Artist: busta rhymes
Song: what do you do when you're branded
Album: It Ain't Safe No More...
Year: 2002
Branded, scorned as the one who ran
What do you do when you're branded and you know you're a man?
Wherever you go, for the rest of your life, you must prove you're a man
See now I'm back wit the force
Read about the kid from the front to the back of the source
You see me back on the course
Scream on every beat until my voice get crackled and horse
Front seat niggas never sit in the back wit a boss
Fuck the fact that it cost, the pricetag of the Porche
Will cost ya life, have ya motha feel an immaculate loss
But of course, come and speak to the best
And watch me spit a jewel sharper to carve the meat of your flesh
You lookin' weak in the chest, you see the street is a test
Women on the stoop smokin' holdin' a seed to they breast
You see the street is a mess
Strugglin', holdin' a couple pounds of weed then the rest
Now I proceed to the rest of my niggas keepin' it fresh
Though we must stay on the grind I supersceded the stress
We always seem to finesse from the east to the west
You know we keep the teflon from the street to the vest
Kill that nigga slow like how you get defeated in chess
Got you under pressure, hairline receaded effects
Hot air niggas I only feel the heat from your breath
Rap niggas beef in they album probably needed the press
And as a man I never found the slightest need to impress
Another man because I'm proud and I believe that I'm blessed
But yo, I always found the need to address these weaker niggas
That speak to the street always keepin' the people abreast
Now you've been
Branded, scorned as the one who ran
What do you do when you're branded and you know you're a man?
Wherever you go, for the rest of your life, you must prove you're a man
Higher science and I'm changin' the crime in
I watch my son 'cuz you'd be fuckin' wit the child of a giant
I'm in a place stuck between bein' lovin' and violent
Becomin' more of a threat when I move subtle and silent
Then set it off to be the only one to quiet the riot
My destiny's the only thing between the sky and the pilot
Relate, it's like bustin' a 3-8
Be late, I be takin' most of the brick leavin' a pile outta shape
I never quit watchin' these niggas tryin' to hide they mistake
Takin' a shit watchin' they body floatin' by in the lake
Make it quick you weak niggas, better try to escape
And create the quickest way to reach the fire escape
Snitch niggas always quick to go and lie on a tape
But it's okay 'cuz super hero niggas die wit a cape
It's so great to watch them finally break, stand aside from the fake
Street niggas gotta slide for the take
Bein' broke and not bein' able to buy me a steak
Stackin' my paper so see now I can buy an estate
So I rely on the love and I reply to the hate
So much pain in the struggle my whole body'll ache, come on
From the gates, so awake that was the plan of my fate
Now, I'm straight, got me my own knife and fork on my plate
Wanna scorch a debate, wait, do me a favor nigga jus' remember
The date 'cuz you been
Branded, scorned is the one who ran
What do you do when you're branded and you know you're a man?
Wherever you go, for the rest of your life, you must prove you're a man