[Intro: Dash Snow]
I'll tell you what I don't believe in, can I do that?
Alright, I don't believe in laws, or the system by any means, whatsoever
I try not to obey them at anytime
That's what I believe in not believing in (So what keeps you alive?)
Four big bottles of water a day, two packs of Marlboro Reds
And, uh, I don't know what keeps me alive, shit
Music, I have to listen to music all day long
I say that keeps me going
I'm a pretty dark person, I've though about ending it a million times
And I have to say that music keeps me here, by far, the main thing
[Verse: Kendrick Lamar]
Thank you
Sitting in the studio thinking about what mood would go
Right now, freestyle or write down, whatever
And still come up clever
I just need to free to my thoughts, and Lord knows I know better
But I ain't perfect, and I ain't seen too many churches
Or know them testament verses
You should either hear me now or go deaf
Or end up dead, die trying and know death
Might end up dead, swallow blood, swallow my breath
F*ck a funeral, just make sure you pay my music respect (nigga)
I mean that from the bottom of my heart
You see my art, is all I have
And victory tastes sweet, even when the enemy can throw salt
Still knock them outta the park, like a f*cking tow car
Let bygones be bygones
But where I'm from
We buy guns and more guns, to give to the young
I'm living the life of a nigga trapped nigga
And out of the system all you envisioning is trap niggas
My uncle doing life, inside prison he wasn't wrapped too tight
He told me to rap about life, not rap niggas
That's why I'm shaking my head when you rap dissing
My stomach start turning, my nerves get to the twitching
I start evaluating, then my final intuition
Is that you wishing a come up, would just come up
We used to beefing over a turf, f*ck beefing over a verse
Niggas dying, motherf*ck a double entendre
And this is Compton, lions in the land of the triumph
Wrap seran our defiance, ban our alliance
Put burners in the hands, of the black man
One hood with 24 four's like a cloned Kobe Bryant
You probably heard I wanna be heard and wonder who I am
You probably even listen to Faith, and think I know Zion
But really I'm just caught in the loop, of understanding the truth
Because it seems it's always clashing with science
I got a big fear of flying
My future so bright I'd probably go blind before I blink twice, I ain't lying
I swear to god half of ya'll don't know Kendrick
The school of hardknocks, we was the first ones in attendance
You walking down the block, he got shot, you wouldn't know I witnessed
He just mind your bidness,
He just turn your head and no down and just tied your tennis
It kinda scary ain't it
You can't act like no bitch that only got Tyler Perry famous
Just let me explain this, why you pick up that stainless
Because your pops wasn't anxious
To see you when you hated him
So much you probably had your burner tucked during graduation
Said if you see him in the bleachers then you kill him, facing
25 to life with a murder charge
Your enemies was preying, now you pray to God
I pray these bars get farther than Compton
And if I reckon if I break, I still won't break my promise
I promise to keep it honest
Secret society all we ask is trust
And all we lack is communication like service sucks
The people scared of annihilation when Kingdom Come
And I'm like
The Kendrick Lamar OD in less than a month, alright?
Gotta keep it pushing
And let the government tell me how my future looking
I'm on Rosecrans and Central trying to duck the central bookings
If the f*cking pigs get behind me then you know I'm booking
Never will I surrender
I've been a warrior when I came out of my mom's placenta
In the gutter, lane like I'm Master Splinter
How splendid, I guess my project I did it
Got all these niggas approaching their mixtapes different
They said seven tracks, I said fifteen
Called it an EP, they said I'm tripping
But little did they know, I'm trying to change the rules
That we've been confined to, so the corporate won't make decisions
Uppity bitches, handling business
Killing our dreams, stealing our vision
Out in Haiti, adolescents barely have a home
In L.A everybody thinking they f*cking on
Hop on twitter, perpetrate we doing big shit
Who we hanging with and bragging about the iPhone
I swear to god most ya'll cats don't know Kendrick
You barely know yourself, so I guess most of ya'll should be offended
Ain't doing this for my health,
I'm just trying to purchase my mom a business
Occupy my time with riches, justify my time and ambitions
Just to coincide, just to go inside,
And put the lies behind while we living
Look the mastermind, took the masters mind
Just the perfect time, just the master mind
Just mastered the grind with precision
Look the mastermind (cough)
[Outro:]
We would like to call this an appreciation tape
For those who recognized the Kendrick Lamar EP
Of this is the Kendrick Lamar OD (OD)
Because of you we are Overly Dedicated