No I.D. my mentor, now let the story begin
Who was hip hop brother, who was No I.D. friend
It was the pride in me that was drivin' me
Should have known that was gonna come back around
No I.D. my mentor, now let the story begin, begin
Then my big brother came through and kicked my ass
Carlene told me I could buy two tickets
But by the 'Black Album', I was blackin' out
Fresh off the plane, I'm off the base line
Nothin' handed out, I'm 'bout to take mine
And kept little brother at bay, at a distance
Translate Espanyol, "No way, Jose"
And I'm like, yeah, yeah, we gon' be there
Not only a client, the presedito
But not only did I not get a chance to spit it
You know the name do, I gotta spell out or tell 'bout?
Let the story begin, begin
Never be the same, never be another number one
Heart of the city, Roc-A-Fella chain
With all these beats I did, at least let him hear
If you feel the way I feel why don't you wave your hands?
Have you ever walked in the shadow of a giant?
Let the story begin, the story begin
Big brother got a show up in Madison Square
I guess I understand when I get more older
Who was hip hop brother, who was No I.D friend
But I told somebody else and that's what made shit worse
Young Hov' or so my big brother
Only made me more focused, only wrote more potent
Party at S.O.B's and we had packed the crowd
Now he won't even step to his idol to say hi
No I.D. my mentor, now let the story begin, begin
People never get the flowers while they can still smell em'
Should have talked to you like a man, should have told you first
Sibling rivalry only I could see
'Cause even if he gave me the ROC, it's give and go
I was always on the other side of the people
Back of my mind, he could change your life
My Big brother was B.I.G's brother
Used to be Dame and B.I.G's brother
At least you can brag to your friends back at the gig
Yeah, that's what we'll yell out, yell out
Big brother was B.I.G's brother
But my big brother who I always tried to be
And my shit was more like a finger roll
I played my little songs in that old back room
And these beats in my pocket was that blueprint for 'em
Round the same time of that 'Blueprint 1'
I guess being styled was more of a slam dunk
When I kicked the flow, it was like pick and roll
Standin' there like a mime and let the chance pass by
Big brother saw me at the bottom of the totem
I told Jay I did a song with Coldplay
A idol in my eyes, God of the game
Who was hip hop brother, who was No I.D. friend
But I had them singles though
And we know, New Jack City gotta keep my brother
My big brother was B.I.G's brother
So here's a few words from your kid brother
I guess big brother was thinkin' a little different
It's The Hard Knock Life Tour, sell out
Who was hip hop brother, who was No I.D friend
Now I'm on the top and everybody on the scrotum
Then I dropped 'Jesus Walks', now I'm on a steeple
At the Grammy's I said I inspired me
So here's a free throw
Only thing I wanna know is why I get looked over
J A Y and Ye' so shy
Then I went and told Jay Brown
Then he helped me get my mama a crib
Picture us in the mall coppin' iceberg and yell out Jigga
Next thing I know, he got a song with Coldplay
On that 'Diamonds Remix', I swore I'd spaz
But he got me out my mama crib
My big brother was B.I.G's brother
My big brother was B.I.G's brother
If you admire somebody, you should go 'head and tell em'
Back of my mind, I'm like, "Damn, no way"
He'd bop his head and say, "Damn, oh, that's you?"
Hola' Hovito', the game gettin' foul
Used to be Dame and B.I.G's brother
If you feel the way I feel why won't you wave your hands?
But to be number one, I'ma beat my brother
But everything that I felt was more bogus
And them hoes at the show gon and mingle yo, y'all know
Used to be Dame and B.I.G's brother
No I.D. my mentor and that's where the story ends
Used to be Dame and B.I.G's brother
