Released: June 15, 2009
Songwriter: J. Cole
Producer: J. Cole
[Intro]
Yeah, aye wassup man? Aye, uh, aye look man, can I- can I get on- can I just get on this bus? All I got is a dollar fifty, I'm just sayin'. I just tryna get- I'm tryna get on the bus, man. I ain't got no mon- all I got is a dollar fifty, I don't go two dollars. Man, fuck you and yo' bus, nigga!
(Yeah)
Hey, hey (Yeah, got a dollar and a dream)
Yeah, yeah
I got a dollar and a dream (Yeah), yeah
I got a dollar and a dream, real niggas on my team (Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey)
Everything ain't what it seems
I got a dollar and a dream, hey (Hey, I'm dreamin')
[Verse 1]
Ayy, ayy, I got a dollar and a dream, real niggas on my team
Everything ain't what it seems (Uh)
Niggas hating but I love them even though they trying to scheme
But I'm past that (Past that), a nigga's stock is rising like the Nasdaq (Uh-huh)
They say I’m the future but yet I’m giving niggas flashbacks
Of better days when you ain't have to settle for whatever played
I represent the struggle, nigga, I say what they never say
Whenever they spit that bullshit they spittin'
This that pulpit, I’m hittin' niggas with the gospel (And the lord said)
Hostile with them hoes, I got a dollar in my pocket plus a dream
Yeah you laughing my nigga but everything ain't what it seems
What it means to know your mama or your father on that pipe
On that hard white, I’ll tell you what them scars like
I’m speaking through these bars like a nigga in the jail
Tired of siftin' through my mail, I feel like Cartwright, bills (Bills and bills and bills)
For real, a nigga ill
Just let me do the talkin', man, I know how niggas feel
[Chorus]
I got a dollar and a dream, real niggas on my team
Everything ain't what it seems
(God damn, nigga. These motherfuckin' bill collectors, man)
I got a dollar and a dream, real niggas on my team
Everything ain't what it seems
(Can't even God damn turn on my phone without these nigga ringin' me up)
I got a dollar and a dream, real niggas on my team
Everything ain't what it seems
(They tryna call me from different numbers and shit. Tryna- tryna fool me, nigga. I'm Lil Cole, nigga!)
Yeah, got a dollar and a dream, real niggas on my team
Everything ain't what it seems, yeah
[Verse 2]
I got a dolla and a dream, real niggas on my team
Everything ain't what it seem
Every lady ain't no ho and every bitch ain't no queen
Every nigga ain't no dog and every nigga ain't no king (Uh-huh)
Shit be happening for a reason, everything is everything
Every nigga can't dunk, some white man can jump (Haha)
They shootin' niggas 'fore they even tell 'em put their hands up
Crooked cops got a nigga scared to drive
Probably thinkin' that I’m slangin', man, I see it in their eyes
But inside of my pocket is a dollar, plus a dream
Yeah, you swear your girl is faithful; everything ain't what it seems
See, I seen how she glance and looked away like she want it
I ain't sayin' I'ma fuck her, but I could if I wanted
Know it hurts that she flirt with a nigga, this is worse
I bet if I was to hit, man I wouldn’t be the first (Nah)
This is church, this is gospel (And the lord said)
Spit it like I get it from the Bible for your survival
[Hook]
I got a dollar and a dream, real niggas on my team
Everything ain't what it seems (Yeah, ayy, yeah-yeah-yeah)
Ayy, I got a dollar and a dream, real niggas on my team
Everything ain't what it seems (Uh-uh, uh, uh)
Ayy, I got a dollar and a dream, real niggas on my team (Wait 'til I get my money ri- hehehehe)
Everything ain't what it seem
Yeah, I got a dollar and a dream, yeah, I got a dollar and a dream
(Wait 'til I get my money right, I'm dreamin')
[Verse 3]
Check it
Aye Sallie, I know I ain't been answerin' your calls (Aww, not this bitch, yeah)
But shit, let me explain- (I can explain, I can explain)
It's because times been hard
Been runnin' 'round tryna find a job (I can't get no job)
I hear my phone ringing in the morning, 9 o’clock
And it's you (God damn), can't even front, I press ignore (Yeah)
I still got your letters layin' in my dresser drawer (Haha)
You tellin' me about all the things you did for me (I know, I know, I know, I know)
When I was broke, you sent me dough and that was big for me (I know, I know, big for me)
See you was there every year when I needed you
And you were so quick to give I had to be with you
Remember when I used to call you on your phone line
I knew it was official when my mama cosigned (Haha, yeah)
But in no time, a nigga graduated
I hit the real world, baby girl, I'm sad to say it
But I was usin' you, you gave a nigga major stacks (Major stacks)
And I know in my heart one day that I'm gon' pay you back
I got a dollar and a dream
[Outro]
I'll pay you back. Look, can we- can we set up some type of payment plan or somethin'? Like, you know what I'm sayin'? Like, you know? I just graduated six months ago so you know, times is kinda- times is kinda hard, baby. I- I just- can I just pay you like a lil' bit right now and then I pay you- I pay you the rest next- next month when I get paid. Can I just do somethin' like that? I gotta- I'm not even gon' lie to you, I don't, I don't really have it right now. I gotta pay how much? Five thousand dol- Aw, nigga is you crazy? Bitch you lucky I even answered the phone, I shouldn't have even picked up this motherfucker, I s- Look, what's ya- what's ya name? Can I- can I speak to a manager? You are the manager? Look, look can I speak to yo' manager? Who's- who owns this motherfucker? Let me talk to the owner! God damn it, I ain't- y'all niggas crazy... hahaha
Yeah, aye wassup man? Aye, uh, aye look man, can I- can I get on- can I just get on this bus? All I got is a dollar fifty, I'm just sayin'. I just tryna get- I'm tryna get on the bus, man. I ain't got no mon- all I got is a dollar fifty, I don't go two dollars. Man, fuck you and yo' bus, nigga!
(Yeah)
Hey, hey (Yeah, got a dollar and a dream)
Yeah, yeah
I got a dollar and a dream (Yeah), yeah
I got a dollar and a dream, real niggas on my team (Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey)
Everything ain't what it seems
I got a dollar and a dream, hey (Hey, I'm dreamin')
[Verse 1]
Ayy, ayy, I got a dollar and a dream, real niggas on my team
Everything ain't what it seems (Uh)
Niggas hating but I love them even though they trying to scheme
But I'm past that (Past that), a nigga's stock is rising like the Nasdaq (Uh-huh)
They say I’m the future but yet I’m giving niggas flashbacks
Of better days when you ain't have to settle for whatever played
I represent the struggle, nigga, I say what they never say
Whenever they spit that bullshit they spittin'
This that pulpit, I’m hittin' niggas with the gospel (And the lord said)
Hostile with them hoes, I got a dollar in my pocket plus a dream
Yeah you laughing my nigga but everything ain't what it seems
What it means to know your mama or your father on that pipe
On that hard white, I’ll tell you what them scars like
I’m speaking through these bars like a nigga in the jail
Tired of siftin' through my mail, I feel like Cartwright, bills (Bills and bills and bills)
For real, a nigga ill
Just let me do the talkin', man, I know how niggas feel
[Chorus]
I got a dollar and a dream, real niggas on my team
Everything ain't what it seems
(God damn, nigga. These motherfuckin' bill collectors, man)
I got a dollar and a dream, real niggas on my team
Everything ain't what it seems
(Can't even God damn turn on my phone without these nigga ringin' me up)
I got a dollar and a dream, real niggas on my team
Everything ain't what it seems
(They tryna call me from different numbers and shit. Tryna- tryna fool me, nigga. I'm Lil Cole, nigga!)
Yeah, got a dollar and a dream, real niggas on my team
Everything ain't what it seems, yeah
[Verse 2]
I got a dolla and a dream, real niggas on my team
Everything ain't what it seem
Every lady ain't no ho and every bitch ain't no queen
Every nigga ain't no dog and every nigga ain't no king (Uh-huh)
Shit be happening for a reason, everything is everything
Every nigga can't dunk, some white man can jump (Haha)
They shootin' niggas 'fore they even tell 'em put their hands up
Crooked cops got a nigga scared to drive
Probably thinkin' that I’m slangin', man, I see it in their eyes
But inside of my pocket is a dollar, plus a dream
Yeah, you swear your girl is faithful; everything ain't what it seems
See, I seen how she glance and looked away like she want it
I ain't sayin' I'ma fuck her, but I could if I wanted
Know it hurts that she flirt with a nigga, this is worse
I bet if I was to hit, man I wouldn’t be the first (Nah)
This is church, this is gospel (And the lord said)
Spit it like I get it from the Bible for your survival
[Hook]
I got a dollar and a dream, real niggas on my team
Everything ain't what it seems (Yeah, ayy, yeah-yeah-yeah)
Ayy, I got a dollar and a dream, real niggas on my team
Everything ain't what it seems (Uh-uh, uh, uh)
Ayy, I got a dollar and a dream, real niggas on my team (Wait 'til I get my money ri- hehehehe)
Everything ain't what it seem
Yeah, I got a dollar and a dream, yeah, I got a dollar and a dream
(Wait 'til I get my money right, I'm dreamin')
[Verse 3]
Check it
Aye Sallie, I know I ain't been answerin' your calls (Aww, not this bitch, yeah)
But shit, let me explain- (I can explain, I can explain)
It's because times been hard
Been runnin' 'round tryna find a job (I can't get no job)
I hear my phone ringing in the morning, 9 o’clock
And it's you (God damn), can't even front, I press ignore (Yeah)
I still got your letters layin' in my dresser drawer (Haha)
You tellin' me about all the things you did for me (I know, I know, I know, I know)
When I was broke, you sent me dough and that was big for me (I know, I know, big for me)
See you was there every year when I needed you
And you were so quick to give I had to be with you
Remember when I used to call you on your phone line
I knew it was official when my mama cosigned (Haha, yeah)
But in no time, a nigga graduated
I hit the real world, baby girl, I'm sad to say it
But I was usin' you, you gave a nigga major stacks (Major stacks)
And I know in my heart one day that I'm gon' pay you back
I got a dollar and a dream
[Outro]
I'll pay you back. Look, can we- can we set up some type of payment plan or somethin'? Like, you know what I'm sayin'? Like, you know? I just graduated six months ago so you know, times is kinda- times is kinda hard, baby. I- I just- can I just pay you like a lil' bit right now and then I pay you- I pay you the rest next- next month when I get paid. Can I just do somethin' like that? I gotta- I'm not even gon' lie to you, I don't, I don't really have it right now. I gotta pay how much? Five thousand dol- Aw, nigga is you crazy? Bitch you lucky I even answered the phone, I shouldn't have even picked up this motherfucker, I s- Look, what's ya- what's ya name? Can I- can I speak to a manager? You are the manager? Look, look can I speak to yo' manager? Who's- who owns this motherfucker? Let me talk to the owner! God damn it, I ain't- y'all niggas crazy... hahaha