Cry No More

Lyrics

[Verse 1] Motherfuckers can't cry no more, when you die no more It's a crying shame, you don't even try no more Black suits, black ties and obituaries handed out Ashes to ashes after living life, hand to mouth A death wish is cool till its time to blow the candles out I need some answers now, leaving your sons is tantamount To throwing 'em straight to the wolves And everybody saying they'd be different if they had a man around He loved his work and his women built like a Clydesdale Went to the city in search of supreme clientele And back to the country, frontin' like he Mr. Drysdale Just an illusion, a ruse, an ol' wives tale While I was in the 'Boro where the dope and the gun work Had the whole 'hood soundin' like Dunkirk Starin' at my celing fan, tryin' to be a man Wishin' I had a chance to be a son first [Interlude] "You know, it's crazy 'cause like when I was a kid. My dad used to pick me up from school. He was an executive chef and he would bring me to the kitchen. I would be so excited to cook And you know he'd be like, "Nah, you need to, you need to prep. You need to do preparation." And I didn't understand it at the time but he was teaching me about life [Verse 2] They ask me where I been, dog I been rebuilding With my wiz and children, put my pops in the ground Then hit the repast and ate the same shit that killed him Your habits didn't deviate, just thought you would appreciate My moms used to say I was a whore just like you So Ma, I ran through even more just to spite you And Pops, my health is doin' pretty good despite you I try so I don't die at 54 just like you, cold I'm one snowflake away from an avalanche My first teachers were masters of self-sabotage My momma walking slower these days, she got a stent Still on them Newports, where's your fuckin' common sense? Pardon my French, I'm just still unconvinced That as young as you are, soon I'll be takin' care of you I get it you're the one who did the raising, I'm the son But I'm not ready to cry at your Lorraine Hansberry-al You can't undo it you either succumb to it Make the adjustment or just become numb to it Looking over your life like "what have I done" to it Knowing your bloodline is the river that runs through it My sons look at me these days and think I'm certified Preparing them for a world they'll be deserted by, internalize Black Man if you get a teaspoon of compassion, that's more than double the serving size I get impatient, shit is taking too long They don't get it, I really lived it, you can say what you want 'Cause by the time you realize that your father was right You'll probably have your own son telling you that you wrong But be his ride or die, even if you two ain't seein' eye to eye Teach him how to throw a punch, ride a bike, tie a tie Hold on to 'em while you can, this is just what I advise [Kids voice] Tiggalo Tiggalo Tiggalo Tiggalo [Phonte] Nah nah nah nah, fuck that piano man! Keep playing!