The Glass Egg
Wale Lyrics

I've been doing my own thing
I have been following my own path and making my own decisions

And they said don't never change
Others have advised me not to change my ways

And I pray I stay the same
I hope to remain true to myself

Fame changin' everybody 'round me
The pressure and attention from fame is causing those around me to change

Ok, good business with mad friends (and we said we'd never change)
It's easy to have a good relationship with friends when there is positive business involved, but we promised to never change regardless

But bad business with mad friends, aha, glass egg
Bad business dealings can reveal a fragile friendship

Used to be my homie, me and you was chillin'
We used to be close friends spending time together

Now that shit got cold like the og with that finger roll
Our friendship has become distant and strained like a retired basketball player attempting a signature move

That spur, probably cop it, cause the more [?] wallace
I may buy a spur because like the late Rasheed Wallace, I am becoming more successful

And it's worse when they even in their fillings of your pockets
It's hurtful when friends are envious of your financial success

Then I got my deal
I signed a record deal

Started wondering if them peoples with me are for real
I began to question the authenticity of the people around me

Mmm, I figure them'll do it, not us
I assume that my friends will change and not stay loyal

Mmm, the bond was thick, now just the blot is
Our relationship was once strong, but now it has faded

And isn't it ironic, getting a name can make you anonymous
With fame comes a loss of privacy and a sense of anonymity

My newest of hobbies, collecting calls from the lock-ups
I have been receiving calls from people in jail, which has become a new hobby

Tell em I know he's so sick of the walls, when he get home, he going shopping
I tell them I understand how difficult it is to be in jail and that the person will likely go shopping when they are released

Mmm, look at the time that caught us
We are running out of time

Talked to the times when younger and made me get my life in order
Reflecting on my youth and past experiences has helped me get my life in order

Real in it for life, but now look at the price
I am really committed to this life, but it has come with a cost

But now look at that register, everything in here slight
I can afford everything I want now -- it's all easy for me now

Mmm, cause I'm john doing a hype
I am not letting the hype get to me and am staying calm

Look at how the moral of the story, but don't see its advice
People often understand the moral of a story but fail to apply its advice

It's right, it's like life is like a glass egg
Life is fragile and must be handled with care

Tryna maintain while coming to fame and keeping your last friends
Trying to balance fame while keeping true friends can be difficult

Yeah, you know that balance of
You understand the delicate balance

Cause who on your back or who got your back
The people who support you will always be there for you

I promise the line is this thin (?) really
The line between true friends and superficial acquaintances is very thin

Look at the years invested, who would have figured or guessed it (pa?)
Looking back at the time invested in friendship, it's surprising to see how things have turned out

Look at you (?) the contract kept the cold but you got (excrement?)
You seemed to be doing well with the contract, but now you are in a difficult situation

Told you I would get this straight, told you once I got big
I promised I would sort things out and stay true to myself, even once I became famous

It's lonely at the top by the population looking in, ahh
People looking in at those at the top often forget the loneliness that comes with it

Yeah, now salutations to my former friends
I say goodbye to my former friends

Forming to form against me is currently your form of defense
My former friends are now working against me as a form of defense

And now it hurts me to say, sometimes your sandbox (?)
It hurts me to acknowledge that sometimes the people closest to you can cause you the most pain

Equipped for dirty exchange, now was it
These friends were only around to benefit from illicit or unethical transactions

(?) or that bling in a hurt or sustain at curtain calls
Is it better to value family relationships over the glamor of fame or success?

One of two that either boo or bouquets, so was it
You will either be met with criticism or applause

Worth of your fam or worth all tha fame
Is your family worth more than fame and success?

Exchange your personal relationships for personal gains
Don't sacrifice personal relationships for personal gain

I'm telling you, balance is a bitch
I am here to testify that balance is difficult to achieve

Cause when you're back, who got your back
When things get hard, you need people who will stand by you

I promise the line is this thin, really, uh
The line between true friends and superficial acquaintances is very thin

I'm telling you about (?)
I want to talk to you about something important

Sometimes that line don't exist, I'm out
Sometimes there is no line -- I'm done talking