Music Video

Common - The Food (Featuring Kanye West) (2004)
Watch Common - The Food (Featuring Kanye West) (2004) on YouTube

Featured In

Credits

PERFORMING ARTISTS
Common
Common
Performer
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Kanye West
Kanye West
Songwriter
Lonnie Lynn
Lonnie Lynn
Songwriter
Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke
Songwriter
Stanley McKenney
Stanley McKenney
Songwriter
Eugene Record
Eugene Record
Songwriter
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
Kanye West
Kanye West
Producer

Lyrics

Yeah, It's been a long time comin'...
But you know what they say, Kanye –
Slow motion better than no motion
I walked in the crib, got two kids
And my baby mama late (Uh oh! Uh oh! Uh oh!)
So I had to did, what I had to did
'Cause I had to get (Duh-ough! Duh-ough! Duh-ough!)
I'm up all night, getting my money right
Until the blue and whites (Po-po! Po-po! Po-po!)
Now the money comin' slow, but a least a **** know
Slow motion better than (No-oh! No-oh! No-oh!)
You love to hear the story, again and again
About these young brothers from the City of Wind
Like juice and gin, in the city, we blend
Amongst the hustle, titties and skin, fifties and rims
Y'all know the Sprewells, and trucks that's detailed
Heartless females that wanna ride in 'em
Felt the Southside venom in rawhides and denim
Pimp minds collide with 'em, a system that tries victims
We livin' in; my man in the fast lane pivotin'
On the block, white is selling like Eminem
On the block, it jump off like Kim and 'em
On the block, it's hot, you can feel it–in your skin and then
Shorties get the game, but no instructions to assemble it
Eyes bright, it seems like the fight is dim in 'em
Call my man "cuzzo," like I'm kin to him
He tryin' to stay straight, the streets is bendin' him
I walked in the crib, got two kids
And my baby mama late (Uh oh! Uh oh! Uh oh!)
So I had to did, what I had to did
'Cause I had to get (Duh-ough! Duh-ough! Duh-ough!)
I'm up all night, getting my money right
Until the blue and whites (Po-po! Po-po! Po-po!)
Now the money comin' slow, but a least a **** know
Slow motion better than (No-oh! No-oh! No-oh!)
It's all good in the hood, like rats and gyms
Throwbacks and Timbs, Blacks and rims
Whether on ball courts, attires of all sorts
We never fall short – with us it's all Force, like Air 1's
Some wave, some air guns – the days of the fair one is over for
Cats is colder than four below, with self I go toe to toe
Wondering if it's for the art or for the dough
Though I know to grow a **** gotta learn to let go
Though I know the dough I got to bring back to the ghetto
Arrows on tarot cards pointin' to the grind
Po' livin' in more prisons, pointin' to my mind, shine the light up
Clench my fists tight, holdin' the right up
Freedom fight in dark gear for the years to get brighter
Situations, and jaws, get tighter
My man trying to get his weight and height up – c'mon!
I walked in the crib, got two kids
And my baby mama late (Uh oh! Uh oh! Uh oh!)
So I had to did, what I had to did
'Cause I had to get (Duh-ough! Duh-ough! Duh-ough!)
I'm up all night, getting my money right
Until the blue and whites (Po-po! Po-po! Po-po!)
Now the money comin' slow, but a least a **** know
Slow motion better than (No-oh! No-oh! No-oh!)
I–I know I could make it right
If I could just swallow my pride
But I can't run away and put my gun away, 
You can't front on me
I–know that I can't let it ride
No, no, not tonight
See, I can't run away and put my gun away, 
You can't front on me
Yeah, I break bread with thieves and pastors, O.G.s and masters
Emcees and actors that seize and capture
Moments like the camcorder
You ain't killin' it – yo, that's manslaughter
Though paper can't change a man's aura, 
It can feed a man's daughter
I stand for the blue collar – on the side, makin' a few dollars
Like Sam Jack, they maneuver through drama, like –
I–I know I could make it right
If I could just swallow my pride
But I can't run away and put my gun away, 
You can't front on me
I–know that I can't let it ride
No, no, not tonight
See, I can't run away and put my gun away, 
You can't front on me
I–I know I could make it right
If I could just swallow my pride
But I can't run away and put my gun away, 
You can't front on me
I–know that I can't let it ride
No, no, not tonight
See, I can't run away and put my gun away, 
You can't front on me
Written by: Eugene Record, Kanye West, Lonnie Lynn, Sam Cooke, Stanley McKenney
instagramSharePathic_arrow_out