Hate Me Now

(album: I Am - 1999)

Escobar Season has returned
It's been a long time, been a long time coming
It's life or death for me now
But you know, there's no turning back now
This is what makes me, this is what I am
Feel me? Let's go

You can hate me now, (Q.B.)
But I won't stop now (Real niggas)
'Cause I can't stop now, (Bravehearts)
You can hate me now (C'mon)
But I won't stop now
'Cause I can't stop now
You can hate me now
You can hate me now

Well, you hate me, I'm gon' hate you too
It's as simple as that
Die motherfucker, die motherfucker, die!
You don't give a fuck, I don't give a fuck
Go down any way you want it to go down (do it now)
Weak, jealous motherfuckers! (do it now, do it now)
Fuck y'all!

Don't hate me, hate the money I see, clothes that I buy
Ice that I wear, flows that I try
Close your eyes, picture me rolling, Sixes, money folding
Bitches, honeys that swollen to riches, Nas get in ya
Most critically acclaimed Pulitzer Prize winner
Best storyteller, thug narrator, my style's greater
Model dater, big threat to a lot of you haters
Commentators ringside try watching my paper
Almost a decade, quite impressive
Most of the best is in the essence for this rap shit that I stand for
Expanding more to the big screen, Bill Gates dreams
But it seems you'd rather see me in jail with state greens
Want me off the scene fast, but good things last
Like your favorite MC still making some mean cash
First rapper to bring a platinum plaque back to the projects
But you still wanna hate, be my guest, I suggest

Money is power, motherfucker!
I got millions of thugs on salary

You can hate me now, (I won't stop)
But I won't stop now (I can't stop)
'Cause I can't stop now, (You can hate me)
You can hate me now (I hate you too)
But I won't stop now (You can hate me now)
'Cause I can't stop now (Come on)
You can hate me now (You can hate me now)
You can hate me now

Do it now! I told you, do it now!
Let's go

You wanna hate me, then hate me; what can I do
But keep getting money? Funny, I was just like you
I had to hustle hard, never give up, until I made it
Now y'all sayin': "That's a clever nigga, nothing to play with."
Hate on me, I blew but I'm the same OG
People warn me, when you're on top there's envy
Took my niggas out the hood, but you doubt on us
Saying we left the hood but can't get it out of us
My bad, should I step out my shoes, give 'em to you?
Here's my cars and my house, you can live in that too
Criticize when I flow for the streets, hate my dress code
Gucci this, Fendi that – what you expect, ho?
Nickname Esco, took this game to its threshold
Best flow, I bet the whole U.S. know
Try to make it like you the realest, but who the illest?
Think we all know the answer to that, 'cause niggas feel this, right?

You think I'ma come this far
And let you niggas stop me now?
I hate you too!

You can hate me now, (I won't stop)
But I won't stop now (I can't stop)
'Cause I can't stop now, (You can hate me)
You can hate me now (I hate you too)
But I won't stop now (You can hate me now)
'Cause I can't stop now (You can hate me now)
You can hate me now
You can hate me now

I like this, I like the way this feels

It's a thin line between paper and hate
Friends and snakes, nine millis and thirty-eights
Hell or the Pearly Gates; I was destined to come
Predicted, blame God, he blew breath in my lungs
Second to none, wicked turn wives to widows
Shoot through satin pillows, the desolate one
Took a little time to claim my spot
Chairman of the board until this game stop, and I side with the Lord
Ride for the cause while driving niggas shot at my doors
Plotting I'm sure, to catch me with they Glocks to my jaws
Tried sticking me up, but I flipped on these ducks
Instead of me, ambulances were picking them up
Niggas fear what they don't understand
Hate what they can't conquer, guess it's just the fury of man
Became a monster, on top of the world, never falling
I'm as real as they come, from day one, forever balling, c'mon!

You ain't never seen a nigga like me ever in your life
And that's what you can't understand!

You can hate me now, (I won't stop)
But I won't stop now (I can't stop)
'Cause I can't stop now, (You can hate me)
You can hate me now (I hate you too)
But I won't stop now (You can hate me now)
'Cause I can't stop now (You can hate me now)
You can hate me now
You can hate me now

You can hate me now, (C'mon, niggas!)
But I won't stop now (Do it now! Get this shit over with!)
It ain't gon' never stop, niggas!