Released: May 22, 2007

Songwriter: Common Kanye West Soul Ekos

Producer: Kanye West

[Scratches: DJ Premier]
"It's only right that I address this"
"Gotta be in it to win it"
"I never come lame, type killin' in the game"
"Like—like—like—like—like" "I get busy"
"It's only right that I address this"
"Gotta be in it to win it"
"I never come lame, type killin' in the game"
"Our music..."

[Verse 1]
Raised by game where niggas ain't phased by fame
Come to the crib, get banged, they take your chain
Stay in your lane, Brokeback ain't the way of the game
My brainstorm is like I stay in the rain
My favorite was Kane, now I'm dope with weight in the game
You was hot but can't stay in the flame
Ghetto pain and windows crack, the fist is like a symbol for black
Can tell the real by how the real interact
In the middle of whack my soul sticks to a track
Kickback records get kicked to the back
I want big cribs and my man Ronnie to get his
Child in a good school and know what her gift is
It's global warming, the world is shifting
Watching Sweet Sixteen, Bitchin-ass rich kids
Who don't know in life you gotta go the distance
Whether yoga or doja, we all get lifted in the Game

[Scratches: DJ Premier]
"It's only right that I address this"
"Gotta be in it to win it"
"I never come lame, type killin' in the game"
"Like—like—like—like—like" "I get busy"
"It's only right that I address this"
"Gotta be in it to win it"
"I never come lame, type killin' in the game"
"Our music..."

[Verse 2]
I never kissed the ass of the masses, I'm the black molasses
Thick and I lasted past these rat bastards
They try to box me in like Cassius Clay
Hey I'm like Muhammad when he fasted
Opposing the fascist, make cuts and got gashes
Scratches over third eyelashes
Punchlines are like jab hits to rappers
Whose careers now ashes it's too many slashes
In his name, came in the game these gun-clappers
From weak lines to clothing lines to an actress
I seen 'em dashing smash hits
I yell run nigga run while I cook up classics
The weak hearted, become Babylon puppets
Making it hard for real hustlas
Touch the sky now and then, with a lady friend
Give thanks to the most that's how the day begins in the game

[Scratches: DJ Premier]
"It's only right that I address this"
"Gotta be in it to win it"
"I never come lame, type killin' in the game"
"Like—like—like—like—like" "I get busy"
"It's only right that I address this"
"Gotta be in it to win it"
"I never come lame, type killin' in the game"
"Our music..."

[Verse 3]
I just wanna be like Akeelah, an achiever
From the streets of the Chi where some get high for leisure
Selling weed out of cleaners
From rocks to barber shops and beemers
Chicks with blond weaves and strong legs like Serena
The demeanor of the Ghetto, to never stay settled
Aldermen and corrupt men play Pharaoh
GOOD bring business to the hood like Harolds
Five year olds walking by them self in the street
The young die of cancer, I stop eating meat
Greet the gods on 87th St. like peace
Even though it's war to G, got 'em facing the east
The game ain't tasting as sweet
Cats flow is still, and they complacent with beats
My radio station is deep, so eff 'em
Progression, counting paper and blessings in the game

[Scratches: DJ Premier]
"It's only right that I address this"
"Gotta be in it to win it"
"I never come lame, type killin' in the game"
"Like—like—like—like—like" "I get busy"
"It's only right that I address this"
"Gotta be in it to win it"
"I never come lame, type killin' in the game"
"Our music..."

Common

Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. (born March 13, 1972), better known by his stage name Common (previously Common Sense), is a Grammy and Oscar-winning rapper and actor from Chicago, Illinois. Common’s inspired mix of poetic flow and hip-hop soul has helped him earn his status as one of the most respected rappers in the game.

After being a ball boy for his hometown Chicago Bulls as a teen and attending Florida A&M University for business administration, Common Sense kicked in and he left school to become a rapper. He gained national attention after being featured in the Unsigned Hype column of The Source magazine in 1991. He released his debut album Can I Borrow a Dollar? through Relativity Records in 1992, followed by his breakthrough second album Resurrection in 1994, which features his hip-hop classic single “I Used To Love H.E.R.”

As his career began to take off, he was sued by the music group Common Sense over the name, leading Common to drop the “Sense” and allude to the change in the title of his third album, One Day It’ll All Make Sense (1997). He has released several critically acclaimed albums, including Like Water For Chocolate (2000), which features his J Dilla-produced hit single “The Light”, and Be (2005), which was released under fellow Chicago musician Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music imprint. He also joined musicians Karriem Riggins and Robert Glasper to form the group August Greene, and the trio released their self-titled album in 2018.