[Solo]
I remember my very first taste of this obsession
Fresh-faced kid at Next Level copping lessons
Wide-eyed I'd stay for hours at a time
Just grilling Dr. Phibes like a Q&A session
Pestering him with all types of questions
What's good this week? Who did the beats and who's guesting?
I had a part-time job so I'd work all week
Then blow my whole paycheque in a few seconds
And if it had that Oz Hip Hop sticker on the front
You could bet I'd pick it up and add it to the collection
Something bout the way my native tongue
Sound over dirty drums was like I'd found a connection
And looking back now I bought a lot of cla**ics
But I also spent a lot of cash on a lot of wack sh**
And if I added it up I'd probably cringe at the thought
But really I got way more than I bargained for
Cause if I could put an hourly wage
On all the time that I've spent locked away with a pen and a page
Or every drop of sweat that I shed when I step on a stage
Then brother I'd be getting paid
To some it might sound crazy
But music took me in, taught me and shaped me
And the life lessons learnt over break beats
Are worth way more than anyone could pay me
[Hook]
Is it the ticket price at the show?
Is it the bandwidth of a download?
Everybody's so concerned with the bottom line
This is something you can't measure with a dollar sign
And it can't be bought for no amount
Throw 'em up if you know what I'm talking about
This is something that predates trade and predates money
Something that's as old as time
[Solo]
I know this kid who's been digging through the crates for ages
Born and raised Gold Coast of all places
Ordinary Joe, goes by the name of Mark
Better known to most as M-Phazes
They say it ain't where you're from, it's where you're at
Well this here is proof of that
He worked hard just to master the boom and the bap
Till the beats so phat, they make the party people say "Good Gracious"
So he hooked up with some of the finest emcees from across the nation
Did a few joints for some overseas cats
Cause you know word spread quick like it's contagious
Hooked up with an agent
Took a CD of beats to the One Stop Shop competition, stood up and played it
Panel of judges, some of the greatest
And well, what do you know? The whole room went ape-sh**!
Uh, tell me what that's worth
Dollars can't buy respect cause respect is earned
And I gotta give respect where respect is due
Very few who who are testing you
Wanna talk about dedication?
Wanna talk about hours spent, I bet he's spent a few
So when he hit me up with a track for the compilation
I said "I'm down for whatever dude"
See this world dictates that all get paid cause we all gotta eat
But this here is not for the fee
In my own small way I'm just tryna pay back
Everything that music lent to me
I spent my life feeling like I didn't fit into the puzzle
Now people telling me my sh** help 'em through they struggle
- uh, and if you can't respect that
Then you either need a slap or a cuddle, 'swhat I'm talking about
[Hook]
Is it the ticket price at the show?
Is it the bandwidth of a download?
Everybody's so concerned with the bottom line
This is something you can't measure with a dollar sign
And it can't be bought for no amount
Throw 'em up if you know what I'm talking about
This is something that predates trade and predates money
Something that's as old as time
[Solo]
Solo know what it's worth
M-Phazes knows what it's worth
A-diddy knows what it's worth
Horrorshow know what it's worth
And my brother Nick Lupi, he know what it's worth
Jimmy Nice knows what it's worth
DJ Joyride, he knows what it's worth
Urthboy knows what it's worth
And my brother Luke Dubs, he know what it's worth
Gusto know what it's worth
Muph & Pluto yo, they know what it's worth
And The Herd know what it's worth
Illy Al Murray, he knows what it's worth
Flago knows what it's worth
Obese, they know what it's worth
E Traks know what it's worth, do you?
[Hook]
Is it the ticket price at the show?
Is it the bandwidth of a download?
Everybody's so concerned with the bottom line
This is something you can't measure with a dollar sign
And it can't be bought for no amount
Throw 'em up if you know what I'm talking about
This is something that predates trade and predates money
Something that's as old as time