Released: February 13, 2018
Featuring: Kendrick Lamar
Songwriter: Nipsey Hussle Kendrick Lamar Rance My Guy Mars Michael Ray Cox Jr. John Groover Axl Folie Alexandria Dopson
Producer: My Guy Mars Rance Mike & Keys Ralo Stylez Axl Folie
[Verse 1: Nipsey Hussle]
Look, my nigga this is dedication, this is anti-hesitation
This a real nigga celebration
This a Dime Blocc declaration
59th and 5th Ave, granny house with vanilla wafers
This the remedy, the separation
2Pac of my generation, blue pill in the fuckin' Matrix
Red rose in the gray pavement
Young black nigga trapped and he can't change it
Know he a genius, he just can't claim it
'Cause they left him no platforms to explain it
He frustrated so he get faded
But deep down inside he know you can't fade him
How long should I stay dedicated?
How long 'til opportunity meet preparation?
I need some real nigga reparations
'Fore I run up in your bank just for recreation
[Chorus: Nipsey Hussle]
Dedication, hard work plus patience
The sum of all my sacrifice, I'm done waitin'
I'm done waitin', told you that I wasn't playin'
Now you hear what I been sayin'
Dedication
It's dedication, look
[Verse 2: Kendrick Lamar]
I spent my whole life thinkin' out the box
Boxin' homies three-on-one, got DP'ed but I ain't drop
Chirp on me, here I come, brrt, spin around the block
They blurped on me, said I ran a stop sign but that's a lie
I spent my whole life starin' at the stage
Playin' Sega, daddy smokin' sherm, mama playin' spades
Catchin' vapors, grandma said I'd get some Jordans for my grades
That's my baby, when she died my heart broke a hundred ways
I spent my whole life tryna make it, tryna chase it
The cycle of a black man divided, tryna break it
You take a loss? Shit, don't cry about it, just embrace it
Minor setback for major comeback, that's my favorite
My nigga L said, "You do a song with Nip, K. Dot, he a better Crip"
I said, "He a man first, you hear the words out his lips
About flourishing from the streets to black businesses?"
Level four, yard livin', given to false imprisonment
Listen close, my nigga
It's bigger than deuces and fours, my nigga
Since elementary we close, my nigga, yeah, straight like that
I give you the game, go back to the turf and give it right back
For generations we been dealt bad hands with bad plans
Prove your dedication by hoppin' out Grand Am's
I'm at the premiere politickin' with Top, Nip, and Snoop
Damn, Pac watchin' the way we grew, from dedication
[Interlude: Kendrick Lamar]
If it ain't congratulate then it look like hate
If it ain't congratulate then it look like what, Nipsey?
Hol' up
[Verse 3: Nipsey Hussle]
Look
This ain't entertainment, it's for niggas on the slave ship
These songs just the spirituals I swam against them waves with
Ended up on shore to they amazement
Now I hope the example I set's not contagious
Lock us behind gates but can't tame us
Used to be, "Stay safe," now it's, "Stay dangerous"
'Cause ain't no point in playin' defense, nigga
That's why I dove off the deep end, nigga, without a life jacket
Couple mil', tour the world, dawg, my life crackin'
Cook the books, bring it back so it's no taxes
Royalties, publishing, plus I own masters
I'll be damned if I slave for some white crackers
I was mappin' this out, I hit the heist backwards
Hoppin' out the eighty-five in Reebok Classics
Ran a couple marathons just to get established
To make it happen, you got to have it
[Chorus: Nipsey Hussle]
Dedication, hard work plus patience
The sum of all my sacrifice, I'm done waitin'
I'm done waitin', told you that I wasn't playin'
Now you hear what I been sayin'
Dedication
It's dedication
Look, my nigga this is dedication, this is anti-hesitation
This a real nigga celebration
This a Dime Blocc declaration
59th and 5th Ave, granny house with vanilla wafers
This the remedy, the separation
2Pac of my generation, blue pill in the fuckin' Matrix
Red rose in the gray pavement
Young black nigga trapped and he can't change it
Know he a genius, he just can't claim it
'Cause they left him no platforms to explain it
He frustrated so he get faded
But deep down inside he know you can't fade him
How long should I stay dedicated?
How long 'til opportunity meet preparation?
I need some real nigga reparations
'Fore I run up in your bank just for recreation
[Chorus: Nipsey Hussle]
Dedication, hard work plus patience
The sum of all my sacrifice, I'm done waitin'
I'm done waitin', told you that I wasn't playin'
Now you hear what I been sayin'
Dedication
It's dedication, look
[Verse 2: Kendrick Lamar]
I spent my whole life thinkin' out the box
Boxin' homies three-on-one, got DP'ed but I ain't drop
Chirp on me, here I come, brrt, spin around the block
They blurped on me, said I ran a stop sign but that's a lie
I spent my whole life starin' at the stage
Playin' Sega, daddy smokin' sherm, mama playin' spades
Catchin' vapors, grandma said I'd get some Jordans for my grades
That's my baby, when she died my heart broke a hundred ways
I spent my whole life tryna make it, tryna chase it
The cycle of a black man divided, tryna break it
You take a loss? Shit, don't cry about it, just embrace it
Minor setback for major comeback, that's my favorite
My nigga L said, "You do a song with Nip, K. Dot, he a better Crip"
I said, "He a man first, you hear the words out his lips
About flourishing from the streets to black businesses?"
Level four, yard livin', given to false imprisonment
Listen close, my nigga
It's bigger than deuces and fours, my nigga
Since elementary we close, my nigga, yeah, straight like that
I give you the game, go back to the turf and give it right back
For generations we been dealt bad hands with bad plans
Prove your dedication by hoppin' out Grand Am's
I'm at the premiere politickin' with Top, Nip, and Snoop
Damn, Pac watchin' the way we grew, from dedication
[Interlude: Kendrick Lamar]
If it ain't congratulate then it look like hate
If it ain't congratulate then it look like what, Nipsey?
Hol' up
[Verse 3: Nipsey Hussle]
Look
This ain't entertainment, it's for niggas on the slave ship
These songs just the spirituals I swam against them waves with
Ended up on shore to they amazement
Now I hope the example I set's not contagious
Lock us behind gates but can't tame us
Used to be, "Stay safe," now it's, "Stay dangerous"
'Cause ain't no point in playin' defense, nigga
That's why I dove off the deep end, nigga, without a life jacket
Couple mil', tour the world, dawg, my life crackin'
Cook the books, bring it back so it's no taxes
Royalties, publishing, plus I own masters
I'll be damned if I slave for some white crackers
I was mappin' this out, I hit the heist backwards
Hoppin' out the eighty-five in Reebok Classics
Ran a couple marathons just to get established
To make it happen, you got to have it
[Chorus: Nipsey Hussle]
Dedication, hard work plus patience
The sum of all my sacrifice, I'm done waitin'
I'm done waitin', told you that I wasn't playin'
Now you hear what I been sayin'
Dedication
It's dedication
more tracks from the album
From the album
- Victory Lap (2018)
Nipsey Hussle popular songs
- Victory Lap
- Double Up
- Racks in the Middle
- Dedication
- Hussle & Motivate
- Blue Laces 2
- Grinding All My Life
- 4 in the Mornin
- Face the World
- Last Time That I Checc’d
- Young Nigga
- Crenshaw and Slauson (True Story)
- Rap Niggas
- Killer
- I Don’t Give a Fucc
- Status Symbol
- Between Us
- I Do This
- Don’t Take Days Off
- Loaded Bases
- Rose Clique
- If U Were Mine
- Overtime
- Bigger Than Life