it was always me vs the world
until i found it's me vs me
what happens on earth stays on earth
we gon' put it in reverse
and i am telling you once again
fellowship with demons and relatives
life is one funny mothafucka
infomercials and no sleep
introverted by my thoughts; children
once upon a time inside the nickerson garden projects
the object was to process and digest poverty's dialect
adaptation inevitable: gun violence
federal policies raid buildings and drug professionals
anthony was the oldest of seven
laughin' and jokin' made life easier; hard times
a four-year-old tellin' his nanny he needed her
his family history: pimpin' and bangin'
he was meant to be dangerous
clocked him a grip and start slangin'
scrapin' up his jeans with quarter pieces
even got some head from a smoker last weekend
workin' for his big homie
graduated to a brick on him
000 dollars out of a project housing
seen his first mil twenty years old
fingerprints on the gun they assumin'
but witnesses couldn't prove it
that was back when he turned his back and they killed his cousin
he beat the case and went back to hustlin'
the first in the projects with the two-tone mustang
circlin' parking lots and parking spots
and hoppin' out while harrassin' the corner blocks
crooked cops told anthony he should kick it
he brushed 'em off and walked back to the kentucky fried chicken
there was a light-skinned nigga that talked a lot
with a curly top and a gap in his teeth
drove to california with a woman on him and 500 dollars
hopin' that he'd see college
hustlin' on the side with a nine-to-five to freak it
he'd ride his son around on weekends
three-piece special with his name on the shirt pocket
'cross the street from the projects
anthony planned to rob it
stuck up the place before
that's when affiliation was really eight gears of war
so many relatives tellin' us
sellin' us devilish works
prevalent proposition with 9's
they robbed the manager and shot a customer last year
he figured he'd get on these niggas' good sides
free chicken every time anthony posted in line
anthony liked him and then let him slide
they didn't kill him; in fact
it look like they're the last to survive
that one decision changed both of they lives
reverse the manifest and good karma
you take two strangers and put 'em in random predicaments
give 'em a soul so they can make their own choices and live with it
inside recording studios where they reapin' their benefits
then you start remindin' them about that chicken incident
whoever thought the greatest rapper would be from coincidence?
because if anthony killed ducky
top dawg could be servin' life
while i grew up without a father and die in a gunfight
i was takin' a walk the other day.