Family Business

(album: College Dropout - 2004)

How's your son? (all the things)
He made the team this year? (all, all, all the things things)
Aight, they said he wasn't tall enough
(...all all that glitters is not gold
And all gold is not reality
Real is what you lays on me)
Ma we here we gon' cook this Sunday OK?
That's a new girlfriend?

This is family business
And this is for the family that can't be with us
And this is for my cousin locked down, know the answer's in us
This why I spit it in my songs so sweet like a photo
Of your granny's picture, now that you're gone, it hit us
Super hard on Thanksgiving and Christmas, this can't be right
Yeah, you heard the track I did man, "This Can't Be Life"
Somebody please say grace so I can save face
And have a reason to cover my face
I even made you a plate, soul food, know how Granny do it
Monkey bread on the side, know how the family do it
When I brought it why the guard have to look all through it?
As kids, we used to laugh
Who knew that life would move this fast?
Who knew I'd have to look at you through a glass?
And look, you tell me you ain't did it then you ain't did it
And if you did, then that's family business

And I don't care 'bout
(All the diamond rings all the diamond rings)
They don't mean a thing (all, all, all the things)
All these fancy things
I tell you that all is my weight and gold
(All that glitters is not gold, now gold is not reality)
Now all I know I know all these things
(Real is what you lease on me)

This is family business
And this is for everybody standing with us
Come on, let's take a family Grammy picture
Abi, remember when they ain't believe in me?
Now she like "See, that's my cousin on TV!"
Now, we getting it and we gon' make it
And they gon' hate it and I'm his favorite
I can't deny it, I'm a straight rider
But when we get together be electric sliding
Grandma, get 'em shook up
Aw naw, don't open the photo book up
I got an Aunt Ruth that can't remember your name
But I bet them Polaroids'll send her down memory lane
You know that one auntie, you don't mean to be rude
But every holiday nobody eating her food
And you don't wanna stay there cause them your worst cousins
Got roaches at their crib like them your first cousins
Act like you ain't took a bath with your cousins
Fit 3 in the bed if it's 6 of y'all
I'm talking 'bout three by the head and three by the leg
But you ain't have to tell my girl I used to pee in the bed

Rain, rain, rain go away
Let the sun come out and all the children say
Rain, rain, rain go away
Let the sun come out and all the children say

I woke up early this morning with a new state of mind
A creative way to rhyme without using knives and guns
Keep your nose out the sky, keep your heart to God
And keep your face to the rising sun
All my niggas from the Chi, that's my family, dog
And my niggas ain't my guys, they my family, dog
I feel like one day you'll understand me, dog
You can still love your man and be manly, dog
You ain't got to get heated at every house warming
Sitting here, grilling people like George Foreman
Why Uncle Ray and Aunt Shiela always performin'?
The second she storm out then he storm in
Y'all gon' sit down, have a good time this reunion
And drink some wine like Communion
And act like everything fine and if it isn't
We ain't letting everybody in our family business, uh

(All all all the diamond rings diamond rings)
They don't mean a thing (all, all, all the things)
They don't mean a thing (all, all, all the things)
(All all that glitters is not gold, now gold is not reality)
They don't mean a thing a thing
(All, all, all the things)
They don't mean a thing a thing a thing
I don't care what they don't mean a thing
(All, all, all the things) all these fancy things
I tell you that all is my weight and gold
All I know, I know all these things
All these things, all these things
All these things, all these things

CLK Mercedes Benz
All these things, all these things
All these things, all these things
All these things, all these things
A whole lotta money
All these things, all these things
All these things, all these things
All these things, all these things
Mommy and Daddy, will you please stop fighting?
All these things, all these things
All these things, (and I don't care why) all these things
All these things, all these things
All these things, all these things
Let's get Stevie outta jail