Lyrics of 'the city (feat. YG Hootie)' by Kendrick Lamar

See any angels in the city
See any angels in the city
See any angels in the city

Tell them motherfuckers I'm forever paid
California king, wrestle gators in the Everglades
Drive up out that motherfuckin' swamp in the Escalade
So before you put that red rag in your pocket
I wanna see your fuckin' résumé
Started off on Ground Zero, then I start to levitate
Rip rappers a new asshole: I never hesitate
Dre Beats on, smoking that chronic just to meditate
I'ma give 'em hurricanes until another levee break
You niggas is featherweight, I'm Aftermath's heavyweight
Now Dre's weapon of mass destruction is 'bout to detonate
When a nigga Wack found me shit, I was selling weight
Now a nigga's selling millions, now it's time to celebrate
Performing in front of millions, nigga, every race
6'4 " in the '64, now watch the Chevy scrape
Fourth album, no five mics? Then let 'em hate
But I'm not stopping till I'm the fucking king in every state

Recognize my life, ridicule my fight
Give me fuel for the fire burning when I yearn these lights
In the midst of the hieroglyphs my fingertips start to write
Get familiar with Cartwright, 'cause I want that shot, I'm a raging bull
When the needle drops. For the record, I'ma wreck it, even if my record don't pop
I'ma tie a knot on a downtown building
Let it tow behind me tell 'em they can find me
In the dark with the ghetto children
Look at my heart, nigga fuck your feelings
This is me!

I'm sick of motherfuckers talking about "the West died"
Can't you hear my heart beating?
That's the motherfuckin' West Side, you test me, you test God
I'm his son, it says in Psalms, you come at me
Then I can split you with this Tommy gun
You won't have time to run, I'm from the Compton slums
And that's how the West ride
I'm from the city where 2 of the best died
Rest in peace to both of 'em, spit like I'm the ghost of 'em
Damn, I said I spit like I'm the ghost of 'em
Name your top 10, I'm harder than the most of 'em
Matter of fact, shorten your list nigga, top 5
Game, Biggie, Hov, probably Pac, Nas
No particular order, bet a mil' that I slaughter
Serve niggas, give a fuck what you ordered
How dare you niggas pop fly when I'm the nigga
Sold 5 mil' out the gate and numbers do not lie

Recognize my life, ridicule my fight
Give me fuel for the fire burning when I yearn these lights
In the midst of the hieroglyphs my fingertips start to write
Get familiar with Cartwright, 'cause I want that shot, I'm a raging bull
When the needle drops. For the record, I'ma wreck it, even if my record don't pop
I'ma tie a knot on a downtown building
Let it tow behind me tell 'em they can find me
In the dark with the ghetto children
Look at my heart, nigga fuck your feelings
This is me!

I gave you The Documentary, shit was a classic
Gave you Doctor's Advocate, you ripped it out the package
Came with LAX, since critics said it was average
I was stressed the fuck out, torn between Aftermath and
Geffen, Interscope, now I got you in the scope
Spill the red ink on the paper, it's like my pen is broke
And this is what you all been waiting for
I'm the lost angel knocking on Satan's door
What the fuck y'all take me for?
I love you 'cause you hate me more
I'm Kobe on the Lakers floor, except I give you 84
Shake you like Haiti's floor
Walk up on you like "What's going on baby boy?"
Shots in that Mercedes door
Either I'm crazy, or the black Slim Shady, or
Could that be the reason that Baby said he would pay me more
But I still owe Jimmy one more album
The best the West has ever seen - no disrespect to Calvin

Recognize my life, ridicule my fight
Give me fuel for the fire burning when I yearn these lights
In the midst of the hieroglyphs my fingertips start to write
Get familiar with Cartwright, 'cause I want that shot, I'm a raging bull
When the needle drops. For the record, I'ma wreck it, even if my record don't pop
I'ma tie a knot on a downtown building
Let it tow behind me tell 'em they can find me
In the dark with the ghetto children
Look at my heart, nigga fuck your feelings
This is me

Kendrick, and I wear a pendant on my shoulder
Soldier, like a lieutenant, and the coupe tinted
Got pulled over, Johnny always lock a nigga down
Knowing damn well we don't wanna see the box like Manny Pacquiao
Little nigga Mayweather size, ride like Pac in his prime
Thug life is now on radar
Till the federal come through and raid ours
Reminiscing when the LA Raiders
Was in my home, snapback fitted on my uncle's dome
And I don't condone dick-riding, I'm addicted to
West-siding, living in a city where the skinny niggas die
And the semi bullets fly, but it turned me to a lion
Trying, and I mean that shit
Game came through, put the city on his back
I was in the city with a nigga had seen that shit
Compton!, a nigga gotta scream that shit
Never went commercial, never TV-screened that shit
Can't block or screen that shit, now everybody sing that shit