Byron Henderson - The Art of Life & Death (iLLuminate Oblivion) lyrics

You’ll forever be the American Nightmare
I’m America’s wet dream
The cold sore on the lip of
This country or so it seems
You’re better off as one of the people
The king used to dream about for that CREAM
I’m a fiend and that’s the
Reason that I’m scheming now
From day one, my momma hated you
Constantly blaming you for my decisions
Like you were helping me make them
Truthfully, I should be thanking you
Aye, I’ve been this way since BC
I’m not the same as you
You avoid all the danger
And plan on trying to save the youth
But that’s my gripe with this
I think you’re losing sight of
The path that you put
Me on in order for me to do right again
Though I know you’re nice with it
I don’t feel you can help me
Boy, I’m the reason the cycle spins
On and on like a dryer turning
You and Marina act as if
You look for higher learning
Meanwhile as you can see now
A fire’s burning
But only money’s on my mind
And I ain’t gotta earn it
She thinks I’m making mistakes
But I need your opinion
She told me the real reason she
Ain’t like you to begin with
You remind her of me before my dad came back
She said she wished the old Matt came back
As if I changed but please
I just grew up and if
Money ain’t motive what is?
Remember Byron, you won’t bring
Change without it, For real
That’s what it’s all about
And ain’t nobody hiring
So I’ve gotta hustle to get
My mom another house
The way she’s speaking of you now
I ain’t feeling it though
I mean, she started ten minutes ago
Asking why you’re never around
And how lucky your parents are that you found
Yourself in a world full of followers
Man, I kind of felt slighted
I won’t lie to you
That’s why I’m coming to you now I have
A lot to prove to both of you
Cause I’m feeling like a failure
And I’d die before I fail her
Put the microphone down for a second
Dawg help us

The underdog from the underground is
Bound to even odds
Pull them pistols and pay the piper
Or bow your knee to God
Realistically, with your P-O-V
You won’t make it out alive
Just know the cycle only continues
If you don’t bother trying
Now, how real is that?
Really, how real am I to
Help you with your problems
Knowing my parents would kill me if
They ever knew about them
Knowing somebody could kill me over
Something you done got in
But who am I to deny you of some guidance?
Just know I’m Byron, A human that knows he’s
Probably making a mistake
But I don’t ever want to go another day
Thinking maybe I could save
You from this fate
There’s a million other things
Running through my mind
Hard to spill my feelings when they race
As we cross this street
I hope the only thing you
Carry with you is hope
I pray you chose to toss that heat
Because the last thing you need is
For the cops to flash badges
With you running for your life
Though you’re on the right track
It’s paranoia that’s instilled in you
They don’t understand it, Never will
A split second decision could get you killed
So, when her purse got
Snatched, you pursued him, Why?
What made you do it even
Though you never knew them?
I noticed a shift in your character
As you hand her purse back with pride
My stomach drops
And I signal it’s time to go
You reply, "I’ll catch up with you"
Less than twenty seconds later
Shots echo through the air like a tornado
As your karma’s catching up with you
So many questions as the sirens get louder
Keep the pressure on your chest, Matt
I know you’re aren’t ready to go, dawg
I get that but I have to, cause for me
This is more than a minor setback
Tears shed because you’ll never
Get to apologize
Left the house without a hug
From the person you idolize
But you’ll never be more sorry than me
Your last convo with her, just
An argument over me, I’m sorry

They say the difference between justice
And punishment is that
Punishment isn’t blind they say
If you want peace
Then prepare for war because when
The law is ineffective
And lets evil men and women run free
Good people must take matters into their
Own hands bottom line is
We all have to come to grips with the
Fact that some people don’t change they don’t
Care about getting arrested
Because they know, And those of us
That pay attention know that they’ll
Just get out meaning
The only thing that will truly stop them
From hurting others is a bullet