"Hate the price of fame 'coz it cost too much" (yeah boy)
"And you lame n***as talk too much" (yeah)
"I'm ready for whatever, somebody better tell 'em" (yeah boy)
"I said I'm ready for whatever, hey hey"
[Verse 1]
Even though my head in the clouds, I'm planted on the pavement
How I walk around, people starin' at amazement
And I play a lot of game on where I be and I ain't playin with it
They so judgmental, everyday they don't understand
If your life was in jeopardy, e'ryday is you tellin me
You wouldn't need weaponry just because of your felony
Consider this at least, I got e'rybody sweatin me
On the streets is people who won't rest unless I rest in peace
k**ed my folk a year ago, still in my sleep they threaten me
Paranoia stressin me, ain't nobody protectin me
I'm dealin with the pressure from my partner dyin next to me
No one's arrested, they comin for me eventually
This was all the things I was goin through mentally
This could be the reason I ignored the penitentiary
Now mention them New Orlean n***as comin in the city
k**in all summer long, ain't nobody payin attention
[Interlude]
Now is it that hard to understand if you listen
Either die or go to jail, that's a hell of a decision
But I'm wrong and I know it my excuses ain't important
I'm just tryna let you know that I ain't think I had a choice
[Hook]
I had straps in my ride, gotta go to prison
You waiting on me to die, you gon' be waiting for a minute (you ready boy)
Ready for whatever, somebody better tell 'em
I be here when the smoke clears and everythin settles, for real
Can't afford the price of fame 'coz it cost too much
Plus these s**a n***as lame and they talk too much
Ready for whatever, somebody better tell 'em
I be here when the smoke clears and everythin settles, for real
[Verse 2]
I'm a man, I ain't perfect, gotta admit it I'm guilty
But understand, feel me, I was ridin filthy
'Coz n***as out there plot to rob me and k** me
500 thousand every year spent on security
And my future was bright, but now it's gettin blurry
'Coz n***as in a hurry to find me and bury me
But surely, God will deliver me up out it
I'm a fighter to the heart and I forever be about it
I'm a father to my sons, an a**et to my community
Look at all that I done, my good weigh the negativity
Mentally, I was focused on not lettin history
Repeat itself, that's why heat was kept in the vicinity
"Yes officially I broke the law but not maliciously"
Through all of the publicity, was anybody considerin
My position and the logic came from my decision
"But they caught me with it, now I'm off to prison, period"
[Interlude]
But is it that hard to understand if you listen
Either die or go to jail, that's a hell of a decision
But I'm wrong and I know it my excuses ain't important
I'm just tryna let you know that I ain't think I had a choice
[Hook]
[T.I. talking]
Ey I said listen homeboy
You can talk all you want mayne you know what I;m saying
Everybody talking to the king you know what I'm sayin
Everybodys entitled to an opinion you know what I'm sayin
They like yesterdays everybody got one
But the fact of the matter remain
If you ain't walk a mile in my shoes and you ain't lived a day in my life
You ain't survive the sh** I done survived
You ain't had to deal wit the sh** I had to deal with homeboy
You can't mothaf**ing judge me partner
I mean look at folk like Sean taylor
You know what they said they said had he had a strap
He would have lived today
You know what I'm sayin
Now true enough I was dead wrong I broke the law
I deserve to be punished I understand that 'ight cool
But listen man I gotta house full of kids
A mama and an old lady who life in my
Responsibility you dig that!?
Now for all of yall who think I was just ridin around on some dumb sh**
You know I'm smarter than you man
You know I'm smarter than you dawg
Ey if you think I was just being stupid
Shawty I got some mufukin ocean front property in Idaho for sale homie
If you beleive that T gotta bridge in Brooklyn I wanna sell you partnah
Ey man real talk in order to understand my train of thoughts
You'll have to put yo self in my position
You can't expect me to think like you cuz my life ain't like yours
You know what I'm sayin? If you dont understand that you don't
Understand english im done talking!