Artist: Eightball Album: Lost Song: The Artist Pays the Price Typed by: jostmatt at bluewin dot ch [ CHORUS: Rodney Ellis ] The artist pays the price So you don't have to pay If only we would listen To what they have to say We all go through changes To get to where we're going We have to learn a life of sacrifice To keep on growing [ VERSE 1: Eightball ] Yeah Life is for learning, remember this and learn from life Think about the players in the past who died a sacrifice Some died in wars for a country that oppressed them Some died preachin prayin for God to bless them I am one of the blessed, born to bring the word poetry Hip-Hop, musically expressin what's inside of me Some find me entertainin, some find me marketable A potential black millionaire, so that makes me targetable Low lives and forked tongues, devils get easy access Flashin big faces, makin empty promises Soggy niggas, sign contracts and make deals Rappin 'bout who they killed, talkin 'bout they keepin it real Hardcore, homicidal, kingpins of the century Need to quit rappin and leave this shit to the real MC's But ain't no chance, opposing forces got the upper hand Do as they command to keep them from sufferin [ CHORUS: Rodney Ellis ] [ VERSE 2: Eightball ] See I don't know everything, but my opinion I will voice As long as I can choose I'll choose the right or the wrong choice Addicted to hip-hop beats and hoes and can't stay out the streets Tryina make a dollar without a nigga havin to rob and cheat Got me hustlin 24/7 365 Coast to coast, mic-checkin, keepin the party alive Engrave my name in the minds of those who bob to this Sling and mob to this, jack and rob to this Herbs and meditation made it pure when I wrote it down But individual perception will change each phrase around Different towns, ain't none of this shit like Orange Mound Players unified, diggin on my mellow sound Execs get big old fat checks for makin deals While soldiers like me in the field damn near gettin killed When this is over, if I could do it again I'd do it twice Before and after me the artist will always pay the price [ CHORUS: Rodney Ellis ] [ VERSE 3: Eightball ] The industry's full of broke niggas tryina make a comeback Rappin 'bout that bullshit over them weak-ass tracks Judgin me when around the globe ain't nothin the same Think how the world would be if none of this shit had never changed Ain't like it used to be when hip-hop belonged to you and me Shit got sugar-coated, modified for TV Niggas like me don't give a fuck about commercial airtime Forced underground, ain't nothin commercial about my rhymes Rather be broke or slingin dope than hold my tongue back Niggas who put on acts get they ass beat up and jacked I'm not a killer, just a poet tryina survive, nigga Given the choice to ride or die, I chose to ride, nigga I'm payin the price for all the real MC's after me Be a artist, not a slave for the industry I'm payin the price for all the real MC's after me Be a artist, not a slave for the industry [ CHORUS: Rodney Ellis ]