Ready For Whatever

Hate the price of fame It cost too much (aye yeah boy) And you lame niggas talk too much (aye yeah) I'm ready for whatever, somebody better tell 'em (aye yeah boy) I said I'm ready for whatever, hey, hey, hey Even though my head in the clouds, I'm planted on the pavement How I'm walkin' 'round, people starin' in amazement I play a lot of game, but well-being I ain't playin' with 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 felonies? 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 Think 'cause no ones 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 Orleans niggas comin' in the city Killin' all summer long, ain't nobody pay attention 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 aren't important I'm just tryna let you know that I ain't think I had a choice, for real I had straps in my ride, gotta go to prison You waiting on me to die, you gon' be waiting for a minute (yeah) Boy I'm 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 'cause it cost too much Plus these sucka niggas lame and they talk too much (yeah) That's why I'm ready for whatever, somebody better tell 'em I be here when the smoke clears and everythin' settles, for real For real, for real, aye, for real (yeah, I know what you thinking) I say, when e'rything settles, for real (first Michael Vick, now this, huh?) Aye, for real, aye, for real (naw, not exactly) Let me tell you how this shit went down for real, dog (I say, when e'rything settles for real) I'm a man, I ain't perfect, I admit it, I'm guilty But understand, feel me, I was ridin' filthy 'Cause niggas out there plottin', to rob me and kill me Five-hundred thousand every year spent on security And my future was bright, but now it's gettin' blurry 'Cause 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 'em, now I'm off to prison, period 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 aren't important I'm just tryna let you know that I ain't think I had a choice, for real I had straps in my ride, gotta go to prison You waiting on me to die, you gon' be waiting for a minute (yeah) Boy I'm 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 'cause it cost too much Plus these sucka niggas lame and they talk too much (yeah) That's why I'm ready for whatever, somebody better tell 'em I be here when the smoke clears and everythin' settles, for real For real, for real, aye, for real I say, when e'rything settles, for real Aye, for real, aye, for real (I'll be here) I say, when e'rything settles for real For real, for real, aye, for real (aye, I said listen, homeboy) I say, when e'rything settles, for real (You can talk all you want, man, you know what I'm saying?) Aye, for real, aye, for real (I'll be here) (Everybody's entitled to an opinion, you know what I'm sayin?) (They like yesterdays, everybody got one) I say, when e'rything settles for real Aye, but the fact of the matter remains If you ain't walked 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 Aye, you know I'm smarter than you man You know I'm smarter than you dog Aye, if you think I was just being stupid Shawty I got some muhfuckin' oceanfront property in Idaho for sale, homie (ha ha) If you believe that, I got a bridge in Brooklyn I wanna sell you, partner Aye, 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 home boy I'm done talking --- Ready for Whatever - T.I.