The Villest (with Erykah Badu)

I got something I wanna tell you

I got something I wanna tell you

Yeah

Dust off the old notebook where a younger Jermaine Lamarr

Wrote hooks to get a glimpse at what his hopes looked like

Back in his younger years

And found a page stained with what seems to be a hundred tears

As the smeared words spoke of his blunted fears

Tellin' him, "Persevere through it all

Go hard like Medusa in front of mirrors

To reach the top," so unaware that thе trouble's there

Wе're nothing more than a worser version of troubles where

He sat when he wrote, he's performin' hocus pocus with empty pocket

Focus over some dope, lil' beat he made his self

All the pain in his cadence felt

And though his heart was made of felt

His exterior hardened to present a demeanor

In which this period taught him was the best of survival

To deflect the most aggressive of rivals

A testament to the lessons I follow

Seen the death of bravado

The second weapons hit his chest with a hollow

Pride is a bitter pill indeed, but it's best if you swallow

If not, your homies gon' pay respect with a bottle

Poured that out on the flesh of this Mother Earth

While liquor slithers like a serpent across the mud and dirt to go rest in a pothole

Money coming soon, back then, was obsessed with the motto

Me and my dawgs was like the Musketeers

Through the years, we stayed connected to this day, we still steppin' legato

Subconsciously protecting these niggas, think I'm lesser for my complexion

Before I'm done, they all gon' respect the mulatto

(Hi) yeah

Said they all gon' respect the mulatto

(Oh, I) I got something I wanna tell you

Dreams can come true, you'll get yours too

But it won't save (yeah)

I got something I wanna tell you (I got something I wanna tell you)

Dreams can come true (oh-oh), you'll get yours too

But it won't save

Me and you

Your momma and your cousin too

Rolling through the 'Ville on Vogues

Coming up, slamming Cadillac doors

Me and you

Your momma and your cousin too

Rolling through the 'Ville on Vogues

Coming up, slamming Cadillac doors (coming up, coming up)

My darkest truths be hard to say to friends

Fuck it, pass the bottle, we're swallowing hopes that can wash away the sins

Grew up amongst the lost, and wasn't taught a way to win

On days I think of James, my hardened heart breaks again

He caught the fade, but pussy niggas caught him later then

Medics performed a CPR and hauled away his limbs

It always haunted me inside my thoughts and made 'em grim

His father knew my father way back when

Army buddies that used to party hard

Overseas but through the alcohol, the weed, and plus the hardy-har's, they made him kin

Who knew their future kids would have to find a way to swim

In the wild, with crocodile and alligator skins?

They took a good nigga, smart kid who could hoop, who could fight

Instead, I wish the Lord had taken them

If Darwinism states only the stronger make it, then

Why am I here when I don't feel that I'm as great as him?

If Pac is Jesus, then I ride around and play the hymns

Life goes on, even in this modern day of algorithm-moderated, streaming-service-automated blends

I play the classics often, and I've gotta say there's gems

This life is like it's all set up for God to play The Sims

Yeah, I got rich, but think I need a smarter way to cleanse

If money gives happiness, then please explain the rich bastards with no peace

How come they never bought their way to zen?

Hmm, how come they never bought their way to Zen?

If it's-, if it's that simple, yeah

(Oh, I) I got something I wanna tell you

Dreams can come true, you'll get yours too

But it won't save (yeah)

I got something I wanna tell you (I got something I wanna tell you)

Dreams can come true (oh-oh), you'll get yours too

But it won't save

Me and you

Your momma and your cousin too

Rolling through the 'Ville on Vogues

Coming up, slamming Cadillac doors

Me and you

Your momma and your cousin too

Rolling through the 'Ville on Vogues

Coming up, slamming Cadillac doors