[J. Cole:]
Soldier's song, marching on, on
Hoping to see home
If I die before I
See your smile just one more time
Sometimes I question whether this sh*t matters
Puttin' substance into something and the world's so used to instant gratification
I found this instrumental on my phone while on vacation
Ib sent it a year ago or so
I probably heard it before, but slept on it, you know?
sh*t don't always connect as soon as you press play
At times you gotta step away, do some livin'
Let time provide a new prescription, givin' truer vision
I dibble-dabble in a few religions
My homie constantly telling me 'bout Quran, puttin' me on
I read a few pages and recognize the wisdom in it
But I ain't got the discipline for stickin' with it
Now I'm on the way to London, got a show for seven digits
I'm wonderin' just when did I become my biggest critic?
I wanna be my biggest fan, like how I was when didn't nobody know my jams
Today my son said, "Dad, let go my hand"
Reminded me one day he's gonna be his own man
And my job is to make sure he's equipped
I gotta make sure he not no b*tch 'cause ni**as bound to try him
If I said I was the toughest growin' up, I would be lyin'
I had a fear of gettin' punched while everybody eyein'
Add to that a constant fear of dyin'
By gunshot wound, the other violent type of endings
I kept a tough demeanor on the surface but was mostly just pretendin'
Luckily my bluff was workin' way more often than not
But sometimes a ni**a pulled my card, tryna expose me for a fraud
And with my reputation at stake
I was scufflin' just to save face
Couple wins, couple losses, some broken up too quick to call it
My last scrap was with Puff Daddy, who would've thought it?
I bought that ni**a album in seventh grade and played it so much
You would've thought my favorite rapper was Puff
Back then I ain't know sh*t, now I know too much
Ignorance is bliss and innocence is just ignorance before it's introduced to currency and clips
Or bad licks that have a ni**a servin' three to six, sh*t
[J. Cole & Bas & 6LACK:]
Soldier's song, marching on, on
Hoping to see home
If I die before I
See your smile just one more time
[Bas:]
Soldier's song
I could be one to lean on
Time will right the wrongs
Won't be long
How can we grow any closer?
How can we grow any closer?
How can we grow any closer?
How can we grow any closer?
Something inside of me's tryna crawl up to the surface
Something is suddenly smothering, stopping me
Stubbornly getting its way (Way), way (Way)
Drowning out the wave (Drowning out)
I've got a reason to believe that I'll turn out just fine
Soldier's song
[Diddy:]
Lord, please guide our steps
Watch us, cover us
So that every move we make is in alignment with Your will
Your purpose
Please fill us with Your spirit
Keep us forever in the present
For presence makes the strongest fathers
Teach us how to lead
Show us how to love