Paid Dues - Eightball & MJG

featuring Cee Lo 

Intro (Eightball) 

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 
then hopped to a muthafuckin grasshopper 
Nigga  my life would have been done got cut off... 
If my dues weren't paid. 

Chorus (Cee Lo) 

It's ah  skinnin 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. 

MJG 

In the middle of doin crime (Uggh), 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 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