The third track from SonReal’s “The Lightyear Mixtape”. This track features SonReal recounting his efforts to be like other famous rappers, only to find out it was better just to be himself.
I tried to be the man, I tried to be the boss
Even grew my beard out like Rick Ross
Tried to be Kanye but I really ain't stunned
Tried to be Snoop but I don't really smoke blunts
Tried to be hood just like Prodigy
But my mum ain't approve, we from country
A state drive so I tried to be loud like Biggie Smalls but my voice too.. high
So i tried to get crunk like Lil Jon, just got loser pissed and passed out on my lawn
Tried to get Cool J looking all diesel, three buck sixty five still looking feeble
So I tried to get sexy like Ne-Yo, took off my shirt, chest hairy like Leo, so I put it back on, remain real calm
Try to be like everybody else and play dumb
But it just don't work cos I'm a star, try to make it rain and buy out the bar
Hundred drinks later yeah we feeling super drunk. Last night i was the man, this morning I'm a bum
So I try to be like Jay and get my shit straight, buy myself a suit and watch the paper accumulate but that ain't work so i tried to be Wayne, work real hard on my mix-tape game
Did a hundred records in about three hours, put 'em on the streets the response all sour
Back to the drawing boards, I'm trying to be the man, I'm sick and tired of trying but quit putting it into plan
So i try to throw a party, just like Miley in the USA but I'm a Canadian oldie
That shit flopped, like eight people showed and made my street team go in a white van, yo
[Hook]
I try, and I tried and I tried and I tried and I tried but it ain't working
Back to the drawing board again, feeling so alone here with my pen
Um, so I tried to be Drake, where the promo never ends
Got banned from Facebook for spamming all my friends
So I tried to be a little more laid back, called up Debbie the Doo but he ain't rung back
Tried to be Pharrell, true Jack of all trades
Made a beat, sang, danced, rapped all in one day
Problem is, only one of the four was a keeper
Still waiting for Debbie to call, keep glancing at my beeper
While I tried to be dark, like Linkin Park
Turns out my piano skills ain't too sharp
So i try to be Em, just stick to the mic
But the only thing we had in common was our skin is umm.. right
I tried to be so famous, stroll through my city feeling like these cats hate us?
Till some people ask, why don't you entertain us?
Choke on the freestyle, i feel so nameless
So i try to be Asher Roth, try and throw this beat
I love college, but never knew what they tryna teach
Just like K-Rez, one is big mallin'
Show up at a high school, tryna get some honeys
Reppin in the halls of the new slick, principal say no, call the cops n shit
Start walking away, keep it super D-L
Just like incognito but I kinda saw the fell
Right down a ten stair, cracked my head, got right back up like Mary Blige did
Just goes to show that if you try too hard, might wind end up saying something like these bars
[Hook]