Nina

[Verse 1] I play Nina Simone, nobody knows you when you're down and out Hearing voices in my head, try to drown em' out Damn Nina, I wish that I could tuck a nina It's fucking with my demeanor Picture heaven above these overcrowded arenas Watching us fall, as we try to balance like ballerinas About to blast, couldn't quite figure how to grasp Me watching my sand pass through my hourglass Never used to faze me, eventually my youth betrays me In due time, I bear the fruit that saves me Uh, I used to peddle fiction Deep conviction had my earlobes twitchin' when I would mention my goals But the path I chose, had me sufferin' blows I was exposed to the pressure and froze When the lights have faded, I isolate Debating myself about the price I payed, in the life I traded I was built for more, but was I built for war? I say by any means, but never killed before The allure of dreaming is pure, it's way too much for me to ever ignore Plottin' adventures, head in the clouds, hoppin' in trenches Gravity pulled me down, a bullet lodged within inches of my soul Yeah, of my soul [Hook] Look me in my eye, tell me something good Sell another lie, maybe if I would Look you in your eye I would see the mirror now reflecting your reply And you reply, look me in my eye Tell me something good, sell another lie Maybe if I would, look you in the eye I would see the mirror now reflecting your reply [Verse 2] The approach I mastered, straight-up, ass-backwards Picture me relaxin' while droppin' the tax brackets Trippin' off the way I felt, like I was strapped to a conveyor belt Destined for greatness where major players dwell Fast forward when the cash lowered Get behind a mask for no one to see how I left my ass showin' Busy dreamin' bout quasars and stars That my 8-ball dissolve, like my fate called it off Feeling low, cuz truth be told My older brothers lacked half the opportunities I loosely hold Cuz I was raised in the U.S., made in the U.S Educated and paid, but I do less My brothers came to the U.S. for a change But they knew less, at 20-plus age, maybe you guessed I start thinkin' bout all the shit that I could've done I start thinkin' bout all the battles I should've won Like rule of thumb, never let your mom succumb To the pressure, my confession, I'm fleshin' out as a son I got regrets tattooed to the inside of my skull, I been cried til I'm dull Men lie when they're young, but then try when they're old To develop self-awareness, I been tryin' to uphold [Hook] [Outro] It's just you and I, It's just you and I It's just you and I, It's just you and I I ain't got shit in this world Me, myself and I trying to live in this world Gotta hold my head high, black kid in this world Never let my dreams die, hope they fit in this world I ain't got shit in this world Me, myself and I trying to live in this world Gotta hold my head high, black kid in this world Never let my dreams die, hope they fit in this world