[Intro: Raekwon]
Word, I miss you, I miss the God
Word... a powerful brother, man, he was live
[Verse 1: Raekwon]
He was a powerful general
The smell from his breath was Ballantine
I think it was the year '89
He stayed the freshest, Polo boots
Wallys with them colorful 'Lo gooses
Coming from Medina, we'd boost
We up in A&S, slipping and dipping to Bed-Stuy
Native, he used to beatbox, thousands would listen
Yo, that's before the Wu got on
Him and Allah Just' and RZA came to the Island one morn'
A nigga could dance to slow music
Out-drink any nigga on the benches
While we hitting reefer, he sold loosies
Five-foot-seven, a legend was born
Russell "Ason" Jones, I know him for his braids and lessons
A wise man with Knowledge 120
Kept a flag on his chest
Would right hand you quick, serving you Remy
Yo, let's toast to the fallen, lost, forgotten
Aiyyo, if niggas can hear me, then roll up some broccoli
Ason – the heart of a lion, a purified mind
The way he did it, with a mic and some wine
I would never forget the days we used to sit back
Days I be all up in the crib, listening, holdin' a line in and yo
I just miss this nigga
And now, I understand the meaning of love when I kissed the nigga
[Interlude: Ol' Dirty Bastard sample]
"My name is Ol' Dirty Bastard, you know what I'm saying?
I don't hide nothing back
I, I barely—I mean, I come from a family, man...
Of, of, poor welfare, you know what I'm saying?
When I came out my mother's womb, I was on welfare
You know what I'm saying?
So—so—so, it's like, you got to keep it real! Ya nah mean?"
[Verse 2: Raekwon]
He had a heart of gold, intelligent soul from day one
Loud as the ferry, best friend was Mama Cherry
Sweet lady, BK baby
She taught Dirty how to cook, clean, singing the songs
Sadie old school dances and O.E
Ballantine, the wine, we sip, while we sat with the O.G.'s
Knowledge of self, good health
The fortunes that came with the game had my brother insane
It's like wealth ain't enough to live for
But if you got love in your heart, just believe in yourself
That was the Black man rap, Baby Jesus in the black Land
Few jewelry pieces with his gold fangs, his fam
("Brooklyn Zoo!")
You know my brother was ill
The first dude to say, "Yo, keep it real"
Yeah, the lover, the father, the hustler, the rap professor
Now, he with Allah, that's a blessing
[Outro: Ol' Dirty Bastard sample]
"See, it's like, okay... where I come from
In my neighborhood, my people know me
You know what I'm saying? See, if I try to come any different
They ain't gon' respect me no more
You know what I'm saying? Because they -- you know people
Got that thing about themselves, you know
If you come from the neighborhood, you know what I'm saying?
You couldn't, you couldn't get out the neighborhood
But you could never take the neighborhood out of the people
You know what I'm saying, but if you tried to like jump and crossover
To the other side, people won't understand that, and they don't like that
That's why they don't be buying people music
See, we keeps it real
And we always gon' keep it real
You can't knock what's real, you know what I'm saying?
We telling the truth, man"
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