[Hook]
Step by step, heart to heart
Left, right, left
We all fall down like toy soldiers
Bit by bit, torn apart
We never win
But the battle wages on for toy soldiers

[Verse 1]
I'm supposed to be the soldier
Who never blows [bad word] Even though I hold the weight of the whole world on my shoulders, I ain't never supposed to show it
My crew ain't supposed to know it
Even if it means going toe to toe with a Benzino
It don't matter
I'd never drag them in battles that I can handle
'Less I absolutely have to, I'm supposed to set an example
I need to be the leader, my crew looks for me to guide 'em
If some [bad word] ever does pop off, I'm supposed to be beside 'em
That Ja [bad word]  I tried to squash it
It was too late to stop it
There's a certain line you just don't cross, and he crossed it
I heard him say Hailie's name on a song
And I just lost it; it was crazy
The [bad word] went way beyond some Jay Z and Nas [bad word] And even though the battle is won, I feel like we lost it
I spent so much energy on it, honestly I'm exhausted
And I'm so caught in it
I almost feel I'm the one who caused it
This ain't what I'm in hip hop for, it's not why I got in it
That was never my object, for someone to get killed
Why would I want to destroy something I helped build?
It wasn't my intentions, my intentions were good
I went through my whole career
Without ever mentioning [Suge]
And that was just outta respect, for [bad word] my mouth
And talking about something that I knew nothing about
Plus Dre told me stay out, this just wasn't my beef
So I did, I just fell back, watched and gritted my teeth
While he's all over TV
Down-talking the man who literally saved my life
Like, [bad word] it, I understand
This is business, and this [bad word] just isn't none of my business
I'm still knowing this [bad word] could pop off at any minute, ‘cause…
[Hook]
Step by step, heart to heart
Left, right, left
We all fall down like toy soldiers
Bit by bit, torn apart
We never win
But the battle wages on for toy soldiers

[Verse 2]
There used to be a time when you could just say a rhyme and
Wouldn't have to worry about one of your people dyin'
But now it's elevated
‘Cause once you put someone's kids in it
The [bad word] gets escalated; it ain't just words no more, is it?
It's a different ball game
You call names and you ain't just rappin'
We actually tried to stop the 50 and Ja beef from happenin'
Me and Dre had sat with him
Kicked it and had a chat with him
And asked him not to start it, he wasn't gonna go after him
Until Ja started yappin' in magazines how he stabbed him [bad word] it, "50, smash him! Mash him and let him have it!"
Meanwhile my attention's pulled in another direction
Some receptionist at the Source
Who answers phones at his desk
Has an erection for me and thinks that I'll be his resurrection
Tries to blow the dust off his mic and make a new record
But now he's [bad word] the game up, ‘cause one of the ways I came up, was through that publication
The same one that made me famous
Now the owner of it has got a [bad word] against me for nothin'?
Well, [bad word] it, that [bad word] could get it too, [bad word] him then!
But I'm so busy being [bad word] off, I don't stop to think
That we just inherited 50's beef with Murder Inc
And he's inherited mine, which is fine
Ain't like either of us mind
We still have soldiers that's on the front line
That's willing to die for us as soon as we give the orders
Never to extort us, strictly to show they support us
And maybe shout 'em out in a rap or up in the [bad word] To show 'em we love 'em back
And let them know how important it is
To [bad word] Avenue soldiers up in our corners
Their loyalty to us is worth more than any award is
But I ain't tryin' to have none of my people hurt or murdered
It ain't worth it, I can't think of a perfecter way to word it
Than to just say that I love y'all too much to see the verdict
I'll walk away from it all 'fore I let it go any further
But don't get it twisted, it's not a plea that I'm coppin'
I'm just willing to be the bigger man if y'all can quit poppin'
Off at your jaws, well, then I can
‘Cause frankly I'm sick of talkin'. I'm not going to let someone else's coffin rest on my conscience, ‘cause…

[Hook]
Step by step, heart to heart
Left, right, left
We all fall down like toy soldiers
Bit by bit, torn apart
We never win
But the battle wages on for toy soldiers