PROM / KING

[Part I: PROM]

This remind me of before we had insomnia

Sleepin' peacefully, never needed a pile of drugs

Everybody was college-bound, no dollar amounts

In God we trust, senior year my prom ain't had no party bus

My cousin hit me on Facebook, like: What shorty you takin'?

I'm lyin', I'm playin', I'm sayin': I got one to take, and I'm waitin' on her response

Wrote her a 3 page letter, it's 3 days later, never hit me back, she broke my heart

So now he I'm'ing me shit like: Yo' is shorty bad?

I pretend not to be depressed, she never wrote me back

I hit him back like: Yo', well fuck her, it's on to the next

I wrote that message thinkin' I'm awkward, prolly' would never have sex

You know in high school, 16 you prolly late

My cousin hit me back: Don't trip, bro. I got you a date

So he sent me this link to some girl I had never seen

He said to call and tell her: Walter sent you, you with me

I think about it for a minute, like what's his intentions?

I mean, we never really got along or used to kick it

In fact, if I remember vividly, he picked on me

He used to beat me up and take my sneakers every family visit

I'm skeptical to let her know I'm Walter little cousin

What if this shit all a joke, then again, what if it wasn't?

Would I really risk the chance of me potentially fuckin'

On some stranger daughter 'cause I barely know if I can trust him?

Prolly not

I finally called her, tell her Walter sent me: My name Tahj

She asked me what's the color scheme that we gon' wear to prom

I'm actin' like I'm not excited, tryna play it off

So what's the car we're takin'? Worst come worst, my mom can take us

I'll call Walter, thank him, he said don't trip and just wear black

He said she cool and they go back, if any problems, send him back

I never had to, but now we're in tune

He Facebook messaged me like: Sorry not to be a nuisance

But he like 30 dollars short on all his prom suit shit

I'm like: I got you, 'cause

That's the least that I can do

He tell me send him the addy and he'll slide after school

I'm like: Ok, bet, never knew where he stayed at

He walked down the street, hella surprised: This where y'all place at?

Uncle Carl, Auntie Deborah, my cousin Rena

And I'm surprised too, my family knew, kept this a secret

Me and cause stay down the street, living different lives

Everyday he on the bus, me, I get a ride

I gave him 30 on the porch, he never went inside

He tell me: Thank you, then he walked back home with a smile

He tryna hide it, but I see his dimple

I'm thinkin': Damn, that transaction was simple

I'm talking shit, I know he hoop, I'm like: Aye, where the rim, bro?

He like: Tomorrow, if you free, you prolly weak as shit, tho

I know my brother not

So all 3 of us went to the park and ran some niggas off the court

I'm hella passive, I was passin', I ain't have to score

The next day the prom, I couldn't sleep, I stayed up

My granddad gave me a condom then walked away, didn't say nothin'

She hopped out of her car and said that her name was Jada

My heart's racin', I'm focused, I'm tryna keep it playa

Gave her the croissant, or corsage or whatever the fuck my mom handed me

And said: Now put it on her hand, Malik, family ties

My grandfather taught me how to tie up a tie 'cause my dad lived in NY

That's prolly why I was shy, so self-conscious

Took pictures on the porch, and then we headed for the prom and

Walter went on prom the same day, but to a different place

So he text me like: 'Cause, this the spot. Let's meet up later

And bring Jada through, prom flashed, I kept it cool

We show up to the function where she brought a change of clothes

I'm lookin' around like: Damn, I don't know nobody

We at this party out West and Jada left to get dressed

I'm fakin' like I'm sendin' text

Some stranger get really close, I swear that I hear his breath

Then he put a knife to my neck

Gave me the run down like: Jada my sister

And if you hit her, fuck her, make her miss ya, I'ma kill ya!

At this point, I'm just exhausted

Wonderin' where the fuck's Walter

He shows up like 30 minutes after our altercation

I never mentioned it to him, he kinda overprotective

And I know if I tell him, that he'll beat this nigga's skull in

Turn his body a skeleton, and our night'll end terrible

I exhale and say: Fuck it, and I just chose to let it go

[Part II: KING]

Fuck with your boy

Said you're used to getting everything your way

This not how that gon' happen this time

She tryna fuck with your boy

[Saba]

Walt went to St. Louis, had a full ride for his hoopin'

Him and his coach got into it; now, he back home doing music, ayy

I was at Columbia, a damn-near straight-A student

I had one B in a hip-hop class, I thought that shit was stupid

He transferred to Robert Morris, always live we down the street

My class let out at 2: 40 and his class let out at 3: 00

Mama asked me where the hell I been at, where the hell I be

"I'm with Walter, Ma, I'm safe," I keep walking in here late

I might fall off in your bae, I get girls now, I get laid

I get caught up all in Walter, I'm a product of my age

He talk to every girl downtown Chicago, wingman, I cannot fly though

He was in Cal-white Impala, he was that nigga in the party

Awfully popular for someone that they barely mention

Plus, we from the part of city that they barely mention

Just logged into Twitter, and somehow, we was barely mentioned

We signed our name on the open mic list, and then, they skipped us

And then, they skipped us again, like, a week later

Like: Obviously, this fucking host can't read the paper

Hella intimidating, a big guy, didn't have to flex

So Walter walked to the host and said: This the name you callin' next

Bullied our way to the stage and then overstayed our welcome

An apple never get too far from the tree that it fell from

Just like my father, tryna do music and hope I make it

Walter joined me for the journey, said: The city waiting

Pivot

Walter invincible, dodged death like a mad magician

More times than a mathematician

I'm in LA working on Bucket List Project, I get a call and get a fishy feeling

Normally, Walt joke on the phone; this time, he over-serious

My heart dropping—I'm like: Yo, what is it?

He say he with T-Y on the highway, and some niggas just tried to kill him

Emptied the clip on the car, but somehow, they didn't hit him

Sometimes, I fucking hate Chicago 'cause I hate this feeling

Innocent niggas get shot at in the broad day, the AM

I asked him for a play-by-play of how their whole day went

He say he went to XSport and they ran a full-court

And I cannot retort without thinking that this can't be the reason

So what else you do? What about Ty? Is he still cool?

Where you on your way from, and where you on your way to?

He say he just left a dinner at a friend crib, and that's it

He say: Ty don't do shit but smoke—honestly, Saba, that's it

Give him sympathy, another case of mistaken identity

The news prolly gon' run this as two gangs from different streets

Police questioning him like he just shot at a trooper

My boy walked away unharmed, and we did Lollapalooza, yeah

Six months pass by: Every day, we celebrate; every day a better day

I just dropped Bucket List, Walt about to drop a tape

Everything going perfect, couldn't paint a better way

PIVOT Gang is on the way

We just sold out Lincoln Hall; then, I went to talk to Sway

I got back home and got back on it 'cause Walt was doing two-a-days

Sending me links to songs that he made

Kid Cudi, we are not riding no waves, ayy

Grandma made his plate, we played 2K, that's just a day before

Fatimah got a show tomorrow, he text me: Ayy, we in that hoe

I went to the barbershop the first thing the next morning

Then I got up with LEGIT—we supposed to do some recording

Ten minutes into the session, I got a call from a number

That I don't got saved, but I answer anyways; she says

Hello, Malik, have you or Squeak

Talked to my son today? He was just on the train

We got in the car, but we didn't know where to drive to

Fuck it, wherever you are, my nigga, we'll come and find you

[John Walt]

Just another day in the ghetto

Oh, the streets bring sorrow

Can't get up today with their schedule

I just hope I make it till tomorrow

I just hope I make it till tomorrow

I just hope I make it till tomorrow

I just hope I make it till tomorrow