[Intro: Hope Raney]
My son was born an only child
Always described as an old soul, very gifted, very intelligent, ahead of his time (A half-ounce changed my life)
Always thinking of some kind of plan to come up (A half-ounce changed my life)
([?], need to crack these n***as' ass again, dog)

[Verse 1: Payroll Giovanni]
I never expected nothin' from folks, ain't like the feeling of broke
That's what led to me dealin' with dope
Strap in my [?][0:27], ain't no stealin' my coat
Got robbed when I was thirteen, then it was pistols to tote
My best friend got murdered, had me givin' up hope
Evеn though his killer ended up smokеd
Man, I gotta get some money, shit, I'm gettin' older
I need diamonds and minks 'cause it feel like my whole world gettin' colder (I swear)
Bought a half-ounce of work with the granny and showed her
She knew what to do with it, got to slicin' boulders (Yeah)
Me and my grandaddy ridin' through the trenches (Grandaddy)
Servin' custos, I was a youngin on the mission (Yeah)
That money stacked good until I got around my n***as
Damn, when you get them Pradas, man, I gotta go and get 'em
Plus Cartier lenses (What else?), and the fresh leather (What else?)
Then add in bitches, changin' room like the weather (Man)

[Chorus: Hope Raney]
A half-ounce changed my life
It was all in my hands, it was part of the plan
And I kept my goal in sight
And it made me who I am, so, understand
That a half-ounce changed my life
It was all in my hands, it was part of the plan
Yeah, a half-ounce changed my life
And it made me who I am, so, understand
[Interlude]
Well, he was very ambitious, you didn't have to push him
I think some time he was pushin' me
Me and his granddaddy, gang, gang

[Verse 2: Payroll Giovanni]
Made a connect, he would throw me what I would cop
He was impressed how I was so young with a knot
From movin' rocks and weed and boy bought a G
Word on the street, oh, yeah, boy 'bout his cheese
Expanded out to Canada, but that's another tale (Another story)
It didn't go too well
Takin' L after L, I looked at it as signs
Rap started pickin' up, could this be my next grind? (Could it?)
Started investin' money into studio time
And buyin' CDs for five then sellin' them for a dime (Ten)
Still hustlin' on the side, but I'm keepin' it low
Nobody really seein' me, they just seein' my dough (No)
Talkin' real shit, so the real receivin' my flow
What I would make off a brick, I'd get way more for a show (Way more)
I'll never understand dudes that ask for shit
I changed my life with a half a zip, n***a

[Chorus: Hope Raney]
A half-ounce changed my life
It was all in my hands, it was part of the plan
And I kept my goal in sight
And it made me who I am, so, understand
That a half-ounce changed my life
It was all in my hands, it was part of the plan
Yeah, a half-ounce changed my life
And it made me who I am, so, understand

[Outro: Hope Raney]
(A half-ounce changed my life
It was all in my hands, it was part of the plan)
I gave my son four hundred dollars for school shopping
(And I kept my goal in sight)
But he ended up investing it with his grandaddy
(And it made me who I am, so, understand)
The one and only, gang, gang
That a half-ounce changed my life (Gang, gang, gang, gang)
It was all in my hands, it was part of the plan (Gang, gang, gang, gang)
Yeah, a half-ounce changed my life (Gang, gang)
And it made me who I am, so, understand
Very smart, intelligent young man