[Verse 1: John River] This is for all my n***as in the struggle Hey learn your lesson Taken back to 2010 We was just with our mams They pull up on the whip Look a bunch of tall mans Some n***as had some bats Some probably had some Gats My n***a said he saw a knife So I guess we all ran Except my n***a Tre Stayed and entered in the fray They f**ed him in the face On the ground is where he lay I came back to the scene Boy that sh** was so [?] I left my n***a on the block I guess I wasn't that tough But that's reality 'Til this day I swear that sh** still battle me Talking all that sh** but look that situation saddled me Supposed to be that man but look that situation rattle me They run up on your block you supposed to leave them with a casualty, n***a Well that ain't me talking, I was young I guess that's B.E.T. talking But understand next time a n***a come for my cream I lay him flat down before I run from the scene I learned my lesson [Hook: Saba John River] They don't cry Because it won't be long Finna get this money and then we come back home I gotta make it with this rap I swear I leave the city just to put it on the map They don't cry They don't know your pain Southside n***a they going to know my name I gotta get up out this trap Hey fam is only fam then they start to hold you back [Verse 2: Saba] Imagine black kids with new [?] Instead of [?] I say Dilla die of lupus He still supposed to be here looping And not disease we shooting Don't no one come here we secluded Our politicians don't run Because our race to busy losing Me I don't point the finger I just speak up and I ain't even vote this year Because I'm not much a reader I can't keep up I'm a hypocrite Perhaps my raps are too Utopian Perhaps my soapbox is a podium I think my raps are more like holy hymns Holy hell, never let them down like holy grail My brother locked up and I ain't posting bail Probably shy in there and cold as hell My doctor pull his plug when I was there Your funeral was throwing daffodils You used to be Daffy Duck Simple as f** but your mental is stuck still Don't let the negatives make you go up here No, oh no rebel, [?] dial 911, I wonder if they'll show Or if you'll wait by your cloud in heaven For infinity, for defending me, boy we had the resources they wanted more I put all of my hope inside a [?] [Hook] [Verse 3: John River] My n***a robbed a store said he tired of being poor My brother robbed a coat said he tired of being broke Politicians said it's essential that you vote They say Miss you got a boat, we can't even stay afloat It's like you handing us the rope You used to hand us names Ironic every time I see a n***a buy a chain The other day I'm at the school out there talking Know this teacher looking at me like I still pick cotton Like I'm still that rotten It's funny that sh** k**ed me In the head she probably screaming out O.J guilty The way she looking at me probably think I'm illiterate I open up my mouth I know she shocked that I'm articulate Make sure that you moms eat I told my n***a you ain't dying for your block You dying for a block of concrete Now go out there and earn that blessing And when they ask you about my name say I learned my lesson I learned my lesson n***a, hey I learned my lesson n***a When I make it out the city they going to say that's its the blessing Ask about me in the streets they tell them, hey tell them I learned my lesson n***a