[Intro]
Yeah — 95 on the clock, boom-bap in the bones
City hum, heartbeat drum, we movin' in tones
Light the corner, spark the wire, let the story be told
Night shift ambition, turning rust into gold
[Verse 1]
Woke with tunnel-vision, split decisions, cut the fear
Paper-thin plans but a granite will, I engineer
3 AM subway, corner store fluorescent hum
Countin' lost hours like lessons, every minute's a drum
Mama said, "Boy, keep your head," pockets full of lint
First demo burned in a drawer — I wrote it, then I sprint
Voices tried to box me in, told me settle for less
I folded those maps and drew new routes to success
[Pre-Chorus]
Late nights taught me rhythm, pain taught me rhyme
Every scar a bar on the beat, timing with time
Breathe in the grind, exhale the climb
We stack small wins, compound 'em into prime
[Chorus]
Rise up, shine — make the night yours, two-step the climb
From sparks to stars, replay the hustle every time (rise up, hey!)
[Verse 2 - Vulnerability]
Took a L at twenty, rent overdue, lights dim low
Signed my name on blank checks, faith the only thing to show
Missed calls from the label, the ghosted deals and closed doors
Wrote my truth on napkins while the city kept its chores
Lost a friend to the pavement, watched him fade in the light
Kept his verse in my pocket, let it fuel every mic
I cried in the mirror, made promises out loud
Turned whispers into contracts, silence into a crowd
[Pre-Chorus]
Late nights taught me rhythm, pain taught me rhyme
Every scar a bar on the beat, timing with time
Breathe in the grind, exhale the climb
We stack small wins, compound 'em into prime
[Chorus]
Rise up, shine — make the night yours, two-step the climb
From sparks to stars, replay the hustle every time (rise up, hey!)
[Verse 3 - Triumph / Specific Win]
Remember the night the label ghosted, demo in the bin
I flipped it to a fire set, opened shows with a grin
First paycheck cleared, mama's phone lit up — her laugh broke me
Moved from the attic to a place with a balcony
Sold-out hall after twelve heads at a basement show
Turned red lights into green lines, watch the glow
Debt notices folded, framed like a trophy now
I signed my wins in bold, ain't no silence allowed
[Bridge - From I to We]
This ain't solo — it's the crew, it's the block, it's the late-night voices
Neighbors turned family, turned risks into choices
We rose from stoops, picnic tables, shared cigarette skies
Now we bring the heat back to those cornered, tired eyes
Collective heartbeat, every footstep synced in time
From my breath to your breath — together we climb
[Final Chorus]
Rise up, shine — make the night yours, two-step the climb
From sparks to stars, replay the hustle every time (rise up, hey!)
Rise up, shine — keep the story tight, keep the grind prime
From corner-cold to center-stage, we claim the skyline (rise up, hey!)
[Outro]
Keep your head high, rhythm in your chest, script in your hand
The city's got a million ghosts — make yours a stand
Rise up, shine — legacy loud, never small
One rhyme at a time, we buil
