PAID MY DUES

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PAID MY DUES is the tenth and second to last track in NF's CLOUDS mixtape EP.

## 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'

Dropped The Search and they emerge up out of 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)

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

Dependin' 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 payoff at the end of it, can help you to get through it, hey

(Chorus 1)Paid my dues, made it through (whoo, whoo, whoo)

Spread the news, I'm on the loose (whoo, whoo, whoo)

Makin' moves, I need some room (whoo, whoo, whoo)

Thought we's cool

Well don't assume, don't assume hey!

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

(Verse 2)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 an' hope that time is on my side

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

I toe the line too close and I could improvise, I'd empathize

But recognize the fact that I could jeopardize and wreck our lives

You better give me your attention the undivided

(Chorus 2)Paid my dues, made it through (whoo, whoo, whoo)

Spread the news, I'm on the loose (whoo, whoo, whoo)

Makin' moves, I need some room (whoo, whoo, whoo)

Thought we's cool

Well don't assume, don't assume hey!

Paid my dues, made it through (whoo, whoo, whoo)

Spread the news, I'm on the loose (whoo, whoo, whoo)

Makin' moves, I need some room (whoo, whoo, whoo)

Thought we's cool

Well don't assume, don't assume hey!

## Audio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLAgke7QprM

## Trivia

* This song was initially a single, but then got in the CLOUDS mixtape a couple months later.
* NF used this song for the openings of the CLOUDS tour and the opening of the second part of the HOPE tour.