DJ Premier
Times Is Rough
[Intro: Benny the Butcher & Raekwon]
T—T—Times is rough and tough
D—D—Damn, is that how it is?
T—T—Times is rough and tough
T—T—Tough, t—t—tough
Ah
T—T—T—T—Times is rough and tough
Damn, is that how it is?
Yeah, the Butcher comin', n***a
T—T—Times is rough and tough
Yo, uh

[Verse 1: Benny the Butcher]
I'm runnin' out of reasons to feel sorry, it's blood in the streets
You gon' get mud on your cleats when the field soggy
Shorty gotta use both hands and Jill Scott me
Plug told me, when my records stop selllin', he still got me
N***as just catchin' on to the numbers I'm checkin' on
Got lucky last summer, bookies wanna know what I'm bettin' on
Set the bar, kept the tar, came through like a wreckin' ball
N***as can't touch a brick without puttin' my record on
Six figures out a dirty pyrex, thought that was all?
I made doubles sign and I'm sellin' em on tour
Bein' up feel good, but not better than bein' sure
I'm a product of the cocaine '80s, drug wars (Drug wars)
The moment I start to feel that the love gone
I'll be back with gloves on, just in case you was rubbed wrong, n***a
And if it ain't Griselda, it's love songs, n***a
And if the dope ain't good, then it's cut wrong, n***a
[Bridge: Heem B$F & Raekwon]
Damn, is that how it is?
T—T—T—T—Times is rough and tough
Uh, uh, they know
D—D—Damn
It's Heem, n***a
T—T—T—T—Times is rough and tough
Uh

[Verse 2: Heem B$F]
Tell the truth, we don't need no hits (Uh-uh)
After me, Butch, and Rick go stupid on this Preemo shit (Preemo)
Stack paper like Pringle chips (We stackin', n***a)
I done seen those bricks speakin' Coke, then the lingo switched
Had the stove doin' Migo tricks (Real, real, haha)
Half a kilo wrist, they want me now 'çause my Vevo lit
Dope money gave me a ego lift, I rode the Riegel with Nicks
These blits and we pleadin' the fifth (Shh)
I lived the thug life leadin' to this (Ayo)
Now I sleep at the Ritz
Spend your re-up money shoppin' at Fifths (That shit light, n***a)
Street n***as at the top of the list, I was takin' them risks (Right there)
Sell them twenties 'til you run out the brick
And, n***a, watch how you bump your lips
Before I come off the hip, like Sei-Wen, on some cowboy shit
Used to want the Murciélago whip, but now times done switched (Skrrt)
Keep the fame, I just wanna be rich (That's all I want)
Do this shit for Baby Heem and Prince, everything legit
Welture's great cheese, eggs, and grits (Hahaha)
Tell the label put my name on the blimp, time to turn up the temp
Black Sopranos bring the family a win, they know
[Bridge: Rick Hyde & Raekwon]
Damn, is that how it is?
Yeah
T—T—T—T—Times is rough and tough
This Ricky
D—D—Damn
Ricky
T—T—T—T—Times is rough and tough
Damn, is that how it is?
Look

[Verse 3: Rick Hyde]
If the scales say a thousand grams on it, then, shit
You weighed it up wrong, n***a
I'm runnin' base, I'm really up short, n***a
I know Cam', enough skill, like, "What up, y'all n***as?" (What up?)
Since place two, I'ma upsell, now it's "Fuck y'all n***as" (That money)
I turned ten into a fifty, nearly lost like thirty-seven of it
I had thirteen left, I put eleven on it (Yeah, yeah, whip)
We all shoot like the Warriors when Kevin on it (Brr)
N***as I was bringin' up smoke, but they ain't ever on it (Wow)
I took advantage of my better moments (Yeah)
All this money, plus I got it out the mud, so it feel better, don't it?
This Preemo beat needed a legend on it
Like Nip' last song with Khaled, every bar is valid
If it ain't Soprano drums, it's ballots
If it ain't hard work, it's talent (Haha)
You not at all a challenge (Nah)
Niqualinda, never lost my balance
You gon' have to dig deeper than Dallas, motherfucker, huh (Yeah)
[Outro: Raekwon]
T—T—Times is rough and tough
D—D—Damn, is that how it is?
T—T—Times is rough and tough
T—T—Tough, t—t—tough
T—T—T—T—Times is rough and tough