Kendrick Lamar - Sing About Me, I'm Dying Of Thirst

[Chorus:]
When the lights shut off
And it's my turn to settle down,
My main concern
Promise that you will sing about me,
Promise that you will sing about me.
I said, when the lights shut off
And it's my turn to settle down,
My main concern
Promise that you will sing about me,
Promise that you will sing about me.

[Verse 1:]
I woke up this morning and figured I'd call you
In case I'm not here tomorrow.
I'm hopin' that I can borrow a peace of mind,
I'm behind on what's really important,
My mind is really distorted,
I find nothin' but trouble in my life.
I'm fortunate you believe in a dream,
This orphanage we call a ghetto is quite a routine,
And last night was just another distraction
Or a reaction of what we consider madness.
I know exactly what happened,
You ran outside when you heard my brother cry for help,
Held him like a newborn baby and made him feel like everythin' was alright.
And a fight he tried to put up but the type
Of bullet that stuck had went against his will,
As blood spilled on your hands.
My plans rather vindictive,
Everybody's evictee in my eyes.
When I ride it's a murderous rhythm,
And outside became pitch black,
A demon glued to my back whisperin', “Get em!”
I got em, and I ain't give a fuck
That same mentality that told my brother not to duck,
In actuality, it's a trip how we trip off of colors.
I wonder if I'll ever discover
A passion like you and recover
The life that I knew as a young'n,
In pajamas and dun-ta-duns.
When thunder comes it rains cats and dogs,
Dumb niggas like me never prosper,
Prognosis of a problem child.
I'm proud and well devoted,
This Piru shit been in me forever,
So forever Imma push it, wherever, whenever.
And I love you ‘cause you love my brother like you did,
Just promise me you'll tell this story when you make it big,
And if I die before your album drop, I hope... (gun shots)

[Chorus]

[Verse 2:]
You wrote a song about my sister on your tape
And called it “Section.80,” the message resembled, “Brenda's Got a Baby”.
What's crazy was, I was hearin' about it,
But doubted your ignorance, how could you ever
Just put her on blast ‘n shit,
Judging her past ‘n shit!
Well, it's completely my future,
A nigga behind me right now askin' for ass ‘n shit,
And Imma need that forty dollars even if I gotta
Fuck, suck and swallow in the parking lot.
Gonzales Park, I'm followed by a married man, a father of three,
My titties bounce on the cadence of his tinglin' keys,
Matter of fact, he my favorite ‘cause he tip me with E's.
He got a cousin named David and I seen him last week,
This is the life of another girl damaged by the system.
These foster homes, I run away and never do miss ‘em,
See, my hormones just run away and if I can get ‘em back
To where they used to be, then I'll probably be in the denim
Of a family gene that show women how to be woman, or better yet a leader.
You need her to learn somethin', then you probably need to beat her –
That's how I was taught,
Three niggas in one room, first time I was tossed.
And I'm exhausted.
But fuck that “Sorry for your loss” shit!
My sister died in vain, but what point are you tryin' to gain
If you can't fit the pumps I walk in?
I'll wait.
Your rebuttal a little too late,
And if you have a album date, just make sure I'm not in the song
‘Cause I don't need the attention bring enough of that on my own.
And matter fact, did I mention that I physically feel great?
A doctor's approval is a waste of time, I know, I'm straight,
I'll probably live longer than you and never fade away,
I'll never fade away, I'll never fade away!
I know my fate, and I'm on the grind for this cake,
Imma get or die tryin', I'm eyein' every male gender with intentions of buyin'.
You lyin' to these mothafuckas talkin' about you can help with my story,
You can help me if you sell this pussy for me, nigga!
Don't ignore me, nigga! Fuck your glory, nigga! This bullshit...

[Chorus]

[Verse 3:]
Sometimes I look in a mirror and ask myself,
Am I really scared of passin' away?
If it's today, I hope, I hear a
Cry out from heaven, so loud it can water down a demon,
With the Holy Ghost till it drown in the blood of Jesus.
I wrote some raps that make sure that my lifeline
Rake in the scent of a reaper, ensurin' that my allegiance
With the other side may come soon.
And if I'm doomed, may the wound
Help my mother be blessed for many moons.
I suffer a lot.
And every day the glass mirror get tougher to watch,
I tie my stomach in knots.
And I'm not sure, why I'm infatuated with death,
My imagination is surely an aggravation of threats that can come about
‘Cause the tongue is mighty powerful.
And I can name a list of your favorites that probably vouch,
Maybe, ‘cause I'm a dreamer, and sleep is the cousin of death.
Really stuck in the scheme of wonderin' when Imma rest,
And you're right, your brother was a brother to me,
And your sister's situation was the one that pulled me
In a direction to speak of somethin' that's realer than the TV screen,
By any means, wasn't tryin' to offend or come between
Her personal life, I was like, “It need to be told.”
Cursin' the life of twenty generations after her soul,
Exactly what'd happen if I ain't continued rappin',
Or steady bein' distracted by money, drugs and four-fives.
I count lives all on these songs,
Look at the weak and cry, pray one day you'll be strong,
Fightin' for your rights, even when you're wrong.
And hope, that at least one of you sing about me when I'm gone.
Now am I worth it?
Did I put enough work in?

Promise that you will sing about me.
Promise that you will sing about me.

I said, when the lights shut off
And it's my turn to settle down,
My main concern
Promise that you will sing about me,
Promise that you will sing about me.

[Skit:]
– Ay, ay, ay where you ‘bout to go?
– Nigga, homie, brother… Nigga right there, he gon’, my nigga, he gon’…
– We on the block right now, my nigga. Like we, nigga, we right here, my nigga. Nigga, brother, nigga. They just killed the homie’s brotha, my nigga.We right here on the block, my nigga.
– Alright, nigga, nigga, just, alright, alright, just call me back, my nigga. Just call me back.
– Argh, fuck!
– So, so what we gon’ do, my niggas? What we gon’ do?
– Br-bruh, we can go back right now, my nigga.
– Like, nigga, I don’t give a fuck my nigga! We can go back right now.
– Fuck! I’m tired of this shit! I’m tired of fuckin’ runnin’, I’m tired of this shit! That’s my brotha, homie!

Tired of runnin', tired of huntin'
My own kind, but retirin' nothin'.
Tires are steady screechin', the driver is rubbin'
Hands on the wheel, who said we wasn't
Dyin' of thirst, dyin' of thirst, dyin' of thirst?
Dope on the corner, look at the coroner,
Daughter is dead, mother is mournin' her;
Strayed bullets, AK bullets,
Resuscitation was waitin' patiently but they couldn't
Bring her back. Who got the footage?
Channel 9, cameras lookin'.
It's hard to channel your energy when you know, you're crooked.
Banana clip, split his banana pudding,
I'm like Tre, that's Cuba Gooding,
I know I'm good at
Dyin' of thirst, dyin' of thirst, dyin' of thirst.
How many sins? I'm runnin' out.
How many sins? I lost count.
Dreams of ballin' like Spalding,
But only shotty bounce,
The reaper callin', I'm cottonmouth.
Money is power, yours is ours,
Lay with a snitch, die with a coward.
Hope we get rich, hope we can tower
Over the city with vanity, with the music louder.
The same song.
A black flower.
I'll show you how to
Dye your thirst,
Dye your thirst,
Dye your thirst.
What are we doing? Who are we fooling?
Hell is hot, fire is proven to burn for eternity. Return of the student that never learned
How to live right, just by how to shoot it.
Tired of runnin', choirs is hummin',
Tell us to visit, we lyin' about comin',
Now back to business,
Loadin' the guns in back of the Buick,
Your hood is feudin', and the beef is bubblin',
It's no discussion, hereditary.
All of my cousins
Dyin' of thirst,
Dyin' of thirst,
Dyin' of thirst.
Too many sins,
I'm runnin' out.
Somebody, send
Me a well for the drought.
See, all I know is takin' notes
On takin' this life for granted,
Granted if he provoke.
My best days, I stress days, (Lord, forgive me for all my sins for I don't know...)
My best days, I stress days,
Say, “Fuck the world,” my sex slave.
Money, pussy and greed; what's my next crave?
Whatever it is, know it's my next grave.
Tired of runnin', tired of runnin',
Tired of tumblin', tired of runnin',
Tired of tumblin'.
Back once my momma said,
“See a pastor. Give me a promise,
What if today was the rapture, and you completely tarnished,
The truth will set you free, so to me be completely honest.
You dying of thirst.
You dying of thirst.
So hop in that water and pray, that it works.”

[Skit:]
– Well, I’m tired of this shit! I’m tired of fuckin’ runnin’. My brotha, homie!
– Young men, come talk to me. Is that what I think that is? I know that’s not what I think that is. Why are you so angry? See you young men are dying of thirst. Do you know what that means? That means you need water, Holy water. You need to be baptized with the spirit of the Lord. Do you want to receive God as your personal savoir? Okay. Repeat after me. Lord God. I come to you as a sinner.
– Lord God. I come to you as a sinner.
– And I humbly repent for my sins.
– And I humbly repent for my sins.
– I believe that Jesus is Lord.
– I believe that Jesus is Lord.
– I believe You raised Him from the dead.
– I believe you raised him from the dead.
– I would ask that Jesus come into my life.
– I would ask that Jesus come into my life.
– And be my Lord and Savoir.
– And be my Lord and Savoir.
– I receive Jesus to take control of my life.
– I receive Jesus to take control of my life.
– And that I might live for Him from this day forward.
– And that I might live for Him from this day forward.
– Thank You Lord Jesus for saving me with your precious blood.
– Thank You Lord Jesus for saving me with your precious blood.
– In Jesus name, Amen.
– In Jesus name, Amen.
– All right. Now remember this day, the start of a new life. Your real life.