Listen Up Bub - Spose

I would’ve never made it here if the fear took hold

«I will not lose» was my yearbook quote

Shout out to Hov, Hov, I haven’t yet fulfilled the prophecy

I still put out more than I get back in reciprocity

But I’m not afraid to risk, regardless what it cost me

I’m accustomed to these tall-ass risks

Compact discs, set fire to a contract quick

Un-showered, head shaggy like «Boombastic»

Every day I try to leave this mark un-removable

'Cause I’d rather fry than be alive inside a cubicle

I watch the kids 'til five, then I hit the studio

Looking like I died, made it into something beautiful

A lot of losses I might not have enjoyed

But I learned to say no, learned what to avoid, still self-employed

Listen up bub, everybody tryin' to win

Listen up bub, fall down, then fall down again

Listen up bub, get up, 'cause I won’t lose

If I do, that’s up to me to choose, I plan to win

So listen up bub, if it comes easy, it don’t last

Listen up bub, give up to get some back

Listen up bub, we all got fears and doubts

But you’re the only who picks how you turn out

So turn it out

Quitting for me is illegal

I could pretend I always win, but that’d be deceitful

'Cause by now I figured me and Jay Z’d be equals

But I just played Iowa City for three people in the snow

I called my wife after the show

She said, «How did it go?»

I said, «You don’t wanna know»

She watched the kids as I hit Chicago

The next night, almost every ticket sold

They was singing every note, quote unquote for the podunk bro

I bounced back like I wear a sumo suit

'Cause getting too high off my highs

And too low off my lows, that’s what you don’t do

This work here’s my therapy, words full of kerosene

Never scarin' me, apparently, to risk my kids' food

On my own dreams with no guarantee that I’ll ever get it back

I always get it back, bro you better

Listen up bub, everybody tryin' to win

Listen up bub, fall down, then fall down again

Listen up bub, get up, 'cause I won’t lose

If I do, that’s up to me to choose, I plan to win

So listen up bub, like a broken table, I won’t fold

Listen up bub, shit man, I been down that road

Listen up bub, we all got fears and doubts

But you’re the only who picks how you turn out

So turn it out

My aim is stars, map made of scars

I drew this treasure map out of my losses

I’m tryin' to be Steve Jobs

But if I only end up as Steve Austin, that’ll be awesome

It’s not all pleasure, no painless days

In school, they teach you not to play the game this way

But I think you’re getting played if you’re playing it safe

'Cause I got no ceilings like that Lil Wayne mixtape

I’ll make a billion, nah, fuck that, I’ll make a trillion

If not, I’ll make a million, man, I put that on my children

You want a foot in the door?

I wanna own the building

It’s a cold world, man, you better stop chilling

Go through the dark, come to the light

If your life sucks, stop sucking at life

My heart rate go bump in the night

'Cause I still can’t give up the fight, sleep tight

Listen up bub, everybody tryin' to win

Listen up bub, fall down, then fall down again

Listen up bub, get up, 'cause I won’t lose

If I do, that’s up to me to choose, I plan to win

So listen up bub, just a kid from the sticks

Listen up bub, learn how to stick to the script

Listen up bub, these roots didn’t sway in the wind

I’ve been the same since I begin, begun, whatever

I turned it out