Playing Our Part
Joe Budden Lyrics

Mic, mic, mic
Attention, attention, attention

Yeah we good now
We are in a good state now

Turn the vocals down a little bit, just a little bit
Lower the volume of the vocals slightly

I want it loud
I want the music to be loud

Here's my moment of clarity
I have reached a moment of clear understanding

I've been misleadin' you all, givin' you half of me
I have been deceiving you all, only showing a part of myself

I've been blazin' a trail and leavin' casualties
I have been creating a path and causing harm along the way

I've diagnosed myself, I think it's apathy
I have analyzed myself and believe I am experiencing apathy

So lettin' go became easy, grabbin' ahold, that's the hardest
It has become easy for me to let go, but holding on is the most difficult

I know our expiration date soon as we start it
I am aware of the end of our relationship from the beginning

You come around and you feel safe while you're a target
You feel secure when you are with me, even though you are vulnerable

You feelin' like I let you inside, while I'm guarded
You believe I have let you into my life, but I am still protecting myself

It's genius when arrogance seems like it's modest
It is clever when someone's arrogance appears as modesty

Look past the insanity, glance at the logic
Ignore the craziness and focus on the rationality

Appears optional, all of it is stipulated
It may seem like a choice, but everything is predetermined

Watch and learn how emotions get manipulated
Observe and understand how emotions are controlled and influenced

Now you in dire need of help
Now you desperately need assistance

You the victim, made to think you did it to yourself
You are the victim, made to believe you are responsible for it

Speakin' of, rest in peace Sandra Bland
Speaking of that, may Sandra Bland rest in peace

I'm believin' everything that wasn't on that cam
I believe in everything that was not captured on camera

But back to you, beauty, let me address our lil' movement
But now let me talk about our little relationship

You in therapy but I don't see the improvement
You are undergoing therapy, but I don't see any progress

Oh whatever's been made now days is ruined
Whatever has been created nowadays is ruined

So every few months I ponder what the fuck are we doin'
So every few months, I wonder what the hell are we doing

Let me watch my words again
Let me be cautious with my words

You easily got one of the best pussies that I've ever been inserted in
You have one of the best sexual experiences I have ever had

You real kind, real sweet, real nurturin'
You are genuinely kind, sweet, and nurturing

Yet every time we link back up, you just get hurt again
Yet, every time we reconnect, you end up getting hurt again

You put all men in a box, I ain't one of 'em
You categorize all men in a certain way, but I am not like them

Funny how you got all the answers and none of 'em
It's ironic how you seem to have all the answers, yet none of them are correct

You only dated three men so I'm scared of you
You have only been in relationships with three men, so I am afraid of being compared to them

Cause with no point of reference, what the fuck are you comparin' to?
Because you have no basis for comparison, what are you comparing me to?

You good one minute, psycho the next
You can be fine one minute, but then act crazy the next

No longer lettin' it ride, too much Jekyll and Hyde
I am no longer tolerating this roller coaster ride, the extreme changes in behavior are too much

Then you subtweet for weeks, busy settin' your pride
Then you indirectly tweet about me for weeks, while trying to protect your ego

I'm grown, don't really need that sort of mess in my life
I am mature and don't need that type of drama in my life

But wait, you of age, you old too
But wait, you are also an adult, you are not young either

I control my emotions, yours control you
I have control over my emotions, but yours control you

You bright enough to know when you get impulsive
You are smart enough to recognize when you act impulsive

For me, that's repulsive, how do you not know this?
For me, that is disgusting, how do you not understand this?

And then we go our separate ways
And then we go our separate ways

Just to link back on better days
Only to reunite in hopes of better times

Though I know it's short term and you never stay
Even though I know it is temporary and you never stay

You always a sucker for that text that say
You always fall for that message that says

'Yo what up? Are you good?
'Hey, what's up? Are you doing well?

Hit me up whenever you in the hood'
Contact me whenever you are in the neighborhood'

Then we fuck, and it's fine
Then we have sex, and everything is alright

Then you get all this bullshit on your mind
Then you start overthinking and worrying about various things

I'm waitin' for you to talk, but you won't
I am waiting for you to open up and express yourself, but you refuse to

Then you wait for me to react but I don't
Then you wait for me to respond, but I choose not to

Then you go, and I watch
Then you leave, and I observe

We know how this movie go, but we watch
We are aware of how this story unfolds, but we still watch

'Cause we just playin' our parts
Because we are simply acting out our roles

You're watchin' how I perform and it's breakin' your heart
You are witnessing my actions and it is causing you emotional pain

You home alone backtrackin', replayin' the start
You are alone at home, reflecting on and replaying the beginning of our relationship

You realize this whole script you've been playin' a mark
You understand that you have been playing a role in this whole scenario

That ain't stop you from takin' a part
But that doesn't prevent you from continuing to participate

I guess we're both just playin' our parts
I suppose we are both just acting out our roles

Yeah, and so the pussy ain't enough now
And so, just having sex is no longer sufficient

They keep thinkin' it should be enough, how?
Others continue to believe it should be enough, but how?

Fuck sex, baby, later for that
Forget about sex, baby, it can wait

This mind game I'm playin' is a greater climax
The psychological game I am playing is a more satisfying culmination

Not a franchise player, I can't pay you the max
I am not a star player, I cannot give you the maximum attention or resources

I can't say it to you so I just say it in raps
I cannot express it to you directly, so I express it through my music

I got a rep that I made all by myself
I have a reputation that I built solely on my own

One I hate all by myself
One that I despise when I am alone

That comes from decisions created all by myself
That results from choices I made on my own

I can't shake it all by myself
I cannot get rid of it on my own

See I grew up in the spotlight, where your every move is eyed
I grew up in the public eye, where every move is scrutinized

The truth becomes lies when you're that scrutinized
The truth is distorted into lies when you are under intense scrutiny

No mentorship, I was unsupervised
I had no mentor to guide me, I was left on my own

Had to learn on my own every rule to survive
I had to learn on my own in order to survive

Still I manned up in caught those wrongs
Nevertheless, I took responsibility for my mistakes

Go ahead and judge Joe, I got my court clothes on
Go ahead and criticize Joe, I am prepared to defend myself

Y'all see the front, behind the scenes more goes on
You all see the public facade, but there is more happening behind the scenes

Check my back catalog, it's in all those songs, forreal
Examine my previous work, it is all expressed in those songs, seriously

So I can be at peace forever
So that I can find eternal peace

I left the puzzle right there, nigga, piece it together
I left the puzzle right in front of you, figure it out yourself

But back to you, beauty, small waist, fat booty
But now I am talking about you, a beautiful woman with a slim waist and a large butt

It's cool for the moment but don't permanently move me
It is enjoyable temporarily, but don't expect a lasting impact on me

They come through tossin' me ass like it's their duty
They come around offering me sex as if it is their obligation

But who I was ain't who I am, I say it truly
But the person I used to be is not who I am now, I say it sincerely

Yeah I am shootin' 'em down without the Uzi
Yes, I reject them without needing a firearm

Unlike them niggas you know, don't try and group me
I am different from those guys you know, don't try to categorize me with them

Watched myself on TV, was unruly
Observed myself on television, I behaved in a rebellious manner

How the fuck they cast me wrong in my own movie?
How did they portray me incorrectly in my own story?

They say you are what you attract
They say you become similar to what you attract

Here I am, screamin', 'Fuck all that'
But here I am, shouting, 'Forget all of that'

Then I'm forced to believe I attract and adore
Then I am compelled to believe that I attract and admire

Bunch of unstable broads with character flaws
A group of emotionally unstable women with personal flaws

With plenty luggage, I greet 'em with their bags at the door
With plenty of emotional baggage, I welcome them with their problems

If that's true then it's some shit I'd rather ignore
If that is true, then it's something I prefer not to acknowledge

Cause check it, whatever helps you get by
Because, you see, whatever helps you cope

So when they hit me, I always reply
So when they contact me, I always respond

They always be like, 'what's up? Are you good?
They always ask, 'What's up? Are you doing well?'

Hit me up whenever you in the hood'
Contact me whenever you are in the neighborhood'

Then we fuck, and it's fine
Then we have sex, and everything is alright

Then you get all this bullshit on your mind
Then you start overthinking and worrying about various things

I'm waitin' for you to talk, but you won't
I am waiting for you to open up and express yourself, but you refuse to

Then you wait for me to react but I don't
Then you wait for me to respond, but I choose not to

Then you go, and I watch
Then you leave, and I observe

We know how this movie go, but we watch
We are aware of how this story unfolds, but we still watch

'Cause we just playin' our parts
Because we are simply acting out our roles

You're watchin' how I perform and it's breakin' your heart
You are witnessing my actions and it is causing you emotional pain

You home alone backtrackin', replayin' the start
You are alone at home, reflecting on and replaying the beginning of our relationship

Realize this whole script you've been playin' a mark
You understand that you have been playing a role in this whole scenario

But that ain't stop you from takin' a part
But that doesn't prevent you from continuing to participate

I guess we're both just playin' our parts
I suppose we are both just acting out our roles

Just where I'm at lately
Just the state I am currently in

Look at the monster this industry done made me
Look at the monster the music industry has turned me into

Shit I loved the most, I let it jade me
The things I loved the most, I allowed them to corrupt me

Cryin' out for help, somebody save me
Calling out for assistance, someone rescue me

But I can't let 'em know all that
But I cannot reveal all of that to them

They take it as weakness when you show all that
They perceive it as a weakness when you expose all of that

So I just live in my mind 'til this hoe call back
So I just dwell in my thoughts until this woman calls me back

Every time I'm knocked down you see Joe crawl back, for real
Every time I am knocked down, you witness Joe crawling back, truly

Nowadays they all the same
Nowadays, they are all alike

Enhanced body parts, smaller brains
They have enhanced body parts but smaller intellects

They don't get a hi in fact
They don't receive a greeting, in fact

Mums the word, baby girl, it's now quiet for that, for real
Keep quiet, baby girl, there is no longer any need for that, truly

If you got nothin' to offer
If you have nothing to contribute

Sorry Mrs. Jackson, gotta off ya
Apologies, Mrs. Jackson, but I have to reject you

But as long as you leave 'em alone
But as long as you leave them alone

It's when they send that same text to the phone
That's when they send that same message to the phone