Stay True (ft John Legend)

Ayy, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah
Ooh
On stage of life, we all play the fool
I paid the price just to play it cool
Still in the fight, don’t know what to do
Super

One day in southern California, I was moving free
Hopped in my ride and hit the corner, what a view to see
Had on a t-shirt, no designs, left all my jewelry
I did my research, my surroundings wasn’t new to me
Scuff on my black and white chucks
And nothing but passion, life dust
I’m rushin’ at a liquor store on 77th where they be busting at all unfamiliar
Where silence can kill you
And that noise that come from boys that had ‘em having to wheel you
Around on linear ramps
And my town thе city of champs
If a bullet rip through your spine and you down in plenty
Advancе to avenge your loss of mobility
Accosting your enemies
But in an organization, we play positions to remedy
That’s why my og told me live

Live, die, pray, shine, bitch, I stay true to this (he told me live)
Live, die, pray, shine, bitch, I stay true to this (my big brother told me live)
Live, die, pray, shine, bitch, I stay true to this
Bitch, I stay true to this

‘Cause the whole world is here for you (live, die, pray, shine, bitch, I stay true to this)
The sky is clear for you (live, die, pray, shine, bitch, I stay true to this)
The life is here for you (live, die, pray, shine, bitch, I stay true to this)
I’ll tell you what to do (bitch, I stay true to this, bitch, I stay true to this)
Stay true

Hood niggas do hood nigga shit
Good niggas do good, the would niggas do the would nigga shit
The hood looking for the jugg, they pull if you got a hood membership
On the other side
Of all the love advice
The OG gave me, he said: Smokey, baby, you could be anything that you wanna be
I know you got love for these city streets
But, nigga, your GPA is a free admission to the top of the industry
I know you capable of holding your own
But if they hating, better pick up the phone
You got a whole army ready to go
Before they get you, swear the shit’ll explode
‘Cause I give a fuck if I go to jail (go to jail, go to jail)
Tell all your enemies go to hell (go to hell, go to hell)
‘Cause your big homie won’t leave you lonely, he gon’ show up and empty out holy grail
On my sauconys and fried bologna, they gon’ fall when it’s 4dl
I don’t care whether I live

Live, die, pray, shine, bitch, I stay true to this (my young homies gon’ live)
Live, die, pray, shine, bitch, I stay true to this (I lay down, just live)
Live, die, pray, shine, bitch, I stay true to this (yeah)
Bitch, I stay true to this

‘Cause the whole world is here for you (live, die, pray, shine, bitch, I stay true to this)
The sky is clear for you (live, die, pray, shine, bitch, I stay true to this)
The life is here for you (live, die, pray, shine, bitch, I stay true to this)
I’ll tell you what to do (bitch, I stay true to this, bitch, I stay true to this)
Stay true

Be who you’re destined to be
Things will entice you, but your life is more than testing the streets
Sex with a vessel that’s empty
Nest with a skeleton
Get arrested, then them cells will connect you
With a lesson, should’ve picked up when wrestling action figures
You’ve been hustling backwards, nigga
Uphill on a treadmill
Now they will look like subzero, they could creep on you, get your cap peeled
How many more black lives we gon’ lose getting caught in the rap wheel?
Chasing the money and big cars, pulling up looking like bat wheels
Then when you get it and learn that it’s never enough, go tell me how that feels
As kids, we played don’t step on the crack, our parents didn’t know that crack killed
Now many of them lay among daffodils
Put ‘em to rest like chamomile
What if they best life wasn’t as stress infested?
When they got tested, would they live?

Live, die, pray, shine, bitch, I stay true to this (can you live?)
Live, die, pray, shine, bitch, I stay true to this (I just wanted you to live)
Live, die, pray, shine, bitch, I stay true to this (oh, yeah)
Bitch, I stay true to this

‘Cause the whole world is here for you (live, die, pray, shine, bitch, I stay true to this)
The sky is clear for you (live, die, pray, shine, bitch, I stay true to this)
The life is here for you (live, die, pray, shine, bitch, I stay true to this)
I’ll tell you what to do (bitch, I stay true to this, bitch, I stay true to this)
Stay true

Hood niggas do hood nigga shit
Good niggas do good, the would niggas do the would nigga shit
The hood looking for the jugg, they pull if you got a hood membership
On the other side
Of all the love advice
Oh, the world is here for you
Oh, the sky is clear for you
Stay true
Ooh