Paid Dues

Yeah, Yeah...Space Age forever..Niggas and hoes better recognize

Eightball & MJG...been ten toes down in this game

Since we were two young playas in a one horse town

Knee high to a muthafuckin grasshopper

Nigga, my lights would have been done got cut off...

If my dues weren't paid

It's ah, skinny lines between wrong and right

Trapped in a trap til the mornin light

Ghetto ain't left me no choices, I had to fight

My momma and daddy was too young to raise me right

Maybe I been made a man from all the mistakes I made

Niggas dead, niggas 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 (uggh), it never stopped me from writin rhymes

It never stopped me from playin music

God put it in me, 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 go see me in Memphis

It was like a time they looked over Tennesseee

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 use to use your 4-5 instrumental to do my shows

And look, I was 17 - when I signed my first contract

And about 18 1/2 when I signed my worst contract, we hurt from that

And til 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

A C-note for a concert, I know that sounds preposterous

Nigga, we didn't have a pot to piss

So we got on stage and we rocked the bitch

Fuck the chee$e, I love to see...My niggas in the front row

Get buck wild, start a fight, the police make a nigga stop the show

Niggas all in the parkin lot, bustin shots, fuckin with hoes

Box chevy with the spokes and vogues

Niggas didn't know shit about a 20 inch Mo-Mo

Hard head, young nigga don't believe that shit, til I see that shit

See them heavyweight niggas, one day, I'm gonna be that shit

Ok, everybody know everybody done sold dope, ran with a gang

Pimp some hoes, and..snorted a little coke..but uhh..

I'm space agin..and we'll forever be

Eightball, the fat mack, and...M-J fuckin G

Turn the page, from then to now, and we still grindin

Small clubs and small towns, if they bouncin 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 bitches get fucked to this

Expand, give all my true fans what they demand

Do my part again and uhh...come out hard again and uhh..

Keep space agin, and we'll forever be...

Eightball, the fat mack, and...M-J fuckin G

[Chorus]