Time & Time Again

[Intro]
I heard you rushed and rushed and attacked
Then they rebuked and you had to smack
Causing rambunction throughout the sphere
Raise the levels of the boom inside the ear

[Verse 1]
What's up, kid? I know shit is rough doing your time
Your girl text me acting slick but I don't choose to reply
I know it's probably rough, meant to say congratulations
Your son got straight A's, went to his graduation
And he got the manners that his father has
You only got to ask him once to do something, he says "Roger that"
And Uncle Vinny started to sober up
We tryna get you home, put the Raquel Welch posters up
Nah, I'm playing, I'm just joking around
Remember going to your momma's house and smoking a pound
Remember Ricky coming, Uncle Vinny loading the rounds
He was so high, couldn't tell his ass from a hole in the ground
He poking around, I miss those times
Only thing I can say now is how that delicious wine?

[Hook]
After our cars got shot up, we the fucking victims
But they still got you locked up, fuck the system
They sending shots in the air like a bottle rocket
Remember in the Honda playing Nastradamus
Never wanted that time to end
(I miss my nigga, where you at now, I miss my nigga, where you at now)
I think about it time and time again
(they put my nigga in the rat house, tell these opps they better back down)

[Verse 2]
Life's a Rodeo, no Travis Scott
I remember you used to pull up with the speakers for my brother when Illmatic dropped
At the time, we seemed legendary
We was down to get the cheddar, nigga, any means necessary
Don't even worry if we don't write checks
Because we was writing rhymes, wonder how you ain't signed yet
In the projects like Marcy, lord have mercy on us
They said you'd be out 2023, early August
Remember during rainstorms, we'd sit in a room and brainstorm
On how to get this money so the bills would be paid for
All of them bills, shit, had to postpone it
First pistol ever, shit, you taught me how to hold it
And when I shot my first rifle but couldn't control it
Or when we robbed the Subway
No charges cause your girl's mother owned it, shit
They say they king here, you dethroned that shit
I love you, even if I don't show that shit

[Hook]
After our cars got shot up, we the fucking victims
But they still got you locked up, fuck the system
They sending shots in the air like a bottle rocket
Remember in the Honda playing Nastradamus
Never wanted that time to end
(I miss my nigga, where you at now, I miss my nigga, where you at now)
I think about it time and time again
(they put my nigga in the rat house, tell these opps they better back down)

[Verse 3]
Now, I think the month was November or something
We in school and the teacher, he be lecturing something
You talking bout this lick to hit, we gon' better the budget
Only get a few hundred, but it's better than nothing
Plus we gonna pay the bills, robbing with bandanas on
Come to think about it, you my idol, I'm a Padawan
Shit, we couldn't get no paying jobs
So we hit the lick, before we leave, we praying hard
On the way to the bando, we was playing Nas
Untitled album, inside a breaking car
We open up the door, both of us staying calm
Look into the room, a bunch of people playing cards
On the outside, looking like a spotless house
But this house was hella full, that is not a doubt
"Hope they don't spot us out", you whispering
Little did we know, they was listening, we weren't considering
"Can I help you gentlemen?"
In his hand, I can see him holding the Old Testament
He knew we came to rob him, but a smile still on his face
And my whole motherfucking life changed on this day
He said, "I see you come to rob you, y'all are already prepared
You must want my money, men, I got plenty to share
But I want you to know, you poor starving gentlemen
You never had to rob him just to get to my Benjamin's
Here, take this money, I won't press charges
I've been in the same boat when I lived in West Harlem
I know sometimes this world can be frustrating
But I picked myself up after I started fundraising
But everyone still needs help every once in a while"
Next thing I know, he gave us bucks and a smile
Damn, he was doing us a favor
That money paid the bills and the rent, that nigga was a savior