[Verse 1: Tsu Surf]
What if I told you grandma raised me, she was blind and all
I was trappin', little rappin', schools, 9 and all
Been to hell and back, couple ditches, all kinda falls
Fiending for them pills, I tried to triple that in Tylenols
Who's to question 'bout my hustle and the way I'm eating?
Got a family, no job, I wake up late for meetings
Early morning, all Momma's dishes got the razor treatment
Gotta feed the team, God, I can't afford to pay the deacons
Man, I believe in a lot of things
But I really heard them choppers scream
Daddy a man, he ain't a vest, I went and copped the thing
Sinnin' since a gremlin
Did some sh** to make the doctor scream
Speaking of my daddy, that's another story
I'd really like to call that my mother's story
I was rippin' and Crippin', chillin' it wasn't for me
And I'd be lying if I say he ain't do nothin' for me
Apologize if I'm talking 'bout me
But my fans say they wanna hear me talk about street
I could finish it by eight, I'd hit that block 'bout nine
Purp and cubicles at work, we leave that office by three
sh**, sh**, I got a whole beat to go
Long story short, we tryin' to see the dough
Ain't mentioned my daughter yet; you should meet her, Joe
Just ‘cause you get a shot
Don't mean you make this sh**, it's free to throw
Kinda smart, won't say I wouldn't have been nothin'
But it's something 'bout the streets
That make a n***a keep jumpin'
When they call, just ‘cause I leave won't mean I make it back
My daughter three, I mean she's smart, but try explaining that
[Hook: Emanny]
I see it my way
And it ain't gonna change
And you would know why
If you look through my eyes
[Ad-libs over hook: Tsu Surf]
I mean, is sinning really sinning
When the end justify the means?
Am I wrong for wanting for me and my team?
Southward! Cops ain't really doing sh**
They just wearing the uniforms and sh**
Couple n***as dying every day
I mean, what else could you say?
[Verse 2: Joe Budden]
So many things about this industry is misleadin'
Filled with so many feminine ways
You would think it's a Miss leadin'
From all of my time in the streets
I never got dissed for no reason
Know I'm in Slaughterhouse now
Back then I wanted them pigs bleedin'
I'm who the kids see, but I ain't a role model
Before I found the genie, he was hiding in a coke bottle
And since you talk about your dad you ain't discover
When you sign you'll probably find
That most these rappers is your brothers
Who raised these n***as?
Higher learning, school daze these n***as
Since I can't let a few graze these n***as
It's one and the same, still got every cal I bought
Child support to running in labels
Begging them for now support
The sh** just as foul as I thought
From stepping out with weapons out
Loved ones in heaven now
Persevered through Def Jam, through Lyor through Kevin Liles
Got blackballed, bounced back, y'all
Now me and Royce be on 7 Mile
Hunger of a draft pick, even though I'm a legend now
And so I'm blind, like Stevie, to the joy my son get when he see me on TV, but y'all think it's easy
I can barely walk in public, if you was in my position, Surf
Home and away games are played the same
Just on different turfs
Nobody loyal, I'm a loner, I don't have a clique
To top it off, rap money come slower than Viagra dick
Feel like all my prayers hit my loved ones with an asterisk
‘Cause rapper sh** had me out the country
When my gram's was sick
No blog could ever let you know the half of it
Why the f** n***as think I be on my pa**ive sh**?
So I can't decide who's the braver man
‘cause you a slave to them streets and I'm a slave to these fans
[Hook: Emanny]
I see it my way
And it ain't gonna change
And you would know why
If you look through my eyes
[Ad-libs over hook: Joe Budden]
Ya know what I mean?
n***as be wanting to switch places
Or trade places, like sh** is all good and all that
All n***as see is the cars and the hoes
See 'em in the strip club, little bit of j**elry on
And think everything gravy though
I almost punched one of these s**a n***as
In the face last night
[Outro: Joe Budden]
But the hood sh** don't stop
Don't stop ‘cause you ain't in it
They only think you take a n***a out the hood
You can't take the hood out a n***a
Y'all don't feel me though, young numb