One Time
Phonte; The Roots; Dice Raw Lyrics

Yo, the spirit in the sky scream homicide
The atmosphere is intense and deadly; something violent is about to happen.

But it was time to ride on some niggas funny talking
It was time to confront some individuals who are acting strange.

If too much money talking
If they're motivated by greed.

We make em economize
We make them give up their excessive spending.

Real rap, no tale spinning, such is the life of a Kam-I-Ka-Ze pilot
This is reality, not a made-up story, and we're individuals who take huge risks.

We wilin' out of control until we all make the funny papers like Comic-Con
We're going crazy and our actions will be documented like comic book characters.

Feared in all streets so, if you ever see me out in y’all streets
I'm respected and feared by all individuals, so if you see me on your street,

Find another one to occupy
Go somewhere else, don't bother me.

I never hope for the best
I'm not optimistic.

I wish a nigga would
I hope someone tries to test me.

Turn around and walk away
Go away from me while you still can.

I wish a nigga could
I hope someone has enough courage to try me.

Listen to my instincts and say fuck the rest
I rely on my instincts and ignore everything else.

But once you’ve had the best better ain’t as good
Once you've experienced the best, nothing else can match it.

Weak heartedness cannot be involved
We can't tolerate cowardice.

Stick to the script, nigga, fuck your improv
Follow the plan; don't try to improvise.

Like the samurai
We're like warriors and live by a code of honor.

The street’s Hammurabi Code
Our own set of laws and codes of conduct that we follow.

Play your part, shut the fuck up, and do as I was told
Follow your role and don't question what you're told to do.

I was always late for the bus
I was never punctual.

Just once can I be on time
I want to be punctual just once.

Then I start to think what’s the rush
I question why being on time is so important.

Who wants to be on time
I don't see the benefit of being punctual.

Feeling unlucky and if I ever got lucky it was one time
I feel like I'm unlucky and the only time I got lucky was once.

Not a thing I fear besides fear itself
I don't fear anything except for the concept of fear.

This is clearly a lesson learned for someone else
This experience is a lesson meant for someone else, not me.

Reach for the crown of thorns upon the shelf
I'm trying to attain something difficult and painful.

Cross around my neck
I'm religious and wear a cross as a symbol of my faith.

I’ve been taught by stealth
I've learned things secretly and under the radar.

Capture this moment in time, it’s a smash and grab
Grab this moment now before it passes by quickly.

And where my party people y’all finna have a blast
Wherever we are, we're going to have fun.

You say goodbye, I say hello first and last
I'm always the first to greet and the last to say goodbye.

Hello hello, Now all of y’all elevate your glass
Cheers, everyone!

To an example of what time will do to you
To the effects that time has on a person.

When those nameless things just keep on eluding you
When you can't attain the things you don't even know the names of.

When shit is new to you and lies are true to you
When everything is unfamiliar and you're believing falsehoods.

Words of suspects-usual, coming though to you
The typical words of suspects will come to you.

Man, I guess if I was ever lucky it was one time
I feel like I was lucky once in my life.

Then I went missing looking for the sublime
After that moment of luck, I was seeking something perfect and ideal.

A nigga stayed low, left the ladder unclimbed
I kept a low profile and didn't pursue greater heights or success.

Time after time, verse blank, the line un-rhymed
I've been repeatedly unproductive and lacking creativity.

You ever wonder what’s the big fuss
Have you ever wondered why there's so much emphasis on punctuality?

For everyone be on time
Why is it so important for everyone to be punctual?

What’s the big deal, why do they feel
What's the reason behind this emphasis and why do people put so much value on being on time?

The need to have us marching on line
Why do we need to follow a strict schedule and be in line with everyone else?

I wonder when you die do you hear harps and bagpipes
I wonder what people experience after death.

If you born on the other side of the crack pipe
If you're born to drug-addicted parents.

Niggas learn math just to understand the crack price
People learn math skills purely to understand drug prices.

Then drive in head first like the jack knife
Then dive into the drug world recklessly.

Cause out here, yo you niggas can’t belly flop
You can't make mistakes; the drug game is too dangerous for that.

If you wanna make the noise inside your belly stop
If you want to silence your hunger.

One time means being on the front line
Being on the front line of the fight or battle.

Being on the front line means ducking one time
Being exposed to danger and avoiding bullets or threats.

The pendulum swinging my way, couldn’t be more blind
I'm experiencing a period of good luck that I don't deserve.

Niggas talk to the cops? Not even one time
We don't talk to the police at all, not even once.

Cause we all going down just like the sub prime
We're all headed for destruction, much like the subprime mortgage crisis.

Or a cheap ass half gallon of Ballantine
We're like cheap alcohol that will lead to our own destruction.

But hopping over gates to escape is sublime
Escaping from danger or risk is a great feeling.

Then through the alley way and down to the sub line
Escaping through back alleys and underground subway tunnels.

Tales from the streets
Stories told by individuals who have experienced street life.

A life of high crime
A life filled with criminal activity.

To make it to the bottom
To hit rock bottom or experience extreme lows.

Such a high climb
The climb back up from rock bottom is very difficult and challenging.