stepping stone

[00:10.11] Its 2002, everything was totally new

[00:12.62] We were globally huge

[00:13.85] Watching sales go through the roof

[00:15.58] We wrote and we viewed it

[00:16.84] Runyon Avenue soldiers included

[00:18.09] A multitude of homies who would bounce for no good excuse

[00:20.60] We were so bulletproof wrote, souped and soaked in our youth

[00:24.86] Thought we was running shit till we lost the sole of our shoe

[00:27.60] The death of Doody broke us in two

[00:28.85] We were thrown for a loop, ain't none of us know what to do

[00:31.09] And at the time I was going through my own struggles too

[00:33.86] So I wasn't in no condition to be coaching us through

[00:36.86] Everyone tried to go solo, really nobody blew

[00:39.33] I was hoping they do so I ain't have to shoulder the group

[00:42.59] The plan was put everyone in position so that they knew

[00:44.84] How to stand on they own and I don't want to open up wounds

[00:47.35] I just noticed the oomf was gone when we go in the booth

[00:50.10] Cause the truth is the moment that Proof died, so did the group

[00:52.85] If I could leave this world behind

[00:57.60] I could open up my eyes and walk in a straight line

[01:03.59] Turn to the river with you

[01:08.12] Help me leave this all behind

[01:12.87] I'ma wash away my sins

[01:15.35] I'ma rinse away this dirt

[01:18.09] I forgot to make amends

[01:20.61] To all the friends I may have hurt

[01:23.11] I better stop and say my grace

[01:25.87] From that I pray that I don't fall

[01:28.59] 'Cause on the way back down I may

[01:30.85] May end up running back into them all

[01:33.85] I never meant to use you all as my stepping stones

[01:40.88] It was never the same, and it's bothered me since

[01:43.38] And the farther we drift apart the more awkward it gets

[01:46.12] The more time goes by, the more life happens

[01:48.60] And we gotta be men, we got responsibilities

[01:51.11] Plus we don't say how we feel, and I feel like this is what got us in

[01:54.12] The debacle we're in, been with you guys thick and thin

[01:56.86] But it's almost as if sometimes we're not even friends

[01:59.10] Which reminded me Biz, Rockstar was the shit

[02:02.11] Y'all could've got you a hit without me on the shit

[02:03.86] If you've put D12 on it, wish I could've did

[02:07.38] More than try talking you into coming up off of it

[02:10.10] I know it wasn't my fault, but part of it probably is

[02:12.11] I think of all of the trips to BET and the rappers

[02:14.88] I wish that we would've politicked with

[02:16.86] Maybe y'all coulda clicked and got you some features

[02:19.35] But that's water under the bridge

[02:20.86] But I'm washing my sins in it til my conscious is clear

[02:23.08] If I could leave this world behind

[02:27.86] I could open up my eyes and walk in a straight line

[02:34.40] Turn to the river with you

[02:39.10] Help me leave this all behind

[02:43.35] I'ma wash away my sins

[02:46.10] I'ma rinse away this dirt

[02:48.59] I forgot to make amends

[02:51.35] To all the friends I may have hurt

[02:53.86] I better stop and say my grace

[02:56.59] From that I pray that I don't fall

[02:59.12] 'Cause on the way back down I may

[03:01.84] May end up running back into them all

[03:04.36] I never meant to use you all as my stepping stones

[03:12.12] Bacardi in hand

[03:12.86] Never thought the party would end

[03:14.36] One minute you're bodyin' shit but then your audience splits

[03:16.61] You can already sense the climate is starting to shift

[03:19.36] To these kids you no longer exist

[03:21.34] Went from rainin' cats and dogs in this bitch

[03:23.34] To tiny drops full of drips

[03:25.11] And by the time your reign is over, you'll hardly be missed

[03:27.84] You start thinkin' of all the artists you gift

[03:30.35] All the carnage you left

[03:31.59] Is this the kinda karma you get?

[03:33.11] For turning your fuckin' back on Bizzy, Kuniva and Swift

[03:35.60] A Freudian slip

[03:36.59] Subconsciously, I honestly wished

[03:38.11] I ain't feel so much guilt and y'all didn't harbor resentment

[03:40.61] But it's hard to pretend that y'all ain't got none of this

[03:43.35] Wish I had words

[03:45.11] But I guess they're just [ownin'?] for this

[03:45.86] Still, my point is I just can't say how sorry I am

[03:48.85] This is not how I planned for our story to end

[03:51.35] I love all of you, men

[03:53.35] But I just can't be the guy

[03:54.35] Everybody depends on for entire careers

[03:56.35] 'Cause that's not even fair

[03:58.11] I will always be here

[03:59.62] But that spark isn't there

[04:00.84] And I don't know how to recapture that time and that air

[04:03.36] I've tried hearkening back to

[04:04.87] But I'm fighting for air

[04:06.10] I'm barely charting myself

[04:07.36] Feels like I'm under the sink

[04:09.10] But it was not my intent

[04:10.10] To treat y'all like a stepping stone

[04:12.09] Though I ain't left no one behind

[04:14.11] But we been down every road

[04:15.62] Done all we possibly can

[04:17.09] I know we kept up our hopes up

[04:18.35] But the longer we spend livin' this lie that we live

[04:20.61] The less is left for closure, so let's let this go

[04:23.61] It's not goodbye to our friendship, but D12 is over

[04:28.10] I'ma wash away my sins

[04:30.58] I'ma rinse away this dirt

[04:32.86] I forgot to make amends

[04:35.34] To all the friends I may have hurt

[04:37.84] I better stop and say my grace

[04:40.88] From that I pray that I don't fall

[04:43.36] 'Cause on the way back down I may

[04:45.85] May end up running back into them all

[04:48.87] I never meant to use you all as my stepping stones

[04:53.84] I never meant to make you feel like my stepping stones

[04:59.62] I never meant to use you all for my stepping stones