Stepping Stones

[00:06.14] Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

[00:08.89] It's 2002, everything was totally new

[00:11.88] We were globally huge, watchin' sales go through the roof

[00:14.63] We wrote and we feuded, Runyon Avenue soldiers included

[00:16.61] A multitude of homies who would bounce for no good excuse

[00:20.14] We were so bulletproof—wrote, souped and soaked in our youth

[00:22.63] Thought we was runnin' shit 'til we lost the sole of our shoe

[00:25.41] The death of Doody broke us in two

[00:27.86] We were thrown for a loop, ain't none of us know what to do

[00:30.88] And at the time I was goin' through my own struggles too

[00:33.38] So I wasn't in no condition to be coachin' us through

[00:36.11] Everyone tried to go solo, really nobody blew

[00:38.89] I was hopin' they do, so I ain't have to shoulder the crew

[00:41.38] The plan was put everyone in position so that they knew

[00:44.13] How to stand on they own, and I don't wanna open up wounds

[00:47.36] I just noticed that oomf was gone when we go in the booth

[00:49.41] 'Cause the truth is, the moment that Proof died, so did the group

[00:51.63] If I could leave this all behind

[00:56.87] I could open up my eyes and walk in a straight line

[01:01.13] Down to the river with you

[01:07.38] Help me leave this all behind

[01:12.13] I'ma wash away my sins

[01:14.87] I'ma rinse away this dirt

[01:17.63] I forgot to make amends

[01:20.13] To all the friends I may have hurt

[01:22.63] I better stop and say my grace

[01:25.13] From it I pray that I don't fall

[01:28.14] 'Cause on the way back down I may

[01:30.38] End up runnin' back into them all

[01:33.13] I never meant to use you all as my stepping stones

[01:40.39] It was never the same, and it's bothered me since

[01:42.89] And the farther we drift apart, the more awkward it gets

[01:45.38] The more time goes by, the more life happens

[01:47.65] And we gotta be men, we got responsibilities

[01:50.63] Plus we don't say how we feel

[01:52.14] And I feel like this is what got us in the debacle we're in

[01:54.63] Been with you guys thick and thin

[01:56.13] But it's almost as if sometimes we're not even friends

[01:58.88] Which reminded me Biz, "Rockstar" was the shit

[02:01.63] Y'all coulda got you a hit without me on the shit

[02:03.87] If you woulda put D12 on it, wish I coulda did

[02:06.89] More than try talkin' you into comin' up off of it

[02:08.88] I know it wasn't my fault, but part of it probably is

[02:11.63] I think of all of the trips to BET

[02:13.62] And the rappers I wish that we woulda politicked with

[02:15.88] Maybe y'all coulda clicked and got you some features

[02:18.69] But that's water under the bridge

[02:19.88] But I'm washin' my sins in it 'til my conscience is cleansed

[02:22.64] If I could leave this all behind

[02:27.39] I could open up my eyes and walk in a straight line

[02:33.38] Down to the river with you

[02:37.88] Help me leave this all behind

[02:42.89] I'ma wash away my sins

[02:45.89] I'ma rinse away this dirt

[02:48.67] I forgot to make amends

[02:50.87] To all the friends I may have hurt

[02:53.63] I better stop and say my grace

[02:56.38] From it I pray that I don't fall

[02:58.88] 'Cause on the way back down I may

[03:01.36] End up runnin' back into them all

[03:04.45] I never meant to use you all as my stepping stones

[03:11.14] Bacardi and Hen', never thought the party would end

[03:13.65] One minute you're bodyin' shit, but then your audience splits

[03:16.63] You can already sense the climate is startin' to shift

[03:19.13] To these kids you no longer exist

[03:20.86] Went from rainin' cats and dogs in this bitch

[03:22.90] To tiny drops, little drips

[03:24.64] And by the time your reign is over, you'll hardly be missed

[03:27.63] You start thinkin' of all the artists you gift, all the carnage you left

[03:31.11] Is this the kind of karma you get

[03:32.64] For turnin' your fuckin' back on Bizzy, Kuniva and Swift?

[03:35.17] A Freudian slip, subconsciously, I honestly wished

[03:37.90] I ain't feel so much guilt and y'all didn't harbor resentment

[03:40.38] But it's hard to pretend that y'all ain't got none

[03:42.88] I just wish I had words, but I guess there just are none for this

[03:45.64] To my partners, I can't say how sorry I am

[03:48.36] This is not how I planned for our story to end

[03:51.12] I love all of you men

[03:52.38] But I just can't be the guy everybody depends

[03:55.13] On for entire careers 'cause that's not even fair

[03:57.88] I will always be here, but that spark isn't there

[04:00.12] And I don't know how to recapture that time and that era

[04:02.89] I've tried hearkening back to, but I'm fightin' for air

[04:04.94] I'm barely chartin' myself

[04:07.19] Feels like I'm on the descent, but it was not my intent

[04:09.64] To treat y'all like a stepping stone

[04:11.64] Though I ain't left no one behind, but we been down every road

[04:14.88] Done all we possibly can, I know we kept our hopes up

[04:17.88] But the longer we spend livin' this lie that we live

[04:20.41] The less is left for closure, so let's let this go

[04:23.13] It's not goodbye to our friendship, but D12 is over

[04:27.88] I'ma wash away my sins

[04:30.13] I'ma rinse away this dirt

[04:32.89] I forgot to make amends

[04:35.38] To all the friends I may have hurt

[04:37.92] I better stop and say my grace

[04:40.41] From it I pray that I don't fall

[04:43.38] 'Cause on the way back down I may

[04:45.64] End up runnin' back into them all

[04:48.63] I never meant to use you all as my stepping stones

[04:53.63] I never meant to make you feel like my stepping stones

[04:58.88] I never meant to use you all for my stepping stones