[Verse 1]
Uh, it's a phase that you're going through
That's what they always used to tell me when I go to school
I perform for talent shows and get no crowd reaction
I pass my mixtape out and all the kids were laughing
Called me wack because they thought I wasn't hot or crazy
I guess it's cause I'm from a city where nobody made it
They say: "Russell, check the color what your skin is"
You ain't even black and trying too hard to fit in
And I used to get bullied cause they thought I had a weak sound
They saw me on the street, beat me up and knocked my teeth out
Within my eyes I told myself gotta keep my job
And keep running cause they hate to see you reach the top
Just so you know instead of saying that you think you could
The more you do bigger, the smaller all your haters look
Now I'm in this big position and I'm running
So remember that I told you one thing

[Hook]
First they tell you that they love you
Then they say they hate you
You gotta keep going they ain't never gonna race you
Just keep running (yeah), running (yeah), running (yeah)
Keep on running (yeah), running (yeah), running (yeah)
They start talking smack, I ain't know about that
Just reach to the top, then you bring it right back
Just keep running (yeah), running (yeah), running (yeah)
Keep on running (yeah), running (yeah), running (yeah)

[Verse 2]
Yeah, had my reputation flat no pancake
A ball player running late and for his fast break
I was a quiet Asian kid in every studio that no one ever tried to acknowledge or offered handshakes
Forget them, I'mma climbing back
And forget the small hate, I ain't got time for that
This is for every rapper saying that my rhymes wack
I passed your expectations and defied your facts
The bills get higher, my family's rest
I'm working no matter how hard this rapping thing gets
For rappers who are just hating on my tracks and think less
I don't give a shit you can never reach that
And rappers who be saying that I changed don't know me
I've been the same dude, there's no such thing as an old me
So we the one to tell that you're nothing
Just remember that I told you one thing

[Hook]
First they tell you that they love you
Then they say they hate you
You gotta keep going they ain't never gonna race you
Just keep running (yeah), running (yeah), running (yeah)
Keep on running (yeah), running (yeah), running (yeah)
They start talking smack, I ain't know about that
Just reach to the top, then you bring it right back
Just keep running (yeah), running (yeah), running (yeah)
Keep on running (yeah), running (yeah), running (yeah)

First they tell you that they love you
Then they say they hate you
You gotta keep going they ain't never gonna race you
Just keep running (yeah), running (yeah), running (yeah)
Keep on running (yeah), running (yeah), running (yeah)
They start talking smack, I ain't know about that
Just reach to the top, then you bring it right back
Just keep running (yeah), running (yeah), running (yeah)
Keep on running (yeah), running (yeah), running (yeah, yeah)