Spotlight (feat. Lzzy Hale)

What if life is simple as a hug?

What if my partner wasn't crippled from a drug?

What if my other homie never caught a slug?

What if our parents actually gave a fuck?

Another black suit, another black suit

Police happy to see another black shoot

His mother's make-up smearing on my arms

Crying 'cause I'm the only son that she got now that he's gone

What if the ghetto never heard an instrumental?

And we didn't have this rap shit, all we had was metal?

You telling me if we couldn't shoot a ball

Our lives still got shootin' involved?

And what if I never left out of Denver?

That winter for new beginnings

My father started his business and traded family for riches

You telling me that my auntie would still have a house to live in?

And Jojo wouldn't be writing me from prison?

But fuck it, this is life

Deal with it or get dealt with

I'm in my room smoking alone like I'm selfish

'Cause somedays the sun's hard to face

Dad turns, his son wears his face

But closer, see the heart of a lion

Sticks and stones couldn't damage

My bones harder than iron

Hundred seventy pounds with the walk of a giant

So defiant I pop a Valium, turn up the volume

Turn up the volume

Turn up the volume

Turn up the volume

For all that it's worth

To live in the spotlight

All my demons come to life

And all that it was

And all that it could be

Is lost in the darkness of the night

Why should I die?

To live in the spotlight

Why should I kill myself for you?

You'd let me die

To live in the spotlight

(You'd let me die inside for you)

What if money wasn't part of success?

Would the people I used to be friends with never left?

What if making a name didn't come with regrets?

I think that fame's a precursor to death

Death a friendship, death of a family

Death of a man

The misunderstood are always dead before they understand

Staring at ceiling fans, chop up milligrams, draw a pentagram

Lucifer's not a rumor he's in the band

Liquor and vomit on my Converse

Bright lights and packed concerts

And right next to the gun that's on my dresser

Are plastic orange bottles of peer pressure

And I'm ready to cave

I live in the cage

How can I be a hero when I'm the one needing saved?

Forty-eight hour days of this fast lane living

Me and my entourage, no Jeremy Piven, listen

"It's better to burn out than fade away," is what Kurt said

I felt the same until I saw his daughter and thought

As a father, what if tomorrow the only way I could spoil her was dying?

Started crying then popped a Valium, turned up the volume

Turn up the volume

Turn up the volume

Turn up the volume

For all that it's worth

To live in the spotlight

All my demons come to life

And all that it was

And all that it could be

Is lost in the darkness of the night

Why should I die?

To live in the spotlight

Why should I kill myself for you?

You'd let me die

To live in the spotlight

You'd let me die inside for you

So what you do when the cop lights turn into a stage and a spotlight?

And everyone around you starts to hate 'cause you got right?

And feel entitled like I'm supposed to stop living my life?

Well this ain't Tupac, this ain't Em's show

This ain't Jigga Man, this that Kells flow

This that C-Town, nineteen double X rep so

Welcome to my life, here's a ticket for the next show

Spotlight

Welcome to my life, here's a ticket to the next show