T.I. - Ready for Whatever & Dead and Gone
TI is one of my favorite rappers for two key reasons: language and substance. He has the ability to say what he wishes in a clear almost paragraph-like format that clearly shows unique ability to command the English language while rapping over a beat. Whether he’s laying an honest track such as “I Still Love You” from his 2003 Trap Muzik album, or a track that’s bursting with exaggerated bravado like “Every Chance I Get” from Paper Trail (2009), he always says exactly what he feels in clear and precise language.
His most recent album, Paper Trail, has a number of sincere tracks that will probably never reach the radio, but deserve recognition. In “Ready for Whatever” TI explains and accepts responsibility for the illegal actions that lead to a felony conviction on weapons charges. He details the rationale behind the choice, and accepts responsibility for his actions in a way that almost borders on civil disobedience.
The album closes with a track featuring Justin Timberlake entitled “Dead and Gone”. In these verses, T.I. reflects on some of the battles he won that weren’t worth fighting. Here we see a lot of growth and wisdom from his T.I.P. days, and the lyrics hold a lot of good advice for young dudes with hot tempers.
I wanted to post these tracks together because they truly complement one another as they discuss choices and consequences.
- sparkman
‘Ready for Whatever’
[Intro]
hey, the price of fame cost to much
like these niggas talk to much
im ready for whatever somebody better tell em’
said im ready for whatever
hey, hey, hey,
[Verse 1]
even tho my head in the clouds im planted on the pavement
how i walk around people starring in amazment
i play alotta game a well-being i aint playing wit it
they so judgemental man but they dont understand
if ya life was in jeperady erryday is you tellin me
you wouldnt need weaponry jus because of ya felony’s
consider this at least i got errybody sweating me
on the streets theres people who wont rest unless i rest in peace
killed my folk a year ago still in my sleep they threatin me
peranoid ya stressin me aint nobody protecting me
im dealing wit the pressure from my partner dieing next to me
niggas know i was arrested they coming for me eventually
this was all the things that i was goin thru mentally
this could be the reason i ignore the penitionary
not mentioning in new orleans niggas comin in the city
killin all summer long aint nobody pay attention
(breakdown)
now is it that hard to understand if you listen
either die or go to jail thats a hell of decision
but im wrong and i know it my excuses unimportant
im just tryna let you know that i aint think i had a choice, fereal
(hook)
i had straps in my ride gotta go to prison
you waitin on me to die you gone be waiting for a minute
boy im ready for whateva somebody betta tell em
i’ll be here when the smoke clear and errything settle (fereal)
cant afford the price of fame cause it cost too much
man these sucka niggas lame and they talk to much
dat why im ready for whateva somebody tell em
i’ll be here when the smoke clear and everything settle
[break down]
[T.I. Talking]
foreal, foreal, ey foreal, i said when errything settle
foreal,ey foreal, ey foreal, ey foreal i said when errything settle foreal
[Verse2]
ima man i aint perfect i admit it im guilty
but understand feel me i was riding filthy
cuz niggas out there plottin to rob me and kill me
500,000 erry year spent on security
my future was bright but now its gettin blury
cuz niggas in a hurry to find me and bury me
but surely God’ll deliver me up out it
ima fighter till the heart i’ll foreva be about it
ima father to my sons except to my community
look all that i done my good out weigh the negativity
ey mentally i was focused on not lettin history reapet itself
thats why he was kept in a vicinity
yes offically i broke the law but not maliciously
through all the publicity was anyone considerate
my position and the logic hidden my decision
but they caught me wit em now im off to prison, PERIOD
[Ready for Whatever Lyrics On http://www.elyricsworld.com/ ]
[Breakdown]
but is it that hard to understand if you listen
either die or go to jail thats a hell of decision
but im wrong and i know it my excuses unimportant
im just tryna let you know that i aint think i had a choice, fereal
[Hook]
i had straps in my ride gotta go to prison
you waitin on me to die you gone be waiting for a minute
boy im ready for whateva somebody betta tell em
i’ll be here when the smoke clear and errything settle (fereal)
cant afford the price of fame cause it cost too much
man these sucka niggas lame and they talk to much
dat why im ready for whateva somebody betta tell em
i’ll be here when the smoke clear and errything settle
[Final Breakdown]
[T.I. Talking]
Ey i said listen homeboy
you can talk all you want mayne you know what im sayin
errybody talking to the king you know what im sayin Everybodys entitled to an opinion you know what im sayin
they like escalades errybody got one
but the fact of the matter remain
if yeaint walk a mile in my shoes and yeaint live a day in my life
yeaint survive the shit i done survived
yeaint had to deal wit the shit i had to deal wit homeboy
you cant muf**kin judge me partner
i mean look at folk like sean taylor
you know what they said they said had he had a strap
he woulda lived today
you know what im sayin
now true enough i did wrong i broke the law
i deserve to be punished i understand that ight cool
but listen man i gotta house full of kids
a mama and an old lady who life in my
responsibility you dig that!?
now for all of yall who think i was jus ridin around on some dumb shit
you know im smarter than you man
you know im smarter than you dawg
ey if you think i was just being stupid
shorty i got some muf**kin ocean front property in Idaho for sale homie
if you beleive that i gotta bridge in brooklyn i wanna sell you partnah
ey man real talk in order to understand my train of thoughts
you’ll have to put yo self in my position
you cant expect me to think like you cuz my life aint like yours
you know what im sayin? if you dont understand that you dont
understand english im done talking!
‘Dead and Gone’
Oooo,hey I’ve been travelin’ on this road to long
Just trying to find my way back home
The old me is dead and gone… dead and gone…
Ooooooo I ve been travelin’ on this road to long
Just trying to find my way back home
The old me is dead and gone… dead and gone… eeyy
(T.I.)
Ever had one of them days you wish woulda stayd home
Run into a group of ni&&as getting they hate on
you walk by they get wrong you reply then sh*t get blown
Way outta proportion way past discussion
Just u against them, pick one then rush em
Figure you get jump, yeah that next
They don’t wanna stop there now they bussin
Now u gushin’, ambulance rushin’ u to the hospital with a bad concussion
Plus ya hit four times bullet hit ya spine paralyzed waist down now ya wheel chair bound
Nevermind that now u lucky to be alive, Just think it all started you fussin’ with three guys
Now ya pride in the way but ya pride is the way you could *uck around get shot die anyday
Ni&&as die every day all over bull sh*t dope money dice game ordinary hood sh*t
Could this be cuz of hip hop music or did the ones with the good sense not use it
Usually ni&&as don’t know what to do whith their back against the wall so they just start shootin
For red or for blue or for blow I guess, from Bankhead upto ya projects
No more stray, now im straight, now I get it now I take
Time to think, before I make mistakes just for my family’s sake
That part of me left yesterday the heart of me is strong today
No regrets im blessed to say the old me dead and gone away.
Oooo,hey I’ve been travelin’ on this road to long
Just trying to find my way back home
The old me is dead and gone… dead and gone…
Ooooooo I ve been travelin’ on this road to long
Just trying to find my way back home
The old me is dead and gone… dead and gone… eeyy
(T.I.)
I aint never been scared, I lived through tragic
Situations coulda been dead lookin back at it
Most of that sh*t didn’t even have to happen
But you don’t think about it when you out there trappin’
In apartments hangin smokin’ and rappin’
Ni&&as start sh*t next thing ya know we cappin’
Get locked up then didnt even get mad
Now think about damn what a life I had
Most of that sh*t look back just laugh
Some sh*t still look back get sad
Maybe my home boy still be around
Had I not hit the ni&&a in the mouth that time
I won that fight, I lost that war
I can still see my ni&&a walkin’ out that door
Who’da thought I’d never see Philant no more
Got enough dead homies I don’t want no more
Cost a ni&&a his job, cost me more
I’da took that ass-whoopin now for sure
Now think before I risk my life
Take them chances to get my stripe
A ni&&a put his hands on me alright
Otherwise stand there talk sh*t all night
Cuz I hit you , you sue me,
I shoot you, get locked up, who me?
No more stress, now im straight, now I get it now I take
Time to think before I make mistakes just for my family’s sake
That part of me left yesterday the heart of me is strong today
No regrets im blessed to say the old me dead and gone away.
Oooo,hey I’ve been travelin’ on this road to long
Just trying to find my way back home
The old me is dead and gone… dead and gone…
Ooooooo I ve been travelin’ on this road to long
Just trying to find my way back home
The old me is dead and gone… dead and gone… eeyy
(J.T.)
I turn my head to the east… I don’t see nobody by my side
I turn my head to the west… still nobody in sight
So I turn my head to the north, swallow that pill that they call pride
The old me is dead and gone, the new me will be alright
I turn my head to the east… I don’t see nobody by my side
I turn my head to the west… still nobody in sight
So I turn my head to the north, swallow that pill that they call pride
The old me is dead and gone, the new me will be alright
Oooo,hey I’ve been travelin’ on this road to long
Just trying to find my way back home
The old me is dead and gone… dead and gone…
Ooooooo I ve been travelin’ on this road to long
Just trying to find my way back home
The old me is dead and gone… dead and gone… eeyy
