[Verse 1: Oddisee]
Yeah, I'm motivated by the right thangs
Pipe dreams, more like light beams
Light bulbs, small ideas, cuz
Short fuse; I'm fueled by lightning
And still I don't rely on shock factor
Lime now, and you'll be in the dark after
I'm trynna live my life like an open book;
Don't wanna get to the middle and read a dark chapter
But I'm cool, yeah, I'm chill
I mean for real, I wrote this rhyme at a pool with a grill
Cookin' meals for my crew
And it feels like we're winnin' all the time, guess I'm preparin' to lose
Take a spill cuz erry once in a while
Even the king of the hill gets dumped in a pile
How you deal with the fall
How you heal is the mark of a man, or a b**h with a broom
[Hook x2]
It goes nothing is for certain, nothin' is for show
So until they close the curtain, we gon' have to do the show
Show up, show out, show off
Showdown for anybody around and go off
[Verse 2: Uptown XO]
Ain't nothin' for certain, so I'm puttin' work in
And we see our shadow, but now Satan lurkin'
Life is a test according to God
You don't believe, then I guess you already lost
Hustlin' winter through fall, doubled the figures and thought
Nothin' was wrong; it's in the past as soon as the morn come
Tomorrow ain't promised, so who do you love?
Pastors, studio hoes, fashion, Louis Vuitton, huh?
Had a dream; an angel told me "Remember!
It can be over with the snap of a finger!"
I say what I say 'cuz this movie could end today
Momma, don't cry; I ain't like it here anyway
Retired from saying "f** the world and everything in it"
In the belly of the DC beast; it ain't Guinness
Bye, bye, n***a; no, say hello to the bad guys with a flow
Oh, give 'em the motto
[Hook x2]
[Verse 3: yU]
Yo, I swear you have no idea
How many of our peers be playin' musical chairs
We took the stairs 'cuz the elevator crowded
Let 'em be the loudest 'cuz k**ers move in silence
You gotta have style; it ain't no other way around it
More about you, and less about who you're down with
Tried to tell a friend that, never got a hit back
Said he 'bout to blow, and still I never felt the impact
He hit a small radius, bit of core maybe (?)
Pride they high, my eyes wide;
On the daily, I'm rarely surprised; why
Because of the things I experienced
Drama be like commas, and we be like period
End it with "You begin" (?) on some case closed
Pave the road, and layin' low, navigating through poles
We in our homes through the speaker like a warpzone (?)
Holding the scroll, script (?) role and gold
Go by the code like a brother was told years ago
Gold stuck in my skull, powers that be try to number my soul, but no
Progress is why I don't rest, used to be the most fresh
Now I care less, we gotta reinvest
[Hook x2]