[Verse 1:]
I grew up a fuckin' screw-up,
Tie my shoe up, wish they was newer,
Damn, need something newer!
In love with the baddest girl in the city, I wish I knew her,
I wish I won't so shy, I wish I was a bit more fly,
I wish that I could tell her how I really feel inside,
That I'm the perfect nigga for her, but then maybe that's a lie,
She like a certain type of nigga, and it's clear I'm not that guy.
Ball player, star player, I'm just watchin' from the side
On the bench, ‘cause my lack of confidence won't let me fly,
I ain't grow up with my father, I ain't thinkin' 'bout that now,
Fast forward four years or so from now I'll probably cry
When I realize what I missed, but as of now my eyes are dry,
‘Cause I'm tryna stay alive
In the city where too many niggas die,
Dreamin' quiet tryna dodge a suit and tie,
Who am I? Aye, who am I? Yeah!
[Chorus:]
Things change, rearrange and so do I,
It ain't always for the better, dawg, I can't lie.
I get high ‘cause the lows can be so cold,
I might bend a little bit but I don't fold.
One time for my mind and two for yours,
I got food for your thoughts to soothe your soul,
If you see my tears fall, just let me be,
Move along, nothing to see.
[Verse 2:]
I always did shit the hard way,
My nigga … slangin' in the hallway,
Burnt CD's and trees like this was Broadway,
Times Square, kept the dimes there in the locker,
Some Reggie Miller
With more brown hairs than Chewbacca.
Whispers that he got it for the low low, sell a
Dime for a dub, them white boys ain't know no better,
Besides, what's twenty dollars to a nigga like that?
He tell his pops he need some lunch, and he gon' get it right back.
I peep game,
Got home, snatched my mama keychain,
Took her whip, the appeal, too ill to refrain,
I hit the boulevard, pull up to my nigga front door,
His mama at home, she still let ‘em hit the blunt, though,
I told her hello, and sat with my nigga, and laughed,
And talked about how we gon' smash all the bitches in class.
I complimented how I see him out here gettin' his cash,
And just asked, «What a nigga gotta do to get that?
Put me on.» He just laughed when he seen I was sure,
17 years breathin' his demeanor said more.
He told me, «Nigga, you know how you sound right now?
If you wasn't my mans, I would think that you a clown right now.
Listen, you everything I wanna be, that's why I fucks with you,
So how you lookin' up to me when I look up to you?
You ‘bout to go get a degree, I'ma be stuck with two choices:
Either graduate to weight or sellin' number two.
For what? A hundred bucks or two a week?
Do you think that you would know what to do if you was me?
I got four brothers, one mother that don't love us,
If they ain't want us, why the fuck they never wore rubbers?»
I felt ashamed to have ever complained about my lack of gear
And thought about how far we done came –
From trailer park to a front yard with trees in the sky,
Thank you, mama, dry your eyes, there ain't no reason to cry,
You made a genius, and I ain't gon' take it for granted,
I ain't gon' settle for lesser, I ain't gon' take what they handed,
Nah, I'm gon' take what they owe me and show you that I can fly,
And show old girl what she missin', the illest nigga alive.
Aye, who am I?
[Chorus:]
Things change, rearrange and so do I.
Aye, who am I?
It ain't always for the better, dawg, I can't lie.
Who am I?
I get high ‘cause the lows can be so cold,
I might bend a little bit but I don't fold.
One time for my mind and two for yours,
I got food for your thoughts to soothe your soul,
If you see my tears fall, just let me be,
Move along, nothing to see.
I never felt better.