[Verse 1]
Late-night studio, echoes knock against the wall,
Mama's photo taped to the board, I remember every call.
Corner cypher Sundays, spit grime where the streetlights fall,
Mentor said "stay patient, son," kept my faith through every stall.
Lost a gig in the rain, bus fare spent on a beat,
Sold my jacket for strings, still I walked home with heat.
Talking drums in the alley, polyrhythms on repeat,
I learned to turn a stumble into cadence and a feat.
[Pre-Chorus]
Count the knocks, flip the plot (yeah), feel the hush then the pop,
Shakers in the back, build the tension, then we drop.
Breathe in—one shot, footstep—on the block,
This heartbeat is the metronome, I won't stop.
[Chorus]
Rise and shine — claim the night, light the sky (light it up),
Beat in my chest, watch me multiply (watch me multiply).
From the corner to the crowd, from the hush to the loud (say my name),
I break the glass, burn the map, carve my lane out of the ground.
(Ad-libs: ah — yeah — watch me)
[Verse 2]
Hustle through the night, pen fights till daylight, lines tight,
Piano stabs like city lights—sparse and bright.
Slap bass thumps, syncopated stomp, feet move right,
Shaker keeps the pulse, talking drum answers the bite.
I recall a broken mic, stage lights that flickered cold,
Paid rent with overtime, dreams on layaway, sold by the fold.
But I kept the tape, kept the faith, kept the script I told,
Turned the lullaby of failure into a chorus bold.
[Pre-Chorus]
Count the knocks, flip the plot, keep the tempo, feel the hop,
Vocal ad-libs curl the silence, let the rhythm talk.
Breathe in—one shot, break out—no stop,
This heartbeat is the metronome, we rise on top.
[Chorus]
Rise and shine — claim the night, light the sky (light it up),
Beat in my chest, watch me multiply (watch me multiply).
From the corner to the crowd, from the hush to the loud (say my name),
I break the glass, burn the map, carve my lane out of the ground.
(Ad-libs: ah — move — feel it)
[Bridge — Afrobeat Breakdown]
(Instrumental call: talking drums, shakers, slap bass, sparse piano stabs)
I gave my Sunday mornings, traded steady pay for a rhyme,
Skipped the wedding party so I could finish one last line.
Sacrifices stacked like beats — some nights I paid the fine,
But when the crowd rise, when the lights align, they shout my time.
Now the talking drums roll louder, polyrhythm in my spine,
Turned hunger into hunger for more than just a sign.
This is the pivot, this is the proof: I let my fear resign,
Built a bridge from broken boards, now watch me cross that line.
[Final Chorus — Variation]
Rise and shine — claim the night, light the sky (we claim it),
Beat in my chest, watch me multiply (we amplify).
From the corner to the crown, from the hush to the loud (we own it),
I break the glass, burn the map — this anthem now, I amplify.
(Ad-libs/call-and-response: shout — hey — rise — ah!)
[Outro]
So here I stand, drumline in my veins, unshaken and real,
Shakers fade to heartbeat, the last piano chill.
Vibr