The Battlefield

Said I've been

Oh, said I've been

On the battlefield

For a long, long time

Ayo, I'm back after nine years, that's thirty-six seasons

Shit has changed up for all types of reasons

Staten Island ain't the same, shit is lame

No familiar faces, son, I'm dodging the game

I want a clean slate, but these cops straight screwin'

Snatchin' me up off the block, what am I doin'?

Oh, it's officer Dingle and his sidekick Berry

Driving me around the hood so I could worry

See how fucked up it is, crackheads on every corner

Kids in the schoolyard smokin' marijuana

I ain't feelin' it, this ain't the way I left these blocks

And my name faded out like some old damn socks

I want respect, these streets was my playground once

I was the mack, crossed a hundred and ten funny stunts

Not once would a nigga test me or get zesty

I would walk down the streets and sneeze, they all blessed me

Been on the battlefield

For a long, long time

I can see life closing in

On this old body of mine

Yeah, homie, I'm the kingpin called future

Makin' a killin' in these buildings

And the millions got 'em feelin' like Brewster

Shit hot as Fallujah, kids grown, now they cock Rugers

Welcome back to the sewers, where new whips maneuver

No kids playin', no safe and sound havens

There's trey pound cases on the playground pavement

No more dudes with twenty-twos in their sneaker soles

Kids tote shit that leave your body with ether holes

I'm that neighborhood blizzard floodin' these streets with snow

Heavy iron on the ready, my shit'll crease your clothes

Keep a flock of the sweetest hoes, yeah, I sleeps with those

Little slum young Keyshia Coles with cheaper clothes

Undercovers all around the gutter, they creepin' low

I stays ahead, kid, I toss bread like pizza dough

I keep a temp around my torso with the piece below

That bulldog short nose, he be at peace with those, you know?

Been on the battlefield

For a long, long time

I can see life closing in

On this old body of mine

Momma Bear was the church woman, Pops skated off

I was impaired, an introverted youngin', a lot changed my course

From nowhere to my first onion, then them cops came across

Flashed the badge, took my stash, told my little ass, "Get lost"

Threw me off when my grind was prime time then

You could step on and stretch mines to a nine times ten

I was gone, rememberin' though that that fine line's thin

So I studied the chessboard and we were all blind men

Dealers ran the streets, but the D's ran them

I was a killer underneath, but needed expansion

Somethin' to constitute bein' high in the coupe

The cries from my youth, so I applied for the suit

Salute to the enforcer, call me officer now

Supporter of paraphernalia, I toss it around

The link to the cartel, crosses is down

This that Denzel in Training Day shit, crossin' my grounds

Been on the battlefield

For a long, long time

I can see life closing in

On this old body of mine