Maria

[Intro]
Maria (Hey-y-y-y-ya Maria)
Maria (don't you hear me calling, Maria?)
Maria (girl you know you are the only one)

[Verse 1]
See Maria always wanted to compete
My best friend, though she always tried to outdo young Na'Tee
She flashed it, the bitch was massive, I'm sitting past it
Engagement ring, a couple karats, discussing marriage
Since middle school, we both got ridiculed by our peers
Until our titties and rears started to grow in the mirrors
Shared secrets & fears, shed clothes, shed tears
When her daddy died, I told her mine had been dead for years
Like a sister to me, so I guess she thought I was hatin'
When she got engaged to that dog nigga she datin', I call him Satan
But pardon that, you can call him Black
Was a Harlem cat, a baller cat, used to ball up crack
That ain't all the facts, nice house in the cul de sac
But the talk is dead, deep down he was an awful cat
And I told her, but Maria got colder as we got older
Her daddy OD'd on rock so that left one on her shoulder
One as big as a boulder
So any nigga that showed up in her life
Ain't no thinking twice, she was thinking wife
"Are you thinking right?
If so you got my wishes
If not, don't call me when he fuckin with them other bitches"
She called me jealous, I felt I wasn't
She yelling that I was just mad cuz I ain't snag a husband
"Ok that does it, get the fuck out
Don't call me with that maid of honor shit you prima-donna bitch
Acting like you lackin common sense"
Hadn't been 'round her since
It's been some years now
That's why I can't believe I'm in here wiping tears now
In the bathroom, what's gon happen to her kid now?
Wait...let me rewind it
My train of thought, let me find it...damn

Got a little ahead of myself there
Aight, bring it back, I got it

[Verse 2]
Word on the street is Maria got a Jeep
One day I saw her at the light, kid in the baby seat
Petty, we ain't even speak, shit I felt a little hurt
Ex-best friend, and I didn't even know she gave birth
She just smirked
Shit, I know Black got that work
And I heard she walk around with a few thousand in her purse
Meanwhile I'm public housing, no Lou-bout-ins
Sittin at the bus stop poutin' cuz my car broke
"But she 'pose to be a fuckin star tho!"
Is what I heard Maria said in the hood
It crushed my ego
She sped off, I uttered "you gon see, ho"
Years later, I'm moving major
Hard to get the hood to simmer down, since they heard I run with Russell Simmons now
Spinning 'round blocks, windows tinted (?)
As I pulled up to the light, and my window got a knock
From a young kid, he looked like he was 7 or 8
As I handed him a $10, I got to stare in his face
He ran back to this woman with a basket
In an alley with a mattress
It hurt my heart to see all this shit happen
So I parked and grabbed two $100s as I walked up to this woman
Dirty as hell and smelled & I was wearing Chanel
Gave her the cash and bailed, that was the plan...
Until I heard her say "Na'Tee, you was right 'bout that man"
Goddamn, it's Maria, it fucked me up to see her
Although we had our differences, it hurt my heart to witness this
I cried...told her & her son to hop in the ride
Didn't know where I was headed, I just threw it in drive
Tears fell from my eyes as I heard her describe
How she got pregnant for Black and he introduced her to crack
He used to beat her so bad and she decided to pack
For the last year and a half she had been working the trap
And all I could do is stare at the kid in the back
It crushed my spirit just hearing that he was living through that
Fuck what you heard, that's my nigga, that's my nerve
She's forgiven for that time back when she left me on that curb
Told her selling her body isn't something she deserved
And I know her well enough to know it's not what she preferred
I'm contemplating...should I offer up my guest room?
Or will I wake up with shit missing out my next room ?
Should I be the friend she never was to me?
Or should I have left her like when she left me in that jeep ?
Fuck it, my thinking, gave her more Franklins
Pulled up in my neighborhood
Made it my mission to make sure this lady and her baby good
She saw my house and started sobbing out loud
Told me she always knew I'd make it, I'm making her proud

Next morning I'm yawning, went to check if she straight
Saw her son was asleep
I'm guessing she was awake
She was nowhere in sight
But I saw the bathroom light
I knocked & said "Maria did you sleep well thru the night?"
No answer
I knock again, I'm not convinced this bitch don't hear me
A few more knocks and I got weary
I opened the door...she was hanging from the ceiling
I dropped to the floor, I can't describe what I was feeling
Saw a note on the sink
It said "Dear Na'Tee
My son deserves to be raised by someone like you, not me
Why me?
You forgave me, yesterday you could've played me
And I only grabbed this rope cuz I'm doing this for my baby
Goodbye"