J. Cole
Runaway
[Intro: Mike Epps (Sampled)]
Married men act totally different when they're by themselves, don't they? You see 'em with their wife, "What's up Tony?" "Hey man, how's everything going brother? Oh, just taking it easy, hanging out with the old lady. Alright, God bless you, take it easy now, alright." You be like that n***a ain't like that
You see him by himself, "What's up Tony?" "Hey, where's the bitches at, n***a?! Where's the bitches?!"

[Verse 1]
Yeah
Gimme my space, Lord, ain't enough time to chase
All these dreams, nah mean? I got no time to wait
Love my girl, but I told her straight up, "Don't wait up"
Stumble home late, I'm drunk, we fucked and made up
Used to living free as a bird, but now I'm laid up
Feelin' like a n***a got handcuffs on
How the fuck did my life become a damn love song?
She ride for a n***a and she stand up for him
But a n***a wan' be a n***a, be a n***a
Ride through the streets with freaks and real n***as
She'll never understand what it's like to be a man
Knowin' when you look inside yourself you see a n***a
And you don't wan' let her down
But you too young for the settle down
And maybe you can thug it out, learn what is love about
When you can't live with her and you can't live without
Aw shit, goddamn, I think the devil got his hands on me
Stripper saying, "Baby, won't you throw them bands on me?"
And I came to spend
She pop a molly, let the motherfuckin' games begin
I'm running away
[Chorus]
Runaway, runaway
Runaway, runaway
I'm holdin' on
Desperately
Runaway, runaway
Runaway, runaway
I'm holdin' on

[Verse 2]
When it's all said and done everybody dies
In this life ain't no happy endings
Only pure beginnings followed by years of sinning and fake repentance
The preacher say we were made in image of Lord
To which I replied: "Are you sure?
Even a murderer? Even a whore?
Even a n***a running through bitches on tour
With a good girl at home folding clothes and shit?"
She losin' faith in him and he knows the shit, like, "What the fuck is a break?
Don't know how much I can take no more
I give you all I got 'til it ain't no more
No more tears, it's been ten long years
Damn near, I don't know if I can wait no more"
And who can blame her, you complain about
Every time you out, you come back she poutin'
Sleeping back to back, this is wack, we 'bout
To go platinum and I'm in the crib acting out
My childhood fantasies of wife and home
But it's a whole lot of actresses I'd like to bone
And despite the rumors you hold out
On account of your guilt and she has got to spend her nights alone
And she ride or die like Eve and 'em
Make home-cooked meals every evenin'
And even in your lowest days
When you're no longer Superman, at least you know you got Lois Lane
But you
[Chorus]
Runaway, runaway
Runaway, runaway
I'm holdin' on
Desperately
Runaway, runaway
Runaway, runaway
I'm holdin' on

[Verse 3]
Yeah
Unbelievable, seen evil that not even Knievel know
At age three I knew this world was three below
Listen, even though my ego low, achieved the unachievable
Imagine if my confidence was halfway decent yo
This just in, fucked more bitches than Bieber though
Still I keep it low, got my n***as on the need to know
Basis, my manager back in the days was racist
I was a young boy, passing skates and tucking laces
Old perverted white man who told me, "Jermaine
It's all pink on the inside, fuck what color they face is"
Wise words from an indecent man
Made me reflect on the times when we was three-fifths of them
In chains and powerless, brave souls reduced to cowardice
Slaving in the baking sun for hours just
To see the master creep into the shack where your lady at
Nine months later got a baby, that's
Not quite what you expected, but you
Refuse to neglect it, 'cause you
Know your wifey loves you, thus you refuse to accept it
That’s the type of shit that turned my granny light-skinned
Rich white men rule the nation still
Only difference is we all slaves now, the chains concealed
In our thoughts, if I follow my heart to save myself
Could I run away from fifty-mill like Dave Chappelle?
You know
[Chorus]
Runaway, runaway
Runaway, runaway
I'm holdin' on
Desperately
Runaway, runaway
Runaway, runaway
I'm holdin' on