Interlude: For Us By Us
And they offered me a million dollar deal, and had the check ready
Said I wouldn't be able to use my name. I was fighting my brother
Because "Man, you shoulda took the million dollars!"
I said "No, what you think I'm worth?
If this white man offer me a million dollars I gotta be worth forty, or fifty
Or ten or something."
To being able to make "Forbes" and come from the Projects
You know, "Top 40 Under 40." Which they said couldn't be done
Had twenty records on the top "Billboard" at one time
For an independent company. Black-owned company
You know, going to the white lady's house where my Grandmother lived at
And say, "Look, you don't have to work here no more Big Mama!
We got more money than the people on St. Charles Street."
And I, I took that anger and said, "I'mma put it into my music"
I tell people all the time, "If you don't understand my record
You don't understand me, so this is not for you"
