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Credits

PERFORMING ARTISTS
Royce Da 5'9"
Royce Da 5'9"
Vocals
Robert Glasper
Robert Glasper
Keyboards
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Denaun Porter
Denaun Porter
Songwriter
Kameron Glasper
Kameron Glasper
Songwriter
R. Montgomery
R. Montgomery
Songwriter
Robert Glasper
Robert Glasper
Songwriter
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
Alexander Smith
Alexander Smith
Recording Engineer
Brian “B-Jones” Jones
Recording Engineer
Buscemi
Buscemi
Recording Engineer
I.V. Duncan
I.V. Duncan
Recording Engineer
Mauricio "Veto" Iragorri
Mauricio "Veto" Iragorri
Mastering Engineer
Mike Kuz
Mike Kuz
Recording Engineer
Morning Estrada
Morning Estrada
Mixing Engineer
Mr. Porter
Mr. Porter
Mixing Engineer
Ryan Highland
Ryan Highland
Recording Engineer
Steve Baughman
Steve Baughman
Mastering Engineer

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Protecting Ryan
Protecting Ryan
[Verse 2]
Back when I was a teenager
Me, my brother Vish, and my brother Greg
Was playing basketball at the court
It was these two **** in general
They just kept fouling, just fouling, fouling
So I went up for a lay-up
I'm like, ball, ****
Goddamn, they talking shit, I'm talking shit
He jumps up in my face
So I thought, overhand right in the hook
Bitch
This **** falls to the ground, sleep
All you see is Z's
Birdies, stars, you hear all of that shit
[Verse 3]
And then I run up on the **** that he was with
That was also talking shit
I said, what's up?
Soon as I said that, this **** Vish just threw the basketball
Hit him in the face hard as fuck, boom
Now if he was about to say something tough
He musta just changed his mind
'Cause that **** turn around and broke running
All I heard that **** saying was
"I don't want a problem"
[Verse 4]
And right when I was thinking to myself
Where the fuck is Greg at?
I'm reminded of why I never call him when it's a problem
He got this thing about protecting Ryan
Just gotta over-do shit
[Verse 5]
So the next thing that happened in my mind went like this
Greg flew into the picture, possibly from out the sky
I think he was wearing a cape
He landed in front of me like, duh-duh-duh-duh
With a knife in his hand, with the handle taped up
That he had been keeping under his front drivers' seat
In his car the whole time and nobody knew
[Verse 6]
This **** just blacked out
And start swinging the knife at the dude I drop
I'ma kill you, motherfucka
And start cutting the ****
I had to grab him, like
Greggy, what is you doin'?
Don't kill this ****
[Verse 7]
The whole park just went silent
And then the silence gets broken by police sirens
And all you hear from each way is people goin'
Greg, throw the knife on the roof
Greg, throw the knife in the pool
Get rid of the knife, Greg
[Verse 8]
And he drops the bloody knife right in the grass
I look at him, he looks back at me
Prison bars just come in between us and surrounds him completely
My mother and father just outta nowhere pops into the picture
And I said, you ain't have to try and kill him, Greggy
My mother and father, why you have to try and kill him, Greggy?
He said, I was protecting Ryan
[Verse 9]
And then he went to prison and started writing letters home
Dear Mama, I'm so sorry
All I was doing was protecting Ryan
And then he came home
Ryan got a record deal, did you hear, Greg?
Yeah, I deal with a record every day
That I got for calling myself, protecting Ryan
But you ain't have to call his wife a bitch right to her face
See, here we go again
Don't nobody ever see my side of the story
Every time I turn around, y'all either defending or protecting Ryan
[Verse 10]
I think I get it now
Thank you for protecting me
I wouldn't be where I'm at today if you hadn't protected me
Thank you
Thank you for teaching me how to rap
Thank you for teaching me how to scrap
Thank you for sacrificing your life so I can have a better life
[Verse 11]
Greg, is that what you wanna hear?
Written by: Denaun M Porter, Robert Glasper, Ryan Montgomery
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