Eightball & MJG - Paid Dues lyrics

Yeah, yeah, Space Age forever; n***as and hos better recognize Eightball and MJG, been ten toes down in this game Since we were two young playas in a one-horse town Then hopped to a muthaf**in' gra**hopper n***a, my life would have been done got cut off If my dues weren't paid It's a thinnin' line between wrong and right Trapped in a trap till the mornin' light Ghetto ain't left me no choices; I had to fight My mama and daddy was too young to raise me right Maybe I been made a man from all the mistakes I made n***as dead, n***as gone; I still ain't afraid Ain't too grown to get back on with ghetto games I played My life would have been done got cut off if the dues weren't paid In the middle of doin' crime; it never stopped me from writin' rhymes It never stopped me from playin' music God, but it didn't mean I had to use it It was obvious: I had to give up the streets for the beats Not knowin', but havin' faith on just how long that it would be Before I made it, before somebody picked up my tape and played it With a remark like, "Hey, played that instrumental, you cat's got potential." In the process of doing talent shows, parties, and mix tapes We even put it down on some of our homeboys jail release dates I can remember in the past closin' down at fast foods Strictly stickin' to my dreams, but feelin' like I'd be the last dude Who can make it in this rap; I thought that they ain't gon' see me in Memphis It was like a time they looked over Tennessee And didn't know hip-hop was in us To all my vets in the game, I got love; stay on your toes 'Cause back in the days, I used to use your 4-5 instrumental to do my shows And, look, I was seventeen when I signed my first contract And about eighteen and a half when I signed my worst contract; we hurt from that And till this day they still distributin' our first tape Before Comin' Out Hard, now can you feel it? Be humble and patient with whatever you should choose 'Cause to get to where I am right now, I done paid my dues It's a thinnin' line between wrong and right Trapped in a trap till the mornin' light Ghetto ain't left me no choices; I had to fight My mama and daddy was too young to raise me right Maybe I been made a man from all the mistakes I made n***as dead, n***as gone; I still ain't afraid Ain't too grown to get back on with ghetto games I played My life would have been done got cut off if the dues weren't paid A c-note for a concert; I know that sounds preposterous n***a, we didn't have a pot to piss So we got on stage, and we rocked the b**h f** the cheese; I love to see my n***as in the front row Get buck wild, start a fight; the police make a n***a stop the show n***as all in the parkin' lot, bustin' shots, f**in' with hos Box Chevy with the spokes and vogues n***as didn't know sh** about a twenty inch Mo-Mo Hard head, young n***a don't believe that sh** till I see that sh** See them heavyweight n***as; one day, I'm gonna be that sh** Okay, everybody know everybody done sold dope, ran with a gang Pimp some hos and snorted a little coke, but, uh I'm space again, and we'll forever be Eightball, the fat mack, and M-J-f**in'-G Turn the page from then to now, and we still grindin' Small clubs and small towns think they bouncin', and we find them Put them on the guest list, make them pump their fist and get buck to this Make one of them weed smokin', gangsta b**hes get f**ed to this Expand, give all my true fans what they demand Do my part again and, uh, come out hard again, and, uh Keep space again, and we'll forever be Eightball, the fat mack, and M-J-f**in'-G It's a thinnin' line between wrong and right Trapped in a trap till the mornin' light Ghetto ain't left me no choices; I had to fight My mama and daddy was too young to raise me right Maybe I been made a man from all the mistakes I made n***as dead, n***as gone; I still ain't afraid Ain't too grown to get back on with ghetto games I played My life would have been done got cut off if the dues weren't paid