[Intro: Samuel L. Jackson in "Fresh"] 
Now what kinda player am I? Am I an offensive man or a defensive man? 
That's right, I'm neither. I play my opponent 
If he likes to attack, I force him to defend himself 
If he's a cautious man, I draw him into dangerous waters 
See, you get so frustrated playing defensive positions 
you make stupid moves you would never make if you were thinking 
When you come here boy, check that shit at the door 
 
[Bridge] 
I'm at the top of my game, cut the check 
Somebody better king me, I'm the best 
Let's play a game of checkers, better yet 
The game don't love nobody, let's play chess 
 
[Chorus] 
I keep forgettin' we're not in love anymore 
I keep forgettin' things will never be the same again 
I keep forgettin' how you made that so clear 
I keep forgettin' things will never be the same again 
 
[Verse 1] 
I got street knowlege, that's why I outsmart em all 
Gotta play chess in the streets, it's the art of war 
Rapper get robbed, they took the jewels off your neck 
You call the person who you payin' to protect 
He got all your jewelery back, more or less 
But now you owe him more, you in debt 
Guess who got you robbed 
Why don't you take a wild guess 
The person you pay to protect you, he playin' chess 
Oil price high, buildings fall, government stressed 
They need somebody to blame for all this mess 
capture Sadam but ain't captured Bin Laden yet 
That's cause he doesn't exist, they playin' chess 
A DJ, he helps artists progress 
But as soon as they get in position, they forget 
So now he got his own artists on the set 
They risin' straight to the top, they playin' chess 
 
[Bridge] 
 
[Chorus] 
 
[Verse 2] 
Life is like a game of chess, get it straight 
You cheated on your wife, called it a mistake 
I told her I hate to see a heart break 
You feelin' bad, lemme take you on a date 
I just took your queen right in front of your face 
Now it's easy to get to the king, checkmate 
One man's pain is another man's pleasure 
He treat you like trash, I could treat you way better 
'Cause one man's trash is another man's treasure 
This is chess not checkers, chess not checkers 
She don't love you no more, eat dinner out the fridge 
+When a woman's fed up+, you see the difference kid 
You try to deny it but you admit what you did 
She know you better than yourself, there it is 
Females are intelligent, that's the wisdom kid 
They're built from the top down like a pyramid 
 
[Bridge] 
 
[Chorus] 
 
[Verse 3] 
Life is like a game of chess, get it straight 
I made my first hit record, checkmate 
I'ma do numbers on my release date 
Here's another hit record, checkmate 
You sold millions of records, but what's next? 
You need a couple of bombs from funk flex 
A diss record'll make everybody upset 
But that'll make you hot, you playin' chess 
Used to be an artist, but now you an exec 
You signed a buncha wack artists at your desk 
You make sure they wack so you can sound fresh 
I guess they just your pawns, you playin' chess 
Record labels, y'all signing acts right and left 
He pop bottles and celebrate his success 
Y'all put him on the shelf but told him he was next 
He just a tax write-off, yall playin' chess 
 
[Bridge] 
 
[Chorus] 
 
[Papoose] 
I got my rooks on the chessboard, uh 
I got my knights on the chessboard, uh 
I got my bishops on the chessboard 
If you play your cards right you can get yours |