Verse One â?? Pressure
For many years I was seeking asylum, in the bleakest environments,
Rhyme possessed me, while many started speaking retirement,
So as I rose they all fell in the fashion of yelling and trashing,
For what it's worth there was no quelling the passion,
Their love was dead, I was writing papes but getting fuck all said,
So I polished my shit until my knuckles bled,
Treading thin ice and all I caught were chills,
Sacrifices were appetisers, mics instead of meals,
This hand was mine, so I played it until I made it expand my mind,
And burned my name into the sands of time,
Then rhyme gave me strength to less avail,
Got used to these backstabbers, so now I sleep on a bed of nails,
I never fail, but turning tides are moving too slow,
I swam the depths of every ocean just to prove I could flow,
So from the cradle to the grave, turntable to Holy Father,
I swear I didn't slit my wrists I got the hip-hop stigmata.

Chorus
You got to pray to hip-hop almighty,
We bless the microphone nightly,
Open up the lyric from inside me,
It's our calling that's why we say,
You got to pray to hip-hop almighty,
We bless the microphone nightly,
Open up the lyric from inside me,
It's our calling that's why we sayâ?¦

Verse Two â?? Suffa
This be calling, we could never be fake,
Thanks to hip-hop I got a bed in every state,
And without it I'd roam the city with no purpose,
Without the underground I'm a clown without circus,
I flip verses, you feeling me, abilities,
My currency with which I buy credibility,
Facilities were built, just to be torn down,
Till the wheels fall off, and my pencils all worn down,
Till death comes to collect his debt, I'll wreck the set,
When heads check in retrospect, I'll get respect
'cause I did what I was called to do,
It's hip hop, I did it all for you
We true to this, got clout on turntables getting played,
We doing this without a label not getting payed
So from the cradle to the grave, microphone to retirement home
I'll be on stage; I'll never leave the rhyme alone.

Chorus
You got to pray to hip-hop almighty,
We bless the microphone nightly,
Open up the lyric from inside me,
It's our calling that's why we say,
You got to pray to hip-hop almighty,
We bless the microphone nightly,
Open up the lyric from inside me,
It's our calling that's why we sayâ?¦
Verse Three â?? Suffa & Pressure
Either we're all out, or we're all in,
And if we fall out, then we're all falling,
It's the calling; it's what I hear in my sleep,
It's that shiver up my spine when I'm feeling the beat,
It's that fear of defeat, the need to better myself,
It's the culture; it's not about spreading the wealth,
It's forgetting the time when you're perfecting a rhyme,
It's every drop of sweat that I shed getting mine.

Chorus
You got to pray to hip-hop almighty,
We bless the microphone nightly,
Open up the lyric from inside me,
It's our calling that's why we say,
You got to pray to hip-hop almighty,
We bless the microphone nightly,
Open up the lyric from inside me,
It's our calling that's why we sayâ?¦

Overall Meaning

The "The Calling" by Hilltop Hoods is a tribute to hip-hop music and culture. The lyrics of the song describe the struggles and sacrifices that the artists had to make to become successful in the industry. The first verse, performed by Pressure, talks about his journey to become a professional rapper. He faced a lot of criticism and opposition from his peers, but he didn't give up on his dream. Instead, he worked hard to perfect his craft and make a name for himself. He even went to the extent of causing physical harm to himself while polishing his lyrics. Pressure later states that he never fails and that he has proven himself to the world by exploring every nook and cranny just to show that he has what it takes.

The second verse, performed by Suffa, highlights the impact of hip-hop culture on his life. According to him, hip-hop has given him a sense of purpose and direction. He talks about how without hip-hop he would be directionless and wandering aimlessly in the city. Suffa also mentions the struggles he faced while striving to achieve his goals. And how he had to build his reputation from scratch by performing at various venues without any label support.

The third verse, performed by both Pressure and Suffa, summarizes the theme of the song. They acknowledge that being a hip-hop artist is not an easy job. But they also state that they are fully committed to their craft and will continue to pursue it no matter what. They view hip-hop as a calling that keeps them motivated and inspired.

Overall, "The Calling" is a song that pays homage to hip-hop and celebrates the passion and dedication of the artists who promote it.

Line by Line Meaning

For many years I was seeking asylum, in the bleakest environments,
I struggled to find my place in the world, and found solace in rap music.

Rhyme possessed me, while many started speaking retirement,
I became consumed by my passion for rap, while others were considering giving up.

So as I rose they all fell in the fashion of yelling and trashing,
As I succeeded in rap, others tried to bring me down with jealousy and negativity.

For what it's worth there was no quelling the passion,
My love for rap was so strong that nothing could extinguish it.

Their love was dead, I was writing papes but getting fuck all said,
Others had lost their love for music, while I continued to write and express myself.

So I polished my shit until my knuckles bled,
I worked tirelessly to perfect my craft and hone my skills, even if it meant sacrificing my own health.

Then rhyme gave me strength to less avail,
My love for rap music fueled me, even when it seemed like there was little to gain from it.

Got used to these backstabbers, so now I sleep on a bed of nails,
I became accustomed to people trying to bring me down, and learned to endure the pain and hardship that came with it.

I swam the depths of every ocean just to prove I could flow,
I pushed myself to the limits to prove that I was capable of expressing myself through rap in any situation.

Thanks to hip-hop I got a bed in every state,
My love for hip-hop allowed me to connect with people all over the country, and find a place to rest my head wherever I went.

Without the underground I'm a clown without circus,
Without the support of the hip-hop community, I would have no platform or audience for my music.

I did what I was called to do,
I followed my passion for hip-hop and expressed myself through music.

Either we're all out, or we're all in,
In the world of hip-hop, we all have to support each other and be in it together.

It's the calling; it's what I hear in my sleep,
Hip-hop is more than just a genre of music to me, it's a calling that I feel deep down in my soul.

It's forgetting the time when you're perfecting a rhyme,
When I am focused on creating music, I lose track of time and everything else fades away.

It's every drop of sweat that I shed getting mine.
I have put in countless hours and effort to perfect my craft and create music that truly represents who I am.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BARRY FRANCIS, MATTHEW LAMBERT, DANIEL SMITH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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