Lyrics

[Intro: Joell Ortiz] Poetic shit. Where I grew up. Sometimes I can't believe I got through that colorful money. You know what I'm sayin'? With the staples in it? Walkin' to the store with my moms, her tellin' me to walk ahead...so she can buy what she gotta buy, try to keep it from me. Shit was crazy though. Crazy [Verse 1: Joell Ortiz] We talkin' penmanship? I'll bend the tip of this pen and twist ya neck as quick as that bitch from The Exorcist It's like y'all don't remember shit before this Internet and shit I was Nettin' money like Petrović against The Knicks Who let you in the building? Who authorized your membership? Surprised you even survived your apprenticeship My fingerprints is all over y'all blueprints Ya style, ya movements That growl, ya mood switch It's wild, ya new shit? I smile, y'all try to fill the void of the Slaughter? Yesterday's corner store, can't do nothin' with a quarter Enjoy ya porter house boy I was in the house with Mr. Porter Puttin' pain (Payne) in like Phoenix fourth quarter Navigate through this modern day Sodom and Gomorrah Like Denzel's braille version of the Torah On the night that I arrived the sky smiled with an aurora The Heavens parted and God sent down his brightest author The Yaowa [Spoken Interlude: Joell Ortiz] Yeah I remember being in my project apartment. You know what I'm sayin'. I used to write rhymes when I was a kid. I used to bother my moms like, "Yo moms check this out! Check this out!" And she was always available for me. Like, "Aight, let me hear what you did this time." And I would spit something. And whether it good or mediocre, she'd be like, "Oooh, you gon' kill it!" Crazy son. Crazy [Verse 2: Joell Ortiz] I'm an author An artist I draw for, the people One of ones roll from my tongue quite often, the easel Trembles as I paint My frequencies equalize treble and bass I'm a long way from holdin' metal on my waist Now the metal on my waist is a designer belt buckle That holds my pants above my ass when I walk up in a place Get a different kind of respect Dude's who used to fear me, cut the check Those that don't wanna be near me, go in depth about they wife and kids Cuttin' medium ribs while we decipher biz When the Bill comes, we rush to it, like Cosby kids Pullin' cards got a different meanin' On the boulevard, 6's gleaming Wedding band hang out the window, these bitches fiendin' Mornin' meditation On a constant quest for higher elevation The process requires patience Obedience and darma I'm reading Robert Sharma's The Monk Who Sold His Ferarri Learning that I too try to speed by my karma I deal with my decisions and try to heal with the wisdom I've acquired over the years by just livin' The most underrated blessing is wakin' up We got so used to it we think it's a given 'til you don't make the cut As far as solo, been a minute since my last release But volume don't make you an active beast, y'all just rappin' chief Plus I find that those that say the most, tend to rap the least Before every masterpiece you must master peace [Spoken Interlude: Joell Ortiz] Yo man, do me a favor. Matter of fact, do yourself a favor, this ain't got nothin' to do with me Don't get caught up in what's goin' on. Don't feel like you gotta please folks. Don't feel like you gotta be someone you not. To-to-to fit into some...some "cool" crowd quote unquote. Just be yourself man. Nobody else can be that. But you