[Intro: J. Cole & DJ Clue]
New York City (Haha!)
New York City is crazy outside right now
It's cold as fuck
DJ Clue ([?])
Desert Storm
But it's beautiful, you know what I mean? (New York, New York)
(New York, New York) Stay alive, that's the only thing
What? Yeah
[Verse: J. Cole & DJ Clue]
Ayo, scrap, everything I was working on
Prior to the day the world decided to play
I got a brand new agenda. They tryna keep up with your boy, hardly
Bitch, I feel like Lori Harvey how I ran through them niggas
Now, I'm back for the winter, tryna outdo myself
No chain on my neck, but got a palpable wealth
I grew up in the heat of the south, you could melt
'Cause the summer humidity enhances stupidity
Memes say I'm humble, but trust, this humility's
From witnessin' violence and turned off utilities
No man that's rhymin' can match my fluidity
I'm Mike Jordan, Ant Edwards; nigga, you kiddin' me?
Cole gets older, but grows new abilities
You didn't know I'm Zeno with Goku agility
Come witness perfection, these niggas perplexin'
Like witness protection, get whole new identities
Then start rappin', but what happened to the real you?
I used to get self-conscious 'round real gangsters, and I still do
Find peace with the audience you appeal to
Be yourself, live in your truth. Niggas'll feel you
Embrace hunger; what don't make you stronger will kill you
The pain'll build you, God'll heal you
Don't make your moves off a dollar bill, it's not as fail-proof
As say, following your heart that way, long as you have faith
The path pays tenfold
Me, I chose rapping over class-A tempos
Back when rappers still was trying to pass they demos to A&R reps
I was dubbin' Sallie Mae, not paying off debts
Through the toughest alleyways, we would pray that our steps
Were protected by the Lord, because what I witnessed
Had all my niggas staying silent like that's none our business
I'm in desperate need of commas like a run-on sentence, shit (Clueminati!)
Like a run-on sentence
I'm trying to see greener pastures 'cause pre-teens'll blast ya
It's not a lot of talking, but the guns long-winded
No strap on my body, I'm an unarmed menace
[Outro: J. Cole & DJ Clue]
I'm an unarmed menace
New York, New York
New York, New York
DJ Clue
Desert Storm
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