Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of a life lived on the edge, where survival and ambition are paramount. The opening lines immediately establish a sense of historical weight and conflict, comparing the narrator's presence to Charles Darwin, but with a twist: Darwin associated with "bad people." This sets a tone of being documented or observed, but within a context of struggle and potential danger, suggesting a life that's already been "parred with" or judged by others. The narrative quickly shifts to a focus on material gain and self-preservation, prioritizing "gwolla" (money) over superficial attractions, and asserting a strong sense of self-worth: "She says she love me but I love me more." This self-reliance is underscored by a distrustful, almost cynical outlook, as seen in the "rusty fork" comparison. The core tension in these lyrics lies between a desire for success and the harsh realities of achieving it. There's a clear dichotomy between the "new builds and them old flats," indicating a journey from humble beginnings to current aspirations, wherever they may be. The narrator emphasizes a relentless drive, stating, "We don't sprint t'ru, we do whole laps," suggesting a long-term, strategic approach to overcoming obstacles. This is juxtaposed with a willingness to engage in conflict, as evidenced by lines like "Get fresh, I won't stand for it" and the aggressive imagery of "sent into orbit" and "brukked him up." The lyrics suggest a life where peace is a temporary, negotiated state, with "pagans wanna sign a peace treaty" only when faced with the narrator's presence. A striking element of the craft is the constant redefinition of value and identity through historical and cultural references. The initial Darwin comparison is followed by mentions of "Matthew Bolton, James Watts and Adam Smith," figures associated with invention and economic theory, further cementing the idea of being "on paper" as someone of significance. This is contrasted with more visceral, street-level imagery like "shitted right on your doorstep" and the aggressive "Tattoo your face with the bottom of my shoe sole." The lyrics also play with dualities: "clear glasses, smart trousers, shirt" alongside "Money, girls, guns, cars, drugs galore," presenting a complex persona that is both calculated and wild. The narrator's self-perception is key, as they declare, "I don't need no incentive / I don't need no pep talk," highlighting an internal motivation that fuels their actions. Ultimately, these lyrics resonate because they articulate a raw, unapologetic ambition forged in challenging circumstances. The effectiveness comes from the directness of the language and the vivid, often confrontational, imagery used to describe a life of hustle and self-determination. The narrator's confidence, even bordering on arrogance, is presented as a necessary armor in a world where "bad people" are the norm and trust is a luxury. The constant assertion of self-love and the drive to "go get it" at "sunrise" and "sunset" create a compelling portrait of someone determined to leave their mark, "on paper," no matter the cost.

Merky ACE - Rap

On Paper

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Duration: 3:40

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Faze Miyake [Hook] I'm on paper like Charles Darwin And it's bad people that man parred with Fight and die and we don't speak And that was long before we heard Dun Talkin Clear glasses, smart trousers, shirt Chase the gwolla, not blouse and skirt Still uckers badders, need eight to please me While Queen Elizabeth's my WCE My pagans wanna sign a peace treaty Anyway possible before they see me She says she love me but I love me more Wouldn't trust me with this rusty fork Why you buy your jewellery just to tuck it for? You came to war me, why you ducking for? Fuck the opps, fuck the law Money, girls, guns, cars, drugs galore [Verse 1] But I smoke, gassed And I'm so frats I know plenty of times we had no light and no gas We were so brass No silver spoon, we took gold chaps We don't sprint t'ru, we do whole laps In them new builds and them old flats Give 'em smoke, no blowbacks Give 'em smoke, no incense stick I don't need no incentive I don't need no pep talk Man skr-skrt or tek walk Got the runs and can't find your key Yeah you shitted right on your doorstep Grab the mop and I'll come and sort it He was being extra on the airways 'Til he got sent into orbit Get fresh, I won't stand for it Contraband, I'm the man for it When I brukked him up, his nan saw it Man's hard [?] and lawless Star sign Aries but I brang a Taurus Joog man then I wrote a verse You love tell lies on your chorus [?] stains like the gift wrapped with ribbon Ride tinted so I stay hidden Different day, I'm on the same mission Sunrise, I've gotta go get it Sunset so creep with the villains Me and [?] got the same vision Can't take the heat, get out the kitchen If money can mek I'ma mek the trek Could've been Mars or Pluto Turn a Grizzly to a gummy bear when I roll to your gates like Ludo Kick down your pitney's Lego and Duplo Tattoo your face with the bottom of my shoe sole [Hook] I'm on paper like Charles Darwin And it's bad people that man parred with Fight and die and we don't speak And that was long before we heard Dun Talkin Clear glasses, smart trousers, shirt Chase the gwolla, not blouse and skirt Still uckers badders, need eight to please me While Queen Elizabeth's my WCE My pagans wanna sign a peace treaty Anyway possible before they see me She says she love me but I love me more Wouldn't trust me with this rusty fork Why you buy your jewellery just to tuck it for? You came to war me, why you ducking for? Fuck the opps, fuck the law Money, girls, guns, cars, drugs galore [Verse 2] I'm on paper like Matthew Bolton, James Watts and Adam Smith It's got me on the frontline like Aaron Smith ACE serving [?] These bankrolls are panty-dampeners And these shells are horns, not antlers Share the light, I won't give her bread, give her sausage and bounce He don't want war but it don't matter Stand in a bashment, get [?] to Ragga Thought my [?] was crazy cold but [?] is a fucking mazza Reloaded on the Rita Ora, tryna reload on some Maya Jama Nine jam, I tap tap the blammer Would've never happened with a spanner Spin spin like Eddy Gordo ACE [?] Better yet, Kintaro and Goro All these arms violate, it will happen Paint the floor like [?] Art Atack blud, not paint splashing Chill time with this cheek clapping Faze lined it up and told me to pattern Finish her and then I pass the baton She been tryna fill the void ever since Uber driver wants five stars 'cause he's got an AUX but he ain't got tapes Can't chance it, call a Addie Lee If I've gotta transport the brukkie ting Ain't a shark, you'll drown in the blue Give a fuck about a rubber ring? I'm a hellion with some dirty traits Man bruk it down and then percolate Opps drive past me and turn away Gyal arch it up, she gon' learn today You would've thought that it was Thursday The way she throwing back her lower vertebrae Skeet skeet, then I skate Used to serve them for the [?] [Hook] I'm on paper like Charles Darwin And it's bad people that man parred with Fight and die and we don't speak And that was long before we heard Dun Talkin Clear glasses, smart trousers, shirt Chase the gwolla, not blouse and skirt Still uckers badders, need eight to please me While Queen Elizabeth's my WCE My pagans wanna sign a peace treaty Anyway possible before they see me She says she love me but I love me more Wouldn't trust me with this rusty fork Why you buy your jewellery just to tuck it for? You came to war me, why you ducking for? Fuck the opps, fuck the law Money, girls, guns, cars, drugs galore

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Writers: Merky ACE

On Paper

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