Culture VI - 9:57 Interlude lyrics

[Verse 1: John Regan] They say that time is money and money is time If that's true, then I do lose of mine From hard times to paradise It's like I gambled life on a pair of dice – twice Cus like even if I win I need to double down then throw ‘em again Dealt a two-seven - off-suit – all in I win – then bet red – and watch the ball spin Then I watch it all end My back's against the wall – I hope the wall bends Cuz now I'm in debt to the days, I regret There's no refund for the lost time I've spent At the time, I meant to make it all better, wonder where it all went Try to tell wifey I did it for my daughter But my life was like an ATM that's out of order I couldn't get anything out after everything I put in Trying to get my foot in Try to squeeze each limb Just enough that my face peeked in and my arm reached in It's 9:57 I'm a go 100% til the clock reach 10:00 I can feel my daughter's heart beatin' I'm the captain of the ship, but when the water leaks in I gotta change course cus the sea is deep And I can't wait until it sinks to see if she swims I can't wait til game over to see if we win [Verse 2: John Regan] It's like – every other day I see every other rapper make it every other way But my way's like a highway But instead of parallel, it got me going sideways Got me flowing odd ways – doing things that I never did The 500 pound, pink elephant Is a rapper's never-ending battle to stay relevant Doing things that normally would be out of his element - ooh Things that he was never meant to When the rent's due, gotta put away the pencil Put the rhymes aside Because my nine to five'll Feed my family faster than an instrumental (faster than potential) – now that's deep But my daughter can't sleep on these scribbled on sheets of paper No money for a bunny But I promise that we'll celebrate Easter later I gotta go pay these producers Who are only hot cus of who they produced for Cus that's how the game go Me and MC Yo could have the same flow And spit the same on a record But if he has a big name on his record? Then once they catch wind DJ So-and-So gonn help him get spins Then he starts charging for sixteens And I'm back at the crib writing again #Maybe I'm naïve, but I do believe that fans'll get it right in the end So unless I have the contacts to contact an artist who already has a contract And get him on tracks Then it really wouldn't matter even if I was the single hottest rapper on wax?