TMVTL

Yeah, I'ma tell you like this
You don't know until you know (you never know)
And that's real -, uh (know)

I'm from where tragedy made us strengthen and casualties don't make a difference
The people who ain't from here can't imagine this way of livin' (can't imagine this sh-)
But she a diamond in the rough, who? Jasmine K Dickens
She's got a bachelor's, then a job at a maximum state prison

But she ain't the same C.O. that's workin' at Chow (uh-uh)
Her pops did ten joints in the jail she workin' in now (real OG)
She work in Prince dorm, he flirtin' with her now (now, -ga), and then, she like 'em
But she stand firm, she never break a smirk or a smile (can't break it)

But he a rich -, he know how to play, got five left
He got her address and sent her a bracelet and lingerie
Prince playin' chess, he thinkin' of - her smart though
He hit her once, now, he got that - smugglin' smartphones

It went from that, now, she bringin' it in (that work), -
Prince got her locked down, he feelin' like a kingpin again
He runnin' - right, he feedin' his men (feedin' his boys)
He sent that money home, so he meet up with Jasmine to re-up again (let's go again)

But, nah, - way too lit, she tryna quit (tryna quit)
But he wasn't havin' it, he said, "If you stop, then I frame you, -"
That - stuck to his word, he did her dirty
He testified on that -, and he got out early

What's the first thing they teach you when you get status as a thug? (Status as a thug)
That trust, more valuable than love (valuable than love)
Little spatters from the blood (uh)
But on this block, that's just what it was (you never know)
When trust more valuable than love

Let me tell you what happened next, okay?

Same mother, two different pops, two brothers from two different blocks
Here's the plot, some other -, one a hustler, one into stocks
That's Lee, kinda tried runnin' the streets, but it didn't pop
Changed his life around, he get props for gettin' out before it got hot
He the oldest, lil' bro is just colder, he into Glocks

He remind me of a - I'm sendin' through if I get the drop (I like that lil' -)
They - on the same -, don't even know, she ain't low
Crib out in the 'burbs, she gave keys to both, she exposed
The truth, when she was nine months, gave Lee a stroke

She never tried to meet my folks 'cause she was somewhere skeetin' bro
And the child wasn't his (it wasn't his), played him like a sucker (like a - sucker)
He popped to the nursery, - the baby and his brother
Never know until you know

What's the first thing they teach you when you get status as a thug? (Status as a thug)
Trust, more valuable than love (uh)
Little spatters from the blood (blood)
But on this block, that's just what it was
When trust more valuable than love

All that love - gon' get you hurt (get you hurt)
'Cause it don't add to no plugs, you know why?
'Cause trust more valuable than love
Nice guys finish last, and tough guys gettin' tatted up with slugs out here
'Cause trust more valuable than love

You never know (here's how it went down) (never know)

Small-time petty thief, crash dummy pedigree
Might think he gangsta, but he nothin' like the Genevese (nothin')
Caught a rapper slippin', and put a bullet in the leg of me
Wait, I mean the leg of him, life feel like it's testin' me

The rapper never answer when a D.T.s is questionin'
Sciatic nerve severed it, he's on prescription medicine
Had to learn to walk before he got back to his self again
'Cause feelin' like you cripple leaves him with a sense of helplessness

Now we feelin' devilish, only one way to settle this (one way)
The rapper does his homework, he gets governments, and addresses
The rapper got patience, plus friends in high places
And he knows a shooter without a gun, not dangerous

The shooter on the run, for other stupid - he done
The rapper drops a number-one album, he's back out havin' fun
Catch that dirty motherf- when he finally gets sent to jail
And have B.S.F. carved in his face with a dirty nail, you never know

The first thing they teach you when you get status as a thug (uh)
Is trust more valuable than love (more valuable than love)
Little spatters from the blood (blood)
But on this block, that's just what it was (was)
When trust more valuable than love (yeah)

All that love - gon' get you hurt
It don't add to no plugs, you know why?
'Cause trust more valuable than love (yeah)
Nice guys finish last (last), and tough guys gettin' tatted up with slugs out here
'Cause trust more valuable than love (you never know)

More valuable than love
You never know (ah, never know, you never know 'til you know)