[Verse 1: J. Cole]
Yea, this is where the
Yea, this is where the fathers ain't living
At least not with us
Might see em round the city and won’t even say wassup
Niggas play tough, won't even smile in mirrors
And we learn to fuck hoes off trial and error
Just a small time nigga, big city hustle
Glued to the Tv, Jigga, Diddy, Russell
These were our heroes, strictly for them zero’s
For that Robert Deniro, niggas reload on them kilo’s
Dodgin them people
Mad at myself cause I done seen some things that I’d rather not tell
Shawty smoke crack and her boyfriend too
Sometimes he touch her daughter like them boyfriends do
Pull up to the club where the boys went too
See that yellow tape and the boys in blue
A nigga on a stretcher and though I never met ya
Im thinking God Bless ya, the city try and get ya
Man, don’t let the city get ya
Fuck the horoscopes, know the ropes like a wrestler
If them bullets wet ya bet ya momma need a tissue
Your face on the front of our shirts saying we miss ya
(we miss ya)

[Hook]
Come with me
Run quick see, what do we have here
Now, do you wanna ride or die
La dadada, la la la la
X2

[Verse 2: Omen]
Yea, lets see God
I know you only do whats best for me
But is it cool if we negotiate my destiny
They always tellin’ me it’s temporary
Than why its feelling like a cemetary
My dreams ain't got no obituaries
My city hurting and none of us were equiped here
You heard me say I was ballin’
I probably meant tears
I’m trying to get clear
I’m tryna quit fear
Who wrote the scripts here
These kids live there whole life just killing time
Running the race with no finish line
They tryna noose us with they ropes
But Im tryna climb
I think my foolish pride might become my suicide
But I ain't tryna go, no baby
And through these lines and quotes you gotta find some hope
Cause I ain't dying
My words gon’ last forever
You can hold the treasure
Look inside you can see a diamond in my mind
Im tired of seeing dope fiends, wiping they nose clean
Is my neighbourhood just a smoke screen?
I think Im in the dungeon fam I see lo green
Sons raised by bo queens but there’s no kings
(no kings, no kings)

[Hook]
Come with me
Run quick see, what do we have here
Now, do you wanna ride or die
La dadada, la la la la
X2

[Verse 3: J. Cole]
It seems like niggas either feel ya or they try and kill ya
I face the sky and hope to God ain't acting unfamiliar
You play whatever cards he deal no matter how peculiar
They tell me that its God’s will, I’m asking God will ya
Heal a nigga from all this pain, momma smoking cocaine as it rains out
Am I to blame, try to stay sane so I came out-side
Where they rock with them thangs out
To clear my mind at the same time they blew that boys brains out
But will it change, its like niggas is free but our minds still in the chains
Brothers killing eachother, the blood spill its a shame
Will it ever slow up
Alot of niggas getting older but they never grow up
And do they son’s like they fathers did and never show up
Don’t even cry about it, just another episode of life
Watch the season nigga no re-runs
The devil buying soul’s nigga no refunds
Man, don’t let the city get ya
Fuck the horoscopes know the ropes like a wrestler
If them bullets wet ya bet ya momma need a tissue
Your face on the front of our shirts screaming we miss ya
Another day, another song, a mother prays
Another gone
But still we play like ain't nothing wrong
Like ain't nothing wrong
Cause ain't nothing wrong
Im not as fast, I’m not as tall
But before I pass
I gotta ball
I gotta ball
I gotta ball
Nigga I gotta ball