The Oath (feat. Yazz)

Loyalty and honor
Ride to the death
Learn from your struggles
Then apply it to the test
Be like David and Goliath
To these Giants when they press

If living thru the worst got you dying for the best
You a Lyon in the flesh
Yeah, you a Lyon in the flesh
Thank God I'm a Lyon in the flesh
(Thank God I'm a Lyon in the flesh)
No more hurt, no more crying when I'm stressed
I took the oath to be a Lyon in the flesh

It started out in Philly when a cutie from the streets
Named Cookie met Lucious
It was Beauty and the Beast
Was it lust at first sight or was it love
Till the end?
Only thing we know for sure
They was more than just some friends

He would look into her eyes to see the fire within
She looked back into his eyes and saw Messiah in him
This was destiny
Fate like it was higher than them
And three boys later, let the Empire begin

See Andre the oldest son
Though it ain't a surprise
Like his father dedicated
Educated and wise
But Jamal, the middle child
Felt the greatest divide
A lifestyle that Lucious didn't hesitate to despise
The tension between the two
Recipe for demise
'Cause e'rybody know a Lyon's legacy is his pride

I arrived the youngest child
But I'm right the zone
The last descendant of the king
Willing to fight for the throne

I was bred for this
How could I have a fear at this point?
My own momma did 17 years in the joint
I'm here for everything they owe me
I ain't making it close
Born ready, so I'm taking the oath
It go

Loyalty and honor
Ride to the death
Learn from your struggles
Then apply it to the test
You like David and Goliath
To these Giants when they press

If living thru the worst got you dying for the best
You a Lyon in the flesh
Yeah, you a Lyon in the flesh
Thank God I'm a Lyon in the flesh
(Thank God I'm a Lyon in the flesh)
Yeah
No more hurt, no more crying when I'm stressed
I took the oath to be a Lyon in the flesh

(Empire)
Any type of success breed hate, don't it? (Hate, don't it?)
Holding your family name come a weight, don't it?
You grind this long, victory show up late
Don't it?

I can't fall, I know my enemies waiting on it
See life teach lessons, can't nobody learn for you
I watched my mother and father going through turmoil
Ones that stab you in your back was never fit for you
Imagine marrying somebody so they won't snitch on you

Yeah my family fell out, had clashes
But we Rose like the Phoenix from the ashes
You ever had somebody ride for you?
I mean, go out in the blaze, that'll die for you
My father said never borrow or beg
'Cause tryna shine might cost you an arm and a leg

Sometimes a theory is from the thought of that
Mama knows life gets serious as a heart attack
I love my brothers no matter what
We just take the good with the ugly and add it up
Pops, Andre and Jamal
Went through it all and patched it up
But found something great in it all

And that was us
We took the oath
Family over everything
Love, Lyons
Yeah