Released: February 10, 2017

Songwriter: Soundtrakk Lupe Fiasco

Producer: Soundtrakk

[Chorus]
Promise, yeah
I promise, I promise, I promise, I promise, yeah
I promise these niggas ain't honest
Promise, but I keep it real
I keep it a hundred, I promise
I keep it a hundred, I promise
I keep it a thousand, I promise
I keep it ten thousand, I promise
I'm keepin' it honest, I promise
I'm keepin' it honest, I'm keepin' it honest, I promise
Repeat it, repeat it, repeat it
'Cause niggas, they know that they need it
I think that they fallin' off, they cannot keep it

[Verse 1]
Honest, I'm crossin' my heart and I'm hopin' to die
I promise, I promise, and they don't know why
I promise, I promise, I don't be gettin' high
I'm sober, I'm sober, I'm sober, I'm sober
No champagne, no vodka, no, none of that, man
Tell you I keep me a heater, I keep me a heater, believe it
I won't lead 'em wrong, said I won't lead 'em wrong
They know what I'm on, and they know what I'm on

[Chorus]
I promise, yeah
I promise, I promise, I promise, I promise, yeah
I promise these niggas ain't honest
Promise, but I keep it real
I keep it a hundred, I promise
I keep it a hundred, I promise
I keep it a thousand, I promise
I keep it ten thousand, I promise
I'm keepin' it honest, I promise
I'm keepin' it honest, I'm keepin' it honest, I promise
Repeat it, repeat it, repeat it
'Cause niggas, they know that they need it
I think that they fallin' off, they cannot keep it

[Verse 2]
Promise (yeah)
I ran through the paper, I ran through the paper (yeah)
I bought me Ferraris, I bought me some haters
More money, more problems, more money, more problems
But I got the choppers and I will go solve 'em
I try keep it peaceful, I try keep it peaceful
And stay away from people, I stay away from people
Be solo, be solo, my niggas is gone (yeah)
When I'm not in the streets you can find me at home

[Chorus]
Promise, yeah
I promise, I promise, I promise, I promise, yeah
I promise these niggas ain't honest
Promise, but I keep it real
I keep it a hundred, I promise
I keep it a hundred, I promise
I keep it a thousand, I promise
I keep it ten thousand, I promise
I'm keepin' it honest, I promise
I'm keepin' it honest, I'm keepin' it honest, I promise
Repeat it, repeat it, repeat it
'Cause niggas, they know that they need it
I think that they fallin off, they cannot keep it

[Verse 3]
Honest (yeah)
I ran with the killers, the hustlers and gamblers (yeah)
I'm telling you Sway that I do have the answers (yeah)
Just ask me a question, I'll give you the truth (yeah)
I got me a Benzy, it ain't got a roof
I'm smart but I'm poor, yeah, I'm smart but I'm poor (yeah)
I'm keepin' my bars up, keepin' my bars up (yeah)
I try to do good 'cause I don't like the karma
But you never know so I bought me some arma

[Chorus]
Promise, yeah
I promise, I promise, I promise, I promise, yeah
I promise these niggas ain't honest
Promise, but I keep it real
I keep it a hundred, I promise
I keep it a hundred, I promise
I keep it a thousand, I promise
I keep it ten thousand, I promise
I'm keepin' it honest, I promise
I'm keepin' it honest, I'm keepin' it honest, I promise
Repeat it, repeat it, repeat it
'Cause niggas, they know that they need it
I think that they fallin off, they cannot keep it
Honest

Lupe Fiasco

The Chicago born Wasalu Muhammad Jaco first tasted success when he featured on Kanye West’s hit “Touch the Sky”, a track that shortly preceded his real breakout, his 2006 debut album Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor, and he never looked back. He has established himself as one of the greatest urban wordsmiths of all time, with Genius even dubbing him the ‘Proust of Rap’.

While he’s now regarded of one of the 21st Century’s Hip-Hop greats, he wasn’t always a fan of the genre, initially disliking it due to the prominence of vulgarity and misogyny within it. In his late teens, he aspired to make it as a lyricist. In his early twenty’s, he met Jay-Z, who helped him sign with Atlantic Records in 2005. The following year, he released his debut album (Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor), which was met with acclaim from fans and critics alike, as did his sophomore effort, Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool.

The following eight years of his career saw far less output than many would’ve anticipated. This can be partly attributed to his struggles with Atlantic Records. The executives wanted him to sign a 360 deal; however, as he refused to do so they instead shelved his already completed 3rd album, Lasers, and wouldn’t promote him as they had previously. The overseers at the label also interfered with his music (as they had tried to do with his fan-favorite track “Dumb it Down”); subsequently effecting the quality and sound of his third and fourth albums.