Playing Our Part - Joe Budden

Mic, mic, mic

Yeah we good now

Turn the vocals down a little bit, just a little bit

I want it loud

Here’s my moment of clarity

I’ve been misleadin' you all, givin' you half of me

I’ve been blazin' a trail and leavin' casualties

I’ve diagnosed myself, I think it’s apathy

So lettin' go became easy, grabbin' ahold that’s the hardest

I know our expiration date soon as we start it

You come around and you feel safe while you’re a target

You feelin' like I let you inside, while I’m guarded

It’s genius when arrogance seems like it’s modest

Look past the insanity, glance at the logic

Appears optional, all of it is stipulated

Watch and learn how emotions get manipulated

Now you in dire need of help

You the victim, made to think you did it to yourself

Speakin' of, rest in peace Sandra Bland

Me I’m believin' everything that wasn’t on that cam

But back to you, beauty, let me address our lil' movement

You in therapy but I don’t see the improvement

Oh whatever’s been made now days is ruined

So every few months I ponder what the fuck are we doin'

Let me watch my words again

You easily got one of the best pussies that I’ve ever been inserted in

You real kind, real sweet, real nurturin'

Yet every time we link back up, you just get hurt again

You put all men in a box, I ain’t one of 'em

Funny how you got all the answers and none of 'em

You only dated three men so I’m scared of you

Cause with no point of reference, what the fuck are you comparin' to?

You good one minute, psycho the next

No longer lettin' it ride, too much Jekyll and Hyde

Then you subtweet for weeks, busy settin' your pride

I’m grown, don’t really need that sort of mess in my life

But wait, you of age, you old too

I control my emotions, yours control you

You bright enough to know when you get impulsive

For me, that’s repulsive, how do you not know this?

And then we go our separate ways

Just to link back on better days

Though I know it’s short term and you never stay

You always a sucker for that text that say

«Yo what up?

Are you good?

Hit me up whenever you in the hood»

Then we fuck, and it’s fine

Then you get all this bullshit on your mind

I’m waitin' for you to talk, but you won’t

Then you wait for me to react but I don’t

Then you go, and I watch

We know how this movie go, but we watch

Cause we just playin' our parts

You’re watchin' how I perform and it’s breakin' your heart

You home alone backtrackin', replayin' the start

You realize this whole script you’ve been playin' a mark

That ain’t stop you from takin' a part

I guess we’re both just playin' our parts

Yeah, and so the pussy ain’t enough now

They keep thinkin' it should be enough, how?

Fuck sex, baby, later for that

This mind game I’m playin' is a greater climax

Not a franchise player, I can’t pay you the max

I can’t say it to you so I just say it in raps

I got a rep that I made all by myself

One I hate all by myself

That comes from decisions created all by myself

I can’t shake it all by myself

See I grew up in the spotlight

Where your every move is eyed

The truth becomes lies when you’re that scrutinized

No mentorship, I was unsupervised

Had to learn on my own every rule to survive

Still I manned up in caught those wrongs

Go ahead and judge Joe, I got my court clothes on

Y’all see the front, behind the scenes more goes on

Check my back catalog, it’s in all those songs, forreal

So I can be at peace forever

I left the puzzle right there, nigga, piece it together

But back to you, beauty, small waist, fat booty

It’s cool for the moment but don’t permanently move me

They come through tossin' me ass like it’s their duty

But who I was ain’t who I am, I say it truly

Here I am shootin' 'em down without the Uzi

Unlike them niggas you know, don’t try and group me

Watched myself on TV, was unruly

How the fuck they cast me wrong in my own movie

They say you are what you attract

Here I am, screamin', «fuck all that»

Then I’m forced to believe I attract and adore

Bunch of unstable broads with character flaws

With plenty luggage, I greet 'em with their bags at the door

If that’s true then it’s some shit I’d rather ignore

Cause check it, whatever helps you get by

So when they hit me, I always reply

They always be like, «what's up?

Are you good?

Hit me up whenever you in the hood»

Then we fuck, and it’s fine

Then you get all this bullshit on your mind

I’m waitin' for you to talk, but you won’t

Then you wait for me to react but I don’t

Then you go, and I watch

We know how this movie go, but we watch

Cause we just playin' our parts

You’re watchin' how I perform and it’s breakin' your heart

You home alone backtrackin', replayin' the start

Realize this whole script you’ve been playin' a mark

But that ain’t stop you from takin' a part

I guess we’re both just playin' our parts

Just where I’m at lately

Look at the monster this industry done made me

Shit I loved the most, I let it jade me

Cryin' out for help, somebody save me

But I can’t let 'em know all that

They take it as weakness when you show all that

So I just live in my mind 'til this hoe call back

Every time I’m knocked down you see Joe crawl back, forreal

Nowadays they all the same

Enhanced body parts, smaller brains

They don’t get a hi in fact

Mums the word, baby girl, it’s now quiet for that, forreal

If you got nothin' to offer

Sorry Mrs. Jackson, gotta off ya

But as soon as you leave 'em alone

It’s when they send that same text to the phone

They always be like, «what's up?

Are you good?

Hit me up whenever you in the hood»

Then we fuck, and it’s fine

Then you get all this bullshit on your mind

I’m waitin' for you to talk, but you won’t

You wait for me to react but I don’t

Then you go, and I watch

We know how this movie go, but we watch

Cause we just playin' our parts

I guess we’re both just playin' our parts

I play mine well

Better than you

And it go… baby, baby!