[Intro: Scratches & Scratches & Blu]
"If it ain't red then it must be blue"
"No matter where I go, or how far I roam"
"Blue, baby, just like yourself"
"Exile and B-L"
[Verse 1: Blu]
The Los Angeles city skyline is like a photograph of my mind
I could feel the sea's breeze every time that I rhyme
Cool guy, coulda played trumpet in a suit and tie
Barbers coulda cut a smoother line so it's U-N-I-versal
First song I ever recorded
Felt important, I had to paint my portrait enormous
Clouds forming, the sun falls and darkness rises
Yo it's like this every time I close my eyelids
Bro I grew up in the city of violence, was known for the riots
And now that I'm grown, I stay blown all alone
Was thinking bout those who didn't make it
In my zone dreaming bout how far we could take it
From the basement, I never been one to run from
Guns sung every night where I come from, the blood runs (B-L)
Never fail, you can tell hell
I would never sell out, even if I'm on sale, retail
Pre-sales, you can see God in the details
Midnight Blue, Kenny Burrell
Shocked the world like the law got caught in the third rail, burn Ls
Thinkin bout my daughter's future walking outta jail
So thorough, even as a kid, I wanted to be big
Like Jigga, "Can I Live?," ten siblings need a crib
Like the ones on Cribs, niggas facing long bids
Tryna make it where I live, real talk, it's common sense, I'm
[Hook: Scratches]
"B-L" ("I am the nappy kid from Cali")
"U" ("B-L-U")
"Every time I see you, it's like the first time I meet you"
"The nappy kid from Cali" ("Come on!")
"B-L" ("You ain't me")
"A never-ending saga when I rap to these beats"
"I got my props off the rhymes that I invented
'Cause I spoke my mind and I meant it" ("Exile and B-L")
[Verse 2: Blu]
I fell onto the planet, knowledge, born building understanding
Dropping poems on the illest canvas
South Central, Los Angeles, where niggas hold pistols and start scandals
I picked up a pencil and wrote anthems
My city mold champions, talent show battling
Managing life challenging, and I would write traveling
Unraveling thoughts, pass the mic before I pass you the blunt
Smash the stage then I pass up the cost, acting a fool
Rapping was cool, sorta something we could actually do
Mastered my views, get my cash stacking after my dues
Classic tunes, platinum plaques back-to-back with my crew
Black and blue, back to rocking black-on-black at the show
Pack up the show, black the block, we gotta block out the news
Blackout at shows, no Glock, black proud and I'm Blu
I used to sing James Brown, I used to talk through towns
Tearing down egos, rocking gold, wearing a crown
Airing our style, all hail to the king, hair grew out wild
Long time ago, ten years exactly, where are they now?
I've been B-L, back when they was clapping at fools
After school for acting cool, I just had a backpack full of raps
Avenue Blu is finna battle you, spit .45 caliber raps
That'll dismantle you, my album's done, I'm back
Told the homie, "Don't bang, just hang with me"
Cribmania, the whole gang was me, it's so gangsta to be
[Hook: Scratches]
"B-L" ("Blue," "true blue when I bust")
"U" ("I am" "the B-L-U")
"The cloud becomes black and the sky becomes blue"
"Out of the blue, time for a new young king to rule"
"B-L" ("But if I have to, I go all out with no mic")
"U" ("I might be the color blue")
"A new fresh rap"
"Exile and B-L-U"
[Bridge: Scratches]
"B-L-U, a—, as I can
B-L-U, I'm blue"
"When I say, "Blue," you say, "What?"
Blue!
[Verse 3: Blu]
Yeah, just when I thought I was blanking out, I blanked out
Back in the day, I used to dream about banking out
And I'm banked out, what changed? Change
Make cent, pay dues now pay rent
Same shoes I work in, I church in, service, the shirt fits
The roof over my head, the bed under my ass
I hear rumbling, put my ear to the wall
Nothing but jazz, grandad musta had that on blast
Oh here they come again
James Brown put eight drummers in his band
The promoter put 200 in my hand, I'm a mad man
Track under the rap just to match to the gas can
Last dance, Miles Davis, Coltrane, Philly Joe
Fuck that, brought it back, Max Roach
Wack hoes got smoked quicker than the last roach
Bad joke, we pack boats when black folks had a chance
Fuck slavery, we build pyramids with a helping hand
Made a classic with this rap shit, ain't look back since
Build a black fence around my mansion, I'm a black man
Black hand, black fists clenched, activist
Black Panther Party bigger pistol packing wrapping Christmas gifts
I'm gifted rappin', if you can get it grabbing grams
Grip it on another level, take a stand
Hate the hate and shake the salt
Break the vault and quake the asphalt
But I spark the bark until I'm retarded, yeah
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