[b. stille]
this is for you, and you, and you, and you
[verse 1 - b. stille]
now i came up with little bad ass yeagas, to never had ass yeagas
slept and ate with our peeps but we let the streets raise us
kept the weed blazin, don't let the drink age us
used to live outrageous, now we just couch potatoes
without the wages, to break out the project cages
make do with what we got, use the logic that god gave us
losin faith is enough to make a man crazy
can't even pay my landlady
how the fuck i'm 'posed to save for my unplanned baby?
joined the navy, and my uncle sayin "pay me"
maybe i'm just too damn lazy but you can page me
lately, been hustlin grams daily
holdin down my spot on the corner like champ bailey
but i know i ain't the only one (you feel me?)
on the gun livin on the run, look how they done momma's only son
x me out like i'm, a roman numeral
damn, and ain't tryin to see me again, till my funeral
[chorus - anthony hamilton]
for so long i been grindin (grindin)
paid my dues, put my time in (time in)
even went down for tryin
i pushed on
never once did i give up (give up)
every time i fell i would get up (get up)
always kept my spirit up
i pushed on
[verse 2 - scales]
now we finally feelin plush
doin gotta do to keep our nails airbrushed
jade straight out the box, damn ne'er been touched
damn i'm feelin good, b lined me up
till we never seen a pontiac diamond-toed
nappy roots, what it mean to ya? mines and us
and don't be callin us slow, we ain't grind it up
now my people all smiles cause we out the slums
sayin, "look at big bud ol' sloppy drunk
i remember when he sold tapes out the trunk"
now here's the routine - jump out the truck, t-shirt and blue jeans
'94 jays with the blue shoe strings
when i first hit the grind ain't stop for shit
and my only motivation was a pot to piss
see it hit me so hard ain't have a penny to myself
i swallowed up my pride and asked skinny for some help
and i'm sayin
[chorus]
[verse 3 - big v]
want me to stop, i did, but i couldn't stop the shit
dawg i cried for this, stole and lied for this
scream when i felt this shit
toured for 16 months straight, lost breath for this
heh, yelled for this
sinnin every night, know i'm goin to hell for this
the hurt and the betrayal, compelled by this
tough wall to climb but nappy roots scaled the shit
just don't let me rap in vain, people pray over this
don't take my word for it, see for yourself and shit
everybody out in the wind, ain't no help with this
i coulda thrown in the towel, coulda walked away
eyes on the prize, so i'm strong today
simply want it, believe it, think it, breathe it
chase it, cease it, maintain, keep it
hold it, control it, never let go of it
hold on, press on, push on, i'm gone
[chorus 2x]
[anthony hamilton]
for so long
paid my dues
now iiiiiii (i pushed on)
alright, give up (i pushed on)
i never have
kept on
ohhhhh, ooooohhhh