Influences

[Verse 1]
Uh, I still remember the day I bought that Lecrae album
If I hadn't, swear my life wouldn't have had the same outcome
Routine trapped me in the middle like my name is Malcolm
The music made it feel like prison I was breakin' out of
Headphones blast from mornin' 'til the late night
All the rhythms made me feel like I could take flight
So I spent all my time starin' up at great heights
'Cause I looked up to rappers like I wish I had the same lifе
Seems an unreachable goal for an introvert
I nеver talked much, so I resort to pin the hurt
On pages, I remember every unfinished verse
They were mostly all wack with some decent rhymes interspersed
But I kept at it, grown so much it became habit
'Til I fiend for it like a meth addict, the ninth and first
But I'ma marry the game like a stepdaddy, I'm studyin' legends
I'm doin' impressions and learnin' my lessons to master the methods
'Cause I'm determined to achieve wishes, never really felt I need riches
See, this is for the people tryna block my shine like eclipses
I still come in first like prefixes, I remember makin' diss tracks
And voice memo remixes—now look how far I've come
Man, it's crazy, been grindin' on the daily
I've been tryin' a while to find my set and my style
Now I make music inspired by all the music that made me
So I'm

[Chorus]
Ridin' through my city and I'm bumpin' my influences
Ridin' through my city and I'm bumpin' my influences
When people rockin' wit' me, man, I feel like 'Pac and Biggie
So I'm ridin' through my city and I'm bumpin' my influences
Ridin' through my city and I'm bumpin' my influences
Ridin' through my city and I'm bumpin' my influences
When people rockin' wit' me, man, I feel like 'Pac and Biggie
So I'm ridin' through my city and I'm—ridin' through my c—ridin' through my c—

[Verse 2]
I still remember the day I bought me that Kendrick album
If I hadn't, swear this life would have a different outcome
Still ain't interested in whether or not my wrist is platinum
Just all the respect the veterans got and I wish to have some
Yeah, and I was like twelve when Joey dropped '99
Started downloadin' mixtapes off Datpiff online
Hope my mom doesn't notice, she don't like explicit lyrics
It's all over if she hears it
Aw man, adolescent days, my adolescent ways
Because bump like adolescent faces, adolescent phases
I'm just bein' angry, throwin' on some Eminem and Weezy
Showin' no love to imaginary enemies
I been a beast, they killin' beasts, that's an itty bitty kiddy lease
But always kept they head in in case people wasn't feelin' me
It's killin' me, but everyone I knew associated rappin' with some villainy
Nah, they ain't get it, so I hops into the room, lovin' undercover prodigy
While keepin' God with me to fight my Mephistopheles
And get 'em up out of me, I ain't the same, I been an anomaly
I hope the past profit to my progeny
And life is short, so I spit at a speedy velocity (Yeah)
I may not grip a heater, but I'll always blast the Tech N9ne
Maybe only 5'11", but I'm feelin' like I'm 6'5", I'm in a giant
They can't minimize us starin' at the game from the outside, never been inside it
Had to learn to use my logic every time I'm under pressure
Shouts to Cole, shouts to Mix, shouts to Lupe and K.R.I.T
Shoutout T.D.E., Strange Musik, 116
Thanks to anyone who clapped for when they put their words together
You're the ones who taught me how to put these emcees on a stretcher
And always made it better every time that I felt less alive
Changin' in capacities that I cannot measure to forever
Man, I'll be

[Chorus]
Ridin' through my city and I'm bumpin' my influences
Ridin' through my city and I'm bumpin' my influences
Ridin' through my city and I'm bumpin' my influences
When people rockin' wit' me, man, I feel like 'Pac and Biggie
So I'm ridin' through my city and I'm bumpin' my influences
Ridin' through my city and I'm bumpin' my influences
When people rockin' wit' me, man, I feel like 'Pac and Biggie
So I'm ridin' through my city and I'm bumpin' my influences
Ridin' through my city and I'm bumpin' my influences
Ridin' through my city and I'm bumpin' my influences
When people rockin' wit' me, man, I feel like 'Pac and Biggie
So I'm—feel like 'Pac and Biggie, so I'm—feel like 'Pac and Biggie, so I'm—