Should it be, can it be simple? Life is like the tempo of a No I' instrumental Things that we been through define who we are now Since "Can I Borrow a Dollar?", ooh, I'm a star now Comin from Chi-town, we was the first to do it Me, No I.D., Twilite Tone on the music The city on our back, we was the opening act Throw our tapes in the crowd, they throw 'em right back But we stayed on track, they stayed on the tracks I stayed on the raps 'til we made it on the map By then, No I' was my main guy He and I was like Chi-Town's GangStarr We had came far together, with (ALONGWAYTOGO) Seein a bigger picture, but now from different angles Tangle of the hustling, survival in the game Felt I had to leave home to be a household name Show money low, needin to stack fast City did have my back, now it's a backlash Was I a slave to the cash and wantin it so bad? I just became a dad, rap is all I had So I moved to New York, to make it pop Did "Like Water for Choc", that album changed a lot But my man who I started with, wasn't a part of it And his presence, I didn't even acknowledge it Knew I was wrong, he shoulda at least had a song It wouldn't be me without No I.D., and Twilite Tone Wishin' I could get that time back Oh I can, yo man, rewind that Me and Dion back in the zone, I'm doin shows with Tone For the future of the Chi, we gon' bring it back home Rewind that and we can do it again No I.D., Twilite Tone, where the story begin
"Rewind that one time, please"
This one's for my man J Dilla As I say these words, my eyes fill up Cause wasn't none realer than James Dewitt Yancey So I'ma dedicate this to Dilla and his family In Q-Tip's basement, I first met Jay Dee I still remember the first beat he played me He came to the Chi late three that was crazy Didn't even know me and gave 'em to me for free I go the the D, he show big love Cook up some hot shit, then go to the strip club Then we made "The Light" and times got brighter I said "Turn it up!" Jay'll take it +Higher+ One day, I noticed he was tired quick That's when I found out, Jay Dee was real sick Things got worse before they got better I said, "Come to L.A. for peace and good weather" We got an apartment just so we can spark it MP in the front room, records in the closet The beats got iller, but the sickness was still there I'm wishin, I could will him out of his wheelchair It was hard for me to come home every day And see my homie Jay's life fade away I stayed away some times, in other words I ran 'Til one day J brought me this TV stand It was a gift so I couldn't refuse it It came from his heart, I regret I didn't use it The lupus got worse and, for what it's worth I wanted him to have a Grammy before he left this earth Wishin we could have that time back Oh we can, yo man, rewind that
You never gone, you live forever through song I feel it when I see 'em with them Dilla shirts on I know you still +Shining+, from heaven you watch me Watch me put this Grammy on the stand you got me
"That's an um..infinite.. an infinite um.. team right there Man Jay Dee, I'd work with him whenever I can Cause he's like, constantly progresssing and growing He's one of the greatest producers.. yo, greatest musicians of our time F'real, I really know that.. (Aight!) Yeaaaah... yeah, yeah Like I used to be able to wake up in the morning and hear J Dilla beats... being made Y'know I mean.. really, used to walk by me like.. damn, I'm blessed Like I really felt that, like during the time where he was making it match Like, I don't look back and say I was blessed, I know I was blessed during that time I look and say.. 'Man! I'm gettin to see Jay make them beats.. everyday!' Y'know..."
[J Dilla:] "Common, okay for me it's definitely not a common out But... it's Common"
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