January 2017

August 2016

Summer of 2010, I heard a song with such an incredible instrumental that inspired me beyond belief. That song was Light Up by Drake and Jay-Z. 6 years later, I wrote my own version and titled it August 2016, documenting my life at the moment. This is it.

Written and Performed by Ratha David Loun

Produced by 40 and Tone Mason

RATHA DAVID LOUN · August 2016

[VERSE 1]

(Let’s get it)

5 years ago

This shit just all changed//

Half a decade

That’s alotta time to waste//

Now I’m tryna catch up

though the timing feel strange//

Peers graduating 9 to 5

I can’t relate//

At times I wish I could

For my father he ain’t good//

He just want me __

To want my degree//

But I’m not him and he not me

So there’s tension in between//

But I cannot blame him at all

Cuz that’s how he got the green//

Post doc from Duke

Live American dreams//

But I’m just tryna live my own

have him share it with me//

yea I just need the time

lately its been feeling stagnant//

Competin for these women

that can compete in a pageant//

They are no models

Instead more like an actress//

Readin off the script

I’m aware that it’s actin//

The appeal

is that I never had em//

But once I have em

they extra like taxes//

They want ya time

want ya money want ya status//

And once it ends

love to tell you that you had it//

__nah

I still have it//

she just mad

she got dropped like a habit//

Insecure women

have the biggest egos//

Overcompensating

for the things she knows//

Put it all on the line

like a free throw//

cuz Honesty

____the best policy//

That’s how it was taught to me

So that’s how you should talk to me//

Few women got to me

But they know they ain’t stopping me//

Everything a go

Always was and it still is//

They say money talk

But they money talkin timid//

Kill it when I feel it

man they know I’m the realist//

I’m comin for it all

it’s all goin come to me//

I never needed them

They all just wanted me//

Encourage you to leave

until you wanna leave//

ungrateful

ungrateful…

[VERSE 2]

Time moving quicker

every minute that I’m older//

They only miss you

every time they needa shoulder//

They only miss you

every time that they not sober//

__ I tell em put

they 2 cents inside they loafers//

Then kick rocks

I don’t caaaare bout no closure//

They think I didn’t remember

I know their hidden agendas //

I got the signal antenna

You know my bitches is better//

You cannot get in the center

Forever side piece Beretta//

Yea __

That’s just how I’m rockin//

Women like champagne

how they always poppin//

If you got the bread bwoy

then you got it//

Relieve my stress

with this money go shoppin//

I just wan’ buy a wraith

And take the coupe to Collins//

Rolls Royce Ratha

That shit got a ring to it//

Alliteration for my poets

do my thing to it//

and when I make the anthems

baby just sing to it//

I’m never scared

never scared of what they got to hide//

Cuz I know

I know what I got inside//

Roll around the city late night

As I fantasize//

Within time

Ima shut this bitch down doe//

Down down down down

For the count hoe//

Off the deep end end

Don’t drown slow//

G O M with the

Muthafuckin sound hoe//

I hear they tellin all these

Stories of doubt//

They can’t afford to be out

I’m just warning them now//

Ima make it Ima make it

and when I do make it//

I will not be complacent

So there is no adjacent//

Sorries not accepted

Regret the only payment//

Cuz with time