Songwriter: Darknight 8 Bars Joe Budden

Producer: 8 Bars Darknight

[Intro]
Now tell her we gotta clean this whole spot out
I don't care who she got coming I need five chairs
Tell Elva give me a mint Hookah
Give me a couple a peach Cirocs
And tell Bernice give me 10,000 in singles
Parks, keep me up in the headphones
Let me talk some shit to them real quick
It go
Uh, uh

[Verse 1]
They tell me life's a bitch, I'm just celebrating fuckin' it
Table full of bottles, now it's looking like my bucket list
Forward thinker, I ain't one to regress
Payin' no mind to these bitches, they just come with success
I spent Christmases giftless, went too many Decembers broke
Never got a stamp but found a way to push the envelope
They told me I'd be dead, I'd never make it out
If I ain't accomplish shit else, least I erased the doubt
I'm so unassuming, I can't figure why I'm hated now
Even made depression seem like that wasn't a major bout
My dreams big, niggas tried to take 'em down
The jewel is in the perspective, not the other way around
See my persona is calmer, Obama blended with Dahmer
Ever ponder your karma? Manana could see a llama
And if a nigga do, won't be complaints from me
I'll be all good with it, I did all I could with it, let's go

[Chorus]
Chasing a dream, doing what they say I couldn't have
Spending money the government say I shouldn't have
Uh, and I'm taking my team with me
'Cause if none of its real my niggas gon' dream with me
Dream on, chic-a chic-a, dream on
If ever one of you fall I'm here for you to lean on
Dream on, chic-a chic-a, dream on
Steel sharpens steel 'til the whole teams strong

[Verse 2]
This could've went totally different, see I could've been Heist
And Heist could've been me, we did the same B&E's
Same charges, same guns I popped off, he was away by then
Had to do seven in that eight-by-ten (Talk to 'em)
Came home to no belongings, everything to gain
And nothing to lose, I'm in the polar opposite shoes
He wonder why we ain't as close as we was
How can I say it's been years, I'm not the Joe that I was
He see the car, the crib, a few chicks, and think it's come to fruition
If he knew the tuition I paid would view it different
Then we'd be in agreeance, cash won't be a grievance
Downplaying my achievements, afraid of how you'll receive 'em
Our bond is forever, I ain't gotta hide that
If I got, then you got, you can tell your pride that
I'll share it all, no complaints from me
Sometimes we all need a hand, real niggas understand, let's go

[Chorus]
Chasing a dream, doing what they say I couldn't have
Spending money the government say I shouldn't have
Uh, and I'm taking my team with me
'Cause if none of its real my niggas gon' dream with me
Dream on, chic-a chic-a, dream on
If ever one of you fall I'm here for you to lean on
Dream on, chic-a chic-a, dream on
Steel sharpens steel 'til the whole teams strong

[Verse 3]
See the fame I never asked for it (Word)
I'd have been cool in a RAV4 delivering packages door-to-door
Ain't ask for the scrutiny, the acts of buffoonery
From ma'fuckers that ain't never been in a room with me
Fuck my perception, all of it is deception
Can't fuck just to fuck, got to use my discretion
But, that don't take away from the blessing
Nah, I'd do it all over within a second
Providing for the fam beats riding in the Lam
Riding for the fans, feel like catching lightning in a can
Understand, was built for this, made for it
Prayed for it, forget I even get paid for it
Forced to learn the game on our own without the coaches
Talent went unnoticed, this is hope for the hopeless
They get it all, no complaints from me
'Cause they gon' love how it feel when the dream become real
Joey

[Chorus]
Chasing a dream, doing what they say I couldn't have
Spending money the government say I shouldn't have
Uh, and I'm taking my team with me
'Cause if none of its real my niggas gon' dream with me
Dream on, chic-a chic-a, dream on
If ever one of you fall I'm here for you to lean on
Dream on, chic-a chic-a, dream on
Steel sharpens steel 'til the whole teams strong

[Outro]
Word
Dream on
Chic-a chic-a, dream on

Joe Budden

Joe Budden is from Jersey City, New Jersey. He was born in Spanish Harlem but lived in Queens until he was 12 and from there moved to Jersey City, New Jersey. Budden is one of five boys (one older brother and three younger brothers – two are twin brothers). Budden heard music in his home (his father is a multi-instrumentalist) and on the streets while he grew up.

He is also one quarter of Slaughterhouse, alongside fellow rappers Royce da 5’9”, Joell Ortiz, and Crooked I.