[00:02.10]Freedom or jail, clips inserted
[00:03.73]A baby's bein' born same time a man is murdered
[00:06.17]The beginning and end, so far as rap goes
[00:08.85]It's only natural, I explain my plateau
[00:10.87]And also what defines my name
[00:12.87]
[00:13.44]Yeah, long live the idols
[00:14.88]May they never be your rivals
[00:16.25]Pac was like Jesus
[00:17.64]Nas wrote the Bible
[00:19.08]Now what you're 'bout to
[00:20.46]Hear's a tale of glory and sin
[00:21.71]No I.D. my mentor now let the story begin
[00:24.00]
[00:24.62]I used to print out Nas raps and tape 'em up on my wall
[00:27.24]My niggas thought they was words
[00:28.69]But it was pictures I saw
[00:30.19]And since I wanted to draw
[00:31.56]I used to read 'em in awe
[00:33.00]Then he dropped Stillmatic
[00:34.35]Rocked the cleanest Velour
[00:35.96]Fast forward, who thought
[00:37.33]That I would meet him on tour?
[00:38.72]I'm earnin' stripes now nigga
[00:39.72]Got Adidas galore
[00:40.77]
[00:41.51]Backstage I shook his hand
[00:43.08]Let him know that he's the man
[00:44.34]When he said he was a fan
[00:45.71]It was to hard to understand
[00:47.22]No time to soak up the moment though
[00:48.78]Cause I was in a jam
[00:49.97]Hov askin' where's the record
[00:51.03]That the radio could play
[00:52.87]And I was strikin' out for months
[00:54.12]9th inning feeling fear
[00:55.70]Jeter under pressure
[00:56.57]Made the biggest hit of my career
[00:58.51]But at first, that wasn't clear
[00:59.83]Niggas had no idea
[01:01.27]Dion called me when it dropped
[01:02.53]Sounded sad but sincere
[01:04.09]Told me Nas heard
[01:05.06]Your single and he hate that shit
[01:06.87]Said you the one, yo why you make that shit?
[01:08.80]I can't believe I let Nas down
[01:10.78]
[01:12.79]Damn, my heart sunk to my stomach
[01:14.86]I can't believe I let Nas down
[01:16.48]
[01:18.31]I got defensive on the phone
[01:19.49]Resentment was in my tone, f**k it
[01:22.01]Yeah, long live the idols
[01:22.81]May they never be your rivals
[01:23.84]Pac was like Jesus
[01:25.28]Nas wrote the Bible
[01:26.40]Now what you're 'bout to
[01:28.15]Hear's a tale of glory and sin
[01:29.79]No I.D. my mentor now let the story begin
[01:32.22]I couldn't help but think
[01:33.42]That maybe I had made a mistake
[01:35.04]I mean, you made "You Owe Me" dog
[01:36.80]I thought that you could relate
[01:37.93]But while I shot up the charts
[01:39.26]You mean tellin' me
[01:40.76]That I was not up to par
[01:42.12]When I followed my heart
[01:43.19]Granted, my heart was tainted by my mind
[01:45.53]I kept on sayin'
[01:46.65]Where's the hits?
[01:47.21]You ain't got none
[01:48.16]You know Jay would never
[01:49.41]Put your album out without none
[01:50.62]And dog, you know how come
[01:52.24]Labels are archaic
[01:53.23]Formulaic with their outcomes
[01:55.86]They don't know
[01:56.42]They just study the charts
[01:57.48]Me, I study the shows
[01:58.93]The fans, study their hearts
[02:00.57]I had a feelin' I was killin'
[02:02.00]And this music we were spillin' out
[02:03.44]Would change lives forever
[02:04.27]F**k the label, put it out
[02:06.27]Friday Night Lights blew
[02:07.28]That was classic number 2
[02:08.84]Now it seemed as if
[02:10.10]The Nas comparisons was comin' true
[02:11.54]Still no release date from the label
[02:13.23]Are they insane?
[02:14.73]Gooch told me play the game
[02:16.18]To change the game but on the way
[02:17.56]I let Nas down, I got noone to blame
[02:22.45]I'm ashamed I let Nas down
[02:24.00]
[02:26.58]But this is God's plan
[02:27.57]You could never understand, f**k it
[02:29.53]Yeah, long live the idols
[02:30.47]May they never be your rivals
[02:31.59]Pac was like Jesus
[02:32.96]Nas wrote the Bible
[02:34.36]Now what you're 'bout to
[02:36.11]Hear's a tale of glory and sin
[02:37.37]No I.D. my mentor now let the story begin
[02:39.99]I always believed in the bigger picture
[02:41.32]If I could get them niggas
[02:42.88]To listen outside my core
[02:44.19]Then I can open a door
[02:45.62]Reintroduce 'em to honesty
[02:46.60]Show 'em that they need more
[02:48.65]The difference between
[02:49.48]The pretenders and the Kendrick Lamars
[02:51.41]And so, I took the fall like the son of the Lord
[02:54.17]On the cross
[02:54.99]Dyin' for that fake shit you niggas bought
[02:57.12]For the past decade
[02:58.06]If I should pass please let this be my last essay
[03:00.88]Therefore I write from the heart
[03:02.71]Apologies to OG's for sacrificin' my art
[03:05.37]But I'm here for a greater purpose
[03:06.93]I knew right from the start
[03:08.20]I'm just a man of the people
[03:09.69]Not above but equal
[03:11.20]And for the greater good
[03:12.45]I walk amongst the evil
[03:14.03]Don't cry mama
[03:15.03]This the life I choose myself
[03:16.73]Just pray along the way
[03:18.10]That I don't lose myself
[03:19.61]This is for the nigga
[03:20.61]That said that hip-hop was dead
[03:22.45]I went to Hell to resurrect it
[03:23.77]How could you fail to respect it?
[03:25.26]Lettin' Nas down
[03:26.26]
[03:28.52]I got the phone call
[03:29.52]Quietly I mourned dog
[03:30.89]I let Nas down
[03:32.13]
[03:33.00]Yeah, and on this flight
[03:35.19]May I never lose sight, f**k it
[03:37.33]Yeah, long live the idols
[03:38.20]May they never be your rivals
[03:39.42]Pac was like Jesus
[03:40.92]Nas wrote the Bible
[03:42.43]Now what you're 'bout to
[03:43.55]Hear's a tale of glory and sin
[03:45.24]No I.D. my mentor now let the story begin