TLC
RENT
[Chorus]
But let's talk about rent
Let's talk about rent
Had a couple coins in my pocket
Wonder where they went
Down straight to the rent

[Verse 1]
I was in a dorm room 'bout two years and some change
I went to a classroom to learn about some things
I never had a place of my own
Inflation up, runnin' out of places to go
Should I stay here alone, should I stay with da folk
Cover bases, wanted to rent a place full of gold
Huh, had to be realistic wit' it
Lonely at the crib, had to put some fishes in it
But damn, only had a few options
Stayin' in Linda like the underbelly of Stockton
Live in Yuba City, save a couple extra bucks
But if I wanna love where I live, I’m outta luck
Got the crackheads and the thieves runnin' amok
Prolly got blood on the leaves to cover up
Prolly gonna take someone life to cover drugs
Had a bad feeling and you wonder what it was?

[Bridge]
Smell of death in the wind
No bribe, how you s'posed to get in?
Jamil went and spoke to the men
Put his head to the curb then the trial begin
They’ll put a knife to your neck
If you tryna protect, better come with a TEC
'Cause they’ll take your breath
For a ounce of the meth
[Verse 2]
And I ain’t never seen shit like that stayin' in the dorms
Beaming a nightcap comin' down warm
Know the fiends prolly like that
Watching the screen and see it write back
We found a place in Sacramento
Reading texts my eyes was never meant for
We found a place in Elk Grove
Didn’t know the bar was sittin' that low
Then we found a place in Rocklin
Thinking, "Hot damn, I finally found an apartment"
Big money that I didn’t have on
So I went lookin' for a crib down in Lincoln
Ain’t find one either, every day losin' more of my eager
Then I found a place in Roseville
Settled in, never been more chill

[Chorus]
But let's talk about rent
Had a couple coins in my pocket
Wonder where they went
Straight to the rent

[Verse 3]
Half the money that I'm making
Going straight to the rent
And the taxes they taking
Really placing a dent
Rainy day funds that I saved up
It's a drought now, thinking if I ever even made enough
'Bout to pull a Pablo and hustle
Building wealth, did it all off the muscle
Good God Almighty
Please give me the strength when these people'll try me
He's raising the rent, and he's placing a bet
And I'm giving my all, and he'll nickel-and-dime me, uh
Put a down payment up on that diamond
Doing what I say, like I'm skipping with Simon
Doing 88, cop hitting the siren
Then he left me on my way, lucked out with the timing
Parked at the apartment
Peaced out like I met up with Gandhi
Moved slow, lot of people behind me
Time to go, you ain't gotta remind me
Then I checked the mail
And the bills came in, rent was higher than hell
But if you ask me, I'll do it again
'Cause money gon' come, and it'll go like the wind