When You're Gone (feat. Lil Wayne)

Shout out Dakari
Shout out Ed, shout out Jessie, shout out The Game
It's like we always do at this time
Thinkin' to myself like, yeah, uh

Starin' at a blank canvas
Thinkin' 'bout what should I write, should I plan this?
Reminiscin' 18, a freshman on campus
With dreams so big, nobody understands us

'Til they came true, started goin' bananas
Somewhere along the road, I got as lost as Atlantis
Been there since Vegas, drinkin' under cabanas
And medicine for breakups, take the pills life hand us

No sleep, I been up for a couple of days
Can't nobody talk to him, been stuck in my ways
They say it's unsustainable, but fuck it, it pays
Results and results, keep runnin' them plays

I see the writing's on the wall, that shit's gettin' clear
My new girl says she love me, but I don't even hear her
I can't even drive a Jag', that shit is inferior
Only time I see a threat, when I look in the mirror (yeah), ayy

They only love you when you're gone
It don't matter where you goin' (uh), yeah (you know)
But I did it on my own
So I'd rather be alone (I'd rather be alone), yeah
They only love you when you're gone
It don't matter where you goin' (yeah, uh), yeah
Well, I got it on my own, so I'd rather die alone (yeah)

Yeah, the greatest gift is knowledge itself
They fail to talk about my journey when mentionin' wealth
I made it here all by my lonely, no askin' for help
What if my debut never dropped and got kept up on a shelf?

Uh, from the soil, grew it slowly
A black leather, slicked back, they want the old G
"Things are happenin' again", that's what they told me
I came home, full circle, now as an OG
Blink my eyes, to my surprise, I'm in Tokyo
20 thousand in the crowd singin' every quote
Blink again and they kickin' me outta Canada
I swear you wouldn't have the stomach or the stamina

Yeah, my shoulders carry over 20 tons
Biggie said, "It's more problems when the money comes"
My songs speak to the greats, yeah, the one-of-ones
I'ma go out as a legend when it's said and done (yeah)

They only love you when you're gone
It don't matter where you goin' (where you go, uh), yeah
But I did it on my own (on my own)
So I'd rather be alone (I'd rather be alone), yeah
They only love you when you're gone (yeah)
It don't matter where you goin', yeah
Well, I got it on my own, so I'd rather die alone

Yeah, who put this shit together? I put this shit together
I'ma wear all my chains like some Olympic medals
They think it's all a game, so I'm thinkin' winnin' record
They thinkin' Kurt Cobain, but I'm thinkin' livin' legend

I'm straight to the Hall of Fame from the hallways of the ghetto
It's "fuck the world, fuck 12", since I was like 10, 11
I built the whole fuckin' mountain, I started out with a pebble
That money talk, that's a convo', if you broke then that's a lecture

I does me, 'cause only God can judge me
Nigga, trust me, only I can trust me
Yeah, it's just me and the skies above me
But I dug deep, now close your eyes and come see

Will they love me when I'm gone? Will they know me?
Do they love me when I'm home, or when I'm O.T.?
I'm here, I don't know how long before I won't be
So when I'm gone, how long will they mourn me? (Yeah)

They only love you when you gone
It don't matter where you goin' (matter where you goin'), yeah
But I did it on my own (did it on my own)
So I'd rather be alone, yeah (alone, yeah)
They only love you when you're gone
(Wayne, I appreciate you more than you'll ever understand)
It don't matter where you goin', yeah (you know)
Well, I got it on my own, so I'd rather die alone (a hero of mine)

Yeah, uh, never finished, tryna search for more
Fuck a hit, this shit is what I do it for
So these bars will always be a part of me
Right now, I feel like track two on Tha Carter III

Uh, like it's 2008 NOLA
This shit was bubblin' and I don't even drink soda
The whole industry was givin' me a cold shoulder
And now my record label needs me to make quota

Yeah, that's all facts and every bar is real
20 years, pray to God I'm makin' art still
I'm lettin' everythin' go like a yard sale
'Cause these songs'll beat longer than my heart will