MACKLEMORE: HEROES (FT DJ PREMIER)

When I grew up, criminal are my heroes
The beanie from New Jersey drive over my earlobes
From jump it was always fuck cops and the bureau
Mixing Casper, Herald Hunton and De Niro
Now with my kids and we watchin' Olaf
And I'm like, "Damn, I used to wanna be like old dawg"
Tuck the D'USSÉ, D'USSÉ, under the goose, boostin' y'all
Couple screws loose, cashier turns, poof, I'm gone
Seven, I heard NWA in the street, from my older neighbor who was payin', "Fuck Da Police"
Livin' right in graffiti, fifteen, I'm sellin' weed
By sixteen, I had an MPC
It was ..
That I wanted to grow up, sell drugs, smoke, drink mad dawg and buck
Wanted a windbreaker and some Eastbay kicks
Wanted the perm like DJ Quik
My mama said, "Ben, are you aware that your hair is thin"
But in my mind I was junior high, Iceberg Slim
Feelin' fine, gettin' high, spendin' time with a bitch
Takin' Heineken sips, this as live as it gets, shit
But me, man, I wanted to be a..
Wanted to kick it with the people livin' in the bando
I'm turnin' James by the fountain where they panhandle
Runnin' from the cops, pullin' scandals, those where my heroes


Pick up the mic, put your money where your mouth is
Doin' petty crimes, back in the days
Too much OE, tipsy off the whiskey
Pick up the, the, the, the mic, the, the, the mic
Put your money where your mouth is
Doin' petty crimes, back in the days (Drink it, smoke it)
My clique is too great

Back in the days, hit the boulevard on Broadway
Before the downtown turned to a big hall saints
I was rollin' 'round with the fourty ounce of malt drink
Posted up in front of the 7-Eleven all day
My heroes didn't look yours, my heroes didn't look yours, nah, nah
They didn't work a 9 to 5, they worked a 5 to 4
Wake up at three and recordin' more
See my heroes died of overdoses, rider for the culture
Mind type the psychosis, all the lies and show biz
My heroes shot open, inhale, blowin' their noses
Got locked up, got out, and did some more shit
I got that devil in me and a bunch of Henny with me
And we fuck up any city, heavy hittin' any innings
Steal the pancakes off your pate and then I'm robbin' you with Denny's
And the [?] is tinted and the sherman's got me spinnin'
You don't want it with this, put the truck in his ribs
We don't fight fair, fuck that, we jump in, get our licks
Reds and white splash, do the dash, hop the fence
Wake up, smoke a bunt, hit the park and do it again, for my heroes

Pick up the mic, put your money where your mouth is
Doin' petty crimes, back in the days
Too much OE, tipsy off the whiskey
Pick up the, the, the, the mic, the, the, the mic
Put your money where your mouth is
Doin' petty crimes, back in the days (Drink it, smoke it)
My clique is too great