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They Say Lyrics by Common

Be

2005

[Chorus: John Legend & Kanye West]
They say "What's happenin'?"
We say the facts and then they lie
We comin' back for them
They might say, but they don't know
(They say, they say)
They don't know

[Verse 1: Common]
They say a nigga lost his mind
But in the scheme of things, I never lost a rhyme
The thin line between love and hatred
I'm the black pill in the Matrix, the saturated life
They say life is what you make it
So I wait quick on a spaceship so I can take it
As high as the stakes get when paper get low
I be tellin' Derick, "Tell Cara get us a show"
Little Com, I make righteous bitches get low
The richest man ain't necessarily the nigga with dough
They say "You went wild", yeah, that's what they say
My niggas couldn't tell it was me, like Jamie in Ray
Paintin' a day, wit' focused crime, broads, and good wine
They say "Dope is sour, so it's homework and hood crimes"
I stood mine, for forever and a day so goodbye
They never could say, tell 'em, J

[Chorus: John Legend & Kanye West]
They say "What's happenin'?"
We say the facts and then they lie
We comin' back for them
They might say, but they don't know
(They say, they say)
They don't know, oh

[Verse 2: Kanye West]
Ah, the sweet taste of victory
Go head and breathe it in like antihistamine
I know they sayin' "Damn, 'Ye snapped with this beat!"
Fuck you expect? I've got a history
Groupie love now, gotta be them wheels
Haters back down, gotta be that steel
I know they can't wait 'til ya outta ya deal
Look how they did D'Angelo, ask him "How do it feel?"
My best friends worry 'bout me
'Cause they know when you famous
And you had made cash
The media aims at us
And you be up so high
If you ever fall off, it feel like a plane crash
But God don't ever give me nothin' I can't handle
So please don't ever give me records I can't sample
So I could vacay where it ain't no channels
But it's quite okay for a gangsta to wear sandals
They say because of the fame and stardom
I'm somewhere in between the church and insane asylum
I guess it's messin' with my health then
And this verse so crazy when I finish
I'm just gon' check myself in, again

[Chorus: John Legend & Kanye West]
They say "What's happenin'?"
We say the facts and then they lie (Uh, ha!)
We comin' back for them
They might say, but they don't know
(They say, they say)
They don't know, oh

[Verse 3: Common]
They say "Dude think he righteous"
I write just to free minds, from Stony to Rikers
Amongst the lifeless, in a world crazy as Mike is
On my paper, whether its weed or Isis
They say "Life is a game," so I play hard
Writin' for my life 'cause I'm scared of a day job
They say "Sef kept the hood together"
I tell the young, "We can't play the hood forever"
Play my cards right, they say I went too left
They showed me strange love, like I was Mr. F
Played chess in this game of pawns and knights
Now I claim "King" like Don, or Frank White
They say my life is comparable to Christ
The way I sacrificed and resurrected twice
They say "The crochet pants and the sweater was wack"
Seen the corner, now they say "That nigga's back," uh

[Chorus: John Legend & Kanye West]
They say "What's happenin'?"
We say the facts and then they lie
We comin' back for them
They might say, but they don't know
(They say, they say)
They don't know, oh
Credits
Common

Common

About “They Say” by Common

Read the complete lyrics to "They Say" by Common from the album "Be" in 2005. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under USA, In English, Alternative Rap.

"They Say" is performed by Common. from the album "Be" in 2005 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "They Say", explore more songs by Common using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Common · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"They Say" is credited to Common. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"They Say" appears on "Be" in 2005.

Visit the Common artist page at /artist/common for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.

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