The Villest

The Villest - J. Cole/Erykah Badu

Lyrics by：Jermaine Cole/Erykah Badu/Damon Coleman/Michael Holmes/Tyler Williams/Kelvin Wooten/Barbara Gaskins/André Benjamin/Antwan Patton

Composed by：Jermaine Cole/Erykah Badu/Damon Coleman/Michael Holmes/Tyler Williams/Kelvin Wooten/Barbara Gaskins/André Benjamin/Antwan Patton

Produced by：J. Cole/Omen

I got something I wanna tell you

I got something I wanna tell you

Yeah

Dust off the old notebook where a younger Jermaine Lamarr wrote hooks

To get a glimpse at what his hopes looked like back in his younger years

And found a page stained with what seems to be a hundred tears

As the smeared words spoke of his blunted fears

Tellin' him "Persevere through it all

Go hard like Medusa in front of mirrors

To reach the top" so unaware that the trouble's there

We're nothing more than a worser version of troubles where

He sat when he wrote he's performin' hocus pocus

With empty pocket focus over some dope lil' beat he made his self

All the pain in his cadence felt

And though his heart was made of felt his exterior hardened

To present a demeanor in which this period taught him

Was the best for survival to deflect the most aggressive of rivals

A testament to the lessons I follow seen the death of bravado

The second weapons hit his chest with a hollow

Pride is a bitter pill indeed but it's best if you swallow

If not your homies gon' pay respect with a bottle

Poured that out on the flesh of this Mother Earth

While liquor slithers like a serpent across the mud

And dirt to go rest in a pothole

Money coming soon back then was obsessed with the motto

Me and my dawgs was like the Musketeers

Through the years we stayed connected to this day we still steppin' legato

Subconsciously protecting these niggas think I'm lesser for my complexion

Before I'm done they all gon' respect the mulatto

Yeah

Said they all gon' respect the mulatto

Oh I I got something I wanna tell you

Dreams can come true you'll get yours too

But it won't save yeah

I got something I wanna tell you

I got something I wanna tell you

Dreams can come true oh-ohh you'll get yours too

But it won't save

Me and you

Your momma and your cousin too

Rolling through the 'Ville on Vogues

Coming up slamming Cadillac doors oh

Me and you

Your momma and your cousin too

Rolling through the 'Ville on Vogues

Coming up slamming Cadillac doors

Coming up coming up

My darkest truths be hard to say to friends

Fuck it pass the bottle we're swallowing hopes that can wash away the sins

Grew up amongst the lost and wasn't taught a way to win

On days I think of James my hardened heart it breaks again

He caught the fade but pussy niggas caught him later then

Medics performed a CPR then hauled away his limbs

It always haunted me inside my thoughts and made 'em grim

His father knew my father way back when

Army buddies that used to party hard

Overseas but through the alcohol

The weed and plus the hardy-har's they made him kin

Who knew their future kids would have to find a way to swim

In the wild with crocodile and alligator skins?

They took a good nigga

Smart kid who could hoop who could fight instead

I wish the Lord had taken them

If Darwinism states only the stronger make it then

Why am I here when I don't feel that I'm as great as him?

If Pac is Jesus then I ride around and play the hymns

Life goes on even in this modern day of algorithm-moderated

Streaming-service-automated blends

I play the classics often and I've gotta say there's gems

This life is like it's all set up for God to play The Sims

Yeah I got rich but think I need a smarter way to cleanse

If money gives happiness

Then please explain the rich bastards with no peace

How come they never bought their way to zen?

Hmm how come they never bought their way to zen?

If it's if it's that simple yeah yeah

Oh I I got something I wanna tell you

Dreams can come true you'll get yours too

But it won't save yeah

I got something I wanna tell you

I got something I wanna tell you

Dreams can come true oh-ohh you'll get yours too

But it won't save

Me and you

Your momma and your cousin too

Rolling through the 'Ville on Vogues

Coming up slamming Cadillac doors

Me and you

Your momma and your cousin too

Rolling through the 'Ville on Vogues

Coming up slamming Cadillac doors