[Intro — slow, atmospheric]
Sun spills on the stoop, cold breath on my name,
Clock ticks, block slick, yesterday's stain.
Took the night off the pavement, folded it into a plan,
One light in the window, mama praying with both hands.
[Verse 1 — reflective, roomy cadence]
Sun spills on the stoop, cold breath on my name,
Cardboard for a pillow, dreams louder than the train.
Breaking chains, making lanes, taking names in the rain,
Paper routes to pay routes, learned to hustle through pain.
Neighbors whisper numbers, but I turn 'em to songs,
Every scar a syllable, every wrong one makes me strong.
Ledger in the backseat, pen bleed when I write,
I count lines, not losses, stitch dark into light.
[Pre-Chorus — half-rap, builds momentum]
Low key, slow burn, heart click—ready to blow,
Call it a step, I call it a road, I call it a show.
Beat tight, breath right, set up for the drop—hold.
[Beat drops — quick pause] [Ad-lib: Uh!]
[Chorus — punchy hook + punch line]
Rise up — shine on.
Claim the crown, I'm gone. [Ad-lib: Yeah! Ayy!]
[Post-Chorus Tag — short ad-libs]
(Whoo) Rise up — shine on. (Claim it) Claim the crown, I'm gone. (Skrrt)
[Verse 2 — faster, punchlines, braggadocio]
Corner store nights to the headline lights, I flipped the script,
From locker room fights to mic rooms—now watch the split.
Stacks in my future, not just stacks in a dream, I spit legit,
Lines multi-syllable, internal win—watch how I knit.
They said “hold steady,” I said “hold nothing back,”
I run numbers like math, then I turn 'em to racks.
Fast life, fast bars, cadence snap on the track,
I move like a chess king—checkmate when I act. [Ad-lib: Let's go]
[Call & Response — rhythmic]
Call: “Who’s next?”
Response: “I’m next.” (Ayy)
Call: “Who’s hungry?”
Response: “We’re fed.” (Skrrt)
[Pre-Chorus — half-rap, tighter]
Step back, breathe deep, lace up—ready to climb,
Sixteen bars, heartbeat, pause—drop at the right time.
[Beat builds — fill with hi-hats] [Ad-lib: Uh-oh]
[Chorus — repeat, with an extra tag]
Rise up — shine on.
Claim the crown, I'm gone. [Ad-lib: Yeah!]
Rise up — shine on.
Claim the crown, I'm gone. [Ad-lib: Gone, gone]
[Bridge — contrast, reveal stakes, personal detail]
From the winter on Third where my knuckles split on the gate,
To the nights mama whispered prayers into an empty plate.
If I lose, it ain't just me—it's the light on that landline,
It's the promise I made when I put my last dollar on a deadline.
This ain't flex, it's a vow: I protect what they call mine,
Win's not vanity—win's shelter, a roof, a warm sign.
I carry a scar like a verse, a map to where I came from,
Louder than applause—it's the reason that I aim, bruh. [Ad-lib: Facts]
[Beat cut — space for ad-libs]
[Chorus — full energy, call-and-response]
Rise up — shine on.
Claim the crown, I'm gone. [Ad-lib: Yeah!]
(Whoo) Rise up — shine on.
Claim the crown, I'm gone. [Ad-lib: Claim it]
[Outro — triumphant, layering vocal ad-libs]
Motion steady, heart heavy, but hope is h
