Ready for WhateverT.I.

[Intro]
Hate the price of fame 'coz it cost too much (yeah boy)
And you lame niggas talk too much (yeah)
I'm ready for whatever, somebody better tell 'em (yeah boy)
I said I'm ready for whatever, hey hey

[Verse 1]
Even though my head in the clouds, I'm planted on the pavement
How I walk around, people starin' at amazement
And I play a lot of game on where I be and I ain't playin with it
They so judgmental, maybe they don't understand
If your life was in jeopardy e'ryday, is you tellin me
You wouldn't need weaponry just because of your felony?
Consider this at least, I got e'rybody sweatin me
On the streets is people who won't rest unless I rest in peace
Killed my folk a year ago, still in my sleep they threaten me
Paranoia stressin me, ain't nobody protectin me
I'm dealin with the pressure from my partner dyin next to me
No one's arrested, they comin for me eventually
This was all the things I was goin through mentally
This could be the reason I ignored the penitentiary
Not mentioning New Orlean niggas comin in the city
Killin all summer long, ain't nobody payin attention

[Pre-Hook]
Now, is it that hard to understand if you listen?
Either die or go to jail, that's a hell of a decision
But I'm wrong and I know it, my excuses unimportant
I'm just tryna let you know that I ain't think I had a choice, for real

[Hook]
I had straps in my ride, gotta go to prison
You waiting on me to die, you gon' be waiting for a minute
Ready for whatever, somebody better tell 'em
I be here when the smoke clears and everythin settles, for real
Can't afford the price of fame 'coz it cost too much
Plus these sucka niggas lame and they talk too much
Ready for whatever, somebody better tell 'em
I be here when the smoke clears and everythin settles, for real

[Post-Hook]
For real, for real, ay, for real
I say, when e'rything settles, for real
Ay, for real, ay, for real
I say, when e'rything settles for real

[Interlude (over Post-Hook)]
Yeah, I know what you thinking
"First Michael Vick, now this, huh?"
Naw, not exactly
I tell you how this shit went down for real, dog

[Verse 2]
I'm a man, I ain't perfect, I admit it, I'm guilty
But understand, feel me, I was ridin filthy
'Coz niggas out there plottin, to rob me and kill me
500 thousand every year spent on security
And my future was bright, but now it's gettin blurry
'Coz niggas in a hurry to find me and bury me
But surely, God'll deliver me up out it
I'm a fighter to the heart, I forever be about it
I'm a father to my sons, asset to my community
Look at all that I done, my good outweigh the negativity
Mentally, I was focused on not lettin history
Repeat itself, that’s why heat was kept in the vicinity
Yes, officially, I broke the law but not maliciously
Through all of the publicity, was anyone considerin
My position and the logic hid in my decision?
But they caught me with it, now I'm off to prison, period

[Pre-Hook]
But is it that hard to understand if you listen?
Either die or go to jail, that's a hell of a decision
But I'm wrong and I know it my excuses unimportant
I'm just tryna let you know that I ain't think I had a choice, for real

[Hook]
I had straps in my ride, gotta go to prison
You waiting on me to die, you gon' be waiting for a minute
Ready for whatever, somebody better tell 'em
I be here when the smoke clears and everythin settles, for real
Can't afford the price of fame 'coz it cost too much
Plus these sucka niggas lame and they talk too much
Ready for whatever, somebody better tell 'em
I be here when the smoke clears and everythin settles, for real

[Post-Hook]
For real, for real, ay, for real
I say, when e'rything settles, for real
Ay, for real, ay, for real
I say, when e'rything settles for real

[Outro (Spoken)]
Ay, I said listen, homeboy. You can talk all you want, mayne, you know what I'm saying? Everybody talk to the King, you know what I'm sayin? Everybody's entitled to an opinion, you know what I'm sayin? They like yesterdays, everybody got one
But the fact of the matter remains: if you ain't walk a mile in my shoes and you ain't lived a day in my life, you ain't survive the shit I done survived, you ain't had to deal with the shit I had to deal with, homeboy—you can't muhfuckin' judge me, partner
I mean, look at folk like Sean Taylor. You know what they said?
They said, had he had a strap, he'da lived today. You know what I'm sayin?
Now, true enough, I was dead wrong, I broke the law, I deserve to be punished. I understand that, aight? Cool. But listen, man, I got a house full of kids, a mama, and an old lady, whose life is my responsibility. You dig that?
Now, for all of y'all who think I was just ridin' around on some dumb shit: you know I'm smarter than you man! You know I'm smarter than you dawg! Ay, if you think I was just being stupid, shawty, I got some muhfuckin' oceanfront property in Idaho for sale, homie. If you believe that, I got a bridge in Brooklyn I wanna sell you, partner
Ay, man, real talk: In order to understand my train of thoughts, you have to put yourself in my position. You can't expect me to think like you, 'cause my life ain't like yours, you know what I'm sayin?
If you don't understand that, you don't understand English. I'm done talking