Stepping Stone
[Verse 1]
It’s 2002, everything was totally new
We were globally huge, watchin’ sales go through the roof
We wrote and we viewed it, Runyon Avenue soldiers included
A multitude of homies who would bounce for no good excuse
We were so bulletproof—wrote, souped and soaked in our youth
Thought we was runnin’ sh*t ’til we lost the sole of our shoe
The death of Doody broke us in two
We were thrown for a loop, ain’t none of us know what to do
And at the time I was goin’ through my own struggles too
So I wasn’t in no condition to be coachin’ us through
Everyone tried to go solo, really nobody blew
I was hopin’ they do, so I ain’t have to shoulder the crew
The plan was put everyone in position, so that they knew
How to stand on they own, and I don’t want to open up wounds
I just noticed that oomf was gone when we go in the booth
‘Cause the truth is, the moment that Proof died, so did the group
[Pre-Chorus]
If I could leave this world behind
I could open up my eyes and walk in a straight line
Turn to the river with you
Help me leave this all behind
[Chorus]
I’ma wash away my sins
I’ma rinse away this dirt
I forgot to make amends
To all the friends I may have hurt
I better stop and say my grace
From that I pray that I don’t fall
‘Cause on the way back down I may
End up runnin’ back into them all
I never meant to use you all as my stepping stones
[Verse 2]
It was never the same, and it’s bothered me since
And the farther we drift apart, the more awkward it gets
The more time goes by, the more life happens
And we gotta be men, we got responsibilities
Plus we don’t say how we feel, and I feel like this is what got us in
The debacle we’re in, been with you guys thick and thin
But it’s almost as if sometimes we’re not even friends
Which reminded me Biz, “Rockstar” was the sh*t
Y’all coulda got you a hit without me on the sh*t
If you would’ve put D12 on it, wish I coulda did
More than try talkin’ you into comin’ up off of it
I know it wasn’t my fault, but part of it probably is
I think of all of the trips to BET
And the rappers I wish that we woulda politicked with
Maybe y’all coulda clicked and got you some features
But that’s water under the bridge
But I’m washin’ my sins in it ’til my conscience is cleansed
[Pre-Chorus]
If I could leave this world behind
I could open up my eyes and walk in a straight line
Turn to the river with you
Help me leave this all behind
[Chorus]
I’ma wash away my sins
I’ma rinse away this dirt
I forgot to make amends
To all the friends I may have hurt
I better stop and say my grace
From that I pray that I don’t fall
‘Cause on the way back down I may
End up runnin’ back into them all
I never meant to use you all as my stepping stones
[Verse 3]
Bacardi and Hen’, never thought the party would end
One minute you’re bodyin’ sh*t, but then your audience splits
You can already sense the climate is startin’ to shift
To these kids you no longer exist
Went from rainin’ cats and dogs in this b**ch
To tiny drops, lil’ drips
And by the time your reign is over, you’ll hardly be missed
You start thinkin’ of all the artists you gift, all the carnage you left
Is this the kinda Karma you get
For turnin’ your f**kin’ back on Bizzy, Kuniva and Swift?
A Freudian slip, subconsciously, I honestly wished
I ain’t feel so much guilt and y’all didn’t harbor resentment
But it’s hard to pretend that y’all ain’t got none
I just wish I had words
[Bridge]
But I guess they’re just honored for this
To my partners, I can’t say how sorry I am
This is not how I planned for our story to end
I love all of you, men
But I just can’t be the guy
Everybody depends on for entire careers
‘Cause that’s not even fair
I will always be here, but that spark isn’t there
And I don’t know how to recapture that time and that era
I’ve tried hearkening back to, but I’m fightin’ for air
I’m barely chartin’ myself
Feels like I’m under the sink, but it was not my intent—
[Verse 4]
To treat y’all like a stepping stone
Though I ain’t left no one behind, but we been down every road
Done all we possibly can, I know we kept our hopes up
But the longer we spend livin’ this lie that we live
The less is left for closure, so let’s let this go
It’s not goodbye to our friendship, but D12 is over
[Chorus]
I’ma wash away my sins
I’ma rinse away this dirt
I forgot to make amends
To all the friends I may have hurt
I better stop and say my grace
From that I pray that I don’t fall
‘Cause on the way back down I may
End up runnin’ back into them all
I never meant to use you all as my stepping stones
I never meant to make you feel like my stepping stones
I never meant to use you all for my stepping stones
