Shoulda Known (feat. JGivens)

[Christon Gray]

And the heat is rising

Everything inside is screaming: Turn around now

Just run and hide

But I've been doing that for my whole life

And it's now or never

I said it's now or never

I come in peace

Feeling like Michael Corleone when he dropped his piece

I thought I burned that house, so I tossed the keys

I must've never lost the pics 'cause they're haunting me

Autumn leaves, uh

My DM's like a Slip'n'Slide

I need it like a needle, I can't sleep at night

Hedonism, I didn't heed advice

Now I'm in the fetal, dang, Pops was right

I was like a kid in a candy store

A sour one, couldn't find what I was lookin' for

I grew up wanting to sing and rep the Gospel

You keep your nose clean when you grow up Penecostal

Found a new way 'cause that was hard to follow

This was easier to taste, but hard to swallow

Like you leave the buffet, feeling weak and hollow

So I ran to a legend like there's no tomorrow

I shoulda known

I shoulda known better (shoulda known)

I shoulda known better (yeah, I shoulda known better, uh)

I shoulda known better (yeah, I shoulda known better, uh)

I shoulda known

Better than to come back (here)

Known better than to come back (here)

Uh uh, uh, known better than to (come back here)

Yeah (come back here)

Yeah, my idol said I'm Lauryn Hill

Then I woke up to a record deal

A fresh start'll take my mind of the sex appeal

I still want the women, but I'll let 'em chill

I guess it was a pipe dream

Made it to the league, not the right team

They shoulda known ain't another artist like me

And I came from a genre that don't like me

Wifey left and I couldn't go get her

Too focused on tryna be a tone setter, uh

By the time I could see the whole set-up

The label fell apart and my home was no better, uh

So glad I could call on my brother

We made a whole album and he let me keep the money

So sad that I lost Mya's mother

And even though we moving on, I'm always gonna love her, yeah ya'll

I shoulda known better (Jesus, uh)

I shoulda known better (I shoulda known, uh)

I shoulda known better (I shoulda known)

I shoulda known

Better than to (come back here)

Oh Lord, I, I know better, yo (come back here)

Uh huh, know better (come back here)

Oh oh, (come back here)

J

[JGivens]

Overall, I had a blast, even last year

No regrets, just passing here

And I ain't exiting to come back

I ain't been booked in like 2 months

And half the check-ins spent half the check, yeah

And I knew this whole thing was gon' be tentative

I seen a pretty penny payed for some penitence

I seen people judge people be enemies

Be friends then different and then be friends again

And say that's forgiveness, but that's an industry I was committed in

That's how Christian rap get dividends

That's some new friends, you get what you got

I knew from the get-go that my cousin was finna pop

So in seven years, some people will love you just to leverage it

Don't look too long that those with limited celebrities

Sittin' next to this puppy to keep it real

Can't depend on record deals, I'm here switching careers

Sending resumés

[Christon Gray]

I shoulda known better than to come back here

But come to think of it, nobody's even home

I see the writing on the wall

It's your name