Back when BIG ran the city and Kiss ran with Diddy
When Starks was the sixth man Before Knicks fans was pitied
Fresh Prince ran in Philly, NSYNC ran with BritneyI was skipping class to spit, rolling nick bags in Philly′s
But those were different days, when kids would raise themselves
And Fuck a living wage, there's quicker ways to wealth
Why risk that shit for prison when that shit don′t pay the cell
This business is unforgiven look what they did to Dave Chappelle
Too much promotion is it worth the hassle?
Now you just a genius at the bar tryin' a mac, what you work for apple?
Man I'm worse than Thanos, I tried to pray today
But it′s like I went to church and challenged God to a Verzuz battle
Envision whipping five hundreds like the S&P
But steady cream and blue collar work make you forget your dream
Overzealous teens from seven trains to the seven seas
Selling weed for meals, shit is real like Tele Viv
Before the Em beef, before we could sell a stream
When there was magazines, the source was over everything like L and Bs
The goal was unsigned hype then five mics
So we let the rhythm hit them like we Rakim and Eric B
But them days gone, the stress is here
And we still cheers to Yester-year
Say our goodbyes when death is near
Long Farewells mean extra tears
In the heart of the ghetto where jakes park by the park
In small apartments and the art isn′t Deco
The only goal is to give a big name artist ya demo
Get something brewing from the ground up as strong as espresso
When I was younger teacher told us we was not winners, chopped liver
Threw the Cap, graduated then I got with her
Plot twist, the cock smith, just got richer
Stop loss, options, stock ticker
From Brooklyn like Shock G and Chubb Rock
Grew up on Jay, Fab, Pusha and The Lox
Plus a lil' Stone Cold, Booker and the Rock
Ain′t no pop figure you can't put me in a box
Send the L around the room like a train set
Pass it down like a mother and a daughter with the same dress
It all starts to make sense
Less zeros in your circle more zeros in your paycheck
I′m just trying to stay blessed
Stare at the bottom of the bottle while I wonder where the days went
I guess it's just the same stress
More time on the side missions and less on the main quest
But them days gone, the stress is here
And we still cheers to Yester-year
Say our goodbyes when death is near
Long Farewells mean extra tears
