Trouble on My Mind
Blueprint Lyrics

I got so much trouble on my mind, refuse to lose
Despite having numerous problems, I refuse to give up or be defeated.

Since I brought you up to speed in '99, my name's been news
Ever since I updated you in 1999, everyone is talking about me.

Got my label off the ground, put on my folks
Established my record label with the help of my family members.

Dropped some classics but right now, we're all still broke
Although I have released some great music, none of us are financially well off.

And everybody's still lookin at me Because I took the lead And taught 'em to believe Tried to maximize what my crew could be
As I am the one who took charge, everyone is looking up to me and I have taught them to have faith and pushed them to attain their full potential.

A wise man once said With great power comes great responsibility Sometimes I wish it was somebody else instead But I took it on willingly
Although sometimes I wish that someone else had taken on this responsibility, I accepted it willingly and know that with great power, there comes great responsibility.

My mom showed me the path to follow How to be a role model Now I can't do a show without hittin the bottle Come home and pass out like my father would do
My mother taught me to be a positive influence and be a role model, but now I have become like my father and rely on alcohol to cope.

Up at 9 A.M. load up a van Drive to another city do it again Sell a couple CD's, get a couple more fans Watch people criticize me like they know who I am
Every day I wake up early, pack up my van, and drive to a new city to perform. I sell some CDs and gain a few more fans, but everyone still judges and criticizes me without truly knowing who I am.

Blueprint you spit too slow, your vocals are mixed too low The basslines in your beats be makin my speakers blow Aesop put you on track, RJ got you on his back Stick to production, stop tryin' to rap
People tell me that I rap too slowly, my vocals are not mixed properly, and that the beats I create are overpowering. Although other artists helped me out, others suggest that I stick to producing and stop rapping.

Another good album with bad distribution Another 100 magazines my music's not reviewed in By the time the fans impressed, realize I'm the best doin' it I'll be makin shitty music
Even though I create good albums, they do not receive good distribution and 100 magazines do not even review my music. By the time people realize how good I am, I may have already stopped making good music.

Too many people got their hands out Feel like I've been takin' inventory Not too many livin off of hip-hop All I hear is hard luck stories
Many people have been asking me for things, and it feels like I am keeping track of everybody. There are not many people that make a living out of hip-hop, and all I hear is about difficult situations.

You're either too depressed to make a record Or way too broke to put it out Or too proud to get up off your ass And go the independent route
You are either too sad or upset to make music, or you are too broke to release it. Alternatively, some individuals are too prideful to independently release music.

I used to wanna be signed, I don't think it's meant to be Most signed cats I know got less money than me Checkin' they mailbox for checks they never see Might as well be puttin they records for free
I used to want a record deal, but now I don't think it's the best option. Most signed artists I know earn less money than I do, and they never even receive the money that they are owed. It is almost like they could release their music for free.

When they wanna sign you They'll put anything you ask for in the contract But when the same cats owe you money They never call you back
When record labels want to sign you, they will agree to anything in the contract. However, when they owe you money, they will avoid you and never contact you.

All the fans you had from day one Start to reject you when your shows get packed They say you're sellout cause you got more fans And they never did like you and thought you was whack
Fans you have had since the beginning will reject you when your shows become more popular. They accuse you of being a sellout simply for having more fans, even though they never liked you from the start.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't I'll be damned if it don't feel just like a setup But my suggestion box is closed And I wish I could make everybody just shut up
No matter what you do, people will find fault in it. It feels like I am being set up for failure. Even though I wish to receive input, I am fully prepared to do this on my own.

The first thing I learned about this rap game Is sometimes it's best to be quiet and listen There's a whole lot at stake So don't be a bigmouth that makes bad decisions
I have learned that in the rap game, it is best to listen rather than talk. So much can be at risk, so one must not be impulsive and make poor decisions.

Don't get caught up in the hype Talk numbers before your music is sent in Sometimes the numbers ain't right So when you get a bum deal send it back with revisions
One must not get too excited or caught up in the hype. You should talk about the compensation beforehand, and if they aren't right, then do not accept the deal.

Drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrop!
The song ends.