Black Boy Fly

[Produced by Rahki & Dawaun Parker] [Intro: Kendrick Lamar] So I'm saying, "What up? What up? Nigga, you made it" So I'm saying, "What up? What up? Nigga, you made it" So I'm saying, "What up? What up? Nigga, you made it" So I'm saying, "What up? What up? Nigga, I hate it" So I'm saying, "What up? What up? Nigga, I hate it" Frustrated and I'm riding down them back streets Making my conscience ask me "Will I survive to make it up out this hoe in time?" Black boy fly, black boy fly Black, black boy fly, black boy fly [Verse 1: Kendrick Lamar] I used to be jealous of Arron Afflalo I used to be jealous of Arron Afflalo He was the one to follow He was the only leader foreseeing brighter tomorrows He would live in the gym, we was living in sorrow Total envy of him, he made his dream become a reality Actually making it possible to swim His way up outta Compton with further more to accomplish Graduate with honors, a sponsor of basketball scholars It's 2004 and I'm watching him score thirty Remember vividly how them victory points had hurt me 'Cause every basket was a reaction or a reminder That we was just moving backwards The bungalow where you find us The art of us ditching classes, heading nowhere fast Stick my head inside the study hall, he focused on math Determination ambition, plus dedication and wisdom Qualities he was given was the shit we didn't have Dug inside of his book bag and Coach Palmer asked for his finals He had his back like a spinal, meanwhile We singing the same old song spinning the vinyl Eleven graders gone wrong He focused on the NBA, we focused on some Patron Now watch that black boy fly [Chorus: Anna Wise] Black boy fly, watch that black boy fly Black boy fly, watch that black boy fly Black boy fly, watch that black boy fly Black boy [Verse 2: Kendrick Lamar] I used to be jealous of Jayceon I used to be jealous of Jayceon Taylor when I was young Taylor made a career out of music from writing songs A Buick had driven past bumping him when I mowed the lawn Money laundering hustling, homies pondering up against Schemes to make a million even if doing you harm War's the case and just in case you wasn't alarmed The city had fought with firearms and many had died before dawn It's 2004 and I'm hearing the people roar For the name of The Game, they line in front of the store Swap meets, selling our mixtapes, I'm like, "Oh shit, wait" Don't wanna be another nigga stuck regretting mistakes Mixed feelings was my opinion, I was defending my insecurities Chillin' my conscience next to a villain Compton made you believe success wasn't real Be honest, none of us knew of a record deal So as I peel through these lottery tickets I see a Harley Davidson truck visit the same plaza we shopped A tall nigga hopped out with Jordans and a white tank top He was top of the rap game, we was the top of the block So watch that black boy fly [Chorus: Anna Wise] Black boy fly, watch that black boy fly Black boy fly, watch that black boy fly Black boy fly, watch that black boy fly Black boy [Verse 3: Kendrick Lamar] My mama didn't raise me up to be jealous-hearted Like most of the winners call it Regardless of where you stay, hold your head and continue marching That's what she said, but in my head I wanted to be like Jordan Award touring the country with money from mic recording The only way out the ghetto, you know the stereotype Shooting hoops or live on the stereo like Top 40 And shortly, I got discouraged Like every time I walked to the corner, had them guns bursting Nigga, I was rehearsing in repetition the phrase That only one in a million will ever see better days Especially when the crime waves was bigger than tsunamis Break your boogie boards to pieces, you just a typical homi' All these niggas facetious and they all standing beside me They all'll buy me a chopper if any one of you try me What am I to do when every neighborhood is an obstacle? When two niggas making it out had never sounded logical? Three niggas making it out? That's mission impossible So I never believed the type of performance that I could do I wasn't jealous cause of the talents they got I was terrified they'd be the last black boys to fly out of Compton Thank God (Black boy fly, watch that black boy fly)