Back when BIG ran the city and Kiss ran with Diddy

When Starks was the sixth man Before Knicks fans was pitied

Fresh Prince ran in Philly, NSYNC ran with BritneyI was skipping class to spit, rolling nick bags in Philly′s

But those were different days, when kids would raise themselves

And Fuck a living wage, there's quicker ways to wealth

Why risk that shit for prison when that shit don′t pay the cell

This business is unforgiven look what they did to Dave Chappelle

Too much promotion is it worth the hassle?

Now you just a genius at the bar tryin' a mac, what you work for apple?

Man I'm worse than Thanos, I tried to pray today

But it′s like I went to church and challenged God to a Verzuz battle

Envision whipping five hundreds like the S&P

But steady cream and blue collar work make you forget your dream

Overzealous teens from seven trains to the seven seas

Selling weed for meals, shit is real like Tele Viv

Before the Em beef, before we could sell a stream

When there was magazines, the source was over everything like L and Bs

The goal was unsigned hype then five mics

So we let the rhythm hit them like we Rakim and Eric B

But them days gone, the stress is here

And we still cheers to Yester-year

Say our goodbyes when death is near

Long Farewells mean extra tears

In the heart of the ghetto where jakes park by the park

In small apartments and the art isn′t Deco

The only goal is to give a big name artist ya demo

Get something brewing from the ground up as strong as espresso

When I was younger teacher told us we was not winners, chopped liver

Threw the Cap, graduated then I got with her

Plot twist, the cock smith, just got richer

Stop loss, options, stock ticker

From Brooklyn like Shock G and Chubb Rock

Grew up on Jay, Fab, Pusha and The Lox

Plus a lil' Stone Cold, Booker and the Rock

Ain′t no pop figure you can't put me in a box

Send the L around the room like a train set

Pass it down like a mother and a daughter with the same dress

It all starts to make sense

Less zeros in your circle more zeros in your paycheck

I′m just trying to stay blessed

Stare at the bottom of the bottle while I wonder where the days went

I guess it's just the same stress

More time on the side missions and less on the main quest

But them days gone, the stress is here

And we still cheers to Yester-year

Say our goodbyes when death is near

Long Farewells mean extra tears