It's Whatever
Joe Budden Lyrics

Whatever it takes, to find a way
I'm willing to do whatever it takes to find a solution or overcome obstacles

I'ma do whatever it takes, to find a way
I am determined to do everything necessary to achieve my goals

Aiy, I'm dealing with some shit homey, it's in the back of my head
I have some personal issues and struggles that are constantly on my mind

And it's some shit homey, but I just rap it instead
Instead of directly confronting my problems, I express them through my music

See I got wolverine bones in me
I have incredible strength and resilience, like Wolverine

But the whole world is throwin' stones at me like they all gotta bone with me
Everyone seems to be criticizing and attacking me, as if they all have a personal grudge

Got a child's mother, and I hate her to death
I have a complicated relationship with the mother of my child and a strong resentment towards her

But that's my child's mother, so that's my mate to the death
Despite my negative feelings, I will always have a bond with her because we share a child

That's why how I love her for puttin' little me here
I appreciate her for giving birth to my child and bringing me into this world

And me and huck'll beef forever, she gon still be there
Even though we have conflicts, she will always be a part of my life

And there's some other niggaz, I just a character role
There are other people in my life who play minor or insignificant roles

Be they some other niggaz, now let's get back to the song
But let's not focus on them, let's return to the main topic of the song

I got a drug problem, but I ain't tell the truth
I struggle with substance abuse but haven't been honest about it

Because I got enough problems
I already have a lot of issues to deal with

And my solution is to stuff problems
I try to ignore my problems and bury them deep inside

But if something goes wrong with that
If this coping mechanism fails me

Then it's back to PCP and so long with rap
I may resort to using drugs again as a way to cope, which could negatively affect my career in rap

See I'm depressed lately, but nobody understands
I've been feeling depressed, but it seems like nobody truly comprehends my struggles

That I'm depressed lately, I'm sorta feeling repressed lately
I'm not just feeling down, but also oppressed and stifled

But y'all been hearin' and seein' me less lately
You may have noticed that I've been less active and visible lately

Like it's anyone noticed the redress lately
It seems like nobody has noticed or paid attention to my attempts to address these issues

Look deep nigga don't I seem stressed lately
If you observe closely, you can see that I've been under a lot of stress lately

Seem disturbed, a lot of repress lately
My behavior may seem erratic or disturbed due to all the repression I've been experiencing

I got a company that I'm signed to
I am signed to a record label company

But they ain't in my company, when all I need is some company
The record label doesn't provide me with the support and companionship I need

When I start feelin' like everybody's done with me
Sometimes I feel like everyone has abandoned or given up on me

I tryna see what everybody want with me
I'm trying to understand what people expect or want from me

Then the mistress, yeah, the girl from ten minutes it's hard
Then there's the woman I had a brief encounter with, it's complicated

Now I'm needing ten minutes from heart
Now I'm trying to find solace or reassurance from my own heart

I can't get into it, but I want y'all to know
I can't fully explain or disclose the details, but I want you to be aware

That I'll get into it, but I'll save that for the growth
I will eventually address it, but I'll reserve it for personal growth and reflection

Then it's rap beef, but I'm so secure with me
Then there's the conflicts in the rap industry, but I have confidence in myself

It's only rap beef, I don't need se-see you-rity (never)
These are just verbal disputes in the music world, I don't need security or protection

Want to get at me, want to go to war with me
People want to challenge and engage in conflicts with me

That's just one phone call for me
But I have the power to easily handle or resolve these situations

Check the shit, I got a whole hood, that don't appreciate
Despite the negativity, I have a community of people who don't fully appreciate or understand me

It's not the whole hood that appreciates me
Not everyone in my community recognizes or values my contributions

What you gon' tell me, when it's the streets that made me
Don't try to tell me who I am, because it's the experiences and challenges of the streets that shaped me

And I won't let the belly of the beast degrade me
I won't allow the harsh realities of life to diminish my self-worth

And then it's rap critics, they say all I make dance music
Critics claim that all my music is focused on dancing and lacks depth

But there almost anything you can dance to it
But in reality, my music can be enjoyed and danced to in various ways

They ain't like the single, so they ain't copped that album
Because they didn't like my single, they didn't bother buying the whole album

Wouldn't give a chance to it, not a second glance to it
They didn't even give it a chance and didn't give it a second look

They say he wines to much, he's too bitter
They criticize me for complaining too much and being too resentful

They call it complaining, I call it explaining
I consider it more as explaining my struggles rather than just complaining

I know 'em niggaz cooked it, caught up in the gaming
I know these critics have an agenda and are caught up in their own game

Lose they mind and y'all call it entertainment
When these critics lose their sanity or mental stability, people see it as entertainment

Some shit with me, a dude's been knew that
I've been dealing with some personal issues that people were already aware of

But I'm gambling a lot and I ain't used to do that
But now I'm taking risks and engaging in behaviors I'm not accustomed to

Rap ain't payin' the bills, it's mo money mo problems
Rap alone is not generating enough income, and more money leads to more problems

Or it's no money mo problems
Alternatively, not having enough money also creates its own set of problems

All enormous when you play at these stakes
The challenges become enormous when you're involved in high-stakes situations

That's how it feels to have a warrant on a famous face
It's a unique experience to have legal troubles as a famous person

Then the album's pushed back, cause they say he needs a single at the moment
My album release gets delayed because they think I need a new single to gain attention

But what he needs is a single moment
But what I really need is just one significant moment to make an impact

Then I'm involved in the 'he say she say (that)
Then I'm caught up in rumors and gossip

Send my mind on replay, each day
It constantly occupies my mind and replays in my thoughts every day

Then it's the bullshit that she save he's gave
Then there are false accusations and lies that she spreads

Cause she wouldn't like to think that he ain't like her
She refuses to believe that I am not interested in her

Just cause she was throwing it at me and I ain't touch her
Just because she made advances towards me doesn't mean I reciprocated them

She'll say anything psych, but I ain't want to fuck her
She may say anything to twist the situation, but I never wanted to have a sexual relationship with her

I don't feel good, so I won't want to go to a club
I'm not in a good mental state, so I have no desire to go to parties or social events

Don't want to go to a lounge, just want to lounge
I don't want to go out to a lounge, I just want to relax and do nothing

Then the same sweater that I had on for days
I've been wearing the same sweater for days on end

The same t I had on for a week what I got on, it speaks
I've been wearing the same t-shirt for a week, and it reflects my current state

What I got on, it reeks
My appearance and clothing emit a negative or unclean vibe

No shape up, chilling, cause that's just how I'm feeling
I haven't bothered to groom or style my hair because I'm just in a laid-back mood

And one day at a time, it's god willing
I take each day as it comes, hoping for the best

Tryna see scrape but the fall keeps building
I keep hoping for a breakthrough, but setbacks and obstacles keep occurring

Post start raising, the booze starting that gate me
As my fame and success increases, alcohol starts to tempt and affect me

But I gotta be a king cause this wolve's tryna play me
Despite the challenges, I must remain strong and assertive because people are trying to take advantage of me

Goodie when it's hot like it's freezing winter
I try to remain positive even when the situation is difficult or contradictory

Bed start, eating sleep for dinner
I struggle with insomnia and find it difficult to sleep

Then it's hard tryna keep this in ya
It becomes challenging to keep everything together

So I write it all down, so one day maybe when life is all sweet I remember
I write down my thoughts and experiences, hoping that one day I can look back and remember how far I've come

Then it's probation, I know we all go through it
I've been through probation, and I know it's a common experience for many

We call it probation, but there's no pro to it
Although it's called probation, there is nothing positive or advantageous about it

Yeah my soul's aching, only a few peers know
My soul is in pain, and only a select few people truly understand

Funny thing about the case is it's a few years old
Ironically, the legal case I'm dealing with has been ongoing for several years

Had some shit going on with my ohh, that felt good but it's bad
I had some personal issues going on with a girl, and even though it felt good at the time, it ultimately turned out to be bad for me

So I'm sitting here like what the bitch had
So I'm pondering why I was involved with her in the first place

It's not rap it's real, look scrappy it's true
This is not just a rap song, it's my reality and the truth about my life

Going what's popping, do he look happy to you
People ask me what's going on and if I look happy, questioning my well-being and state of mind

Now if it goes to the wire, go the soul of a fighter
If things get really difficult or intense, I will tap into my inner strength and fight through it

Bruised up and sloppy, a damaged like Ali
I may be bruised and battered, but I still possess the spirit of a fighter like Muhammad Ali

Up late talking to the fans on a website
I find solace and connection by chatting with my fans on a website

That's the only thing that send yo man off to bed right
That's the only thing that helps me unwind and relax before going to bed

Fuck the world fuck my moms and my girl
I'm feeling so frustrated and overwhelmed that I have negative thoughts towards the world, my mother, and my girlfriend

Well maybe not mom, just let me remain calm
Okay, maybe not my mom, but let me try to stay calm and composed

This too won't last, this too shall pass
These challenging times will eventually come to an end

At least that's what I say y'all, that's what I pray for
I hope and pray that things will get better, even though it may seem uncertain

And I'm the only thing that's standing in my way y'all
I realize that I am the only one who can truly hinder my own progress

But I gotta be with me, it's no escape y'all
I have to face myself and confront my own demons, there's no way to escape it

I guess depression just stepped in, and took over shit like it's known to do
I suppose depression has taken control of my life, as it tends to do

Guess it said, hey Joe, I'm going home with you
Depression seems to have claimed me as its own and won't leave

Turn your phone off, I need to be alone with you
It demands my undivided attention and wants me to isolate myself

I need to be in the zone with you
I need you to fully embrace and experience this state of mind with me

Cause I'm the only thing why've grown to, nigga
Because I'm the only thing that I have become accustomed to and familiar with

Look, I own you, nigga
Look, I have complete control and power over you

Been with you since ten, but you starting to confuse me
I've been dealing with you since I was young, but now you're starting to make me doubt and question myself

Cause it's been so long and you still tryna lose me
Even after all this time, you're still trying to get rid of me

Like how could you show me such cruelty
How can you treat me so harshly and unkindly

When everybody turns their back on you, Joe it's you and me
Even when everyone abandons you, it's just you and me together

Still you don't want me to see you right
You don't want me to see your true self or inner struggles

And why you always come get me, how we re-unite
But you always come back to me, how we end up back together

Huh, I know you feel for me deep in your heart
I know you have deep emotions and feelings towards me

Doctors, meetings, pills couldn't keep us apart
Even with the help of doctors, therapy sessions, and medication, I can't separate from you

What, now, you got a deal and you want to get rid of me
Now that you have found success, you want to eliminate me from your life

We roommates, I'm in your head, Joe you live with me
We're like roommates, I reside in your mind and thoughts, Joe, you can't escape me

So I don't write for the fans, nah, I write to my man
I don't write my music solely for the fans, I write it for myself and my own healing

And hope that he'll just leave and understand
And I hope that he will eventually let go and understand my struggles

Like, like please leave the kid in peace
Please give me some peace and allow me to find tranquility

Let me smoke this one cig in peace
Let me have a moment of calm as I smoke a cigarette

Just leave for a second, man it's been too long, and I can't troop it
Just give me a short break, it's been too difficult for too long, and I can't handle it anymore

And as long as you around I can't make that dance music
As long as you're present in my life, I can't create upbeat and joyful music