You ain't gotta be the richest, just be the realest
My acclaim's critical, but I'm a fuckin' cynic
You're a fuckin' gimmick, mimic
Do it all for the image, but never really did it
I can't rest, I'm too wicked, I feel my mood switchin'
I ain't never gave nobody a problem who didn't want it
All you had to do was show me and I went and got it
There's a elephant in the room, but I'm sittin' on it
I got mental scars from this shit, but we're livin' off it
When they bring the streets up, I think you should switch the topic
If I'm bein' real, I 'on't mind, we can split the profit
I wake up and bill a rocket, last year I saw my first M
This year, I need a couple profit
I got no time to sit and gossip
And that's word to the trap I kipped in for the things I wanted
Ambition like mine, let me know when you come across it
They'll probably come across it, and then double-cross it
Make all of the mistakes and then learn nothin' from it
It hits a little different when you're comin' from it
The struggle, that's what made you, why you running from it?
I been a real dope boy, you can't beat my grind
Can't break my spirit, in the shade I shine
You need guns when your mixed stopping beef like mine
It's hard not to smile when you got some teeth like mine
Nanny told me, "Don't go out there, boy, it's cold outside"
I question everything I stood for and rode my time
Time and time again
One of me, and there's five of them
I bring my knees to my chest, and I rise again
I don't care who I might offend
If you ain't love me in the first place, why pretend?
If I say a thing about all the nights I spent, on some heartbroke shit
'Cah my body gave up, but my heart won't quit
Up on fourteen grams, but my half won't flip
I got laces and boots, goals and assists
Fifty jailhouse fades, on Neighbourhood Crip
I really live this shit, you're a rappin'-ass bitch
I lost so many mates, I rub shoulders with greats
On this council estate
Tenth floor in the stairs, we used to hide from the rain
Fell in love with the life just to hide from the shade
Still shine in the shade
Kill the ego, maintain
Humble I remain
Still, I go against the grain
Real back in style, let them hate
'Cause they know we are what they ain't
I wanna tell you that I'm strugglin', but I can't find the words
I wanna stay with you forever, but I need some millions first
I know that seems surprisin', 'cause I been a trillionaire
Blue plates and plastic bowls, don't come from silverware
Don't get yourself killed in here
Before I sleep, I say a prayer
They got bags of energy, but nothin' to declare
This life has left me broke, I just need someone to repair
I watched him take the lift and kept on runnin' up the stairs
I can leave the streets and just rap, I got shares
I'm too busy gettin' mine to think about yours
You can ask Theo, he was tickin' me draws
I won't talk about the people who was giving me squares, I ain't forgettin'
Piss down the block, screws put me on default
They let me out for dinner and I jumped on the nettin'
I'm more rejoicing than regretting
'Cah if they never kicked my head in
And stripped me naked
And took my beddin'
If I never climbed out all the holes I fell in
If I never had scraps, I didn't know the swellin'
If I never sold smack, I didn't know what Hell is
Then it's freedom itself, I wouldn't know the blessin'
Then they wouldn't be callin' me the hope and message
Now, we're copacetic, come we toast a beverage
'Cah when you keep it real, you keep the leverage
Real back in style, real G's in attendance