The Cards

[Intro: Rapsody] Yeah, yeah You just gotta play the cards you’re dealt It’s like making a dollar out of fifteen cents… AMP… AMP on the beat like [Verse 1: Big Remo] Yo, ain’t it funny when buddy countin’ ya money Buddy study your every utter Wish he was from another mother Born of a different cloth, LRG covered And I move somethin’ like a boss Cool nigga wipe me off And you could too since a lil’ nigga asked the part Back then in Kimberly Homes where I lived I was learned by them Kurds about them dollars and cents It was never my transaction it was however I did it I was impressed with the whips I asked my father how was it That from zip-locks with two tops is a nick He said, “Play your cards right son, and stay on your shit” He said, “The streets stay watchin’, I ain’t talkin’ to pigs” And I admit when I was talking to him I got wise and lost the veil pulled over my eyes It energized me It’s double-time grind now, I know they still probably Wishin’ they were dealt my hand, but what it cost me? I damn near lost it twice, yea I’ve been to hell and back Five-O at the crib, Momma wasn’t havin’ that When five-o left the crib, she said “Nigga pack ya bags “And your packs and your racks” And I packed them fast, Michael Jackson “Bad” I almost burned a bridge Ten years now the word ‘til I had the kids, now I understand it It’s coming full circle now I raise my kids with a rod and a tight lip A few hustles and the studio at night shift Puttin’ work in with the team and they like it It’s Jamla [Verse 2: Rapsody] Still remain playin’ all of these cards Until the bet pay off and put me in a brand new car It’s just the cards And again I don’t reside in no key state Where MTV and BET big radio DJs Get more love in NY than from my local town DJs Don’t show no love to these young artists where we stay The city way My music reminds you of where young Jigga laid and Lauryn played I’m respected, but not the New York way It’s home for home, and my home just don’t understand that way I’ll never do enough to this niggas like Mr. Andre Sixteens want me to keep writing until I’m Donte Retired Culpepper from Carolina like Forte Yo… we forever brave Protect the family ties from the lies and we never trade Success cuts deep, watch fake ones separate And we lose touch with ‘em like our friends held back a grade Know the feeling well, I gotta few on my resume “Jealous” was the motive for it, but fuck it they’ll never say Never was a fan, but wanna holla ‘n collaborate And they turn around and slander on your ass to another face There’s crabs in the barrel operating NC State Just gotta play your cards right to end with the ace of spades Leave with the hearts, ignoring artists that are throwin’ shade Playin’ in the club, rockin’ diamonds like niggas paid I play the female card to my advantage Underrepresented, how they wanna see me rap in it? Cause I can show emotion when most wouldn’t even show feeling For fear of losing your edge calling you “sensitive spittin’” Therefore I touch ‘em with emotion, now they all growin’ with me Allowed to do it, make music I want because it’s all indie And take the bulk of my money, wait ‘til we all sellin’ plenty I’ll buy a Bentley in Carolina, we all living simply The good Carolina, we can all live the simple life Walk the streets on the humble days and nights Uh, I play my cards like that Leave with hearts ‘til we end it with the spades all black It don’t matter what you’re dealt, it’s how you’re playin’ them back So don’t stress baby, just relax now, and play your cards [Outro: Rapsody] Still remain playin’ all of these cards Until the bet pay off and put me in a brand new car It’s just the cards It's just the cards Playin' my cards Playin my cards all how they was dealt Playin my cards all how they was dealt Playin' my cards