Kendrick Lamar

This song comes from Kendrick Lamar’s mixtape Compton State of Mind. Here Kendrick makes a statement by not using a a false moniker in his music and by following his own dreams and aspirations despite… Read More [Verse 1]

I can tell you what it is, I can tell you what it isn't

No more K. Dot, my mother had named me Kendrick

Fuck a stage name, that's the name that I was given

The only thing that I can identify within this business

I'm just a good kid from Compton that want to rap

Weighing my options, pick up a Bible or a strap?

I never killed a man, never sold any crack

All I ever did was try to keep my city on the map

But this monkey on my back, y'all don't want me to win

I'm tryna follow dreams, you want me to follow trends

So just to get a dollar, will I sell my soul?

I look the Devil in the eye and tell him, "Hell no"

They say anything worth having is worth the wait

Well, I want the world, tell me how long that takes

There's no time like now, I can cut my patience short

Or give 'em some more gowns, I don't even want the crown

I just want a peace of mind, and nigga, when I get it

You won't get a piece of mine, won't you mind your own business?

A rich nigga buy anything you sell him

A broke nigga believe anything that you tell him

Well I'm a broke nigga, but still I wouldn't listen to you

Even if your hand was on a Bible quote, nigga, pfttuh

[Verse 2]

See I was brought up different

Whatever that my pops said, for sure I'd listen

You said you did dirt, but I can't dig it

It don't concern you if you wasn't born in it

Oh-no-oh-oh

I swear we got to fast-forward, before time flies by

My new saying for '0-10 is, why lie?

And if you ain't trying to win, then why try?

Now you can low-ball or give me high five

This is I nigga, look into my eye

[Chorus]

Nigga, I am Kendrick Lamar

Nigga, my name is Kendrick Lamar

I said my name is Kendrick Lamar

I changed the name cause I was tired of being like y'all

Now finally I'm ready to tell the world who I are, pfttuh

[Verse 3]

And that used to be a hell of a task

Now I'm ahead of my class, so go ahead and harass

My character like it don't carry a confidence

That can marry a Halle Berry or Angelina with no cash

I'm bout to cash in my thoughts

Give you a compass, then tell you get lost

What I'm bout to accomplish is something that you can't fathom

Once the Eves come, they quick to stare at him

Hoping I don't take their bitch, but I'm on some other shit

When I'm done, I'm tryna run the government

These are big dreams, transition from a rapper to a human being

You can't 'school' a dean

I be tutoring artist-es, leave 'em with no audience

All cause they all a facade, my God

Y'all be out partying, I be stealing your audience

All because who I are, Lamar

[Chorus]

But my first name, it gotta be Kendrick Lamar

Nigga, my name is Kendrick Lamar

I changed the name cause I was tired of being like y'all

Now finally I'm ready to tell the world who I are, now let's go

[Outro]

But we can't go backwards