On The Cutting Room Floor (A Mixtape), by Arrested Development (2024)

1.

YeahThe biggest deception is that people do not careBe aware we are hereThe despair that you fearWe’re prepared to prepare youWe’re here just to share with youThe traps that are ensnaring youThe unknowns that’s scaring youOur purpose is not surfaceIt is deep and it is urgentWe can see that you are hurtingTry to cut through like a surgeon But our scalpel is not sharp enoughOur lasso is not far enoughWe wrestle with DEVILS the ones out and the ones inside of usScarring us Each gun shot that rings out is jarring usWe still remember the days White People Feathered and tarring usDays when EVEN THE LAWS said it’s just THEM and not an USSince then we’ve been on the backs of buses when there’s not a busFrustrations will even make a Christian man learn how to cussPoverty in our spirits so like squirrels we just gotta nutMen become like wedgies Steady going in and out of buttsWomen become possessed with all the demons cumming from out of usAnd it’s realThe battles never been more realerWe’ve been partying and dancing so longBut the wars still going onThe wars still going onWars still going on (uh huh)Pick up your sword nowFrederick Douglass Said itit* easier to build strong childrenThan it is to repair broken menThe mountains so high we wonder where to begin?The White man’s happiness cannot be wonBy the Black man’s misery cuz all us are ONEI thought we done learned this from past things that’s doneAfrican is where every race comes from There’s a race to be run!Africa’s my origin but that home Ive never knownOnly what I’ve read myselfonly what I’m told and shownI guess that’s why my mind roam lately I’ve been so sedatedguess that’s how I cope with my history being annihilatedthis is what I bring to the team passion, purp and leadershipevery 48 hours we snitch when we should plead the fifthsee that white girl take a sniffsee that white horse, need a lift cocaine never been my thang but that Mary Jane, we can burn a spliff when I see the law I turn and dipthis ish is like A habit nowI’m mashin outWe don’t need no racist cop to pat us downNo Crip or blood just camouflage my daddy was in Vietnamsome were taught to kill themselvesI was trained for my Race To Run.Frederick Douglass Said itit* easier to build strong childrenThan it is to repair broken menThe mountains so high we wonder where to begin?The White man’s happiness cannot be wonBy the Black man’s misery cuz all us are ONEI thought we done learned this from past things that’s doneAfrican is where every race comes from There’s a race to be run!

2.

You’re here to enjoy the De La Soul show are you?Indeed. Its one of my favorite groups ever! So I’m right up in here baby!Loving it!Saskatoon wassup y’all How y’all doing?So yoI wanna truly first of all thank y’allFor having De LA Soul here & Arrested Development!Thanks for having us here!And all I want everybody to do right now is um…Those people back thereGet up out your seatsPlease please get up out your seats!PleaseCan you pease get up out your seats?I don’t see why you come to a show to sit downEverybody please get upAnd throw your hands in the airFor twenty years of De La Soul!Let’s say twenty three years of De la Soul!Now you old manPut your hands in the airFor realFor real hip hop musicPut it up!

3.

Put it up Hey Put it up For real Put it upFor realHa ha haLets goI started with shell toes, the Adidas sneakers my group A-Tack we would pack clubs in Milwaukee inspired by the group called the Schemers we were young dreamers hip-hop evangelism to the non-believersPlanet Patrol Afrika Bambaataa and Soul Sonic Forceof course the course of hip-hop would force the worlds jaws to drop and its not a coincidence I’ve been here ever sinceand since Prince was singing bout when Doves CryI was on the front linesmaking sure Hip-Hop would never dienow I sorta wish it did cuz it is a monstrosity that’s filled with so much animosityand hypocrisysince we dropped TennesseeI’ve been amazed at where I’ve been and what I’ve seenI lived my childhood dreams of being seen on MTV and having an impact on H.I.P H. O. P.OMG look at meIt’s a thin line between inspired and jadedboth of them at times I’ve datedIts so dysfunctional cuz both are relatedso if you ask me now I’m inspired and proudif you ask me tomorrow I’m retiring I’m outI hate this and I love thisit takes patience to get above this lifeI chose this I supposed so it’s sposed to go this slow so it’s blissblissful as it gets (hey)without total submission to ignoranceyes bits of dirty ish and glitzthey got 5 star fans loving 2 star hitsrich enough to get jealous fits wishing you got the slots the other dudes getso I can pout my mouth or I can go out there and liveI chose to dream rhyme with ADsing some melodies that mean something to meregardless of the acceptance of the rap communitycuz y’all was with me in the 90’sI was with me since birth still trying to find me for what it’s worthI’m proud of myselfI’m still filled with good thirst It’s a thin line between inspired and jadedboth of them at times I’ve datedIts so dysfunctional cuz both are relatedso if you ask me now I’m inspired and proudif you ask me tomorrow I’m retiring I’m outI hate this (hey)and I love this (hey)it takes patience (hey)to get above this lifeHip Hop YepI wanna than everybody for tuning into the new album thanks y’allthanks y’allthanks y’allThine eyes have seen the gloryI’ve been in 5 star hotels with hard wood flooring like I’m royaltymade millions off of royaltiesI’ve seen scenes in my life so incredible they deserve scoringcastles in the hills of Ireland constant touring5 out of 7 continents I’m gaining confidence, it’s reassuringand that was this year I’m not recollecting the golden daysyet we can’t get a record deal they tell us to go awayUhTheres a thin line between inspired and jadedboth of them at times I’ve datedIts so dysfunctional cuz both are relatedso if you ask me now I’m inspired and proudif you ask me tomorrow I’m retiring I’m outI hate this (hey)and I love this (hey)it takes patience (hey)to get above this life

4.

This is about us (yeah)HuhYeahHuh yeah YoSome of y’all got passion but no patience (yep yep)Always had an irrational anxiousness (yep yep)When things got hairy between you and meI brushed it off like a pet groomerWhy would you let the Grammys that we got get to ya?Why?The kings and queens of a outdoor festival Like lollapalooza (Thats us)But We Can't pack a club and that’s how they do’s us.Like Flo Rida The way you say things change's everything We spoke things that was ever greenBut the industry saidStopSo hip hop lets not fight anymore moreWe ain't got All the time in the world PeopleDropping like flies Can’t we realize In the pop music scene man All these G’s are calling me And I’m looking at em like a Spam riskAnd I don’t trust these big wigs So I’m flaking on them like dandruff4xs we platinum but they treating us like aluminum cuz we couldn't keep the heat on our hitsExcept for only a few of emHey hey heyLost my first brother at 22 (hey)Lost my grandma the same week (hey)Last time I saw em was in Tennessee(hey)And that’s way more than a song to me (hey)I keep ducking from the shots you're firingI don't think that's what they meant by having my ducks in a row What are yo desires?We went on before you it was packed for us but not packed for y'all mental therapy is a thing but this is a different approach to unpacking it all We see you dropping like flies Can’t we realize that we need to stop!lets not fight anymore moreWe ain't got All the time in the world no morePeopleDropping like flies Can’t we realize that we need to stop!Stop.Yeah, We would communicate a lot YeahI was so fixated on the top YeahYou infatuated with a thot, YeahWe were Skip and Shannon from the startbut you gave a Thot your heart, now we’re drifting apart YeahI was away and shhYou wasn’t ok with itI wasn’t paying shhYou wasn’t saying shh.Stop. Stop STOP We going out on tours I thought you’d be happy for us but I bet..But I betIf we talk about awards and the tours you’ll get upsetYou been hating way beyond 0 one in GwinnettWhen we reppin’ where we from you start feeling disrespectIf I’m sharing what we done, you get feelings of neglect If I mention having fun, you start lunging for my neck..I deflect (whew)We got a couple GrammysSo promoters got their panties in bunches…In bunches. Cause we’re screaming be UnitedSo we never get invited to the brunchesNow I’m feeling slighted cause I really got the munchiesYou were unexcited when you heard what we accomplishedIt would be a fight if we decided to confront this…Punches. You don’t really want this. StopLike MF Doom back in his KMD daysKausing much damageWe stay trueMotherland roots giving you the home advantageWe put it on like a sweater on Mr Rogers They took our sense and gave us dollarsThat's how far societies got us from things that are actual and factual and rational yoOh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh OhI’m charged up like a TeslaSome playing pretend like a wrestler (hey)I'm just trying to bring out the best in usAnd they may divest - we invest in usAnything that's not about excellence we need tostop Let's not hurt each other no moreWe ain't got All the time in the world no mopeopleDropping like flies Shouldn’t we realize thatWe need to…

5.

You can do it (hey)You can do it baby!Don't you let this world drive you Crazy (no)You will not drown (no)Although there’s ups and downs (yup)Our friendships everything Its the same sameright now In your hardest of times (you know)I won't let you downI'm staring in the MirrorMan, This life’s bout Endurance And I'm thinking bout my Children I want them to have Insurance Demons making an Appearance I keep Running Interference As I'm praying I delay em When I spray em With these bulletsHealth problems being BullishBut I'm repping to the Fullest Either way yeah everyday still gotta make it to that GoodnessCuz I shouldn't be discouraged to the point being malnourished There must a door that's open I just have to keep on poking Every single door handleIgnore the score of scandals Fighting from the sky is Terrence Be more and more for my parentsMy sins are so apparent My short comings are Glaring The blue print is Tearing ArrrghI am in listening modeI am insisting on flowI am resisting the no'sI am consulting with prosI am enlisting my brosI have been fishing for growthI'm been singing loads of freedom But Missing some notesYou can do it (hey)You can do it baby!Don't you let this world drive you Crazy (no)You will not drown (no)Although there’s ups and downs (yup)Our friendships everything Its the same sameright now In your hardest of times (you know)I won't let you downPeople need a father figureSomeone who's purpose is bigger Someone wholeads with intentionA person that’s holding the fence inIt can't just all be dissensionLife is so many Dimensions Mother and father, daughter & brotherAnd family extensionsI'm speaking humans and scienceInterconnected reliance Some call my thinking jurrasic I call it Walking with Giants Ancient with wisdom and Mayans Spiritual stance & Defiance African systems commandmentsThey just see jungles and lions!I'm seeing griots & movementsElders that's teaching the studentsWe need some sounds that are Soothing ArrrghFailing to win for the Losing Flailing from winds of deceptionChoosing from meaningless choicesSearching for surface perfection Music in upper vibrationsDjembes and bongosShekere’s coming from LagosUnity out to the CongoDakar to Dubai I’m inspired to flyHighIndigenous infinite cultural lives gotta thriveYou can do it (hey)You can do it baby!Don't you let this world drive you Crazy (no)You will not drown (no)Although there’s ups and downs (yup)Our friendships everything Its the same sameright now In your hardest of times (you know)I won't let you downI won't let you down I won't let you down I won't let you I won't let I won't let I won't let you down

6.

Oww weeYeahIt’s that AD coalitionHey, ain’t no competitionItchin’ to give these rappers a whipping with my compositionYo..want you take a listenHey, I can’t tell the differenceall of them sound the sameVery lame and full of fictionWe the blame for repetitionI can see the game switchingBrothers lie bout slanging caneJust to get their name mentionedNever cooked pies in the kitchen Young..Full of ambitiondumb, full of cum dem the main ones that start Snitchin Haters and politiciansI got plenty of ammunition brothers put in the workothers get the recognition disrespecting my position, you’ll get drug into submissionDown 85 in an Expedition somebody call a physicianMan, I’m a Gemini half Musician, other half Electriciancause I’m shocking oppositionBrain of a Mathematician hands of a TechnicianI spit it how I live, no lunch breaks or Intermissions(I got hits back now - I got this)I dont know why you been doubting me but its not wisePeople that bet against meI pity they life(I got hits back now - I got this)So surprise surprise Here I am againHere I am againHere I am again yeahYou will never winlike a duck in the water I'm calm collected - in orderBut my feet - underneath - be peddling at fast speedsRemember that - when cats trying to catch SpeechI'm shorter than 5'5 so why am I - hard to reach?Lemme see! Number one... my philosophy is I teach! Without a ruler or a chalk board or a teachers lounge We started a sound where knowledge & Truth seekers abound Where are we now? Milking teats from a cash cow Thru NFT's & packed crowds Courtesy to clubs overseasAnd Many royalties From back from 93Golly G will occurs I'm a kill this verse People talking multi verse and I'm talking meta verseParallel dimensions within megahertz Speech is always number one when it comes to the mega verse clutch your pearls pultdown your purses homieI lead with purpose and thus(I got hits back now - I got this)I dont know why you been doubting me but its not wisePeople that bet against meI pity they life(I got hits back now - I got this)So surprise surprise Here I am againHere I am againHere I am again yeahYou will never winYou will never winI’m reminded once againThat I am a loser and abuser of womenI pretend to be great but I’m notI got hateful on the topAn ungrateful little snotAnd my head made of PotI was snapping, Trappin, Rappin’ Radical kid..I was hotNow there’s timid writers blockfearing that life‘s about to flopAnd there’s neurogenic shock fearing that life‘s about to stopGraduated from the BlockTo doing shows in Osak’but now my confidence is shot so I’m watching movies by the RockI forgot…hold your breath, for good health like my PopBe content in what you got or somebody else gon take your spotThey say..Love thank he hard, cause he only rhyme with Todd and they traveling abroadI said…Haters thanks a lotStack your wealth,I forgot to Love MyselfSo I dropped,to the bottom of the bott, where the ancient slaves were left to rot…For seven days, Then..I was saved by Nicolas Cage and Megan Fox.(I got hits back now - I got this)I don’t know why you been doubting me but its not wisePeople that bet against meI pity they life(I got hits back now - I got this)So surprise surprise Here I am againHere I am againHere I am again yeahYou will never win

7.

I believe in love (yeah uh)Though my hearts been broken before and oh(Yeah you believe in love)Want to believe in love so I'll give you a chance(Yeah that’s right)I believe in love (I believe in love)Though my hearts been broken before and ohWant to believe in love so I'll give you a chanceto win my heartBaby I find you so so attractiveAnd you one of them types that everybody’s after yaIts my weakness I be finding for that passionAnd love is a drug I be finding just to have itSometimes I have some problems admitting wrongs But it dont mean they aint thereAnd other times I blame the world for my strife No one said this life is fairSo what I’m gonna do what I’m gonna doWe all build a wall when we’ve been blind sidedAnd in that way we all are same mindedWe stop believing in loveI believe in love Though my hearts been broken before and ohWant to believe ya love so I'll give you a chanceDa da da da da daYo Here’s my energyIs there synergy?Look in my eyes and feel my HumanityDon’t be scared nowLets just pair downUse our hearts and we fight this insanityI don’t wanna shoot you wanna kill meAll of these agendas and we losing realityAll of these amendments to our basic moralitySimple disagreements going straight to fatalitiesWoahSome people don't admit they wrongs but it don't mean they ain't thereOthers like to blame the world for they strifeNo one said that life is fairSo what we gonna doWhat we gonna do?We’re all in this Earth together at the same timeWe’re all of one body and the same mindIf you believe in loveI believe in love Though my hearts been broken before and ohWant to believe ya love so I'll give you a chanceDa da da da da daGirl you are so beautiful inside and out / can't fight the feeling just let it out / never been in lovewell this ones about / hold on to ur heart/ and just give it out / on and on and on and on /she said the feeling way to strong / thats why we talk / from dusk to dawn / she said thefeeling way to strong. O II believe in love Though my hearts been broken before and ohWant to believe ya love so I'll give you a chanceDa da da da da daGuess I’ll give you a chanceCuz my heartYeah Yeah

8.

Hip Hop had come full circleIt started with the gangs in New York and ended in the gangs of L.A.But just at that moment along came a new force in Hip HopFrom where you’d least expect itArrested Development lead by SpeechEmerged from the cloud of dirt On a Georgia dust trackWith some southern fried hip hop And the funk of redemptionAnd the grammy goes toGo head bruhTennessee Arrested DevelopmentThey said our songs was more singing and less hip hoping Now days I say its more corporate run than Disk jockingOriville Reddinbacher the more corn the more popping While I was busy chart topping The only toppins you was doing was forpizza shoppingSo many people have never tried anything but they still knock itIndustry closing doors on me But I’m Still knockingFinicky posers supposedly got me with nil optionsBut I see different opticsPalm trees deep in the Tropics Wifey bikini clad & super bad Dark chocolate skin its decadent to even look at thatMuch less taste it, angel food cake hipsWorshipping her beautiful backside like its Sacred We do this husband wife thing like its Ape *ishWe share traits with apes bout 98 percent She said I do, I said I cherish youCuz you’re my everything 98 degrees HOTNESS - feel the heat Going hard in the paintNo more messing around man naw I ain't (messing around)Going hard in the paintNo more messing around man noMessing around messing around no I ain't I'm in your town In your townHard in the paintMessing around messing around no I ain't Taking you down Taking you down They said our songs was more singing and less hip hoping Lets call it singing we still harder than you - you off topicStop itI embrace melody but not WAP hitsSo now keep telling me who is more compellingly in line with what Hip hop is?Three decades long strong songs not pop hitsBlasting off on the powers that be just like a rocketYeah we rock it fans they cop itWith ancient wisdoms like Egyptians The christian coptics Money and nonsense in every way a profitWhen you hop in the bandwagon and talk about us -Like a hot potato drop itThe pain facts is you actlike you in the co*ck pitBut you cant be cuz its only meI look to try left and my rightI see clouds in my horizon Future is bright ready to fight like Mike TysonI’m Luther with the Jheri curlSingle minded like an unmarried girlFor realGoing hard in the paintNo more messing around man naw I ain't (messing around)Going hard in the paintNo more messing around man noGoing hard in the paintNo more messing around man naw I ain't (messing around)Going hard in the paintNo more messing around man noMessing around messing around no I ain't I'm in your town In your townHard in the paintMessing around messing around no I ain't Taking you down Taking you down Hard in the paint like ShaqHard in the paint like PennyWe go harder than JackWe go harder than KennyHard in the paint like PatHard in the paint like RemyAin’t got no purple packjust some Runtz and some Henny only blunts and a semiA couple stunts in a HemiI just want to be trendyso I listen intently Man these fakers ain’t friendlyAll this smiling offend mecause their only pretendingwhile I’m strongly ascendingHard in the paint like cracklook how it left my cityBroken, grimy and grittytimes as hard as Rum Nitty somewhere shiny and spiffyGucci, Prada and FendiIn the drive thru at Wendy’sIn a burgundy BentleyYears if writing, plus twenty Thinking they would commend meMan, these verses are cursesmy own families against meBefore I’m riding in hearses, their researching my historyTrying to find all the answers, to reasons why they resent meIt’s s my effortless flow…that’s the source of their envyIts AD 1LoveThey study us plentyGoing hard in the paintNo more messing around man naw I ain't (messing around)Going hard in the paintNo more messing around man noGoing hard in the paintNo more messing around man naw I ain't (messing around)Going hard in the paintNo more messing around man noNo more messing around no ‘we hard here in the paintNo more messing around no ‘we hard here in the paintHard in the paint

9.

YeahLet it rideShe used to be the Apple of my eye now just a crab applewe got outta sync & it turned out to be Such a Debacle Words were said & feelings had that we cannot grab back even with a LassoNeither of us were Wackos just couldn't get out of our own ways Only Looking back could We see that though We should a slowed down calmed down not such a Fast flowPride got in the way of our vibe It’s naturalWe needed to divide the feelings from the factualI think most relationships would workIf from the jump we understood that it's workCuz something makes us think that it's all in the flirts, romantic dinners and nice desserts All of the perks of being in love with none of the hurtNah.Two people coming togetherIt's Such a unicorn Two people coming togetherIt's Such a unicorn Two people lasting forever.I am hoping we can try againI can see things that I didn’t see before nowYou know that we put a lot inAnd who has the heart to start from the ground floor again?Not meI wish you and I could start againI have a feeling that we could do better(We could do better)I am hoping we can try again (hey hey hey hey)I can see things that I didn’t see before nowYou know that we put a lot inAnd who has the heart to start from the ground floor again?Not meI wish you and I could start againI have a feeling (I have a feeling)that we could do better(We could do better)SoOld beginnings tell me how to bring it backWhat are we bringing to the table? StopAppreciate the conversationSlow it downI know we can get lifted in the airTell me how we keep it thereElevate our minds and shareUnity is a unicornTwo in love lets bring it back some moreIt is magical To watch us mend the broken pieces Hold the door We’re back and forth like changing seasonsBut like the tides we’re back to shore again How do we keep it here?All the time and pain put inDo we do it all again?Our unity’s a unicornTwo in love lets bring it back some moreI think most relationships would workIf from the jump we understood that it's workCuz something makes us think that it's all in the flirts, romantic dinners and nice desserts All the perks of being in love with none of the hurtNah.Two people coming togetherIs Such a unicorn Two people coming togetherIs Such a unicorn Two people lasting forever.Ba da ba ba baI am hoping we can try againI can see things that I didn’t see before nowYou know that we put a lot inAnd who has the heart to start from the ground floor again?YoNot meI wish you and I could start againI have a feeling (I have a feeling)that we could do better(We could do better)I am hoping we can try again (hey hey hey hey)I can see things that I didn’t see before nowYou know that we put a lot inAnd who has the heart to start from the ground floor again?Not meI wish you and I could start againI have a feeling (I have a feeling)that we could do better(We could do better)Two people coming together is such a unicornTwo people coming together is such a unicornTwo people coming together is such a unicornTwo people coming together is such a unicornTwo people coming together is such a unicornTwo people coming together is such a unicornTwo people coming together is such a unicornTwo people coming together is such a unicornI am hoping we can try again(I can see things that I didn’t see before now)You know that we put a lot inAnd who has the heart to start from the ground floor again?Not meI wish that you and I could start againI have a feeling (I have a feeling)that we could do betterbetterTwo people coming together is such a unicornDa da da da da da da da da daTwo people coming together is such a unicornDa da da da da da da da da daTwo people coming together is such a unicornDa da da da da da da da da da

10.

Atlanta AtlantaAtlanta AtlantaAtlanta AtlantaAtlanta AtlantaLately I been living on limited Lossooo ooo hey ooo ooo heyAirport people they know we rockingthe clubs downtown they know that we groovingit all feels right if the people are movingLiving bilingual conscious and jive talknow who can stay as grounded yet walking amongst the stars& grace covering up my faults do it like no one else canbrother Speech up in this joint brother speech up in this jamthe whole place about to slam like theres poets up in hereand just cypher back and forth celebrating the struggles that foughtcelebrating the slaves that was not caught and ran up to the North and started they whole life overi’m a descendant of that there thoughtlike actors we playing our partwe’ve been resisting the system with our artbeen doing to from the start because its so much a part of our heartbeen climbing up the charts then yo-yoing up and down againwe gonna sound it off and stay grounded round it off and make it loud againthis is arrested development we relevant we the element y’all been missing we’re missing you toofind us on milk cartons manset in our ways with this excellencewere coaxing for folkscuz we know that you believe that we are one of the best best best in this!Lately I been living on limited Lossooo ooo hey ooo ooo heyAtlanta AtlantaAirport people they know we rockingthe clubs downtown they know that we groovingit all feels right if the people are movingYo we driving inside of the Jeep Wrangler top down 5 deep downtown boundAtlanta ain’t got no beach so we out to get something to eat& beat the heat drink some teaits very likely you will seeus chillin in Atlanta streets we live with limited loss work hard now we bossand our crew remains a force to be reckoned with but of coursewe wrecking it in every tournot decadent not even at allyet a party is not a party till AD come through that door!Lately I been living on limited Lossooo ooo hey ooo ooo hey