[Intro]

[Verse 1: Fabolous & *sample*]
I’m similar to Goldie in The Mack
I ride around bumping oldies in a ‘Lac
And I been getting money, so I got old C’s in a stack
It’s real talk so it ain’t confused as game
I don’t abuse the name or try to use the fame to get “down”
I tell ‘em lose the lame he don’t cruise the same he can’t “hold you down”
And usually dames choose the same and scream out the music name, it goes
Fab, whenever I’m in attendance
You see icy rings, watches and pendants
I’m surrounded by girls who 10 cents
Me and Clue look alike, in them twin Bents
It’s just that intense, we doing mo’ better
These n***as ain’t go-getters, they ho-sweaters
Might fool y’all but me, I know better
I flow better than any of these slow spreaders
And keep stopping the bank, for the low bettors
N***a I blow cheddar like Richard Pryor
In Brewster’s Millions, but bitch I’m flyer
I switch attire then I switch the tires
And stay from ‘round them n***as that snitch on wire
You know the real talk of New York

[Chorus: Nina Sky & *sample*]
Even when shit gets hard I'm going to
Make sure that I'm around to hold you (“down”)
Will never leave your side
Until the day I die, I'm gonna (“hold you down”)
Recognize that this game can be hard
Long as you roll with me, we are (“down”)
Here by your side always to (hold me down, baby)
[Verse 2: Young Buck & *sample*]
Damn right I’m a star
50 bought it but it’s still my car, I got the top dropped
Holla back at me youngun’, I heard you just got robbed I might “hold you down”
You know the streets gon’ talk, gotta be real to get love in New York, or they gon’ knock you “down”
Out of town, out of bounds, go and get a hundred rounds to “hold you down”
My brother in the pen said he just seen my video “Let Me In” but when he touch “down”
We at it again, I’m picking him up in the Benz, I’ma “hold you down”
N***as come to our shows and they be throwing them ‘bows, after the club n***as get shot “down”
It be like that, next month we gon’ be right back to “hold you down”

[Chorus: Nina Sky & *sample*]
Even when shit gets hard I'm going to
Make sure that I'm around to hold you (“down”)
Will never leave your side
Until the day I die, I'm gonna (“hold you down”)
Recognize that this game can be hard
Long as you roll with me, we are (“down”)
Here by your side always to (hold me down, baby)

[Verse 3: Prodigy & *sample*]
Stupid, ayo it’s like this man, ayo
When it come to TECs, I'm similar to a menace
But O-Dog sniffing 'caine couldn't fuck with the damage
That I do to a bastard, keep playing around
Won't be nobody strong enough to (“hold you down”)
Yeah, I leaves 'em in shock
N***as get sentenced to life and stress in a box
Most of my friends got murdered and damn I feel lost
Wish I was there when it popped off to (“hold you down”)
Nobody but me, I got a whole gang of n***as
But that's how you gotta think
If you wanna make it alive and all in one piece
It takes much more than them things to (“hold you down”)
Yeah, yo sonny, I'm well connected in the street
We loyal to each other, when it come to that beef, we get (“down”)
Don't worry 'bout a thing my n***a, I foreverly (“hold you down”)
[Chorus: Nina Sky & *sample*]
Even when shit gets hard I'm going to
Make sure that I'm around to hold you (“down”)
Will never leave your side
Until the day I die, I'm gonna (“hold you down”)
Recognize that this game can be hard
Long as you roll with me, we are (“down”)
Here by your side always to (hold me down, baby)

[Verse 4: The Alchemist & *sample*]
Yeah, yo, when the time is worst
Never leave my fam in a jam, I'm dying first
Never (“down”) to my last dollar, I'm grinding first
Never take the stand on my fam, I'm silent first
It's going down, feel me, the Alchemist in the flesh
And I love this profession, but I'll throw it all away in a second
'Cause I'm (“down”) for the cause when my life is threatened
Take this and that, maybe that'll (“hold you down”)
Now you know how we cooks the pot up
You could get caught up in some things you would not wanna
So slow (“down”) and watch how I mold the sound
So when I ain't around the music still (“hold you down”)
But I'ma keep my eyes open yo, I don't even blink
Keep the pen moving down the line, I don't even think
Just write it (“down”) on the paper, get my vocals in sync
Check how it sound (“hold you down”)
[Chorus: Nina Sky & *sample*]
Even when shit gets hard I'm going to
Make sure that I'm around to hold you (“down”)
Will never leave your side
Until the day I die, I'm gonna (“hold you down”)
Recognize that this game can be hard
Long as you roll with me, we are (“down”)
Here by your side always to (hold me down, baby)

[Verse 5: Stack Bundles & *sample*]
This for my younguns [?] walking [?]
On Rikers Island fresh still rocking they gear
N***as that never snitched, never bitched, never turned Blood or Crip ain’t really need a clique to “hold you down”
All my n***as is real
N***as that went up and still waiting on appeal
The team on the street doing what they do to eat but they loyal keep ya’ lawyer paid to “hold you down”
N***as like Barry and Gooch
Real as a Tommy on my captain troops
N***as that’s on lock, that’ll pop, play me in they whips at Monday 12 o’clock I’ma “hold you down”
All my n***as up north, all my n***as on the isle
373, 374
In 6 Building all my n***as I’ma “hold you down”
Papa I know you’re listening
You’re disappointed I’m street christened, I did everything you told me not to
But I only did wrong to make shit right so when you get home you ain’t got to I’ma “hold you down”
You think I’m on some bullshit right?
But I’m trying to get my shit right
So I don’t even write why send a kite when my pockets ain’t right and when I told you you on point ‘cause I can’t “hold you down”
So I hit the block harder
I was tryna leave the rock alone like Shawn Carter but
You my biological father I’m a son with honor I promise to “hold you down”
Just walk wit’ a n***a man
Some personal issues and shit, I just wanna vent
Momma, it started wit’ ya’ nightmares then devoured ya’ dreams
It was a facade ma, it wasn’t what it seemed
Makes you go against ya’ family you went against ya’ team
You seemed better never thought you’d let it “hold you down”
I know you hated grandma the worst way
Ya’ father died she let ‘em bury him on ya’ birthday
So, curse the bastard that made that crack shit
Through this rap shit I been in I’ma “hold you down”
‘Cause I’m ya’ firstborn
It was sworn, through ya’ womb, through ya’ wounds, through ya’ rights, through ya’ wrongs
Through ya’ weeks, through ya’ strong, through the struggle, through the songs ma I love you I’ma “hold you down”