Dollar and a Dream III
J. Cole Lyrics

Hey, I got a dollar and a dream
I have very little, but I have hope and ambition

That's all a nigga got
I am very poor and don't have much

So if it's 'bout that cream
If there's money to be made

Then I'm all up in the spot
I'm there trying to earn it

Walk with a nigga, I give you my pain
Join me and I will share my struggles with you

So much on my mind I wonder how it fit in my brain
I have a lot weighing on me

Scattered thoughts, dark secrets lead me to a blacker heart
My thoughts and secrets have led me to a dark place

Life can't get any worse, Stevie with his glasses off
Things cannot possibly get worse

'Cause I still don't see hope, lookin' for a quick fix
I'm still struggling and searching for a way out

When everyone I see is broke, get lost in weed smoke
People around me are also struggling, so I turn to drugs to cope

Knowing it make it worse, thoughts roam uncontrollably
I know it's not helping but I can't control my thoughts

Barely trustin' niggas, over a decade they been knowin' me
I don't really trust anyone, even people I've known for a long time

Shit, life at the bottom, nobody but God got 'em
I'm at rock bottom and only God can help me

They say he wouldn't leave me yet I'm fallin' like it's Autumn
Even though I believe in God, I still feel like I'm falling apart

Tell me, what do you do just when you're on your last dollar
What do you do when you have nothing left

And the stress of this mess you're in can make your ass holla?
And the stress of your situation can make you feel like giving up?

Do you fold, grow bitter and grow cold?
Do you give up and become negative?

No longer fightin' now the only thing you grow is old
You stop fighting and just get older

Or do you flip that fuckin' dollar to a dream?
Or do you turn your situation around and make something of yourself?

Whether a scholar or a fiend, watch a pawn become a king
Regardless of your background, you can succeed and become powerful

Young nigga with his jeans low
A young man with low jeans

Nice guy just got a mean flow
A good person with impressive rapping talent

Never seen rich but he's seen po'
Never experienced wealth but knows poverty

Mr. Dolla and a Dream in case you ain't know
My name is Mr. Dolla and a Dream

Armed and ready, you niggas strung out, you spaghetti
I'm prepared for anything, unlike you weaklings

Your paper, confetti, small time, y'all on one, I'm on mine
Your money is worthless, you're small-scale, while I am focused and successful

You logged off 'cause I'm online, small talk from small minds
You gave up because I am still strong and successful, and I don't have time for your petty gossip

I wanna buy the mall but there ain't shit in this small town
I want to achieve great things, but my surroundings are limiting me

This where I get my dough
This is where I earn my money

My niggas make sure that money right and then I rip the show
My crew handles the money, I just focus on performing

I run the town they tried to call me underground
I am successful but some still try to act like I'm underground

I spun around like, you wish
I prove them wrong

Homie my backpack Louis, now watch just how I do this
I have a Louis Vuitton backpack, and I'm going to show off

I got the nerds rappin' hard shit, dummies rappin' smart shit
I have diverse fans, some with impressive intellectual capacity and others with raw talent

Mozart meets Humphrey Bogart with this from the heart shit
My music combines raw emotion and classic style

Play your part, life is but a dream for me
Do your part in my success, as I live my dream

I get a flash of nightmares where niggas scheme on me
I have moments of fear and vulnerability, where I worry about people plotting against me

It's hard to see my enemies, who infiltrated my team?
It's difficult to spot people who may be trying to sabotage me

I take a step back and notice that things ain't what they seem
I sometimes need to remove myself to see the fuller picture

That's when a nigga refocus, yeah I turn on them high beams
I refocus and become more vigilant

I got that red dot waitin', I'm wastin' your whole regime
I have a plan to take down my enemies

I wish a nigga would, boy you can't out-smart me
I dare someone to try and outsmart me

I let you feel like you the shit, but boy you can't out-fart me
I may let someone feel good, but I am still in control

You never, have it, I know you want what I got
You never had what it takes, and you envy me

But nigga you ain't me, but you are what I'm not
You may not be me, but you lack what I have

And that's a phony ass, lonely ass, Cole is what you know me as
You only know me as Cole, a successful artist, but my life is more complex than that

But we far from homies, if you know my mama, you know me
We aren't friends, but if you know my family, you know me well

If you don't then well I'm sorry, you should get to know Kay
If you don't know my family, you should get to know them, especially my mom

Man she been workin' too hard, I should send her a bouquet
My mom deserves appreciation for her hard work, so I want to buy her flowers

My goal this year is a real one, gonna stack a million
My goal this year is to earn one million dollars

And as soon as I do, mama that 9 to 5 is through
Once I achieve my goal, I can support my mom and she won't have to work a 9 to 5 job

And I know I ain't been callin', but I'm thinkin' 'bout you
I know I haven't kept in touch, but I'm still thinking of you

And all the shit that you been through
And all the difficult experiences you've had to endure

My girl and then my brother too
My girlfriend and my brother have also been through tough times

'Cause this life get hard on this road, yeah it's true
This lifestyle can be very difficult and challenging on the road

I don't never tell you how much I be stressin', but I do
I don't always express how much I'm stressing, but I am

But I suck it up for who? My fans, and my mans
But I endure it for my fans and my crew

Who probably never ever had this type of lifestyle in they plans
They probably never imagined this type of lifestyle for themselves

Hoppin' in and out of vans, on the buses, on the planes
Traveling constantly between shows

Gettin' brain from a bitch and thinkin' 'God damn, what's her name?'
Having casual sex and forgetting the other person's name

Sometimes I just shake my head and tell myself this is a shame
Sometimes I'm disappointed in my own behavior

And then my other side kick in like 'Bitch don't be so fuckin' lame'
But then my other side tells me to stop being so critical of myself

Dang, what a life, another day, another night
What a life, always on the go

At times this shit is all blurry, pray and hope that God heard me
Sometimes my life feels confused and I turn to prayer

Just for those praying for me, man I know that y'all worry
I am aware that people are praying for me and care about my well-being

But I ain't never failed and you can bet I never will
I have never failed and I am determined to keep succeeding

Hey

'Cause nigga that's life, and trust me I'm livin'
This is just how life goes, but I'm still living it to the fullest

Look what a nigga made out the shit that I was given
Look at what I've achieved despite my difficult circumstances

Got a dollar and a dream
I started with almost nothing

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