Rip Rap - Josh Martinez

I just want to rock and be famous

And have my fifteen minutes to do some entertaining

I’ll snort cobwebs and sleep with starlets

Everybody’s got a dream, mine’s to be a harlot

Never had one until last year

When the last beer of the night was raised

I found myself crazed

Eying crowds fighting over space

Looking all around the sound I faced

Was raised fists and applause

This thought’d crossed my mind

But still I barely paused

'Cause I’ve mined the grapevine for the motive

'Cause and the sort of laws applied

The ride stopped when he said

Exactly the same thing as she said

Real rap don’t be dead, don’t be led astray

Keep calm and on beat and don’t forget to pray

Staying street in the gutter, I mutter the butter rhymes

All the better to bring out the goods in the tough times

The times they change and people they get stranger

The best minds of our times are in the gravest danger

'Cause if it’s not right then it must be left alone on its own

To pursue it due death

I was purged when life merged with a bigger head office

All about prophets on their lawns they burn crosses

In their homes they burn incense to ward off the lawless

In this sense an immense force became a colossus

Now I’m sitting in an office that I call my room

Trying to make enough money to cover the rent

And I am absolutely sick of not being a rock star

I guess I’m gonna have to give a little more head

This is my rap song for everything that’s gone wrong

That you couldn’t keep a lid on and so on and so on

I give you one to grow on until I bid you so long

You got to be so strong, so c’mon, c’mon

Let me take you on journey to back in the day

When we used less words, when we had something to say

When the words meant more at the shows we’d play

Because it was all just fun at the end of the day

I remember when we used to play in the grass

Didn’t have a quest and knew it wouldn’t last

But must one fail for another to pass?

I’m getting credit for the freshness while cutting the class

Josh Martinez, I been here the whole time

Cramming slam poets into toe jam line by line

My sign is the lion and I’m five foot ten

I’m always eating all the time but still I’m staying thin

And when it’s raining staying in and drinking gin

And when it’s hot I’m out a lot in nature

Taking in the sights and nomenclature

I’m twenty three years old and I look great naked

Gold in my eyes and I think I make it

But just as I try to take a bite of the pie

It was taken away from I and I don’t know why

I don’t have a piece yet for me to even eat

So I’m sitting here trying to kick it clear over this rap beat

This is my rap song for everything that’s gone wrong

That you couldn’t keep a lid on and so on and so on

I give you one to grow on until I bid you so long

You got to be so strong, so c’mon, c’mon

Why am I waiting?

If I’m not hungry what the fuck is this craving?

For more roof raising, amazing giving and taking

I’m always doing free shows with no hesitation, frustrated

I just want to be appreciated

Finally got my shit out on vinyl and I made it

And so it was fated, getting faded on soul control

Sold a few songs, strung along, paid the toll

Records start to sell everybody gets bitter

Lets a little glitter gold, get a hold of the soul

And this designated hitter wouldn’t take one on the chin

So we went our separate ways and now I’m out and they in

I’m gone with the wind that comes on with the storm

That wipes out the farms that leave their lights on

You gotta lock your doors

Never sure who’s gonna show up

Throw up those hands

If you want to be down

If I’m not mistaken, I’m good at what I do

I rap my intellect to tap into the tapestry of being true

Who said you could steal my club mix?

Let the kizzy get bizzy and love it

Chicka, chicka, I’m on my shit

Deliver live shows too dope to forget

I rock five mics on four tracks

I’m three albums deep and it all led to this one hit

So don’t sleep