[Intro: whispered, vinyl crackle, church bell] Yeah... uh He wasn't a friend... he was a fee... NYKO... (NYKO) [Verse 1: low, slow, gritty flow] Met him when I had nothin', pockets flat, heart broke (broke) Hole in my Nikes, momma cryin', stove cold smoke (yeah) Pulled up clean, gold gleam, smile like my brother (uh) Said "You got heart, lil boy, let me show you somethin' different" Money, clothes, women, muscle, just do me a favor (favor) Hold that, drive there, don't talk, keep it major First it was small, then the nights got darker (darker) Every gift got a chain, every chain got a marker (NYKO) [Chorus: Hook - distorted, chant, Memphis vocal sample layered] NYKO! What you want from me now? (now) Gave me the world, want my soul now (soul now) NYKO! Young and you played me (played me) Sold me heaven, paved it to Hades (yeah) NYKO! Can't shake, can't break you (break you) Mirror look, all I see is you - NYKO! [Verse 2: more aggressive, double time, dry drums] Years deep, can't sleep, phone ring - it's him again (brrt) Same voice, same grin, sayin' "remember when?" (remember?) Remember that store? That lick? That blood on the floor? That wasn't you? Boy that was us, I got it all in the book Red ink, full page, every sin that you took (took) Tryna pray it off, fight it off, hands shakin' (shakin') Basement shakin', demons wakin', soul achin' (uh) Said "You don't quit me, I quit you, you know you gon' lose" Receipts on receipts, boy, you already choose (NYKO) [Chorus: Hook - heavier 808 slide, whisper adlibs] NYKO! What you want from me now? (what you want?) Gave me the world, want my soul now (want my soul now) NYKO! Young and you played me (yeah, you played me) Sold me heaven, paved it to Hades (to Hades) NYKO! Can't shake, can't break you Mirror look, all I see is you - NYKO! [Verse 3: slowed, evil, father / final verse - half-sung] Now I'm older, beard grey, tryna get clean (clean) Got a kid now, got a Bible, tryna wash the scene (wash it) Tryna be a father, tryna find God in a cold room (cold room) Knock at the door - same knock, same perfume (he's back) NYKO in a suit, not a day older, eyes glowin' (glowin') "One more deal, shake my hand, let your son keep growin'" Looked at my son sleepin', light flicker, dim gone (gone) Tired of runnin', tired of fightin', can't hold on (can't hold on) So I shook... room went black, no more breathin' (shhh) After all these years, he finally took it... leavin' with me [Outro: whispered, piano only, vinyl crackle, bell fade] If you meet a man with everything you wanted... and he want nothin'... Run. NYKO was never your friend... He was the price. (NYKO)
