Hate the price of fame
It cost too much (aye yeah boy)
And you lame niggas talk too much (aye yeah)
I'm ready for whatever, somebody better tell 'em (aye yeah boy)
I said I'm ready for whatever, hey, hey, hey

Even though my head in the clouds, I'm planted on the pavement
How I'm walkin' 'round, people starin' in amazement
I play a lot of game, but well-being I ain't playin' with
They so judgmental, maybe they don't understand
If your life was in jeopardy e'ryday, is you tellin' me
You wouldn't need weaponry just because of your felonies?
Consider this at least, I got e'rybody sweatin' me
On the streets is people who won't rest unless I rest in peace
Killed my folk a year ago, still in my sleep they threaten me
Paranoia stressin' me, ain't nobody protectin' me
I'm dealin' with the pressure from my partner dyin' next to me
Think 'cause no ones arrested, they comin' for me eventually
This was all the things I was goin' through mentally
This could be the reason I ignored the penitentiary
Not mentioning New Orleans niggas comin' in the city
Killin' all summer long, ain't nobody pay attention

Now, is it that hard to understand if you listen?
Either die or go to jail, that's a hell of a decision
But I'm wrong and I know it, my excuses aren't important
I'm just tryna let you know that I ain't think I had a choice, for real

I had straps in my ride, gotta go to prison
You waiting on me to die, you gon' be waiting for a minute (yeah)
Boy I'm ready for whatever, somebody better tell 'em
I be here when the smoke clears and everythin' settles, for real
Can't afford the price of fame 'cause it cost too much
Plus these sucka niggas lame and they talk too much (yeah)
That's why I'm ready for whatever, somebody better tell 'em
I be here when the smoke clears and everythin' settles, for real

For real, for real, aye, for real (yeah, I know what you thinking)
I say, when e'rything settles, for real (first Michael Vick, now this, huh?)
Aye, for real, aye, for real (naw, not exactly)
Let me tell you how this shit went down for real, dog
(I say, when e'rything settles for real)

I'm a man, I ain't perfect, I admit it, I'm guilty
But understand, feel me, I was ridin' filthy
'Cause niggas out there plottin', to rob me and kill me
Five-hundred thousand every year spent on security
And my future was bright, but now it's gettin' blurry
'Cause niggas in a hurry to find me and bury me
But surely, God'll deliver me up out it
I'm a fighter to the heart, I forever be about it
I'm a father to my sons, asset to my community
Look at all that I done, my good outweigh the negativity
Mentally, I was focused on not lettin' history
Repeat itself, that's why heat was kept in the vicinity
Yes, officially, I broke the law but not maliciously
Through all of the publicity, was anyone considerin'
My position and the logic hid in my decision?
But they caught me with 'em, now I'm off to prison, period

But is it that hard to understand if you listen?
Either die or go to jail, that's a hell of a decision
But I'm wrong and I know it, my excuses aren't important
I'm just tryna let you know that I ain't think I had a choice, for real

I had straps in my ride, gotta go to prison
You waiting on me to die, you gon' be waiting for a minute (yeah)
Boy I'm ready for whatever, somebody better tell 'em
I be here when the smoke clears and everythin' settles, for real
Can't afford the price of fame 'cause it cost too much
Plus these sucka niggas lame and they talk too much (yeah)
That's why I'm ready for whatever, somebody better tell 'em
I be here when the smoke clears and everythin' settles, for real

For real, for real, aye, for real
I say, when e'rything settles, for real
Aye, for real, aye, for real (I'll be here)
I say, when e'rything settles for real

For real, for real, aye, for real (aye, I said listen, homeboy)
I say, when e'rything settles, for real
(You can talk all you want, man, you know what I'm saying?)
Aye, for real, aye, for real (I'll be here)
(Everybody's entitled to an opinion, you know what I'm sayin?)
(They like yesterdays, everybody got one)
I say, when e'rything settles for real

Aye, but the fact of the matter remains
If you ain't walked a mile in my shoes
and you ain't lived a day in my life
You ain't survive the shit I done survived
You ain't had to deal with the shit I had to deal with
Homeboy you can't muhfuckin' judge me, partner
I mean, look at folk like Sean Taylor
You know what they said?
They said, had he had a strap, he'da lived today
You know what I'm sayin?
Now, true enough, I was dead wrong
I broke the law, I deserve to be punished
I understand that, aight? Cool
But listen, man, I got a house full of kids
A mama, and an old lady, whose life is my responsibility
You dig that?
Now, for all of y'all who think I was just ridin' around on some dumb shit
Aye, you know I'm smarter than you man
You know I'm smarter than you dog
Aye, if you think I was just being stupid
Shawty I got some muhfuckin' oceanfront property in Idaho for sale, homie (ha ha)
If you believe that, I got a bridge in Brooklyn I wanna sell you, partner
Aye, man, real talk, in order to understand my train of thoughts
You have to put yourself in my position
You can't expect me to think like you
'Cause my life ain't like yours, you know what I'm sayin?
If you don't understand that, you don't understand English home boy
I'm done talking

Copyright: Songtrust Ave, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Writer(s): Christopher Gholson, Clifford Harris