The Ghost I Used to Be lyrics

[Eamon:]

I've been working for the Devil too long

I've been working for the Devil too long

[Vinnie Paz:]

You see, I preyed on things and then I preyed on them

And I took it to the corner, got paid off then

The destruction wasn't even on my radar then

And my heart was black, it was Darth Vadar then

It was jumbs to the bums, G packs to the OGs

The money came to me, I sat back with my Co-Ds

Money changed hands and moved on like a cold breeze

And I ain't give a fuck about death or an OD

Mama always in my ear, saying that I didn't care

But I ain't going back to being broke like this was yester-year

The plan is to try to be out in less than a year

No drugs, no thugs, no weapons in here

You see I'm trying to get out ma, but I feel trapped

What employer gonna hire me when I sell crack?

I'm not fully rehabilitated, I fell back

And regret is a muhfucker, run, tell that

[Eamon:]

I've been working for the Devil too long

I've been working for the Devil too long

Tempt us, lead us to the edge, watch the wise turn into fools

The greatest lie ever been told is the one closest to truth

I've been working for the Devil too long

I've been working for the Devil too long

I'm gone

[Vinnie Paz:]

You see, I preyed on things and then I preyed on y'all

My attempt was to never get paid off y'all

When I was young I saw politicians of all stripes

But all I saw was lies in they eyes and that's not right

I said, "When I get older, I'm going to change shit"

Take the welfare system and rearrange shit

Years later, I'm quietly moving up the ladder

Trying hard, realizing that it doesn't matter

My wife told me, "Baby, money doesn't buy elections

Money doesn't buy votes, it just buys attention"

I kissed her on the head and told her she was right

But she couldn't understand and see the coldness of the plight

Couldn't understand why it's so cold for me at night

Cause political bribery just hold me in a vice

But there's always implicitly some string that's attached

By a muh'fucker think he got wings on his back

You ain't an angel, probably, you working for the Devil

The nightmare of money, the league would be a rebel

I did all of you dirty, so I should've gone to jail

I took your fucking government and put it up for sale

Look, American democracy has been hacked

By the corrupt paradigm, that's a supreme fact

And every word that I said in this song

I've been working for the Devil too long and now I'm gone

[Eamon:]

I've been working for the Devil too long

I've been working for the Devil too long

Tempt us, lead us to the edge, watch the wise turn into fools

The greatest lie ever been told is the one closest to truth

I've been working for the Devil too long

I've been working for the Devil too long

I'm gone

• Artist:Vinnie Paz
• Album:The Cornerstone of The Corner Store