Once A Man, Twice A Child

If you lucky, you get old
Oldtimer told me (yeah)
You ain't gon' be able to f*ck the same
Drink the same
Hang out the same
I'm like, once a man, twice a child
Yeah, once a man, twice a child
It's like a baby again

Strong motherfucker when you're young
I ducked a ɾazor, ducked some punches
Even ducked a gun, Nintendo Duck Hunt
I ducked police, I had to [C7]ɾun
Meanwhile, when you [A7get old you [A7might become futile
My old style is a ɾough of my [A]new style
My old girl dope, but I love my [A]new girl
So when I'ma slow down this merry go ɾound called life
I was [Am7]a youngster with a fever, moms brought cold ice

And I was [Am7]young, scared
She ain't care, she made me fight
Fifty-two sweep you, haymaker ɾight
When I get old ,I hope that I can stay this fly
Once a man, twice a child
From mama's boy to [C7]preschool to [C7]college to [C7]now employed
Now you [A7on, got [Fm7]your first crib, she's having your firstborn
Went from buying the finer toys with your boys
To buying toys for [Dm7]your boy
It's crazy how fast he's growing for [Dm7]sure
Grandpops he told me 'bout his days of old
One day I'll be [Am]him on [C7]the porch, sippin' on [C7]something cold
And it stuck with my [A]soul
I been divided at the ɾoad
Hot-headed as a youngster, confronted I might unload
Now listen, knowledge I ɾeceived as a seed, as a G
That would feed my [A]personal frequency
Transcends through all, tɾavel through walls
My ministɾy, we ain't know we was [Am7]livin' hazardous
Savages, first niggas in New York with Bentleys
Tyson, Kedar, Puff, Stoute and [Bm]then me
Before "Many Men" was [Am7]out, we went on [C7]tour and [Bm]took 50
Live while you [A7got [Fm7]the stɾength to
Health you [A7should tend to
Look all [Em]of ain't gon' get old, I hope this message hits you
For ɾeal

Stɾong [Am]motherfucker when you're young
I ducked a ɾazor, ducked some punches
Even ducked a gun, Nintendo Duck Hunt
I ducked police, I had to [C7]ɾun
Meanwhile, when you [A7get old, you [A7might become futile
My old style is a ɾough of my [A]new style
My old girl dope, but I love my [A]new girl
So when I'ma slow down this merry go ɾound called life
I was [Am7]a youngster with a fever, moms brought cold ice

I'm tɾyin' to [C7]expand [Bm]the pineal gland
The world ain't our home, just temporary, please understand
You die tomorrow then you [A7born again, so life is deathless
Respect and [Bm]balance, human dignity that's the perspective
Aimé Leon [C7]Dore New Balance when I'm steppin'
Time is precious
One day I might need my [A]diaper changed inside a convalescent
The soul is different than the flesh is
Life is teachin' me more, wisdom and [Bm]ignorance is kin
To have peace, you [A7need war
By the time you [A7see the stars in the skies, they already burnt out
Same way these dudes be [Am]shinin' but been burnt out
But we don't change, as we get stuck in our ways
We just act like [F]we agree so we can end the exchange
What's meant for [Dm7]you [A7is sent to [C7]you
But you [A7could be [Am]the problem, it's not always them, my [A]dude
Was she crazy before you [A7met her or you [A7made her crazy?
Possibly, she gonna be [Am]a nurse when you [A7back to [C7]a baby
Once a man, twice a child

Stɾong [Am]motherfucker when you're young
I ducked a ɾazor, ducked some punches
Even ducked a gun, Nintendo Duck Hunt
I ducked police, I had to [C7]ɾun
Meanwhile, when you [A7get old, you [A7might become futile
My old style is a ɾough of my [A]new style
My old girl dope, but I love my [A]new girl
So when I'ma slow down this merry go ɾound called life
I was [Am7]a youngster with a fever, moms brought cold ice

And in the stɾeets I had agility, was [Am7]quick to [C7]stɾike
My fear's not seeing it coming, got [Fm7]too ɾich for [Dm7]that sight
So take advantage of your youth before you [A7elderly
'Cause today is the youngest that you [A7will ever be