Heard Cole say that being broke is better
That's an interesting concept
As long as you're not stuck with a large debt
I know what he means I remember chasing green in my twenties drinking beer on my moms steps
That's where I lived
Traveling to jersey on the weekends just working on my craft, we would write and record
We were struggling at the time, but it made for pa**ionate rhymes, I was still finding myself getting right with the Lord
I would go up to the labels, hoping Lenny S would save me one day, he really listened, said he'd sign me for sure
I was focused on getting better, as soon as I got that cheddar I was treating every girl I dealt with just like a who*e
I mean as soon as I was hit with that contract my life was different
My managers were fighting bout the pie we're splitting
I went from really keying on how nice I'm spitting
To looking at the charts and finding my position/should have got a job on the day I got a deal
See that would have kept me calm, had my ego more concealed
Now I'm sitting here reflective, giving thanks for every meal
But I got friends whose rapper dreams became real, you know how it feels
When you wake up
And reminisce, you used to live with your mother
Slept in a twin bed, tiniest covers
Your job wasn't conventional, y'all beefed with each other
Relationship was long distance, couldn't be with your lover
You had heat, you had lights, food to eat in the cupboard
And doing better than the homeless dudes that sleep in the gutter
Adversity hit and you realized you need to get tougher
And there's a place of higher consciousness we need to discover
If there's an afterlife, after life, the region above us
Will tell us money's not the answer to relieve all your suffering
But when you...
When you're broke it makes your speech start to stutter
My closest trip to fatherhood was holding seeds from my brother
But now
I drive an old school luxury car
With a couple of bedrooms, parking deck when I park
No I ain't bragging, I'm just looking back at most of my bars
I embraced that the times were hard so I know I came really far
But I can't help thinking bout the could'ves and the should'ves
If I would have stayed in Brooklyn in the hood and been a pusher
Dropped singles, stayed single, juggled women like a hooker
Would I go to sleep happier then?
If I was hollering Murda like Bobby Shmurda or powder like Troy Ave
And my show money was popping and all of my boys laugh
As we drink in the VIP, on a who*e warpath
Would I have a wife and son in my forecast? love yours!..
I mean love yours
For real yo I'm talking to me
I'm sorry for dropping names
I should drop to my knees and pray and give thanks that I have a voice and that I've been on TV
See the reason Adam and Eve even starting the eating
Of bad fruit it's cause the truth is that it's hard to conceive
That they were in paradise for life, they thought that God had deceived them
And Satan came in with some hatred and his plot was strategic
We all aiming for success and yes we want to achieve it
Whether you targeting cheese or you want a college degree
Or you got a job to bring in paper that will foster your dream
But you still looking at your neighbor's gra** that's forresty green
And you never recognize that every day your conscious and breathing, And that your heart is still beating well that's a part of your peace
If you keep your focus just like Moses when he parted the sea
Or like James Harden for three it's so great falling asleep
When you wake up
Wake up, please pardon my preaching
But y'all don't want to believe it, guess you can call me naive
But when you survive through the darkest of seasons, you're not starving you're eating
Look around you're in the Garden of Eden
Love yours