Like Toy Soldiers

[00:00.39] Step by step, heart to heart

[00:01.39] Left, right, left, we all fall down...

[00:02.89] Step by step, heart to heart

[00:04.39] Left, right, left, we all fall down

[00:08.90] Step by step, heart to heart

[00:11.64] Left, right, left, we all fall down

[00:16.39] Like toy soldiers

[00:20.39] Bit by bit, torn apart

[00:23.39] We never win, but the battle wages on

[00:28.40] For toy soldiers

[00:32.14] I'm supposed to be the soldier who never blows his composure

[00:34.89] Even though I hold the weight of the whole world on my shoulders

[00:37.64] I ain't never supposed to show it

[00:39.64] My crew ain't supposed to know it

[00:41.14] Even if it means goin' toe-to-toe with a Benzino

[00:43.15] It don't matter, I never drag 'em in battles that I can't handle

[00:46.64] 'Less I absolutely have to, I'm supposed to set an example

[00:49.89] I need to be the leader, my crew looks for me to guide 'em

[00:52.64] If some shit ever does pop off, I'm supposed to be beside 'em

[00:55.64] That Ja shit, I tried to squash it, it was too late to stop it

[00:58.64] There's a certain line you just don't cross, and he crossed it

[01:01.64] I heard him say Hailie's name on a song and I just lost it

[01:04.14] It was crazy, the shit went way beyond some JAY-Z and Nas shit

[01:07.89] And even though the battle was won, I feel like we lost it

[01:10.14] I spent so much energy on it, honestly I'm exhausted

[01:13.14] And I'm so caught in it that I almost feel I'm the one who caused it

[01:16.14] This ain't what I'm in hip-hop for, that's not why I got in it

[01:19.14] That was never my object, for someone to get killed

[01:22.14] Why would I wanna destroy something I helped build?

[01:24.89] That wasn't my intentions, my intentions were good

[01:27.64] I went through my whole career without ever mentionin' ****

[01:30.89] And that was just outta respect, for not runnin' my mouth

[01:33.64] And talkin' about somethin' that I knew nothin' about

[01:36.40] Plus Dre told me stay out, this just wasn't my beef

[01:39.39] So I did, I just fell back, watched and gritted my teeth

[01:42.39] While he's all over TV, down-talkin' the man

[01:45.15] Who literally saved my life, like fuck it, I understand

[01:48.14] This is business, and this shit just isn't none of my business

[01:51.39] But still knowin' the shit could pop off at any minute, 'cause—

[01:54.39] Step by step, heart to heart

[01:57.39] Left, right, left, we all fall down

[02:02.14] Like toy soldiers

[02:05.89] Bit by bit, torn apart

[02:08.89] We never win, but the battle wages on

[02:13.89] For toy soldiers

[02:17.64] There used to be a time when you could just say a rhyme and

[02:20.64] Wouldn't have to worry about one of your people dyin'

[02:23.65] But now it's elevated, 'cause once you put someone's kids in it

[02:26.39] The shit gets escalated—it ain't just words no more, is it?

[02:30.14] It's a different ballgame, you call names and you ain't just rappin'

[02:32.64] We actually tried to stop the 50 and Ja beef from happenin'

[02:35.65] Me and Dre had sat with him, kicked it and had a chat with him

[02:38.40] And asked him not to start it, he wasn't gonna go after him

[02:41.15] Until Ja started yappin' in magazines how he stabbed him

[02:44.39] Fuck it, 50, smash him! Mash on him, let him have it

[02:47.14] Meanwhile my attention's pulled in another direction

[02:49.89] Some receptionist at The Source who answers phones at his desk

[02:52.89] Has an erection for me and thinks that I'll be his resurrection

[02:55.89] Tries to blow the dust off his mic and make a new record

[02:58.89] But now he's fucked the game up

[03:00.14] 'Cause one of the ways I came up

[03:01.89] Was through that publication, the same one that made me famous

[03:04.64] Now the owner of it has got a grudge against me for nothin'?

[03:07.64] Well, fuck it, that motherfucker could get it too, fuck him then!

[03:10.64] But I'm so busy bein' pissed off, I don't stop to think

[03:13.39] That we just inherited 50's beef with Murder Inc.

[03:16.39] And he's inherited mine, which is fine, ain't like either of us mind

[03:19.89] But we still have soldiers that's on the front line

[03:22.40] Who's willin' to die for us as soon as we give the orders

[03:25.39] Never to extort us, strictly to show they support us

[03:28.39] And maybe shout 'em out in a rap or up in a chorus

[03:31.14] To show 'em we love 'em back and let 'em know how important

[03:34.15] It is to have Runyon Avenue soldiers up in our corners

[03:36.89] Their loyalty to us is worth more than any award is

[03:40.14] But I ain't tryna have none of my people hurt or murdered

[03:42.89] It ain't worth it, I can't think of a perfecter way to word it

[03:45.89] Than to just say that I love y'all too much to see the verdict

[03:48.89] I'll walk away from it all 'fore I let it go any further

[03:51.89] But don't get it twisted, it's not a plea that I'm coppin'

[03:54.64] I'm just willin' to be the bigger man, if y'all can quit poppin'

[03:57.65] Off at the jaws, well, then I can, 'cause frankly I'm sick of talkin'

[04:00.64] I'm not gonna let someone else's coffin rest on my conscience

[04:03.14] 'Cause—

[04:03.89] Step by step, heart to heart

[04:06.39] Left, right, left, we all fall down

[04:11.39] Like toy soldiers

[04:15.39] Bit by bit, torn apart

[04:18.14] We never win, but the battle wages on

[04:23.14] For toy soldiers