Diamonds
Common feat. Big Sean Lyrics

Walk up in the thing, got my campaign poppin'
I arrived and my presence is already making a statement.

Champagne poppin', bad thing poppin'
There's a party going on and everyone's looking good.

Headed to the door, and ain't a damn thing knockin' (no)
I'm moving forward confidently to what's next and nothing is stopping me.

Walk up in the thing and everybody with me mobbin'
Everyone is here with me and we're moving together as a unit.

I wrote this on my born day, it was a warm day
I started this journey on my birthday, a day that warmed my heart and filled me with hope.

Niggas gotta eat, we gon' do it gourmet
We have to succeed, so we're going to make sure we do it extravagantly.

I'm hearing fuckin' voices, like when porn play
I'm constantly hearing the call of success, like the sounds of pornography.

Stay, stay on your grind like foreplay
Stay focused on working hard like it's a pleasurable act of foreplay.

What more can I say? Diamonds off for the day
There's nothing else to say, I'm taking a break from the grind to enjoy my success and shine like diamonds.

That means to shine, you find a way
If you want to succeed and shine, you need to find a way to make it happen.

Stayed on porches, backyards, and gangways
I stayed in the hood and learned the ways of the streets.

Learned strange ways between Cole and Langley
I learned the secrets of success and survival between two streets, Cole and Langley.

Champagne ambitions
I have high aspirations and dreams of success.

I pour it out for my man who made his transition
I'm celebrating the life of a friend who's passed away and pouring out champagne to honor him.

Wars about paper, pussy, pride and ego
There are many battles fought over money, women, pride, and ego.

Born to fly, call me the bald eagle
I was born to soar and succeed, like the proud symbol of the bald eagle.

Open shows at the Regal for Daddy Kane and Eazy-E though
I opened up shows for legendary rappers Daddy Kane and Eazy-E at the Regal theater.

Boys in the hood is hard like kilos of heroin
Living in the hood is tough and feels like carrying the weight of heavy drugs.

The hero that came from zero
I overcame adversity to become the successful person I am today.

My bars and my PR like Puerto Rico
My skills as a rapper and my public relations game are strong and powerful, like the island of Puerto Rico.

This bra from the DR said I was frío
A woman from the Dominican Republic called me cold, meaning she thinks I'm aloof, emotionally detached, or unfeeling.

That's Ice Cold like Dre, triple three yo
Being called cold is as chill as Dr. Dre's music and as reference to the 333 sound that means angels or spiritual enlightenment.

Pinot noir style, better with time
I age like a fine wine, getting better with time and more refined, like Pinot Noir.

I'm gambling with watches getting better with time
I'm investing in myself and my future, like gambling with valuable watches, and improving with each passing day.

So I'mma ride this out for long as God allow me
I'm going to keep going until my time is up, as long as it's God's will for me.

They say 'time is money', forever is my salary
Time is worth more than money to me, and I'll be forever grateful for it.

I shine tomorrow with what I do today
Success is about building a legacy and achieving lasting greatness, like shining tomorrow with the work you put in today.

Yo, get this money, put the diamonds on display
Let's get rich and show off our success with diamonds and other luxuries.

Hit you with the street sweeper now you gotta get to moppin' (no)
I'm going to hit you with so much force and intensity that you'll need to clean up the mess I made.

Ay, ay, ay , ay , ay, ay, ay, ay
An exclamation of enthusiasm and excitement.

Tryna get it every way, every day
I'm hustling hard every single day and trying to succeed in every way possible.

Bars in alignment, stars in alignment
Everything is coming together perfectly, with my rap skills and celestial bodies in perfect alignment.

Raw off consignment, God's in the diamonds
I'm buying luxury items like jewelry and designer clothes straight from the source, and feel that there's something divine about these possessions.

Evolve from the science, power and refinement
I've grown and evolved thanks to scientific and technological advances, and feel more powerful and refined as a result.

Read between the lines, hard to define us
We're complex and elusive, and you have to look carefully to understand who we are.

Niggas that's behind us, throwing up signs to signify us
People who are following in our footsteps and supporting us are using hand signals to indicate their loyalty.

In the Benz leaning like we biased
We're leaning back comfortably in a luxury car like we have a personal bias or preference for it.

I've seen Len Bias, that shit scared me
I remember the tragic story of Len Bias, a college basketball player who died from a cocaine overdose, and it made me fearful of the dangers of drugs.

You can go pro and blow everything you have in a flash
Getting rich and famous quickly is tempting but can lead to reckless behavior and losing everything just as quickly.

The moment is to live it like your last
We should live our lives fully and passionately, as if every moment could be our last.

Moments that we have never living in the last
The moments we haven't yet experienced are fleeting and soon to be gone forever, so seize them while you can.

My time, man, precious like diamonds
My time is valuable and rare, like precious diamonds.

Look through the glass, see what I magnify man
If you look closely, you can see the greatness I bring out in others and the world around me.

I'mma be shining 'til I die man
I'm going to keep shining bright and achieving great things until my last days on earth.

I'm a rare diamond that's hard to find man
I'm unique and valuable, like a diamond that's rare and difficult to find.

Climbing to the mountain top, MLK day
I'm striving for greatness, like climbing a mountain, and feel inspired by the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. on his holiday.

To the streets I speak my piece like an A.K
I'm expressing myself and my truth boldly, like firing a powerful weapon like an AK-47 in the streets.

47 To 87 to the hundreds
I'm representing multiple Chicago blocks, from the south side (47th street) to the north side (87th street) to the west side (the hundreds).

Jewels I could run it for the hunted and the blunted
I have valuable possessions that I could show off to both the wealthy and successful (the hunted) and the stoned and relaxed (the blunted).

Dreams reflect clarity, ain't no disparity
My dreams are clear and focused, with no discrepancies or confusion.

Between peace and prosperity, so marry me diamond
I want both peace and wealth, and I see these as equally valuable and complementary, like marrying a diamond.

Reminiscing when I had everything on layaway
I remember when I couldn't afford to buy things outright and had to put them on layaway to pay for them over time.

I'm rolling with me and my partner like it was Training Day
I'm moving through life with my close friend or partner, like the characters in the movie Training Day.

Way before the ballin' that was back off in the training days
I was working hard and practicing my skills long before I achieved success and wealth.

I used to hit the barber chair and say 'I need that fadeaway'
I used to ask for a haircut that would make me look sharp and fresh, like basketball player Michael Jordan's signature move, the fadeaway shot.

Had a crush on what's her name, the feelings never fade away
I had a crush on a girl whose name I can't recall, but my feelings for her are still strong.

Older brother gang bang, banging like an 808
My older brother was involved in gang activity, just like the hard-hitting sound of an 808 drum machine.

Said you can't take his chain away
My brother wore a gold chain and considered it a symbol of his status and respect, something that couldn't be taken away.

Real play you can't take his game away
He was skilled and successful in his life and work, and that couldn't be taken away.

Slang away, walk up in this thing like a real Rockefeller
I speak with confidence and authority and move through the world with swagger, like famous businessman John D. Rockefeller.

But you can't take my dame away, devil in a red dress
I'm proud of the woman I'm with and feel like she's incredibly beautiful and alluring, like a devil in a red dress.

But she got that angel face
Despite her devilish beauty, the woman I'm with has a kind, angelic face.

I could teach her how to get it day to day to day to day
I can teach her how to be successful and make money every single day, consistently.

The G code is my combination
I live by the rules of the street and the code of honor among gang members and hustlers.

Catch me off in the bank thumbing through all kinds of faces
I'm making deals and counting money in the bank, flipping through all kinds of bills and currencies.

Catch me in court, beating all kinds of cases
I'm a successful lawyer or defendant in court, winning many legal battles and overcoming various legal challenges.

Weed, money, pussy, liquor, that's my favorite compilation
I enjoy very basic pleasures in life, like smoking weed, making money, having sex, and drinking alcohol.

Diamonds
A reference to the luxury and success that comes with owning diamonds.