[Verse 1] 1996— It was raining, drops were cutting through the mist I'm in the kitchen like a good kid: Hot chocolate Drawing booklets for profit Grandad had some quarters for my project Ever since I had an honest audience I swore to God that I would body sh** Life is too short for modesty I was telling myself, upon that balcony My legs went through the bars steady swinging 'til the splinters came Im aiming for the top Whenever I'm dropping, mom even the mockups are hot This sh** is better than friendship; They never understand when I begin sh** I walk the lower field until the bell hits the wind It's clicking like these groups of little kids when they get it in But I don't need to play pretend when I play to win Word to Benjamins Word to everything, these words are everything Or maybe words are just my only thing [Verse 2] 2006— Dilla died and I was living off his gift I just heard Donuts at the Borders on the corner in La Habra I was over all these people tryna tell me my aspirations were goners I wrote my poems so I could stay in my zone Thinking: Why go to church if I feel God in my home? Maybe, I write because I'm feeling odd in my bones And when I exorcise this demon I'm not thinking of those It's 2010— I got some shows and I'm finally making friends I'm on the cusp of something big and I can feel it Everything has been building up to this moment—I can steal it I'm just a aphid in the crib speaking major Lip service paid for Showed the whole city what this Wayniac is great for Word to the Kev machine Word to everything, these words are everything
Or maybe words are just my only thing [Verse 3] 2016 I spent the last 2 years f**ing up big dreams You never know what you want until you get it The future ain't set sometimes it's the little things winning over these checks I had the chance to sell out and I told them 'bout How words are everything, much bigger than gold clouds If I'm a shell of a man my words are empty Ringing through the halls of my bones for near a century Don't lecture me I see that selling soul get better things And maybe its just fear that's keeping me from better scenes But i'm here, one piece An uncle and a beast When they hit play they know that 'imma feast so rest in peace [Verse 4] Married to the game, but it's complicated I know just how it works; if I was smart I'd get hella cake Like if I throw a hook upon this beat it'd get hella plays If I just said yes to all these fools I'd get hella paid If only I could keep my mouth shut: no enemies But I don't see the point in knowing truth and not set it free I can't both express myself then play the game If you just can't handle what I say then don't say my name Keep it out your mouth like a foot Rappers babble like a young adult book Look, my trifocal looks could k** some dumb occult crooks Burn a skull, cook If I come out retirement, I got em all shook Let me shake em then Paperless, stirring up emotions with my paper pen If you getting this for free what you pay for then? Word to friends and them Word to everything But when I die, I know my words will be my only thing