Long Winding Road

I seen it before uh yeah
Hundred Grand Jin uh
Check it check it check it out
I'mma take y'all back on this journey real quick uh
Take y'all back in time
It's an oldie but a goodie
Check me out y'all uh

Aiyyo the streets is quick to talk
Like Jin things ain't been the same since you left 106 and park
Remember when them cats hit you with them Chinese jokes
You came back hard and held it down for Chinese folks (word)
But what else was I suppose to do
You either win or go home its non negotiable
This was 4 yrs ago but when shorties pass my way
They look at me sideways like it was last Friday
Damn ain't that a testament of skill
I took 7 weeks and finessed it into to a deal
Had the hood in a frenzy no question I was ill
Pulled out the R chain and my destiny was sealed
Mo money mo problems ain't that a bitch
So much drama in my life you would think I was rich
Recall my first advance prepared for whats next
Sittin on the train just starin at the check
Copped the used SC 17 cash
Threw the chrome 20s on and put the rest in the stash
Told my fam pack up no more chasin a home
Or stayin at relatives well get a place of our own
And even though the feelin was good
Dont get it twisted naw money we still in the hood
Now a years gone by with no sign of release
What happened to Jin? the buzz startin to die on the streets
As far as rhymes go I ain't never runnin out but
Without distribution I ain't never comin out
Tryin to find my way out of the dumps
Then Learn Chinese dropped and got me out of my slump
Fell out my chair when the shit hit the bassment
Look this ain't just a song its a statement
My intent was never to exploit my descent
When it went national it was a major event
It seems like for everyone one step forward I take
Its three steps back I'm sure you could sorta relate
And the streets know I'm dope on the mic
They the same ones tellin me yo they ain't promotin you right
Ayo Jin how you expect to make a killin
When Damita Jo strugglin to do a million
Yet I'm feelin no regrets on the moves I make
Cause I been the underdog since I came out the gate mothaWHHUT!!

Yeah uh
Ayo Statik I owe you for this one man
Uh huh you know how we do man
Its a new day a new beginning
Oh no no no the story dont stop there
Im just gettin started
Lemme see lemme keep goin y'all
Check it out
Uh uh uh uh uh

Where do I start gota find me a spot
04 thats when THE REST IS HISTORY finally dropped
Did a joint with a Kanye in one single night
Just to find out the Roc wouldn't clear the single rights
Back to the drawin board we go
Got two labels fightin for creative control
Virgins like Jin we need a crossover track
Either that or well just keep pushin ya shit back
Went against my better judgement shot a video for
Senorita a couple of chicks loved it
And thats cause they like to shake in the club
But that song ain't truly show what I'm capable of
Did 20k the first week of release
Didn't cry I just kept workin the streets
When the smoke clear say what you want I
Scanned over 100 thou in less than 12 months
Now you figure thats minus heavy rotation
On every television and radio station
Some say I flopped I say fuck what they think
Over a 100 thousand heads fucked with the chink
And that number only grows at a phenomenal rate
Out of 50 I done ran thru 39 of these states
The love that I receive I'm earnin it
From the SMACK DVD shit to the 50K tournaments
You hear the punch lines and think yeah thats quite ill
When I'm battlin I think about the gas and light bill
And thats barely enough to survive
To the point I might have to get a 9 to 5
Maybe this rap thing just wasn't meant to be
Didn't know it was a 100% me
Upon instinct I decided to quit
Not for publicity but the fire was lit
To burn down what they saw as a decoy
In order to rebuild you gota destroy
So me and Kamel got it poppin
And there you have the birth of the Crafty doctrine
Properganda hit stores I refuse to wait
Sales were mediocre but the reviews were great
I walked down a long winding road just to get here
Follow my footprints theyll never disappear
Yeah