The Villest

Lyrics

[Intro: J. Cole] I got something I wanna tell you I got something I wanna tell you Yeah [Verse 1: J. Cole] Dust off the old notebook where a younger Jermaine Lamarr wrote hooksTo get a glimpse at what his hopes looked like back in his younger yearsAnd found a page stained with what seems to be a hundred tearsAs the smeared words spoke of his blunted fearsTellin' him "Persevere through it all Go hard, like Medusa in front of mirrors To reach the top", so unaware that the troublе's there We'rе nothing more than a worser version of troubles where He sat when he wrote, he's performin' hocus pocusWith empty pocket focus over some dope lil' beat he made his self All the pain in his cadence feltAnd though his heart was made of felt , his exterior hardenedTo present a demeanor in which this period taught him Was the best for survival, to deflect the most aggressive of rivals A testament to the lessons I follow, seen the death of bravadoThe second weapons hit his chest with a hollow Pride is a bitter pill indeed, but it's best if you swallowIf not, your homies gon' pay respect with a bottle Poured that out on the flesh of this Mother EarthWhile 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 complexionBefore I'm done, they all gon' respect the mulatto YeahSaid they all gon' respect the mulatto [Chorus: J. Cole, Erykah Badu & Both] (Oh, I) I got something I wanna tell youDreams can come true, you'll get yours tooBut it won't save ( Yeah ) I got something I wanna tell you (I got something I wanna tell you)Dreams can come true (Oh-ohh), you'll get yours tooBut it won't save Me and youYour momma and your cousin, tooRolling through the 'Ville on VoguesComing up, slamming Cadillac doorsMe and youYour momma and your cousin, tooRolling through the 'Ville on VoguesComing up, slamming Cadillac doors (Coming up, coming up) [Verse 2: J. Cole] My darkest truths be hard to say to friendsFuck 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, thenMedics 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 whenArmy 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 swimIn the wild, with crocodile and alligator skins? They took a good niggaSmart kid who could hoop, who could fight, instead, I wish the Lord had taken them If Darwinism states only the stronger make it, thenWhy 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 ofAlgorithm-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 peaceHow 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 [Chorus: J. Cole, Erykah Badu & Both] (Oh, I) I got something I wanna tell youDreams can come true, you'll get yours tooBut it won't save ( Yeah ) I got something I wanna tell you (I got something I wanna tell you)Dreams can come true (Oh-ohh), you'll get yours tooBut it won't save Me and youYour momma and your cousin, tooRolling through the 'Ville on VoguesComing up, slamming Cadillac doorsMe and youYour momma and your cousin, tooRolling through the 'Ville on VoguesComing up, slamming Cadillac doors