The Alchemist
Mancala
[Verse 1: Earl Sweatshirt]
Uh, I recollect all the pain I had to author, fresh
Wading out in the waves, foot on a colonizer neck like a collar, curtailed
I'm tryna follow the trail
Cut off the coattails they hangin' on to, I plo—
I plot on how to prevail and drop gems like Mancala
When I'm put on the spot I don't bail
My mama always be there
Taught me to dig
Found the flaws of my father, went and lost him appeal
I know it's long and uphill, I started joggin' on 'em
No Santiago, I was already wind
And water
Different novel, thicker lines of defense
The follow-through was all in the wrist
We took it farther
I caught him stallin' again, I'm feelin' froggy, we might
Just have to hop him in and hop in the whip
Prolly
I figured I'd be remiss to try and go at least without a blick 'round me
Speak to Vince 'bout it

[Verse 2: Vince Staples]
How many lives you take? How much time you facin'?
How many times you draw your gun?
Sometimes my mind draw blanks
How many nights you pray? Still tryna find my faith
Hostile gospel, then pen'll cost you, you try to talk through
Interrogation, no registration, the license sliding
Feel the vibration, got somethin' to shake the pavement
Got a SKS for five hundred dollars, I love my partner, buddy Chris Bosh
Cuz can't shoot when it hits hard can when the shit's dark
Who gon' take it far enough to hit the fan?
I done stacked so many rounds feel like the Michelin man
Tired but I stuck around, they stabbed us in the hands
So what's my back to them? I had to stradle fence
Smackin' shit, got my mama readin', askin' shit
Fightin' on my life, can't pray at night because the calluses
Skippin' school to shoot it through his cap, he still a graduate
Slidin' like an abacus, promise, it's some math to this
[Bridge]
He's been good (Mmm, been a father for me)
He's been good (Been good)
He's been good to me

[Outro: Sideshow & Earl Sweatshirt]
Honestly, my n***a
Don't even trip on, like, whether you gon' do a good job or a bad job
Or other– all that other shit, man
You just gotta– you just gotta be there, man
You just gotta pull up (Yeah)
You just gotta–
Just be present, bro, like fuck life
Oh man, am I– am I gonna fuck up for the rest– so what?
You just gotta be there
You gon' fuck up if you not
(Yup, so let me get, uh– chicken sandwich)
A'ight
Uh, can I get a, um– chicken sandwich?
And a, uh, a carne asada burrito?