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[Verse 1: Toasting Kingston male MC, toasting bounce, grin in every bar] Five years on the sidewalk with a stamp in my hand Letting in the pretty and the rich and the band Every other Friday I ask for a pass Promoter says later with a wave and a laugh Name not here, name not here, that is all that I get Rain on my shoulders and a pride I misplace I study his writing on the clipboard at two Loops on the Y and a slash on the Q Practice on napkins in the back of the bar Copy his letters till they look like a star Saturday coming and I feel myself tall Pen in my pocket and I answer the call [Pre-Chorus: Toasting Kingston male MC, building, louder every line] I write my own name in his loops and his flair Walk to the rope with my chest in the air [Chorus: Toasting Kingston male MC, shouted, full chest] Name not here, so I wrote it myself Five years of later put away on the shelf Step through the rope like I paid for the wealth Name not here, so I wrote it myself [Verse 2: Toasting Kingston male MC, rope release, the door rope unclips on a silent bar, then the drums drop in as he steps through] Snap, and the door rope falls out of the way Snap, and the doorman I am lets me stay Inside the bass and the lights and the heat Promoter comes running on the double-time beat Brother, he shouts, you are early, come through VIP host is the job I gave you I freeze for a second then I laugh till I bend He thought he had hired me and I wrote my way in [Chorus: Toasting Kingston male MC, shouted, full chest] Name not here, so I wrote it myself Five years of later put away on the shelf Step through the rope like I paid for the wealth Name not here, so I wrote it myself [Bridge: Toasting Kingston male MC, toasting faster, call and response with himself] Who on the list? Me on the list Who wrote the name? Me with a twist Who got the hug? Me at the door Who works VIP? Me evermore [Verse 3: Toasting Kingston male MC, proud toasting, full chest] Now I stand inside with a radio pack Call up the names that I used to send back When a kid on the sidewalk asks later like me I put him to work and I hand him a key Clipboard is honest and the writing is mine No more rehearsing on a napkin at nine If your name is not here we will fix that tonight Write it in clear and we treat you right [Chorus: Toasting Kingston male MC, shouted, full chest] Name not here, so I wrote it myself Five years of later put away on the shelf Step through the rope like I paid for the wealth Name not here, so I wrote it myself [Outro: Toasting Kingston male MC, laughing loud, the rope release rings out and fades] Name not here I wrote it Myself [End]

