Released: June 20, 2000

Songwriter: Busta Rhymes

Producer: DJ Shok

[Intro]
Yeah, this next joint right here
Is dedicated to all my niggas that I love
All the niggas that held it down with me through the whole shit
From the beginning of the fort, to the now current day of the fort
From the beginning and the birth of this whole shit
To the now success of this whole shit
And all my peoples that be holdin' it down for their peoples
Ridin with them through thick and thin, love y'all niggas
Peep it

[Chorus]
1, 2
Every time I sit and take a look at how we grew so much my niggas
1, 2
All the things I do, you know I will hold my flags for you my niggas
1, 2
Every time I sit and take a look at how we grew so much my niggas
1, 2
All the things I do, you know I will hold my flags for you my niggas

[Verse 1]
Now, this how the shit all started
Was like doctors of [?] I was being conceived kinda retarded
Like, and while my moms was conceiving this beautiful baby
Doctors was the this woman's stress out of this Jamaican lady
Pops beef and straight carrying on
Nobody realizing how the god was now being born
Ayo, yo, 1, 2
While they was wildin' and shit
They couldn't even find my pulse, sonogram on the frisk
So, they tried a natural birth, but had to stop production
Baby stuck all up in the womb, another malfunction
1, 2
And now the doctors discover
They had to cut this lady's gut, and c-section me out of my mother
Pop duke could only sit and ask why
Looked up in the sky and begged for mercy from the most high
C'mon, now, 1, 2
See now the day would feel blessed
Watching the birth of a precious baby life manifest
See how that bugged me out

[Chorus]
1, 2 (That shit, that type shit be buggin me out 'cause)
Every time I sit and take a look at how we grew so much my niggas (Y'know niggas, nigga look back)
1, 2 (To them days when you know shit is kinda ill like y'knawmean?)
All the things I do, you know I will hold my flags for you my niggas (Nigga, niggas like fall out, y'knawmean?)
1, 2
Every time I sit and take a look at how we grew so much my niggas (Motherfuckers is, niggas live long enough to look back and shit and)
1, 2
All the things I do, you know I will hold my flags for you my niggas (Laugh and shit, y'knawmean?)

[Verse 2]
Young and learnin' shit that started is thick
Started inquiring a lot, started using my dick
Like I knew it all but I wasn't really knowin' and shit
Buggin when my pubic hairs started growin' and shit
Now hold up, a young nigga now a couple years pass
Searchin desperate to experience my first piece of ass
Now, gettin' into mischief and caught my first arrest
Started smoking weed and started totin' on them cigarettes
Eyes bloodshot like I was starin' at a highbeam
Nigga only twelve so why he lookin' like he nineteen?
1, 2
The fast life baby, young with an old soul
From the past life baby
A young nigga wanted things and wanted money quick
Ambitious on the Amtrak, with a quarter brick
My nigga, 1, 2
It got hot in the streets
My nigga campaign the cops who started walkin' the beat, my nigga
Trouble causin' too much problems just me and my brother
Made mommy a grandma and shacked up with my babymother
Now it a seed, I was always ready to clap shit
Strugglin', so then I start fuckin 'round with this rap shit
Moved to Long Island and got up with a few niggas
Believin we could show the world we was the Leaders Of the New niggas
A crew of niggas that was hot like an infirmary
Blazin' 'til they started actin' like bitches internally
So now, Flipmode is how we own it fo' sho
Tried to fuck with niggas but I couldn't do it no more
Fo rilla, 1, 2
And then I got with some niggas
Always wit it to multiply the gross and double the figgas
And then I, hit with bombs and hold a stack in my palms
Whippin' Bentleys, floss icy shit and take care of moms
Give the local little old man a job as my chaeuffeur
Hold it down for all my niggas til the movement is over
It's kinda beautiful

[Chorus]
1, 2 (Yeah, y'knawmean?)
Every time I sit and take a look at how we grew so much my niggas (How we have acquired so much)
1, 2 (Where we can look back and, and actually laugh and lavish)
All the things I do, you know I will hold my flags for you my niggas (In the, in the, in the moment)
1, 2 (As we prime in life)
Every time I sit and take a look at how we grew so much my niggas (Look at how we, we struggled all this way and went through the bullshit)
1, 2 (Motherfuckin', little obstacles)
All the things I do, you know I will hold my flags for you my niggas (Situations they try to set up for niggas to fuckin' fall off)
1, 2 (And lose they hard earned shit, y'knowmean?)
Every time I sit and take a look at how we grew so much my niggas (I holds it down for my niggas though)
1, 2 (Give my last to my niggas)
All the things I do, you know I will hold my flags for you my niggas (All the niggas that was wit me through the whole shit)
1, 2 (Love y'all niggas, word)
Every time I sit and take a look at how we grew so much my niggas (Love y'all niggas, word)
1, 2 (My Flipmode niggas, man)
All the things I do, you know I will hold my flags for you my niggas
1, 2
Every time I sit and take a look at how we grew so much my niggas
1, 2
All the things I do, you know I will hold my flags for you my niggas
1, 2
Every time I sit and take a look at how we grew so much my niggas, niggas, niggas

Busta Rhymes

Busta Rhymes is a Grammy-nominated rapper, producer, and actor. Born Trevor George Smith, Jr. on May 20, 1972 in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York City, he would later move to Uniondale, Long Island but attended high school in Brooklyn with the likes of JAY-Z, The Notorious B.I.G., and Special Ed. Prior to his graduation from Uniondale High School in 1990, Busta joined Dinco D, Charlie Brown, and Cut Monitor Milo to from Leaders of the New School. The group opened for Public Enemy and their frontman Chuck D gave Chill-O-Ski the name Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George “Buster” Rhymes.

Leaders of the New School released two albums, A Future Without a Past… (1991) and T.I.M.E. (The Inner Mind’s Eye) (1993), before splitting after an intense interview with Yo! MTV Raps. Busta’s popularity began to rise with his appearances on A Tribe Called Quest’s “Scenario” in 1991 and its remix in 1992, as well as the remix to Craig Mack’s “Flava in Ya Ear” in 1994.

This led to Busta releasing his platinum debut album The Coming in 1996, featuring the platinum single “Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check.” Busta’s subsequent four albums all went platinum, while It Ain’t Safe No More… and The Big Bang achieved gold status. He also released several international hits, including “Dangerous,” “What’s It Gonna Be?” with Janet Jackson, and “I Know What You Want” with Mariah Carey, as well as being featured on the #1 hits “Don’t Cha” with the Pussycat Dolls and “Look At Me Now” with Chris Brown and Lil Wayne.