Practice
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib Lyrics


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Yeah
I had it all
This one, that one
I thought it was tight, tight new situation
But you know what I mean, I'm fooling myself, you know what I'm saying?

Yeah, yeah, my nigga, I'm what she paid for
She 'bout to get off work at the club, I used to wait for her
Fucking up my whole family structure to clear the day for her
When I was going through problems at home, I should have prayed more
Dear Lord, but I didn't
So I'm tangled in this position
Made a commitment to both of these women and never considering both of they feelings
I got too deep so after I beat I should've just deaded it from the beginning
'Cause I admit that I got a bit jealous when she was at Floyd crib stripping
And that ain't like me, this ain't the right me, but that ain't her fault
She call my phone with all the tough talk, I went the fuck off
Wasn't seeking another relationship, I just needed to duck off
Got a cool new bitch in the boonies, that pussy, I knock the dust off
When all the trust lost
Sometimes the love is soon to follow
Wifey'll put me out the crib and tell me to come back home tomorrow
When I got caught the fuck up, she hit me with the ultimatum
You need to come home with your daughter, nothing more important than your baby
Drugs got me crazy

Uh, yeah
You know what I'm sayin', nigga?
Shit's crazy, man
Selling dope, smoking dope, you know what I'm saying, all that
All that shit, being around shit, yeah
Push you to the limit, you know what I mean?
Or you past the limit, you know what I mean?
These streets and these hoes don't love you
You don't feel no love out here, nigga

Get it, like Meech and Slick say, but she no comprende
When I'm chopping shit up like a sensei to get to rent day
My trunk got more blocks than Dikembe
The DEA, they snatched my black ass straight up out of first class flying from Midway (Damn)
One foot in rap, one foot in the trap
But I'm really trapping for my homies, they too incompetent for this balancing act
If they really love me, they'd be keeping me from it, to keep it a hundred
How you complain about the price when you getting everything fronted?
Weed, heroin and 'caine flips was my main bitch
She tried to make me go to counseling but that ain't change shit
Searching for licks up in the streets, they come and go like Pokémon
Don't get no R-E-S-P-E-C-T from my baby mama's mom
Put some respect up on my name like Beatrice, men in a mattress
Fake love, I really don't need it like Allen ain't need the practice
Hell yeah nigga, we talking about practice
How I'm gonna break up with the streets?
I got the questions but I can't find the answers
Delicate circumstances

Yeah
It's gon' be alright though
Have the bitches there, you know what I'm sayin'?
At the end of the day, yeah
Instagram, Snapchat get you locked up
Hard to sit in the city and shit, you know what I'm sayin'?
Niggas and these bitches




Ain't no love in this situation at all, you know what I'm sayin'?
Yeah, uh

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Freddie Gibbs and Madlib's "Practice" tell a story of a man struggling to balance his relationships with two women and his drug dealing lifestyle. The first verse sees Gibbs reflecting on his past mistakes, admitting that he let down his family and himself by focusing on a woman who he now sees as not worth his time. He acknowledges that he was selfish and didn't consider the feelings of both women involved, leading to him being caught up in a complicated situation.


The second verse focuses more explicitly on his drug dealing lifestyle and the danger that comes with it. Gibbs talks about being caught by the DEA and the trap lifestyle being a balancing act that can easily go wrong. He also references his baby mama's mother not respecting him and fake love, questioning why he needs it at all. The final lines show him struggling to break up with the streets and finding himself in delicate circumstances.


Overall, "Practice" provides insight into the struggles faced by those involved in drug dealing and the complications that arise from trying to maintain multiple relationships. It is a raw and honest portrayal of a lifestyle that is often glamorized in popular culture.


Line by Line Meaning

Yeah
Acknowledging a statement or comment made by the singer.


I had it all
I had everything I wanted.


This one, that one
Referring to different women he was involved with.


I thought it was tight, tight new situation
I thought I had found a good new situation with these women.


But you know what I mean, I'm fooling myself, you know what I'm saying?
I know deep down that I am lying to myself about this situation and I need to be honest.


Yeah, yeah, my nigga, I'm what she paid for
The woman I am with is only interested in me because of the material things I can provide for her.


She 'bout to get off work at the club, I used to wait for her
I used to wait for her outside of the club when she got off work.


Fucking up my whole family structure to clear the day for her
I sacrificed my relationship with my family to make time for her.


When I was going through problems at home, I should have prayed more
I should have relied on my faith more during the difficult times.


Dear Lord, but I didn't
I did not turn to God for help.


So I'm tangled in this position
I am stuck in this difficult situation.


Made a commitment to both of these women and never considering both of they feelings
I made a commitment to both women without ever considering or caring about their feelings.


I got too deep so after I beat I should've just deaded it from the beginning
I became too deeply involved with both women, and should have just ended it from the start.


'Cause I admit that I got a bit jealous when she was at Floyd crib stripping
I was jealous when one of the women was stripping at Floyd Mayweather's house.


And that ain't like me, this ain't the right me, but that ain't her fault
I am not usually a jealous person, but this situation brought out an unfamiliar side of me.


She call my phone with all the tough talk, I went the fuck off
When one of the women called me and talked tough, I got angry and lashed out.


Wasn't seeking another relationship, I just needed to duck off
I was not actively seeking another relationship, but needed to take some time away from these two women.


Got a cool new bitch in the boonies, that pussy, I knock the dust off
I found a new woman in a remote area, and we had sex for the first time.


When all the trust lost
When all trust was lost between me and the other two women.


Sometimes the love is soon to follow
Sometimes when love is lost, it can return again soon after.


Wifey'll put me out the crib and tell me to come back home tomorrow
My wife will kick me out of the house, but will also tell me to come back home the next day.


When I got caught the fuck up, she hit me with the ultimatum
When I got caught up in the situation with these women, my wife gave me an ultimatum.


You need to come home with your daughter, nothing more important than your baby
My wife told me to come home with our daughter, as nothing is more important than her.


Drugs got me crazy
I am acting irrationally because of my drug use.


You know what I'm sayin', nigga?
Asking for confirmation from his friend.


Shit's crazy, man
This situation is insane.


Selling dope, smoking dope, you know what I'm saying, all that
Engaging in drug dealing and drug use.


Push you to the limit, you know what I mean?
The drug game can push a person to their limits.


Or you past the limit, you know what I mean?
Or you may have already crossed the point of no return.


These streets and these hoes don't love you
The streets and the women involved in this lifestyle do not truly care for you.


Get it, like Meech and Slick say, but she no comprende
Understanding the drug game, as Meech and Slick do, but one of the women did not understand it.


When I'm chopping shit up like a sensei to get to rent day
When I am preparing or selling drugs to make money for rent day.


My trunk got more blocks than Dikembe
My car's trunk contains more bricks of drugs than Dikembe Mutombo's block record in basketball.


The DEA, they snatched my black ass straight up out of first class flying from Midway (Damn)
The Drug Enforcement Administration arrested him while he was flying first class from Midway airport.


One foot in rap, one foot in the trap
Juggling a career in music with a life of drug dealing.


But I'm really trapping for my homies, they too incompetent for this balancing act
Dealing drugs to support his friends who are not capable of balancing a legitimate career with drug dealing.


If they really love me, they'd be keeping me from it, to keep it a hundred
If his friends truly cared for him, they would try to keep him away from the drug game.


How you complain about the price when you getting everything fronted?
Why are you complaining about the cost of drugs, when someone else is already fronting you everything?


Weed, heroin and 'caine flips was my main bitch
Dealing marijuana, heroin, and cocaine is where he made his main profits.


She tried to make me go to counseling but that ain't change shit
One of the women tried to make him go to counseling, but it did not change anything.


Searching for licks up in the streets, they come and go like Pokémon
Searching for opportunities to make money in the streets, but they are fleeting and temporary.


Don't get no R-E-S-P-E-C-T from my baby mama's mom
He does not receive any respect from his child's grandmother.


Put some respect up on my name like Beatrice, men in a mattress
Asking the women to show him more respect, like the women in the film 'Menace II Society' who put money on a man's name when he went to prison, so he would not get beaten up.


Fake love, I really don't need it like Allen ain't need the practice
He does not need fake love from the women, like how former NBA player Allen Iverson did not need to practice to be good.


Hell yeah nigga, we talking about practice
Referencing Allen Iverson's famous quote about not needing to practice.


How I'm gonna break up with the streets?
Asking how he can leave the life of drug dealing behind.


I got the questions but I can't find the answers
He has questions about how to leave the drug game, but does not know how to do it.


Delicate circumstances
The situation is very sensitive and difficult to handle.


At the end of the day, yeah
In the end, ultimately.


Instagram, Snapchat get you locked up
Social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat can lead to getting arrested.


Hard to sit in the city and shit, you know what I'm sayin'?
It is difficult to stay in the city and not continue in the life of drug dealing.


Niggas and these bitches
Referring to other men and the women involved in this lifestyle.


Ain't no love in this situation at all, you know what I'm sayin'?
There is absolutely no love present in this lifestyle.


Yeah, uh
Closing out the song with ad-libbed sounds.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Donny Hathaway, Frederick Tipton, Otis Jackson

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@Awax1

Does anyone else play this song over n over? That smooth beat, those in depth lyrics, Bandana is timeless already shiiit

@acaldwe1174

Already...

@AndreMillwood

I have it on repeat once I'm working

@ruizxcix

Yes

@bwest221

played it back about 10 times today before i even read this comment. you are spot on

@tevphillips1983

Ten times a day for me... Give or take

11 More Replies...

@chevielovelass5337

Every beat on this album is top tier

@neilb3332

this an underrated one

@ThePrometheus617

I am so impressed and happy with all these beats

@thedecayedones

On a gah damn iPad

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