[Intro — Talkbox keys + distant synth]
Tryna make my momma proud with every step I take forward facing fears and chasing dreams together through the storms and sunny weather I've learned to only get better embracing the journey and finding my voice told me never fear the fall keep rising, standing tall and strong through it all
(soft ad-lib: "yeah...momma")
[Verse 1 — Reflective, smooth]
Porch light flickers, I wiped my knees on splintered wood
Mama hummed the radio like hope lived in that neighborhood
Old Chevy idled, 3 A.M., we drove the avenue
Headlights cut the dark, she said, "Child, keep pushin' through"
Empty lots where we planted seeds with nickels and belief
Cracked stoop sermons: patience, prayer, and self relief
She braided my courage like the rope on the swing
Told me how to bend with wind and still return to spring
I learned the lesson slow — steady breath and steady feet
Mama's lullabies turned cold nights into a heartbeat
City haze, palm trees, glass reflected smaller fears
But she taught me how to trade 'em for the sound of her cheers
Every scar's a story, every lesson paved my road
She'd say, "Boy, fill your pockets with the love I sowed"
So I step lighter now, with purpose in my stride
Carrying her gospel while the G-funk bass ride
[Pre-Chorus]
She said, "Don't be afraid to fall, stand up and stand tall"
I hear that voice in traffic, on the corners, in my call
[Chorus — Hook (short & chantable)]
Rise for Momma — never fold
Rise for Momma — never fold
(laid-back harmony: "never fold")
[Post-Chorus — groove fill]
Smooth keys slide, talkbox hums the truth we hold
West Coast sun, chrome gleam, pocket full of gold
[Verse 2 — Harder, rhythmic, 16 bars]
Night shifts and paychecks, we hustled through the rain
Had dreams in broken shoeboxes, names etched in grain
Got coached by struggle — dodge the snakes, keep the faith
Mama said, "I'll pray for you till your knees leave a trace"
Ran from doubters like potholes on the freeway lane
Kept the pedal down, windows low, let the rhythm claim
Every setback was fuel — we flipped it into steam
Late-night rhymes on the dash, mama said, "Chase that dream"
I took her words like ammo, clipped 'em to my coat
When they laughed behind cold lips, she'd warm me with a note
Remember her at county fairs, cotton candy grin
How she sewed my patches when the world wore thin
I faced the cops of self-doubt, negotiated peace
Turned an empty fridge into a vision and a feast
Now I'm counting sunsets over boulevards we've known
Every mile a medal, every scar a stone
(voice ad-lib: "keep walking, keep walking")
[Pre-Chorus — with layered harmonies]
She said, "Don't be afraid to fall, stand up and stand tall"
That echo moves the needle when the night begins to crawl
[Chorus — Variation]
Rise for Momma — never fold
Rise for Momma — never fold
(whispered: "for momma")
Rise for Momma — never fold
[Bridge — Instrumental talkbox + keys; spoken Mom line]
(Instrumental break: talkbox lead, key stabs, low Moog bounce)
Spoken (Mom's voice — warm, steady):
