Practice - lyrics by J-Live

Yo, I heard those who can't, teach. Well, fuck it.
I guess class dismissed, I can't teach you shit.
I've been doin’ this for years, man, my rep is legit.
It's like a mic is a cancer-stick, I can't quit;
but I can kick that measuring stick schtick that
lets you know real quick whether you can or can't spit.
And from the sound of it, you on a stage
is like a square on a triangle hole. It don't fit.
I mean, the whole way you tryin’ to hold the mic,
I ain't tryin’ to be a smart aleck, but you sound like a dick.
It shouldn't be so phallic. You wanna be hard
but you can't come correct. I’d a showed you how it's done
if you showed some respect. Instead what you doin’ is
showin you're new in this. Why you pursuin’ this
skill trade? You tryin’ to get paid and laid.
Before the groupies and the Wop, man, the fact is
it takes practice

I heard it's better to be lucky than good.
Well, in my case I guess I'm lucky I'm good.
I heard if not for bad luck, J would have no luck at all
to which my reply is, "Fuck all a y'all".
I've been passed up, gassed up, bounced around, man,
thrown off the glass just to see what sticks.
I have yet to score big like Allen Iverson.
Maybe someday J could endorse a pair of kicks.
But for now long as I can afford a pair of kicks
and a closet to put ‘em in, I’m a put ‘em on
and walk these dogs, get my hustle on,
break bread for my young’uns so they grow up strong.
That's why the flow grow after each and every show
and year after year brings song after song
I heard amateurs keep doin’ it until they get it right;
but pros do it so much, we can't get it wrong.

I heard some old colloquialism
statin “If you love what you do for a livin’
you never work a day in your life”. Yeah, right.
But I know what they mean, some jobs'll trap you like prison.
But if you hatin’ me, ‘cause all you do is process and file,
jealous because I get to make beats, spin and freestyle
as if I haven't had to work in a while.
Like I ain't sheddin’ blood, sweat, tears, stomach acid, and bile;
like my workload isn't unbelievable:
CEO, COO, accounts payable and receivable,
chief marketeer and manager,
sales rep, tour van driver, baggage handler.
Shiiit, like I ain't tryin to outsource and delegate.
How else you think I'll get an upgrade and elevate?
But at this point in time, I got two options,
get it done right myself or get relegated
back to a spot where I do it for fun
in my spare time oh, wait, I won't have none.
So don't come at me’ bout that “Get a real jobby job.”
We gonna have a problem, see, this ain't a hobby.
It’s a practice.