Paid My Dues lyrics

[Verse 1]

Clicks, clicks, clicks, they'll do anything to get a few

Tick, tick, tick, that's the sound before my head explodes

Quit, quit, quit, look at you up on your pedestals

Quick, quick, quick, here the critics come, it's time to go

I read your article, it kinda hurt me

I don't know who hired you or what your friends say in your circle

But the fact that you released it tells me two things are for certain:

They get paid for trashin' people, I get paid 'cause I stay workin' (Yeah)

Dropped The Search and they emerge up outta nowhere to the surface

Just to peek behind the curtain, throwin' salt at all my burdens

I'm aware I shouldn't give this my attention, life's a journey

I should just stay on my path and learn to laugh, you think they heard me?

Ears are burning, put 'em out, quiet, quiet, look around

Why don't they find someone way more interesting to write about?

Us, we're kinda boring, aren't we? All we do is whine and pout

It's confusing, so amusing how I argue with myself—hello!

[Verse 2]

I spit it with ease, so leave it to me

You doubt it but you better believe

I'm on a rampage, hit 'em with the record release

Depend on the week, I'm prolly gonna have to achieve

Another goal, let me go when I'm over the beat

I go into beast mode, like I'm ready to feast

I'm fed up with these thieves, tryna get me to bleed

They wanna see me take an L? Yup, see what I mean?

How many records I gotta give you to get with the program?

Taken for granted, I'm 'bout to give you the whole plan

Open your mind up and take a look at the blueprint

Debate if you gotta, but gotta hold it with both hands

To pick up the bars, you gotta be smart

You really gotta dig in your heart

If you wanna get to the root of an issue

Pursuin' the mental can be dark and be difficult

But the pay off at the end of it can help you to get through it, ayy

[Chorus]

Paid my dues, made it through

Woo, woo, woo

Spread the news, I'm on the loose

Woo, woo, woo

Makin' moves, I need some room

Woo, woo, woo

Thought we's cool

Well, don't assume, don't assume, ayy

[Verse 3]

I'm the truth, oh, they want some proof? Here, don't be rude

Somethin' new, even when I lose I make it look cool

Do the show, then we hit the room, wife is lookin', ooh

What to do? I don't need the shades up to like the view (Yeah) (View, view)

It's time to get back in the swing of things

When my life crashes, I'm not the guy that'll flee the scene

I'll take ownership and own it and raise my hand if it's me

Just remember though, I'm only a man, I'm a human being

Don't they see? Shoot the breeze, I'd rather just stay discrete

People claim they're in your corner but leave you in times of need

They don't listen, do they? (What?) They don't listen to anything

I'll accept advice if it's not presented ignorantly

Look, costs are high, they multiply, then cause divides

I'm forced to fight the poison I been

Sippin' on has quite the bite, it killed me twice

They rigged the lights so y'all can see the parts of mine

That aren't so bright, see, often I apologize

Then authorize the awful times to pop up (Nate)

Like I'm right behind you, I'd advise you not to try to

Climb inside the mind like I do

Keep the rhyme book, expedite it, overnight it

Hold it tight and hope that time is on my side

'Cause if it's not then I'll decide to override

My own demise, I tow the line too close and I

Could improvise, I'd empathize but recognize

The fact that I could jeopardize and wreck your lives

You better give me your attention, the undivided

[Chorus]

Paid my dues, made it through

Woo, woo, woo

Spread the news, I'm on the loose

Woo, woo, woo

Makin' moves, I need some room

Woo, woo, woo

Thought we's cool

Well, don't assume, don't assume, ayy

Paid my dues, made it through

Woo, woo, woo

Spread the news, I'm on the loose

Woo, woo, woo

Makin' moves, I need some room

Woo, woo, woo

Thought we's cool

Well, don't assume, don't assume, ayy

• Artist:NF
• Album:CLOUDS (THE MIXTAPE) (2021)