Kendrick Lamar – How Much a Dollar Cost (feat. James Fauntle

Kendrick Lamar – How Much a Dollar Cost (feat. James Fauntleroy & Ronald Isley) Lyrics

How Much a Dollar Cost

Kendrick Lamar (feat. James Fauntleroy & Ronald Isley)

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"How Much a Dollar Cost." - Kendrick Lamar (feat. James Fauntleroy & Ronald Isley)

Friday, 23 October 2026, 09:52 am

Album: To Pimp a Butterfly

Track No: 11

How much a dollar really cost?
The question is detrimental, paralyzin' my thoughts
Parasites in my stomach keep me with a gut feeling, y'all
Gotta see how I'm chillin' once I park this luxury car
Hoppin' out feeling big as Mutombo
"20 on pump 6," dirty Marcellus called me Dumbo
20 years ago, can't forget
Now I can lend him a ear or two
How to stack these residuals tenfold
The liberal concept of men'll do
"20 on 6," he didn't hear me
Indigenous African only spoke Zulu
My American tongue slurry
Walked out the gas station
A homeless man with a semi-tan complexion
Asked me for ten rand, stressin' about dry land
Deep water, powder blue skies that crack open
A piece of crack that he wanted, I knew he was smokin'
He begged and pleaded
Asked me to feed him twice, I didn't believe it
Told him, "Beat it"
Contributin' money just for his pipe, I couldn't see it
He said, "My son, temptation is one thing that I've defeated
Listen to me, I want a single bill from you
Nothin' less, nothin' more"
I told him "I ain't have it" and closed my door
Tell me how much a dollar cost
It's more to feed your mind
Water, sun and love the one you love
All you need, the air you breathe
He's starin' at me in disbelief
My temper is buildin', he's starin' at me, I grab my key
He's starin' at me, I started the car, then I tried to leave
And somethin' told me to keep it in park until I could see
The reason why he was mad at a stranger
Like I was supposed to save him
Like I'm the reason he's homeless and askin' me for a favor
He's starin' at me, his eyes followed me with no laser
He's starin' at me, I notice that his stare is contagious
'Cause now I'm starin' back at him, feelin' some type of disrespect
If I could throw a bat at him, it'd be aimin' at his neck
I never understood someone beggin' for goods
Askin' for handouts, takin' it if they could
And this particular person just had it down pat
Starin' at me for the longest until he finally asked
"Have you ever opened up Exodus 14?
A humble man is all that we ever need"
Tell me how much a dollar cost
It's more to feed your mind
Water, sun and love the one you love
All you need, the air you breathe
Guilt trippin' and feelin' resentment
I never met a transient that demanded attention
They got me frustrated, indecisive and power trippin'
Sour emotions got me lookin' at the universe different
I should distance myself, I should keep it relentless
My selfishness is what got me here, who the **** I'm kiddin'?
So I'ma tell you like I told the last bum
Crumbs and pennies, I need all of mines
And I recognize this type of panhandlin' all the time
I got better judgment, I know when **** hustlin', keep in mind
When I was strugglin', I did compromise, now I comprehend
I smell Grandpa's old medicine, reekin' from your skin
Moonshine and gin, **** you're babblin', your words ain't flatterin'
I'm imaginin' Denzel but lookin' at O'Neal
Kazaam is sad thrills, your gimmick is mediocre
The jig is up, I seen you from a mile away losin' focus
And I'm insensitive, and I lack empathies
He looked at me and said, "Your potential was bittersweet"
I looked at him and said, "Every nickel is mines to keep"
He looked at me and said, "Know the truth, it'll set you free
You're lookin' at the Messiah, the son of Jehovah, the higher power
The choir that spoke the word, the Holy Spirit
The nerve of Nazareth, and I'll tell you just how much a dollar cost
The price of having a spot in Heaven, embrace your loss, I am God"
I washed my hands, I said my grace
What more do you want from me?
Tears of a clown, guess I'm not all what it's all meant to be
Shades of grey will never change if I condone
Turn this page, help me change to right my wrongs

Writer(s): Kendrick Lamar, Ronald Isley, T. Martin, J. Leimberg, R. McKinney & James Fauntleroy.

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