Rise - “Part of the Game”
[Emcee(s): Rise]
[Producer(s): DJ Spinna]
[Scratches: DJ Spinna]
[Intro (Overlapped with Hook): Rise]
Yo, for real. We gon’ do something dope, man. Half-assing fools. Take the good with the bad, you nah’mean? Dope shit. It’s all part of the game. Check
[Hook (Overlapped with Intro): Samples with Scratches by DJ Spinna]
“Part of the game” - Sample from Wordsworth on Punchline and Wordsworth - "Last Days (So What)"
[Verse 1: Rise]
The mindstate of where I’m at is data moves in reason
It’s not all about the cream, but my boots are leaning
You’d be breathing hard like when losing semen
If you took the steps and paid the dues that Jean and
Axis took. I live life, learn from regrets
I’ll move from relationships to casual sex
So run with me or you can’t get mad if you’re left
I’m fending for myself, stressed as a castaway guest
But life decent. So tell me: what’s the reason I act rude?
The world hurt my heart like the grease in my fast food
The grass grew greener on the side that ain’t have you
That’s what we all thought but bet they had it bad too
I’ll make my own luck—no lotto or calling bookies
Our horoscopes are saving mottos from fortune cookies
To motivate, my motive ain’t to floss and be rich
I can’t work for no one and nobody’s forcing me, shit
[Hook: Samples with Scratches by DJ Spinna]
(“Bad advice”) (“part of the game”)
(“Paying dues”) (“part of the game”)
(“To record”) (“part of the game”)
(“Everyday struggle) (“part of the game”)
(“I’ve been slept on”)—(“part of the game”)
(“If you beat the odds”), (“part of the game”)
(“So I keep it moving”). (“Really, it ain’t hard to explain”)
(“Because I know I’m”) (“part of the game”)
[Verse 2: Rise]
So I sit in a lab home-alone at my best
(Yo, check, check). Headset’s blown out on the left
Out of the depths, at Nuyorican Poets Café
Doing open mics when you ain't really know us that way
There's always that phase when you got to flow for no profit
When your sound booth's your bathroom, kitchen, or closet
But still rocking and made bangers that you swore dropping
For pop-stoppers, we bent hangers and tossed stockings
I used to spin in the past but wasn't organized in some ways
Scattered records had Aretha Franklin in a Pun case
I write now. You like how I write down, recite sounds
Experience through life in a nice and concise style
The crowd cheers. It sense words are now important
I’ll speak extra loud and clear like the crowd was boring
Mindstate and technique to have rap controlled
So when you see my name, it's always all caps and bold
[Hook: Samples with Scratches by DJ Spinna]
(“Bad advice”) (“part of the game”)
(“Paying dues”) (“part of the game”)
(“To record”) (“part of the game”)
(“Everyday struggle) (“part of the game”)
(“I’ve been slept on”)—(“part of the game”)
(“If you beat the odds”), (“part of the game”)
(“So I keep it moving”). (“Really, it ain’t hard to explain”)
(“Because I know I’m”) (“part of the game”)
[Verse 3: Rise]
And I'm far from success, but I’ll peep the effects
People’llll keep in touch to make sure you're still a connect
I'm still into debt, deeper than I'm willing to get
I'm worn out and losing my breath from filling the check
You put in a lot of work, so you deserve the applause that you get
Give me a big hand like, “I declare war with two decks”
I’ll zone out to tracks now and tend to write songs fast
An unexpected turn to rap became a lifelong path
I’ll make moves. Y'all could keep talking, running your mouth
And spending money copywriting songs that ain't coming out
That stay in your house, but all of my cuts are hot for nothing
And I'm a klutz—every few months, I'm dropping something
‘Cause I'm amongst the illest cats you guys are bumping
You'll see it sucks to see rappers fall from bad instruction
Optimistic always, we party in rain
And deal with the bullshit, man. It's part of the game
[Hook: Samples with Scratches by DJ Spinna] (x2)
(“Bad advice”) (“part of the game”)
(“Paying dues”) (“part of the game”)
(“To record”) (“part of the game”)
(“Everyday struggle) (“part of the game”)
(“I’ve been slept on”)—(“part of the game”)
(“If you beat the odds”), (“part of the game”)
(“So I keep it moving”). (“Really, it ain’t hard to explain”)
(“Because I know I’m”) (“part of the game”)
