“War Ready” is produced by British electronic artist James Blake. The song opens and closes with a sample of André 3000’s last verse on “ATLiens.”
A snippet of the track was premiered during an episode of the HBO series Ballers on July 24, 2016.
[Intro: Andre 3000]
Softly as if I played piano in the dark
Found a way to channel my anger now to embark
The world's a stage and everybody's got to play their part
God...with the signal clear as day
Put my Glock, put my Glock away I got a stronger weapon
That never runs out of ammunition so I'm ready for war, okay
Put my Glock away I got a stronger weapon
That never runs out of ammunition so I'm ready for war, okay
Put my Glock away I got a stronger weapon
That never runs out of ammunition so I'm ready for war, okay
[Chorus: Vince Staples]
Born ready, war-ready
Born ready, war-ready
Born ready, war-ready
War ready, your boys lost already
Born ready, war-ready
Born ready, war-ready
Born ready, war-ready
War ready, your boys lost already
[Verse 1: Vince Staples]
My bitch look like Mona Lisa
Hammers busting like a soda in the freezer
Think of heading to Ibiza
Need a breather from the tripping
Either that or my brains to the ceiling
Bite the bullet, tryna fight the feeling
Fuck around and pull it, push it to the limit
Ain't a thang to a G
Life give you lemons, nigga hang from a tree
Cold game all came in a dream
Woke up feeling like the walls caved in
Fought to the death, never gave in
Write that on the grave that I get laid in
Heaven, Hell, free or jail, same shit
County jail bus, slave ship, same shit
A wise man once said that a black man better off dead
So I'm war-ready
[Chorus: Vince Staples]
Born ready, war-ready
Born ready, war-ready
Born ready, war-ready
War ready, your boys lost already
Born ready, war-ready
Born ready, war-ready
Born ready, war-ready
War ready, your boys lost already
[Verse 2: Vince Staples]
Learned the power of words when we was younger
Saying fuck the sign on his curb can make him hunt you
Turned the African into the nigga then they hung him
Said it earlier in the verse, sometimes I wonder
Who the activist and who the Devil's advocate
Or do it matter? Shit
They only fucking with the rapper if the rapper rich
Or got a platinum hit
A chain or two
Seem the music interchangeable
Raging bull, what you headed for?
Heaven doors, or hell below
I write directions for the road to let you know
Edgar Allen Poe
Tried to warn 'em of demise and all he seen was crows
Feel for 'em, words, we kill for 'em
Leave the bitchin' to the birds, we still war'n
Born ready, you boys lost already
All in 'til the lord get me
[Outro: Andre 3000]
Put my Glock away I got a stronger weapon
That never runs out of ammunition so I'm ready for war, okay
War Ready was written by James Blake & Big Boi & André 3000 & Vince Staples.
War Ready was produced by James Blake.
Vince Staples released War Ready on Thu Aug 25 2016.