Ayo, whats up, whats up?
Lets keep it real, son, count this money
You know what Im sayin? Yeah, yeah
Ayo, put the Grants over there in the safe
You know what Im sayin?
Cause we spendin these Jacksons
The Washingtons go to wifey, you know how that go
Im sayin thats what this is all about, right?
Clothes, bankrolls, and hoes
You know what Im sayin?
Yo, then what, man, what?
Visualizin the realism of life in actuality
Fuck whos the baddest, a persons status depends on salary
And my mentality is money-orientated
Im destined to live the dream for all my peeps who never made it
Cause yeah, we were beginners in the hood as Five Percenters
But somethin mustve got in us, cause all of us turned to sinners
Now some restin in peace and some are sittin in San Quentin
Others, such as myself, are tryin to carry on tradition
Keepin this Schweppervescent street ghetto essence inside us
Cause it provides us with the proper insight to guide us
Even though we know, somehow we all gotta go
But as long as we leavin thievin
Well be leavin with some kind of dough
So, until that day we expire and turn to vapors
Me and my capers will be somewhere stackin plenty papers
Keepin it real, packin steel, gettin high
Cause lifes a bitch and then you die
Lifes a bitch and then you die, thats why we get high
Cause you never know when youre gonna go
Lifes a bitch and then you die, thats why we puff lye
Cause you never know when youre gonna go
Lifes a bitch and then you die, thats why we get high
Cause you never know when youre gonna go
Lifes a bitch and then you die, thats why we puff lye
I woke up early on my born day Im 20, its a blessin
The essence of adolescence leaves my body, now Im fresh and
My physical frame is celebrated cause I made it
One quarter through life, some godly-like thing created
Got rhymes 365 days annual, plus some
Load up the mic and bust one, cuss while I pus from
My skull, cause its pain in my brain vein, money maintain
Dont go against the grain, simple and plain
When I was young at this, I used to do my thing hard
Robbin foreigners, take they wallets, they jewels and rip they green cards
Dipped to the projects, flashin my quick cash
And got my first piece of ass, smokin blunts with hash
Now its all about cash in abundance
Niggas I used to run with is rich or doin years in the hundreds
I switched my motto instead of sayin, Fuck tomorrow!
That buck that bought a bottle couldve struck the lotto
Once I stood on the block, loose cracks produce stacks
I cooked up and cut small pieces to get my loot back
Time is illmatic, keep static like wool fabric
Pack a 4-matic to crack your whole cabbage
Lifes a bitch and then you die, thats why we get high
Cause you never know when youre gonna go
Lifes a bitch and then you die, thats why we puff lye
Cause you never know when youre gonna go
Lifes a bitch and then you die, thats why we get high
Cause you never know when youre gonna go
Lifes a bitch and then you die, thats why we puff lye
Cause you never know when youre gonna go
Lifes a bitch and then you die