Surviving The Times

[Verse 1:]

I was young, I was surviving the times

Waiting for my moment, I was destined to shine

Little Ray had an NSX, I was hoping I'm next

Wanting bracelets, never had a rope on my neck

Unless I was holding Taiyeh chain-Rest In Peace

Even though that night you flipped on us

You warned us If you came back and we still on the corners,

We goners, moving on to...

Move your arm in your watch To another time on the block

'Cause this 40 Side Where they say Shorty rhyme

Tragedy he used to come through all the time

I'm talking Juice Crew, not what the word define

He had a sister named Erin, for sure was fine

That was my first crush; I bought my first mic

I wrote my first verse, I was about nine

I was about mine, fantasize house-buying

Met Paul, he wore some big glasses

Him and Melquan took me where G Rap lived

I was happy, just getting some answers

I ain't even know what a record advance was

I'm seeing hoes sex in the studio bathroom

With rap dudes, thinking wow she moved me

Same girl then, right now's a groupie

Back then, she was like the star in the movie

Large jewelry and expensive Gucci

Next stop, Paid In Full posse recruits me

Knew they were some millionaires, their ropes were dookie

Eric B man looking like touch-it-he-shoot-me

You see, every time Ra didn't show

I get to record demos at attempts to blow

I wonder could they tell, how did they know

Sixteen years later, here I go



[Chorus]



[Verse 2:]

I'm with Akinyele in the street, trying to get us a deal

G Rap tried to get us to sign to Cold Chill

But Fly Ty didn't have the contract we wanted

Clark Kent just signed Das, he didn't want us

Russell said I sounded like G, the nigga fronted

Reef and Matty C offered me a little money

Shit a little funny, feel a little laughter

Rebel of Hip-Hop coming through a white rapper

My boy MC Serch nevertheless

Took me to Columbia, back then CBS

Chris Schwartz, RuffHouse, he was the best man

Now bugging because the label had just dropped Def Jam

Could you picture Russell needing a check, man

But he smart, he plotted a plan for Polygram

Life is I'll, again life's a movie

Then, the roster's: Cypress Hill, Nas, and Fugees

Before I sold records, no promotion

The rap world like, what's all this commotion

Went plat', mad bottles I'm toasting

20/20 hindsight, but how did they know then



[Chorus]



[Verse 3:]

Invincible, lyrical, miracle man, huh

But back to the matter at hand

'Cause ten years ago we all strived to be twenty-five

Some cats didn't make it alive

Dated some stars but respect their privacy

Copped mad cars, laying back in the driver's seat

Held myself down, just steering the wheel

Here I am, completed my whole record deal