Credits
PERFORMING ARTISTS
T.I.
Vocals
Pharrell Williams
Vocals
Rhea Dummett
Background Vocals
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Pharrell Williams
Songwriter
Clifford Harris, Jr.
Songwriter
Mike Larson
Arranger
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
Pharrell Williams
Producer
Mike Larson
Recording Engineer
Nick Valentin
Assistant Recording Engineer
Raphael Mesquita
Assistant Mixing Engineer
Ben Sedano
Assistant Mixing Engineer
Chris Gehringer
Mastering Engineer
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
(Paperwork) Don't do no business until you check his (Paperwork)
And if all else fails, I just hope that this (Paperwork)
Wanna swing Bentley doors, blow smoke through the roof
Everything got a cost, they gone need something on you (Paperwork)
[Verse 2]
A-T-L, Westside, that's the only home I know
In '85, me and Uncle Quint used to ride 'round in the big Bronco
Took me up to Charles Disco, daytime
Set me me down at the bar where I drank Shirley Temple
Till he walked out with a bag and we got back in the car
"What you wanna be", he asked, "When you grow up big, kid?"
I just wanna be like you, ridin' 'round town gettin' bread
We shot a couple 'Lac, couple summer pass, Uncle Quint ain't nowhere to be found
Later we learned, that someone ratted him out, for that reason, ten years he won't be around
[Verse 3]
(Paperwork) Don't do no business until you check his (Paperwork)
And if all else fails, I just hope that this (Paperwork)
Wanna swing Bentley doors, blow smoke through the roof
Everything got a cost, they gone need something on you (Paperwork)
[Verse 4]
Picture me in '93, I'm the only man I see
Fresh up off the porch lookin' for a drop Porsche and a fake I-D
Introduce me to the crack game, rap game was the furthest from my mind
Had a notebook full of rhymes and a pocket full of crack rock dimes
Time on my side, lil .45 in my jeans
Open fire if you seem to be blockin' my dreams
Yessir, welfare, food stamps, section eight, me and ma lived in the trap
I said fuck school, it holdin' me back, I wanna bankroll, chasin' after that
[Verse 5]
(Paperwork) Don't do no business until you check his (Paperwork)
And if all else fails, I just hope that this (Paperwork)
Wanna swing Bentley doors, blow smoke through the roof
Everything got a cost, they gone need something on you (Paperwork)
[Verse 6]
Look at me, at seventeen, livin' on my own, peddlin'
Quarter ki, now and then sellin' weed, tokin' too, caught my first felony
That's one of many that were to follow, drinkin' Henney up out the bottle
Told a child I think I'm bein' followed, family don't think I'll live to see tomorrow
Plenty have a story like mine, know many of you had a little nine
Know many of you did a little dirt, too many of us did a little time
Wake up, ten years of your life passed
When you get your cake up, don't it seem like that when the feds on your ass passin' out
[Verse 7]
(Paperwork) Don't do no business until you check his (Paperwork)
And if all else fails, I just hope that this (Paperwork)
Wanna swing Bentley doors, blow smoke through the roof
Everything got a cost, they gone need something on you
[Verse 8]
If you think that you high, baby, look above you
It's drones in the sky, there's nothing you could do
So left, two, three, snap, right, two, three, snap
Don't get serious now, it's too late for that 'cause they got
Time on my side, lil .45 in my jean
Open fire if you seem to be blockin' my dreams, yessir
[Verse 9]
(Paperwork) Don't do no business until you check his (Paperwork)
And if all else fails, I just hope that this (Paperwork)
Wanna swing Bentley doors, blow smoke through the roof
Everything got a cost, they gone need something on you (Paperwork)
Written by: Clifford Harris, Jr., Pharrell Williams