"Paid My Dues" is a song by American rapper NF. It was released on December 3, 2019, as the lead single from his first mixtape Clouds (2021). Written and produced alongside Tommee Profitt and Saint X of Capital Kings, NF calls out critics and their hypocrisy, showing how he made his path to success and overcoming obstacles that he faced along the way. A music video was released the same day as the song
Composition and lyrics In the song, NF raps about the audacity for critics to have an opinion on his music and the criticism he receives, before criticizing them himself, stating "I read your article, it kinda hurt me / I don't know who hired you or what your friends say in your circle / But the fact that you released it tells me two things are for certain: / They get paid for trashin' people, I get paid 'cause I stay workin'". He then continues by going into the topic of facing his battles, overcoming them, and working to produce the content that made him successful. It has a similar theme to his previous album, The Search, showing how he is lost and finding his way out.
Critical reception A contributor from Billboard says that he "kick[ed] the song into an even higher gear with his trademark rapid-fire delivery", with Jonathan Currinn from CelebMix stating that "he certainly doesn't disappoint."
Personnel Credits adapted from Tidal.
Nate Feuerstein – composer, lyricist, producer Tommee Profitt – composer, lyricist, producer, mastering engineer, mixer, studio personnel Cole Walowac/Saint X – lyricist, producer
Charts Chart (2019) PeakpositionCanada Hot Canadian Digital Song Sales (Billboard)38 New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ) 30US Rap Digital Song Sales (Billboard)1US R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales (Billboard)3 Certifications
References