I earn my respect, I wasn't born with a connect
I didn't have somebody leave me and inherit this check
I didn't have a rich uncle out here droppin' my name
I didn't have an easy way for me to get in the game
I had to create the hype through the shit that I write
'Cause I wouldn't follow the trends so I could blow over night
It ain't about ya talent it's about how long will you fight
For what you believe in, like it's a fight for your life
I worked jobs that I hated, restaurants cleanin' tables
Boss is an asshole, co-workers is racist
Swallow pride 'til I was hollow inside, I had to take it
All the while in the back of my mind I knew I would make it
Beat down and degraded, fucked up and frustrated
Yeah sometimes it'll hurt you learnin' the virtue of patience
For all the time I was waitin', writin' rhymes in my basement
The gratification and I quit and it feels so amazing
You better lose yourself in the music, the moment
You own it, you better never let it go
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime
Once you played through the pain
Engine in the championship game
'Cause all you can think about now is how far you done came
Didn't stop for the snow, went hard in the rain
Weekdays and weekends was exactly the same
Look, they say when money come, that's when most people change
They say losing yourself is the price of the fame
But they got it wrong, the glitz ain't the cause of the change
Consistent evolution with every sacrifice that was made
Constantly on the stage, hardly ever got paid
Every time you gave your all and hardly ever got praised
But you just go your hardest like you hardly ever get phased
Studio, no sleep, same clothes for days
That's when you ask yourself how bad do you want it
When the man in the mirror is your only opponent
When you got the final say on if you blow, or blow it
When everything that you worked for come down to one moment
You better lose yourself in the music, the moment
You own it, you better never let it go
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime