The Hard Way

Yo, what up young blood?
Yeah, your hustle game got your funds up
Get no thumbs up from in here you kissing dumb luck

What you know about it? Acting like I had an option
You eavesdropping, you a cop? I'm clean so stop watching

No I'm not the po'
I know how you hustle but you don't hold
I'm an old soul
What you sell is what I once sold
Looking at you, I see a young version of myself
And I'll even help you navigate your way through Hell

So you're the future me?
But you ain't got to press it
You want to teach a lesson instead of counting your blessings
I'm not your mission, no pot to piss in
My pops in prison
This is my tradition and I ain't got to listen
To know one, I got food and [?] spot to live in
So tell me how you living?
Off prayers? Dreams and wishing?
You're bullshit and my mistakes make you who you are
My scars are your scars so own 'em cause they ours

I can tell you who will be fam' and who will betray
But I still had to learn the hard way
(I can save you from those who don't do what they say
But I still had to learn the hard way)
I can tell you in the end everything is okay
But I still had to learn the hard way
(Yeah, we got a little hustle and we're winning today
But I still had to learn the hard way)

What up New Jack?
Remember when you moved crack in your blue 'Lac?
Left your mama house, never moved back?
Trying to be the man, retro J's on your shoe rack
Robbing niggas daily, it was crazy
That was the way that you used to live
Influences from foolish kids
If the price is right, they don't care if they do a bid
If I can tell you anything, fuck trying to do it big
Cause they'll leave your chest smoking with holes like a sewer lid
They don't care who it is
Wish I could've whispered in your ear and told you, "Grab a rubber"
Used to battle rap and now you battling with baby mother
Knucklehead for life, wish you would've took some advice
Shooting dice all night, hit the club and start a fight
That ain't right
That's why you writing and your homie is doing that time
Cause you was really doing that stupid shit you threw in your rhymes
If you trying to stay alive, little nigga swallow your pride
Let the little shit slide then always follow your mind