The streets at night

Glow like casinos in the darkness

Everybody's taking their chances

Black jacks shuffling along trying to make it to 21

And some, some get hit at 18 and bust

Bullets flying at hearts like spades

Others ante up and bust back, yeah

TECs they hold 'em, aces smoking

Got a pair of nines but no full house

Just a single queen still sleeping on the pull-out

Dreams of hitting clubs with diamonds

But the house of cards keeps crashing down, 'cause

Ain't no king around

The princes and princesses follow suit

Forget about the crowns they were supposed to wear like forbidden fruit

A fashion statement for those of us who still reach for knowlege

Here to learn you something

Just got to listen to it:

Don't be fooled by the shine, young buck

Remember the reaper's sickle glistens too

And Failure loves to dress itself up in Hope's robes and parade around

But just cause you put jewels in a hat don't make it a crown

Too many clowns sporting diamond-crusted bear traps

That's just waiting for their egos to trip and fall into

And plenty got nooses they call crowns ready for your head to slip through

But I'ma construct my own

Adorn it with emeralds made from all the envious eyes of doubters

And I'll chisel saffire blues

From all the hard times I've been through

And wear 'em like resilience

My crown will be sharper than my momma's tongue

And sparkle like I sprinkled it

With all of the salt they thrown on my game

I stand on a stage like a throne made king-sized just for me

Hold the mic like a sceptre and address my people

Reminding them that there is royalty to gain

Beyond the royalties and fame

Some stay loyal to the game

But I, I stay loyal to my dreams

Let my flows apply heat 'til they boil into steam

And I can watch 'em rise

Like fallen angels remembering how good a halo feels

It's kind of like a crown

Like an oversized wedding ring

Reminding me to stay faithful to my future

Cause ain't nothing coming between me and destiny, nah

We was made for eachother

And I know there's a crown out there that was made for me

It ain't got to be the main one

Long as don't nobody living got the same one