[Intro — Low, ominous, spoken] [Verse 1 — Controlled, conversational, gradually building] I knew a dude named Dre, same block, same hunger Split a ten-dollar meal, watched him grow into a monster Mama worked doubles, his pops was a ghost We joked about getting rich sleeping in our clothes I said, “We ain’t stuck here forever” He said, “If we eat, we eat together” Funny how forever got an expiration date Soon as money hit the table, he started changing plates First score was a lick; target was asleep I drove, he went inside, came back sweating through his fleece Bag full of cash and a story full of holes I could hear his control slipping every time he spoke He said, “Trust me, it’s clean.” I said, “Clean don’t need explaining” He said, “Fear’ll make you broke.” I said, “Greed’ll make you famous For the wrong reasons.” He laughed; I was thinking too deep Next week, blue lights put his face on the street [Hook — Heavy bass, cold delivery, layered low ad-libs] Dead weight, I carried you, you cut the rope We was splitting crumbs, now you selling out the whole loaf Same hands we ate with, put the plate up for the feds You were supposed to watch my back, not put a price up on my head Dead weight, blue lights painting up the walls Heard the boots before the knock, then the whole house went off We escaped through the back, left the rest for them to find Didn’t know who sold us out till the truth came back in time [Verse 2 — Gritty, intricate internal rhymes, controlled anger] They had questions ‘bout the scores, knew the routes, knew the names Knew the faces, knew the places, knew the pieces of the game That’s the part that made it strange, wasn’t guessing, wasn’t luck Somebody had been in the room every time we opened up Dre got booked, and the pressure made him fold Gave ‘em everything he knew just to keep himself from going Thought he’d trade a couple names for a chance to see the street Didn’t know the names he gave had people who don’t sleep He sang like the rent was due, gave the cops a whole set Every verse another person, every detail more debt I was thinking he’d stay solid, he was thinking ’bout release We were brothers when we starved, but he ate off our receipts Then he walked out free, courtesy of what he’d said Funny how the door swings wide when you point the way instead But freedom got a funny price when everybody knows You’re the reason somebody’s brother ain’t coming home Now he’s checking every window, reading headlights in the rain Every unfamiliar face got him replaying every name His brother got a target on his features And the people Dre betrayed got long memories and reach, bruh He can’t sleep without a light, can’t leave without a glance Every shadow looks familiar, every stranger gets a chance He thought the badge would be a shield, thought the deal would make him safe Now he’s free enough to panic, got nowhere to put the blame [Hook — Full drums, harder delivery] Dead weight, I carried you, you cut the rope We was splitting crumbs, now you selling out the whole loaf Same hands we ate with, put the plate up for the feds You were supposed to watch my back, not put a price up on my head Dead weight, you got free, but the fear came too You gave them all our names; now they all know you You can change your address, you can’t change what you did The same mouth that bought your freedom told the world where we lived [Verse 3 — Beat stripped back, low voice, controlled tension] Phone rang late, his mama’s name lit the screen Same woman split her last plate when we had nothing to eat She said, “I know what he did, I ain’t calling to defend him But he’s my son, and I’m scared I won’t get the chance to mend it He ain’t slept in days, thinks every car’s outside Keeps the curtains closed, barely trusts his own eyes I know he brought this on himself, I know the damage that he did But I can’t watch another mother lose the only thing she has He’s out past the county line… at the cabin where the road dies.” [Hard cut to absolute silence]
