Faith

Cloud 9

Kendrick Lamar

I take a sip of Hennessy and then get pissy drunk

I ain't a drinker, I'm a thinker, call it what you want

But if you turn your back, know that you just missed your chance

To witness the realest shit that's ever been known to men

I found myself losing focus at a Sunday service

Embarrassed so I start questioning God, "What is my purpose?"

He said to live the way he did, that's all he want from me

Spread the word and witness, he rose on the first Sunday

I said alright, enthused that my lord gave a listen

I opened my Bible in search to be a better Christian

And this from a person that never believed in religion

But shit, my life is so fucked up, man; I can't help but give in

I'm giving testimonies to strangers I never met

Hopped on the poor pit and told them how I was truly blessed

Felt like I'm free from all my sins when the service was over

Walked out the church, then got a card that my homie was murdered

Then lost my faith again

[Chorus]

Single black parent from Compton raising children of 4

That's 4 innocent bastards cause Papa, they don't know

Her day consists of working back and forth with babysitters

Can't find no one to watch her kids, so she pay her sister

Her baby daddy ain't 'bout shit, that nigga ain't 'bout shit

Spilt his daughter milk just to cop a new outfit

She pray to God every night hoping that he'll mature

And maybe one day his kids, something that he'll live for

Baby wanna go back to school but she need some help

Because it's hard trying to pay the bills when you by yourself

She thought about credit card scams, until she heard a voice

It said the Devil is a lie, make a better choice

And so it's back to McDonald's and every month dealing

With those crazy ass people at the county building

Looked to the heavens and asked them to make a better way

Then got a letter in the mail, lost her section 8

Then lost her faith again

[Chorus]

I had dreams of holding a 9 milla to raise killa

X and Y's, my eyes fill up

Each day it gets more realer, orangutan's bang like gorillas

It's jungle when the nigga's ensue

The rat's lurking, the vulture's circling the surface

Cat's lying through they teeth, my nigga didn't deserve it

I flirted with the ideal of caressing the steel

To make karma come faster then she normally will

It's ill to see my faith try and leave me

It's so hard to get it, to get rid of it, it's easy

I'm tryna reach cloud 9, that's what my nigga's 'bout

But it never rain in California, unless the pistols is out

Until then, my feet planted on the ground, shadowboxing my conscience

Until my faith start responding, and if I get no answer, just know I tried

I should have never looked into His Son's eyes

[Chorus]

This for my people that stressing whenever time's is hard

Your mind's slipping, wondering, "Is there really a God?"

Knowing you shouldn't think that way and trying to freeze your brain

But whenever there's pain, that feeling forever remains

We can't believe what we can't see and reality seems stronger than prayer

Cause you tried to change your life, and now you live in a wheelchair

And your son was born with cancer and he live in urgent care

At the tender age of 12, and you feel that no one cares

Searching for answers, that's human nature, you ain't in the wrong

Just know when you feeling that way there's (?) in the roll

I watched people I know pray and catch the Holy Ghost

And wonder why I ain't ever caught that feeling before

Maybe they know him better, or I don't know no better

Well, what I do know, is that he's real and he lives forever

So the next time you feel like your world's about to end

I hope you studied because he's testing your faith again

I'd rather not live like there isn't a God

Then die and find out there really is

Think about it