Masta Ace
I Refuse
[Sample]
“If you’re ready for the star of the show, make some noise. I said, if you’re ready for the star of the show, make some noise.”

[Verse 1: Masta Ace]
To be the best that ever do it is what I need and I pursue it
Like an architect I drew it, you can tell that I been through it
By the battle scars that you seen on my epidermis
See it’s me against the world I just left the skirmish
In this game, boy, you better be ready for war
Ensure that your lines are raw and you’re ready for tour
Another show, another audience
Squeeze the competition like accordions
Every minute, every second you nervous
If you’re wise, you’ll keep your eyes on these bars like you’re checking for service
Y’all can hear me now, yeah I know you could
And confidence rings through when you know you’re good
And greatness is defined by the length of time
That one man can stand with the strength of nine
And smile into the face of adversity
And then say this ain’t as bad as the worst could be
That’s when you know you the cream of the crop
Way back when you was young you would dream of the top
Schemin’, scopin’, hopin’, knowin’ that a lane is open
‘Cause when you’re forced to eat your words that’s the same as chokin’
So you strive to set the bar higher
Intoxicating heat, hotter than a car fire
And when the rubber meets the road like a car tire
You’ll be on top and sharper than barbed wire
[Hook: Wordsworth]
I refuse to face defeat
Refuse to surrender, to retreat
Refuse to lose or to be beat
But I won’t refuse to compete

[Verse 2: Masta Ace]
In this line of work you don’t wanna bomb, you wanna be the bomb
Be stable in sound like the ground that your feet are on
While these other lames are the same you won’t be the norm
At the dawn when it’s calm you gon’ beat us all
And the forecast for the future that you gon’ start
Is a rain that they ain’t seen since Noah’s Ark
What a sound when it’s coming down torrentially
Despite it all the sun is coming out eventually
And this is higher education so essentially
All these other cats are still in elementary
Yeah, it’s just another show we selling out
Killing the crowd with something they can live to tell about
Can’t name all of the territories we conquer
South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
Istanbul, Brisbane, Budapest
All around the world they saying, “You the best”

[Hook]
[Sample]
"Toronto and New York, the two best in the world."