Keyz 2 the City 2

## Song by Nipsey Hussle featuring TeeFlii

"**Keyz 2 the City 2**" is a song by American rapper Nipsey Hussle, released as the tenth track from his debut and only studio album, *Victory Lap* (2018). It features guest vocals from TeeFlii.

## Background

Hussle told *NPR*:

>
> It's a fact-check on the city of L.A. I see a lot of so-called competition; subliminal dissing going on. Everybody's celebrating what they feel is an accolade. And to me, if we want to be straight-forward, what we did in our community and what we did internally as gang members from my section, the Rollin' 60s, that's the blueprint. So every other gang in L.A. — and it's not disrespect — follow the blueprint. Link up with your team, build businesses, build enterprise, create additions for your young people to come up underneath. That's the bragging right. We already putting numbers up. Check your scoreboard.
>
>
> We never lost on some street s\*\*\*, but that ain't worth bragging about it. That's not what the metric is; the metric is what we built as entrepreneurs and as leaders. That's the nature of Crenshaw and of the Marathon store. So that's what this song's about.
>
>
>
>

## Personnel

* Adam Aderbraun – executive producer
* Braylin Bowman – writer
* Christian "TeeFlii" Jones – writer
* Cyrus "NOIS" Taghipour – assistant mixing engineer
* Dave Kutch – mastering engineer
* Derek "MixedByAli" Ali – mixer
* Ermias Asghedom – executive producer, lead artist, vocals, writer
* Garnett "G" Flynn – engineer
* Jacob "Jake One" Dutton – writer, producer, programmer
* John Groover – writer
* Joshua Conerly – writer
* Joshua Henderson – writer
* Joya Nemley – A&R administration
* Michael Cox Jr. – writer
* Mike & Keys – album producer, programmer
* Sean "Diddy" Combs – executive producer
* Steven "Steve-O" Carless – executive producer
* Samiel Asgehdom – executive producer
* Stephen Donelson – executive producer
* Teddy Walton – writer, producer, programmer
* Tyler Page – assistant mixing engineer

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Verse 1: TeeFlii]

Uh, rollin' up some good, pourin' up 'til we get faded

You know how we do it, everybody takin' flicks of me

I got the keys to the city, I don't need no limousine

I turn out when I pull up and tell my bookin' agent book a show

Runnin' 'round with the paper bag

Runnin' 'round with the paper bag

Goin' crazy, spendin' all this cash

Goin' crazy, spendin' all this cash

If I spend it I'ma get it back, even when I'm ridin' 'round dirty

A n\*\*\*a don't need a seatbelt, a n\*\*\*a don't need a seatbelt

Nah, it don't cost to keep it real, run up, get done up

Shit can get real, fuck around and get your ass robbed

N\*\*\*a fuck around and take your shit, got you askin' God why

Drag your ass into an alley, pull out, aim for the target

Should've never been around the killers

In my town, we the fuckin' realest

No Cheddar Bobs 'round here

I get to sprayin', they gon' get down

Ski mask over my face

Catch a body in broad day

Catch a body in broad day

[Chorus: Nipsey Hussle]

I got the key to the city, I got a ho that's saddity

Talk to that bitch in Swahili, tattoo my name in graffiti

Whack out your hood in graffiti

Come through your hood on the weekly

None of y'all n\*\*\*as can't see me

None of y'all n\*\*\*as can't see me

[Verse 2: Nipsey Hussle]

Y'all ain't got nothin' like this over there

Bunch of front-line millionaires

Bunch of self-made, out the trunk paid

'Gainst the odds, really took it there

Any prob', I'ma reappear, with a squad you already fear

All this time I've been playin' fair, seven digits every single year

N\*\*\*as died, n\*\*\*as disappeared, alibis, I was really there

Life of crime 'til I get the chair, Columbine in my trigger hair

Still I rise and I took the stairs

Feel the fire, it's a different glare

All these fights, it was never fair

Bustin' knuckles, still I'm swingin' fierce

Taste the salt inside my drippin' tears

You should know I never had a fear

You should know I never had a shot

Never had a chance, still, I took it here

Manage pride, but I see it clear, strategize, I'm an engineer

Pick a side, gotta keep it there, switchin' up, n\*\*\*a, lookin' weird

[Chorus: Nipsey Hussle]

I got the key to the city, I got a ho that's saddity

Talk to that bitch in Swahili, tattoo my name in graffiti

Whack out your hood in graffiti

Come through your hood on the weekly

None of y'all n\*\*\*as can't see me

None of y'all n\*\*\*as can't see me

[Verse 3: Nipsey Hussle]

Tappin' in

Say they waitin' for it, tell the streets a n\*\*\*a back again

Ridin' 'round inside the 'Bach again

Rollin' flame inside the 'Bach again

405, another traffic jam

Improvise another master plan

Sit outside a n\*\*\*a family pad

Another seven grams inside a sandwich bag

My whole life is like a balance act

People's champ, but could you handle that?

I pull up inside the black on black

And park this big-ass Benz inside the handicap

What I done, they can't imagine that

One-of-one, it's like a magic trick

Matter fact, it's like a lotto pick

That's why I gotta talk a lot of shit

## References

1. ↑ Carmichael, Rodney (February 16, 2018). "Nipsey Hussle Tells the Epic Stories Behind 'Victory Lap,' Track by Track". *NPR*.