Now you see me standin' in the lights But you never saw my sacrifice Or all the nights I had to struggle to survive Had to lose it all to win the fight I had to fall so many times Now I'm the last one standin'
Uh, you weren't with me on the cold block nights Now you front row for the spotlight Now the diamonds in the Audemars bright Jets overseas for a far flight Young nigga on bullshit, and I ball on 'em, Bill Cartwright Knew I could shine through the darkness I guess I always been a star type That lion in me made my heart fight Could've been a victim of a opp pipe Took a million risks just to get to this 'Cause we ain't the ones that the cops likе Been so many times God tested mе They only see the answers I got right They commentin' all on the blogs Tryna tell me how to live my life And I waited so patiently If you could take off, don't wait for me No days off, grind faithfully I keep thankin' God for savin' me Front line, showcasin' our bravery I know that top spot, it was made for me It all paid off, so we felt the struggle so painfully
Now you see me standin' in the lights But you never saw my sacrifice Or all the nights I had to struggle to survive Had to lose it all to win the fight I had to fall so many times Now I'm the last one standin'
Yeah, you know the code we gotta live by Never mind all the ice cubes on this wrist, wearin' the big body Live by the gun, get bodied, or it's hella time in that cell It was hella times where I failed When I had to double back from them Ls Bet he don't double back when he tell 'Cause it ain't no comin' back when you tell Why would you leave me here by myself? A nigga be lonely I blew the whole bag on they flights Ain't leavin' the homies If he really gang, then get him a chain, no cubic zirconies Why's arm in a stogie, stood firm, never folded Furthest thing from a rodent You put the jacket on and you bogus Yeah, big dawg and they know it I had to spin-off to stay focused Longev' on the motion We don't abandon ship when it's hopeless Sound of the microphone, and they know
I make it look easy Like I made it overnight I make it look easy But you don't see the dark side And all of the monsters I had to fight (Fight) And all of the nightmares made me stronger than life
Yeah Y'all say (What?) , I've changed Really, though? (Tell me) How so? (I got) Got all (What?) , this bread (Yeah) I'm still (What?) , sour though I don't know (I'm a) , square peg (In a) , round hole (Yeah) Like a block of cheese in a paper towel roll Rocky Balboa (I) , never been no (What?) , towel thrower Even when I got kicked to the curb (Yeah) Life knocked my dick in the dirt I got back up, flipped it the bird 'Til I earned the attention I yearned Not to mention, I learned How to turn resentment and hurt To an unquenchable thirst, in the simplest terms It's revenge of the nerd, in every sense of the word But all you see is the fame and the millions You don't see the strength, the resilience (Nah) How I rack my brain but it feels as if I'm tryna explain it to children (Damn) So a lot of this pain isn't healin' No escapin' it, this anger is spilling Almost like recreatin' a feelin' of 9 11 When the second plane hit the building So let 'em paint you the villain Some of this just may be a symptom (Yeah) Of havin' way too much income But when you struggled every day just to get some (Yeah) Now all of this hate is a syndrome When they can't relate, and that stems from (What?) Money lookin' like it grows on trees Yeah, they're green but those aren't leaves (Leaves) Sufficed to say, with every sacrifice I made It's like I gave up my life to fame All the nights that I lied awake Nights I stayed up to write and pray Had to claw, scratch, and fight my way Just follow me, and I'll light the way Look to the hook if your sky look grey (Skylar Grey) And rappers, how can we be on the same level now? When I gotta look down and see these clowns That are on the ground Bitch, I got the clouds beneath me Ever since I put out the EP to the height of 2003 me You ain't see the struggle to make it out the D Because I made it somehow look easy
Now you see me standin' in the lights But you never saw my sacrifice Or all the nights I had to struggle to survive Had to lose it all to win the fight I had to fall so many times