Dead And Gone
T.I ft Justin Timberlake Lyrics

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Ay
Let me kick it to you right quick, man
Not on some gangsta shit man, on some real shit
Anybody done been through the same thing, I'm sure you feel the same way
Big Phil
This for you pimpin'

Ooh (hey) I've been travelin' on this road too long (too long)

Just trying to find my way back home (back home)
The old me is dead and gone, dead and gone
And ooh (hey) I've been travelin' on this road too long (too long)
Just trying to find my way back home (back home)
The old me is dead and gone, dead and gone

Ever had one of them days wish would've stayed home
Run into a group of niggas who gettin' they hate on
You walk by
They get wrong
You reply then shit get blown
Way outta proportion
Way past discussion
Just you against them, pick one then rush 'em
Figure you'll get jumped, hell that's nothing
They don't wanna stop there now they bussin'
Now you gushin', ambulance rushin'
You to the hospital with a bad concussion
Plus ya hit four times
But it hit yo spine
Paralyzed waist down now ya wheel chair bound
Nevermind that now you lucky to be alive
Just think it all started you fussin' with three guys
Now ya pride in the way, but ya pride is the way
You could fuck around, get shot, die any day
Niggas die everyday
All over bullshit, dope money, dice game, ordinary hood shit
Could this be 'cause of hip hop music?
Or did the ones with the good sense not use it?
Usually niggas don't know what to do
When their back against the wall so they just start shootin'
For red or for blue or for blow I guess
From Bankhead up to your projects
No more stress, now I'm straight, now I get it, now I take
Time to think, before I make mistakes just for my family's sake
That part of me left yesterday
The heart of me is strong today
No regrets I'm blessed to say
The old me dead and gone away

Ooh (hey) I've been travelin' on this road too long (too long)
Just trying to find my way back home (back home)
The old me is dead and gone, dead and gone
And ooh (hey) I've been travelin' on this road too long (too long)
Just trying to find my way back home (back home)
The old me is dead and gone, dead and gone

I ain't never been scared, I lived through tragic
Situation could've been dead lookin' back at it
Most of that shit didn't even have to happen
But you don't think about it when you out there trappin'
In apartments, hangin', smokin', and rappin'
Niggas start shit, next thing ya know we cappin'
Get locked up then didn't even get mad
Now think about damn what a life I had
Most of that shit, look back, just laugh
Some shit still look back get sad
Maybe my homeboy still be around
Had I not hit the nigga in the mouth that time
I won that fight
I lost that war
I can still see my nigga walkin' out that door
Who'da thought I'd never see Philant no more?
Got enough dead homies I don't want no more
Cost a nigga his job
Cost me more
I'da took that ass-whooping now for sure
Now think before I risk my life
Take them chances to get my stripe
A nigga put his hands on me alright
Otherwise stand there talk shit all night, so
'Cause I hit you, and you sue me
I shoot you, get locked up, who? Me?
No more stress, now I'm straight, now I get it, now I take
Time to think, before I make mistakes just for my family's sake
That part of me left yesterday
The heart of me is strong today
No regrets I'm blessed to say
The old me dead and gone away

Ooh (hey) I've been travelin' on this road too long (too long)
Just trying to find my way back home (back home)
The old me is dead and gone, dead and gone
And ooh (hey) I've been travelin' on this road too long (too long)
Just trying to find my way back home (back home)
The old me is dead and gone, dead and gone

(Hey, ayy)
I turn my head to the East
I don't see nobody by my side
I turn my head to the West
Still nobody in sight
So I turn my head to the North
Swallow that pill that they call pride
That old me is dead and gone
But that new me will be alright

I turn my head to the East
I don't see nobody by my side
I turn my head to the West
Still nobody in sight
So I turn my head to the North
Swallow that pill that they call pride
That old me is dead and gone
But that new me will be alright, 'cause

Ooh (hey) I've been travelin' on this road too long (too long)
Just trying to find my way back home (back home)
The old me is dead and gone, dead and gone
And ooh (hey) I've been travelin' on this road too long (too long)

Just trying to find my way back home (back home)
The old me is dead and gone, dead and gone, yeah

Overall Meaning

The song "Dead and Gone" by T.I ft. Justin Timberlake is a poignant reflection on the consequences of violence and the human costs of street culture. The lyrics speak about how violence can destroy lives and rob individuals of their humanity. It also highlights the dangers of pride and the importance of learning from past mistakes.

The song begins with T.I acknowledging that he isn't about to glorify gangsta life but instead wants to speak from a place of truth about the consequences of violence. He then talks about the vicious cycle of violence that can start with a minor altercation and escalate into something more dangerous. The lyrics say that people don't think about the impact of their actions and that pride is often the main reason why fights and arguments begin. The consequences of this brash decision-making can be dire and ultimately lead to lives forever altered.

Justin Timberlake's chorus echoes the idea that the past is dead and gone and that there is hope for a better future. The lyrics in his verse talk about the importance of reflection and self-awareness, accepting past mistakes, and growing from them. The song ends with the idea of moving forward, swallowing one's pride, and leaving the old self behind.

Overall, "Dead and Gone" is a song that highlights the importance of standing up against violence, being aware of the consequences of one's actions, and striving for a better tomorrow.

Line by Line Meaning

Ay
Listen up and pay attention

Let me kick it to you right quick, man
Allow me to explain this to you briefly

Not on some gangsta shit man, on some real shit
This is not about being a gangster, it's about being genuine

Anybody done been through the same thing, I'm sure you feel the same way
I'm confident that anyone who has experienced similar struggles can relate

Big Phil
This is dedicated to my friend Phil

This for you pimpin'
This song is for you, my brother

Ooh (hey) I've been travelin' on this road too long (too long)
I've been on this difficult journey for a very long time

Just trying to find my way back home (back home)
Struggling to find my way back to a place of peace and stability

The old me is dead and gone, dead and gone
I have left behind my old self and moved on

Ever had one of them days wish would've stayed home
Have you ever had one of those days where you regret leaving your house?

Run into a group of niggas who gettin' they hate on
Encounter a group of people who are jealous and spreading negativity

You walk by
As you pass by them

They get wrong
They start trouble

You reply then shit get blown
If you respond, the situation escalates

Way outta proportion
Becomes much bigger than it should be

Way past discussion
Beyond the point of resolving through conversation

Just you against them, pick one then rush 'em
It's just you against them, choose one and attack them

Figure you'll get jumped, hell that's nothing
You anticipate getting outnumbered, but you're not afraid

They don't wanna stop there now they bussin'
They don't want to end it there, now they start shooting

Now you gushin', ambulance rushin'
Now you're bleeding, and the ambulance is speeding to help you

You to the hospital with a bad concussion
You end up in the hospital with a severe head injury

Plus ya hit four times
You got shot four times

But it hit yo spine
One of the bullets hit your spine

Paralyzed waist down now ya wheel chair bound
Now you're paralyzed from the waist down and confined to a wheelchair

Nevermind that now you lucky to be alive
Don't dwell on that, you're fortunate to still be breathing

Just think it all started you fussin' with three guys
Just imagine, it all began with an argument with three individuals

Now ya pride in the way, but ya pride is the way
Now your ego is blocking your progress, but your ego is also causing these conflicts

You could fuck around, get shot, die any day
You could easily make a mistake and end up dead at any moment

Niggas die everyday
People are killed every day

All over bullshit, dope money, dice game, ordinary hood shit
They die over trivial matters, drugs, gambling, and typical street conflicts

Could this be 'cause of hip hop music?
Is this violence possibly influenced by hip hop music?

Or did the ones with the good sense not use it?
Or is it that those with intelligence choose not to participate in it?

Usually niggas don't know what to do
Typically, people don't know how to handle these situations

When their back against the wall so they just start shootin'
When they feel trapped and cornered, they resort to violence

For red or for blue or for blow I guess
For gang affiliations or drugs, I suppose

From Bankhead up to your projects
From the Bankhead neighborhood to your low-income housing area

No more stress, now I'm straight, now I get it, now I take
I no longer have any worries, now I'm doing well and I understand

Time to think, before I make mistakes just for my family's sake
It's important for me to consider the consequences before making errors, for the sake of my family

That part of me left yesterday
That aspect of my personality is no longer present

The heart of me is strong today
But my inner strength is intact

No regrets I'm blessed to say
I have no regrets and I'm grateful for it

The old me dead and gone away
My old self is gone and will never return

I ain't never been scared, I lived through tragic
I have never been afraid, I have endured tragic experiences

Situation could've been dead lookin' back at it
Reflecting on it, the situation could have been deadly

Most of that shit didn't even have to happen
Most of those incidents were unnecessary

But you don't think about it when you out there trappin'
But you don't consider those things when you're involved in illegal activities

In apartments, hangin', smokin', and rappin'
In the apartments, hanging out, smoking, and rapping

Niggas start shit, next thing ya know we cappin'
People instigate, and the next thing you know, we start shooting

Get locked up then didn't even get mad
Get arrested and didn't even get angry

Now think about damn what a life I had
Now I reflect on what a life I had

Most of that shit, look back, just laugh
Most of those incidents, I look back on and just chuckle

Some shit still look back get sad
However, there are some things I look back on and feel sorrowful

Maybe my homeboy still be around
Perhaps my close friend would still be alive

Had I not hit the nigga in the mouth that time
If I hadn't punched the guy in the face during that incident

I won that fight
I emerged victorious in that physical altercation

I lost that war
But I ultimately lost in the grand scheme of things

I can still see my nigga walkin' out that door
I can still envision my friend walking away from that situation

Who'da thought I'd never see Philant no more?
Who would have imagined that I would never see Philant again?

Got enough dead homies I don't want no more
I have lost enough friends, I don't want to lose any more

Cost a nigga his job
It caused a person to lose their job

Cost me more
And it cost me even more than that

I'da took that ass-whooping now for sure
I would have gladly taken that beating now, without a doubt

Now think before I risk my life
Now I consider the consequences before putting my life at risk

Take them chances to get my stripe
Take those risks in order to prove myself

A nigga put his hands on me alright
If someone lays a hand on me, fine

Otherwise stand there talk shit all night, so
Otherwise, they can stand there and talk nonsense all night long

'Cause I hit you, and you sue me
Because if I hit you, you would sue me

I shoot you, get locked up, who? Me?
If I shoot you and get arrested, who's the one suffering? Me?