For Certain

[Verse 1: Oddisee]

Yeah, I'm motivated by the right thangs

Pipe dreams, more like light beams

Light bulbs, small ideas, cuz

Short fuse; I'm fueled by lightning

And still I don't rely on shock factor

Lime now, and you'll be in the dark after

I'm trynna live my life like an open book;

Don't wanna get to the middle and read a dark chapter

But I'm cool, yeah, I'm chill

I mean for real, I wrote this rhyme at a pool with a grill

Cookin' meals for my crew

And it feels like we're winnin' all the time, guess I'm preparin' to lose

Take a spill cuz erry once in a while

Even the king of the hill gets dumped in a pile

How you deal with the fall

How you heal is the mark of a man, or a bitch with a broom

[Hook x2]

It goes nothing is for certain, nothin' is for show

So until they close the curtain, we gon' have to do the show

Show up, show out, show off

Showdown for anybody around and go off

[Verse 2: Uptown XO]

Ain't nothin' for certain, so I'm puttin' work in

And we see our shadow, but now Satan lurkin'

Life is a test according to God

You don't believe, then I guess you already lost

Hustlin' winter through fall, doubled the figures and thought

Nothin' was wrong; it's in the past as soon as the morn come

Tomorrow ain't promised, so who do you love?

Pastors, studio hoes, fashion, Louis Vuitton, huh?

Had a dream; an angel told me "Remember!

It can be over with the snap of a finger!"

I say what I say 'cuz this movie could end today

Momma, don't cry; I ain't like it here anyway

Retired from saying "fuck the world and everything in it"

In the belly of the DC beast; it ain't Guinness

Bye, bye, nigga; no, say hello to the bad guys with a flow

Oh, give 'em the motto

[Hook x2]

[Verse 3: yU]

Yo, I swear you have no idea

How many of our peers be playin' musical chairs

We took the stairs 'cuz the elevator crowded

Let 'em be the loudest 'cuz killers move in silence

You gotta have style; it ain't no other way around it

More about you, and less about who you're down with

Tried to tell a friend that, never got a hit back

Said he 'bout to blow, and still I never felt the impact

He hit a small radius, bit of core maybe (?)

Pride they high, my eyes wide;

On the daily, I'm rarely surprised; why

Because of the things I experienced

Drama be like commas, and we be like period

End it with "You begin" (?) on some case closed

Pave the road, and layin' low, navigating through poles

We in our homes through the speaker like a warpzone (?)

Holding the scroll, script (?) role and gold

Go by the code like a brother was told years ago

Gold stuck in my skull, powers that be try to number my soul, but no

Progress is why I don't rest, used to be the most fresh

Now I care less, we gotta reinvest

[Hook x2]