You know your shyt is elite when you can effortlessly hold your own with Black Thought on the track. This will always be a masterpiece. Benny can make a vivid scene out of a few bars. No wasted syllables with a marked density to the lyrics. The authenticity resonates. Why do you think Hov fukks with Benny so heavily?
This marathon shyt, so let's see who first to the finish
If it's less than a hundred racks, it don't deserve your attention
'Cause burdens come with it, my second test was servin' a sentence
My first was make a brick jump like it was hurdlin' fences
Certainly, my last shyt was a courtesy, nikka
And further, we had bustdowns before you heard of me, nikka
Shoeboxes stacked with racks sittin' vertically in 'em
I'm fresh out of luck, I'm here 'cause I deserve to be, nikka
I sat back, a vet, and watched beginners winnin' my belts
Burned my bridges, came back a good swimmer like Phelps
You know the feeling, young black male, what y'all dealin'?
Take your whole life to get it, it only last you a minute
In the kitchen countin' cash with cats with backward agendas
Put a benz in the brick, then toss it back in the blender
That was us, next to a big like I was Puff
The good die young, all the OGs thirty and up
In Alexander McQueen kicks just to dirty 'em up
Money tree, branches break when they not sturdy enough, uh
See, I was good with the bad guy role
Water in my jewels, put 'em on and baptize hoes
Walk in my shoes, we got Shaq-sized soles (Huh)
We flatline those wack rap nikkas wearin' half-sized clothes
What's the dealy? I'm only 'bout six hours from Philly
That's an hour on the plane, I'll make it three in the Bentley
My bytch keep sayin' I'm famous, but it ain't hit me
I'm too ghetto, mellowed out, this Hollywood shyt tricky
See, before I knew an A&R, I was weighin' hard
Back when Nicki Minaj was in a trainin' bra
You play this game, you better play hard
The judge'll give you life and later that day, he gon' be playin' golf
I'm from that era, we don't pay it if you weighed it wrong
Back when your parents got your baby shoes plated bronze
We took hip-hop and made it ours
I sold quarters, just so happens I'm the author of your favorite songs
They bullshytted me, I played along
More bars then them nikkas who got hit with the Reagan laws