What It's Come To – English Lyrics

• By: T.I.
• Album: Kill the King

Lyrics & Translation

“What It's Come To” by T.I. offers a compelling look into contemporary hip-hop's lyrical directness. Through this track, learners can explore how an artist uses language to address highly personal and public controversies, gaining insight into assertive vocabulary and cultural commentary often found in rap music.

[English]

Tell the truth about me.

Tell the truth about me and apologize, and I'm gone.

I don't want one dime.

Apologize and I'm gone.

Do it within seven days.

Within seven days, tell the truth and apologize, and I'm gone.

If I gotta keep drawing this out...

If I gotta keep stepping away from my motherfucking bread, I gotta keep away from my $12 million fundraise.

My $12 million fundraise.

If I gotta keep stepping away from my desk to answer these phone calls, just do it within seven days. Apologize and I'm gone.

Yeah man, this is what it come to.

Shit man, it fucked up. This is what it come to.

Man, I guess this is what it come to.

Shit.

In the fire

I would ride like the money do.

Niggas a trap, weigh and wise at the rendezvous.

Don't nothing kill a nigga like need money do.

Don't nothing pill niggas, you sweet as honey do.

Ain't never been ashamed to look off in the mirror.

Had all my fears and imperfections, made them disappear.

Man people weird, be projecting out of insecurity.

Whatever they said he did, he did that shit, I'm fucking scared.

Behind the foreign car clothes, and expensive jewelry. I got a hard mind of gold, motor be a period.

If they say hell has no fury like a woman scorned.

Fuck that, I'm cranking up the jury.

Who you lying on, shorty?

Extortion, is that what you got your mind on, shorty?

Tell her get it how you live, shorty, I ain't going for it.

I'm gonna take it all the way to end, dead of week.

Bet you thought this shit was sweet, now I piss in the wig.

And you can take this shit or leave it, I'm just saying my P.

Better look at all the traffic when you playing in the street.

Go put your face and reputation on it.

These kind of claims deserve more than anonymous provocative conversation on it.

Hey say let me hit him with the one two. You see how many other niggas didn't been done too.

Speak for the people all you did, we can undo.

Welcome to the co Intel Pro part two.

Damn, this is what it come to.

Yeah man, this is what it come to.

Who want to get a bag and remain anonymous?

This is what it come to.

Man, I guess this is what it come to.

Yeah, man, this is what it come to.

Shiiiit me bitch!!!!!!

Okay, got so many Atlanta plea. Let not misunderstand it. I keep none against their will. If they leave, that they disadvantage.

Bitch, I'm above and beyond. Livest skills and sit my key on.

Hebe G.B. be gone and see all the bullshit she on. Approach me with that whole shit. I'll step on that whole like Dion.

Oh I got all kinds of bullshit I can make up...

She ever rearrange and he's quite adjacent. Obviously, the object of the game and kill the king.

So till the blade meet my neck on the guillotine. But I'mma be standing tall like a statue.

Nigga, fuck that he say, she say. Proof, receipts say that shit ain't factual.

I was built for all this shit. God sent me here with a mission.

That's why I can't let no human or no demon interfere with. And your feeling can't conceal it.

Broke your spirit trying to heal it. That the real Atlanta.

Lot of real white folk up in Buckhead want to steal Atlanta. Kill and destroy everything that feel Atlanta.

Fuck that. I'm still Atlanta.

They send me true, putting up Big Boy facing double body.

And 12 asking me about him, but I stay silent.

They bussed my house and found a gun. I was on probation. All cause I wasn't participating in the investigation.

I went to jail for a year, high of my career.

But by the time I made it home, he got a K thrown at.

Told them niggas, maybe you should chill.

He said, listen to me, balling why they want me. I'mma be balling until they get me.

Had to digest what he said, let it sit a minute.

Had to respect his shit. Like it or not, at least he committed. Willing to face whatever consequences for his vision while I'm up against some lying ass bitches. Damn, this is what it come to.

Yeah.

Yeah, man, this is what it come to.

Shit.

Man, I guess this is what it come to.

Cause if I gotta keep step away from what I got going on, step away from my bees, step away from my weed and my weed charge.

I don't want to keep doing this.

So tell the truth and I'm gone.

How about that?

Seven days.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
truth /truːθ/ B1	noun - the quality or state of being true; reality
apologize /əˈpɒlədʒaɪz/ B1	verb - to express regret for something one has done
money /ˈmʌni/ A1	noun - currency used as a medium of exchange
fundraise /ˈfʌndˌreɪz/ C1	verb - to collect money for a particular purpose noun - the act of collecting money for a cause
trap /træp/ B2	noun - a device designed to catch and hold animals or people verb - to catch or ensnare
rendezvous /ˈrɒndeɪvuː/ C1	noun - a prearranged meeting place or appointment verb - to meet at an agreed time and place
imperfection /ɪmˌpɜːrˈfekʃən/ B2	noun - a flaw or fault; something that is not perfect
insecurity /ˌɪnsɪˈkjʊərəti/ C1	noun - lack of confidence or certainty; feeling unsafe
foreign /ˈfɒrən/ B2	adjective - coming from or characteristic of another country
expensive /ɪkˈspensɪv/ B1	adjective - costing a lot of money; high in price
jewelry /ˈdʒuːəlri/ B2	noun - decorative items such as rings, necklaces, or bracelets that are worn for personal adornment
extortion /ɪkˈstɔːʃən/ C1	noun - the practice of obtaining something, especially money, through force or threats
reputation /ˌrepjʊˈteɪʃən/ B2	noun - the beliefs or opinions that are generally held about someone or something
anonymous /əˈnɒnɪməs/ C1	adjective - not identified by name; of unknown name
provocative /prəˈvɒkətɪv/ C1	adjective - causing annoyance, anger, or another strong reaction, especially deliberately
mission /ˈmɪʃən/ B2	noun - a specific task or purpose that a person or organization is assigned to accomplish
investigation /ɪnˌvestɪˈɡeɪʃən/ C1	noun - the act of examining, studying, or inquiring into something in order to discover facts or information
consequences /ˈkɒnsɪkwənsɪz/ B2	noun - the results or effects, typically negative, of an action or condition
vision /ˈvɪʒən/ B2	noun - the ability to think about or plan the future with imagination or wisdom
weed /wiːd/ A2	noun - any unwanted plant; colloquially, cannabis

Key Grammar Structures

• Tell the truth about me and apologize, and I'm gone.

  ➔ Imperative mood

  ➔ The verb ""Tell"" is in the imperative, used to give a direct command.

• Do it within seven days.

  ➔ Imperative + prepositional phrase of time

  ➔ The verb ""Do"" forms an imperative; ""within seven days"" is a prepositional phrase indicating a deadline.

• If I gotta keep stepping away from my motherfucking bread, I gotta keep away from my $12 million fundraise.

  ➔ First conditional with colloquial "gotta" (have to)

  ➔ The clause starts with ""If"" introducing a real condition; ""gotta"" is a colloquial contraction of "have to".

• Don't nothing kill a nigga like need money do.

  ➔ Double negative (non‑standard) + infinitive verb "kill"

  ➔ The phrase ""Don't nothing"" is a double negative; in standard English it would be "don't anything" or "nothing kills".

• Ain't never been ashamed to look off in the mirror.

  ➔ Negative contraction "ain't" + present perfect continuous "have been" (non‑standard)

  ➔ The speaker uses the non‑standard ""ain't"" with "never been" to express a negative experience in the present perfect.

• I'm gonna take it all the way to end, dead of week.

  ➔ Future intention with "gonna" (going to) + infinitive "take"

  ➔ ""gonna"" is an informal contraction of "going to" used to talk about a planned future action; it is followed by the infinitive "take".

• Better look at all the traffic when you playing in the street.

  ➔ Comparative adjective "Better" used as modal + present participle "playing" (non‑standard)

  ➔ ""Better"" functions like a modal verb meaning "should"; the verb "playing" is a present participle used without "to be" (non‑standard).

• They send me true, putting up Big Boy facing double body.

  ➔ Present simple passive "send" + present participle clause "putting up"

  ➔ ""send"" is used in the passive voice (they "send" me something); the following "putting up" is a present participle clause giving additional information.

• I was built for all this shit. God sent me here with a mission.

  ➔ Past simple passive "was built" + past simple active "sent" (parallel past narrative)

  ➔ ""was built"" is a passive construction in the simple past; ""sent"" is an active verb also in the simple past, both describing past events.