[Intro: J. Cole]
Yeah, this is where the

[Verse 1: J. Cole]
Yeah, this is where the fathers ain't livin', least not with us
Might see 'em round the city and won’t even say wassup
When n***as play tough, won't even smile in mirrors
And we learn to fuck hoes off trial and error
Just a small town n***a, big city hustle
Glued to the TV, Jigga, Diddy, Russell
These were our heroes, strictly for them zeros
For that Robert De Niro, n***as reload on them kilos, uh
Dodgin them people, mad at myself 'cause
I done seen some things that I’d rather not tell
Shawty smoke crack and her boyfriend too
And sometimes, he touch her daughter how them boyfriends do
Pull up to the club where my boys went too
See that yellow tape and the boys in blue
A n***a on a stretcher, and though I never met you
I'm thinkin', "God bless you, the city tryna get you"

[Bridge: J Cole]
Man, don’t let the city get you
Fuck the horoscopes, know the ropes like a wrestler
If them bullets wet you, bet your mama need a tissue
Your face on the front of our shirts, screaming, "We miss you"
[Chorus: J. Cole]
Come with me
Run quick see
What do we have here now? Do you wanna ride or die?
Da da-da-da, da da da da
Come with me (Da-da, da-da, da-da)
Run quick see (Da-da da-da da-da)
What do we have here now? Do you wanna ride or die?
Da da-da-da, da da da da

[Verse 2: Omen]
Yeah, now see God, I know you only do what's best for me
But is it cool if we negotiate my destiny?
They always tellin’ me it’s temporary
Then why it's feelin' like a cemetery? My dreams ain't got no obituaries
My city hurtin' and none of us well-equipped here
You heard me say I was ballin’, I probably meant tears
I’m tryna get clear
I’m tryna quit fear, who wrote the scripts here?
These kids live their whole life just killing time
Running the race with no finish line
They tryna noose us with they ropes, but I'm finna climb
I think my foolish pride might become my suicide
But I ain't tryna go, no, baby
And through these lines and quotes you gotta find some hope
'Cause I ain't dying, my words gon’ last forever
You can hold the treasure, look inside, see a diamond in my mind
I'm tired of seeing dope fiends wiping they nose clean
Is my neighborhood just a smokescreen?
I think I'm in the dungeon fam, I see low green
Sons raised by both queens but it's no kings
[Chorus: J. Cole]
Come with me
Run quick see
What do we have here now? Do you wanna ride or die?
Da da-da-da, da da da da
Come with me (Da-da, da-da, da-da)
Run quick see (Da-da da-da da-da)
What do we have here now? Do you wanna ride or die?
Da da-da-da, da da da da

[Verse 3: J. Cole]
It seems like n***as either feel you or they tryna kill you
I face the sky and hope that God ain't acting unfamiliar
You play whatever cards he deal no matter how peculiar
They tell me that it's God’s will, I’m asking "God, will ya
Heal a n***a from all this pain?" Mama smokin' cocaine
As it rains out, am I to blame? Try to stay sane
So I came outside where they rock with them thangs out
To clear my mind, the same time they blew that boy brains out
But will it change? It's like n***as is free
But our minds still in the chains, brothers killing each other
The blood spill, it's a shame, will it ever slow up?
A lot of n***as getting older, but they never grow up
And do they sons like they fathers did and never show up
No need to cry about it, just another episode of
Life, watch the whole season, n***a, no reruns
The devil out here buying souls, n***a, no refunds, huh
[Bridge: J. Cole]
Man, don’t let the city get you
Fuck the horoscopes, know the ropes like a wrestler
If them bullets wet you, bet your mama need a tissue
Your face on the front of our shirts screaming, "We miss you"

[Outro: J. Cole]
Another day, another song
A mother prays, another gone
But still we play, like ain't nothing wrong
Like ain't nothing wrong, 'cause ain't nothing wrong
I'm not as fast, I’m not as tall
But before I pass, I gotta ball
I gotta ball, I gotta ball
N***a, I gotta ball