Where the Streets Define It

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System got me SHACKLED / yeah, dat's TRUE
But you wasn't ASKIN' me to SAVE you
You was ASKIN' me to SAVE myself
So we could SAVE each-other / LEAVE dis place
(Smoker's cough)
I said NO / I said I'D stay / I said don't WORRY
You LEFT alone / while I stayed BURIED

[HOOK]
(Rap-first, short and sharp, staccato bounce)
I loved you or I LOST you
I picked da LOSIN' side
Called it protec'TION
It was just GOODBYE

[VERSE 2]
(Ultra deep, intensity building, rapid staccato, beat tightens)
I CALC-u-LATE / trajectories / know dis GAME from A to Z
Dese STREETS got FIRST claim / on every BREA' I BREA'E
You GAVE me an EXIT / a way out ALIVE
I tol' you NO TANKS / chose to sur-VIVE
In dis CAGE / in dis LIFE / in dis LIE
You deserved BEDDER / you deserved a MAN wit' SPINE
Not a COWARD / hidin' BEHIND / your SA-FE-TY
Pretendin' SAC-RI-FICE / when I was just a-FRAID
(Smoker's cough)
I STAYED for ME / called it for YOU
Left you WALK-IN' OUT / dese doors a-LONE
Dat's on ME / dat's da TRUT'
Word to my MUDDER / I a-BAN-DONED YOU

[HOOK]
I loved you or I LOST you
I picked da LOSIN' side
Called it protec'TION
It was just GOODBYE

[BRIDGE]
(Spoken, ultra deep, rhythmic, years later)
Years down da LINE / I finally SEE it CLEAR
You was STRONG enough to LEAVE
I was too SCARED / to go wit' YOU
You gave me a HAND / and I let it FALL
(Smoker's cough)

[OUTRO]
(Sung-rap hybrid, melismatic but rap-first, devastated)
You found your FREEDOM / found your LIGHT
Wit'out me / despite me / you survived da NIGHT
I stayed in da DARKNESS / thinkin' I was BRAVE
But bravery was LEAVIN' / not diggin' my own GRAVE
So here we ARE / suspended in da SPACE
Between what we COULD'VE been / and what I be-CAME
You got your LIFE / I got dis SHAME
I had a CHOICE / and I chose WRONG
(Ad-lib, aged rasp: Dat's da COST, son... dat's da real COST)

2051/7500

[VERSE 1] (Ultra deep, staccato Bronx bounce, beat-locked cadence) You tol' me LEAVE wit' you / build somethin' NEW I said STAY wit' me / I'MA protec' YOU Dat was FEAR talkin' / not LOVE, son I needed YOU to need ME / more dan freedom System got me SHACKLED / yeah, dat's TRUE But you wasn't ASKIN' me to SAVE you You was ASKIN' me to SAVE myself So we could SAVE each-other / LEAVE dis place (Smoker's cough) I said NO / I said I'D stay / I said don't WORRY You LEFT alone / while I stayed BURIED [HOOK] (Rap-first, short and sharp, staccato bounce) I loved you or I LOST you I picked da LOSIN' side Called it protec'TION It was just GOODBYE [VERSE 2] (Ultra deep, intensity building, rapid staccato, beat tightens) I CALC-u-LATE / trajectories / know dis GAME from A to Z Dese STREETS got FIRST claim / on every BREA' I BREA'E You GAVE me an EXIT / a way out ALIVE I tol' you NO TANKS / chose to sur-VIVE In dis CAGE / in dis LIFE / in dis LIE You deserved BEDDER / you deserved a MAN wit' SPINE Not a COWARD / hidin' BEHIND / your SA-FE-TY Pretendin' SAC-RI-FICE / when I was just a-FRAID (Smoker's cough) I STAYED for ME / called it for YOU Left you WALK-IN' OUT / dese doors a-LONE Dat's on ME / dat's da TRUT' Word to my MUDDER / I a-BAN-DONED YOU [HOOK] I loved you or I LOST you I picked da LOSIN' side Called it protec'TION It was just GOODBYE [BRIDGE] (Spoken, ultra deep, rhythmic, years later) Years down da LINE / I finally SEE it CLEAR You was STRONG enough to LEAVE I was too SCARED / to go wit' YOU You gave me a HAND / and I let it FALL (Smoker's cough) [OUTRO] (Sung-rap hybrid, melismatic but rap-first, devastated) You found your FREEDOM / found your LIGHT Wit'out me / despite me / you survived da NIGHT I stayed in da DARKNESS / thinkin' I was BRAVE But bravery was LEAVIN' / not diggin' my own GRAVE So here we ARE / suspended in da SPACE Between what we COULD'VE been / and what I be-CAME You got your LIFE / I got dis SHAME I had a CHOICE / and I chose WRONG (Ad-lib, aged rasp: Dat's da COST, son... dat's da real COST)

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