I was born by the river (i'm workin' on dyin')
In a little tent
Oh, and just like the river, I've been runnin' (oh, huh-uh)
Ever since (ha-ha)
It's been a long
A long time comin', but I know
A change gon' come
Oh, yes it will (uh, yeah)

I done been through this
It's hard for you to listen to me 'cause you ain't been through shit
Shut off my mind to follow my heart, so I took plenty risk
How the fuck you hatin' on me, like God ain't give me this?
It was designed for me to fail when I started
Long as I'm breathin', gotta excel, so I'ma win regardless
They get depressed 'cause my success but I'm the one went the hardest

Knew the coach seat'd turn to a jet soon as that bitch departed
All the dumb shit I did was just a test 'cause I'm the smartest
Now I look back on my life like (life like)
I wasn't shit but a kid, walk in the pitch black with no nightlight (nightlight)
All the sneaky shit led later to all the secrets I had
Runnin' from death, all the reapers I slid
Duckin' discreet, I ain't seein' a bid

And I hate to be in my head, lonely, afraid to sleep in my bed
Stuck in my thoughts, sinkin' (thoughts, sinkin')
Had to play dumb when I was young, ain't wanna get caught thinkin' (caught thinkin')
Facin' the ground, can't look at the sun, ain't wanna get caught blinkin'
Watched my circle get knocked off and now we all shrinkin'
Now I'm always drinkin' (always drinkin')

Streets made our heart cold, now we all anemics (all anemics)
Blood on that money, it ain't green to me (it ain't green to me)
I can barely tell you what you mean to me (what you mean to me)
Nigga can't never betray me, I don't even need a team
Life a movie but you can't play me, I don't even need a scene (i don't even need a scene)
I can't get no help 'cause I don't need a thing (i don't need a thing)

Champion with no belt, never received a ring
Gave out too much love, no more love, I ain't feelin' loved
Gotta go cleanse my body, so many drugs I can't feel the drugs
Drop tears when I get a hug, got too used to niggas gettin' slugs
Started puttin' my dogs on the wall, got too used to niggas gettin' dug
Six feet, everybody I know six feet
All the people I knew, that's why hammers gettin' drew, you'll get killed too, try and bitch me

You'll get put on a plate thinkin' shit sweet
You'll get killed broad day tryna get to me
I get up every day tryna get rich as me
I got more cuban links than Mr. T
I be stressin' though
You be stressin' though

Then my stress just add on to your stress until we stressin' more
I was stressin' less when I was broke but it's a blessing though
It's so hard for me to shake my past, I learned my lessons though
Where I'm tryna go? Sometimes I don't even know (i don't even know)
Mentally I'm broken, sometimes I don't even show it (i don't even show it)
I be plantin' seeds, sometimes I don't see 'em growin' (i don't see 'em growin')

I was 'posed to leave, gave up and I never spoke it
Caught a fed case, then lost my nigga, it got me back totin'
I'm like "Fuck niggas" but heart so big it got me wide open
Scared to leave my energy with my kids, got me outside rollin'
Comparin' the shit I'm doin' with what I did, it got me back smokin'

What's my destiny? I know it
Will I fulfill it? Shit, I'm hopin'
It's my passion and I know it
Tell you I'm thuggin' but I'm copin' (thuggin')
All this money don't mean nothin'
Pass out hunnids like they tokens
And my future, I can't control it
But I'd be damned if I blow it (damned if I blow it)

—Been a long
A long time comin', but I know
A change gon' come
Oh, yes it will
It's—