
But that doesn't change the fact that this culture's not mine
But I'm gonna be me so please be who you are
This is something that's effortless and shouldn't be hard
I said I'm gonna be me so please be who you are
But we still owe 'em 40 acres now we've stolen their 16 bars
Hiphop started off in a block that I've never been to
To counter act a struggle that I've never even been through
If I think I understand just because I flow too
That means I'm not keeping it true, nope
Hiphop started off in a block that I've never been to
To counter act a struggle that I've never even been through
If I think I understand just because I flow too
That means I'm not keeping it true, I'm not keeping it true
Now I don't rap about guns so they label me conscious
But I don't rap about guns cause I wasn't forced into the projects
See I was put in the position where I could chose my options
Blessed with the privilege that my parent's could send me to college
Now who's going to shows the kids on the block starving
Or the white people with dough that can relate to my content?
Marketed the music now adapted to the lifestyle
What happened to jazz and rock and roll is happening right now
Where's my place in the music that's been taken by the media
With white corperations controlling what their feeding ya
I brought up aesop rock but I'm not even dissing dude
We love hiphop and what do you think caucasians are listening to
And I speak freely when I write this
If a black emcee examined race there goes half their fan base, white kids
And this is so true. and we didn't even have to fight the system
We just went and picked up the microphone too
And we got good at it so we should be rapping
But only supporting them is like burning Jimmy and buying Clapton
Now Clapton's incredible. but no Jimmy no foundation
So here comes history and the cultural appropriation
White kids with do rags trying to practice their accents
From the suburbs to the upperclass mastering a language
But hiphop is not just memorizing words
It's rooted in authenticity something you literally can't learn
But I'm gonna be me so please be who you are
This is something that's effortless and shouldn't be hard
I said I'm gonna be me so please be who you are
But as I'm blessed with the privilege, they're still left with the scars
Hiphop started off in a block that I've never been to
To counter act a struggle that I've never even been through
If I think I understand just because I flow too
That means I'm not keeping it true, nope
Hiphop started off in a block that I've never been to
To counter act a struggle that I've never even been through
If I think I understand just because I flow too
That means I'm not keeping it true, I'm not keeping it true
Yo,
I'm gettin older now
23 years old and half of me just wants to make the move and go and settle down
The other half's like, "Hell no, you better mess around. Don't let me down, especially when you got an album comin' out"
When I first saw you, I'm like "Aw shit, goddamit look what God did. Hail Mary Jesus!"
Three years later I'm sittin' in our apartment thinkin' about all the places that my heart's been
I mean it's crazy right?
This is maybe wife [?] - the one that found me in a drought, pulled me out and made me right
Through the ups and downs we stuck it out and now you're leavin' town
Another couple thousand miles south, which leads to crazy fights
[Phew]
And I don't know how to deal with it, I gotta be real with ya
Uh,
Each day I get filled with the - feelin' of realer love, I wanna continue, what
But,
This ain't the same old love song cause we been through the depths where all the trust is gone
For months on end all we have is phone calls
What,
You know what makes it worth it?
To watch someone progress
To have them watch you
Someone that you respect and value and cry to
It's something so comforting cause it could bring so much truth
But then magic can be stagnant and the relationship doesn't move
The commitments to yourself
And that you're always learning, to acknowledge you're both perfect and still wanna keep working
To progress as a person but as an individual entity and then come together as a unit but still maintain that identity
It sounds so elementary but it's so complex, it's the most delicate balance to get away from attachments
But it could work
I'm attemptin' it,
Nah, we're livin' it
To keep defining and redefining what love and commitment is
Sing that, come on
Every time I can't ignore you
Every time I come around I see your face always movin'
Yo,
Just workin on dependency
Sometimes the thing you love the most in this world you just gotta let it be
It hurts to have to set it free
And if it does, it doesn't work we both know that it was meant to breath
Can't hide from experiences
And there's so many people out there in this world were gonna find interestin'
It's only a matter of time before that right connection
Thousands of miles away, whatchu expect?
You see I'm wonderin' where are you?
Tearin' the label off of a beer as I'm sittin at this barstool
You would tell me not to call you, to never use you as a fall through
To sit with my emotion, but the lump in my throat builds as the heart rips open up
And not even your voice alone can shift to go and close it shut
So I just let it flow through me
Feelin' lifted from the spirit like the bag in American Beauty
And if your life truly flashes in front of you, when you die just know the best time of my life has been lovin' you
I love you, you know
Let's get em, c'mon
We been together but in my head,
We would break apart; I would hold my heart, tied inside
But you knew that my soul could not be given to anybody easily
It's a beautiful thing isn't it?
One more time Ev,
Every time I can't ignore you
(Feels good don't it?)
Every time I come around I see your face always movin'
We all know life can get hectic
But if you live in the second,
You exist in the present
And that's how you stay connected
Go through good times and hardships
And if you learn to accept it
And know that every struggle in life,
Is there to teach you a lesson
It's times like this that make you
It's always the darkest part of the night, right before the sun has it's break through
The spirits there to knock you down,
But if you make that the end
You will never know the beauty
Of being able to stand up again
And face it, with patience,
The Pace set is dealing
With judgements and hatred,
Depressed hopeless feelings
But I've been told,
You only create your own ceilings
Life is limitless,
And knowing this is what the spirit is
That's why I try to inhale deep, so I can find peace, and essence can find me
That's why I lose myself in these beats,
Let myself become one with the drum and set myself free
Whatever direction life leads me,
There is a purpose behind it
That's the way it was supposed to be
And any time you can turn over a new leaf
Y'all know the truth,
It's up to us to use the key
Been three years since my first album dropped
It's been fear that's really got me stuck on the spot
Not wanting to put out anything whack
So inside of putting licks on my tracks,
I put my lips to a sack
Because it's easier to spend your life drunk,
And high on drugs
Than to put everything on recording,
And put it out to be judged
We look for the audience,
To put their hands up and show love
But when they put their hands down,
Our confidence really takes the plunge
So instead of making music
That people might not like,
I went into isolation
I traded my mic in for the pipe
Started living the college life,
Drinking and smoking every day
Rationalizing to myself,
That I was going through a phase
Then I stopped,
Thinking my music would take it's place
But when you live in fog,
Inspiration is hard to create
It takes more to get connected,
Than to quit smoking every day
And when I get frustrated I get a Swisher
And get blown away
Then all of a sudden it hit me,
These kids are listening
If I'm not making music,
Then why the fuck am I existing
How can I talk about the problems,
Of some one else
When I don't have the motivation,
And confidence to change myself
It's been so long since I really truly felt
What it's like to live without substances to help
Massive struggle that's natural to one's health
With addiction in my blood,
I play the cards I was dealt
The wind is the most calm,
Right before the storm
And when you least expect it,
It doesn't rain, it pours
I swear to God you can never be warned
Because with or without that umbrella
Nature is still gonna take it's course
That's why I try to inhale deep,
So I can find peace, and essence just finds me,
That's why I lose myself in these beats,
Put away the weed, And turn to my MPC
C'mon'
If I could just, I would change
If I could just, I would change
If I could just, I would change
If I could just, I would change
