Lyrics

Hook (Soul Vocal)
You were the first thing that chose me
Before the world knew my name
Before the bills
Before the pressure
Before the trophies and the blame
You gave language to my silence
Turned my questions into wings
The first thing that chose me
Still the reason that I sing
Verse 1 (Soul-Rap)
I met you in a neighborhood conversation
Passed hand to hand like sacred information
Before algorithms
Before corporations
Before everybody started monetizing inspiration
You lived inside lunchroom tables
Bus stop debates
In notebooks folded twice
With unfinished escape plans
You taught me every scar got a translation
Every setback got a dissertation
Every block got philosophers
Wearing work boots and determination
That's why I never treated you like entertainment
You was education.
A passport.
A compass.
A witness.
A mirror that refused cosmetic editing
Hook (Soul Vocal)
You were the first thing that chose me
Before the world knew my name
Before the bills
Before the pressure
Before the trophies and the blame
You gave language to my silence
Turned my questions into wings
The first thing that chose me
Still the reason that I sing
Verse 2 (Soul-Rap)
You sat beside me through heartbreak
Through ambition
Through eviction notices
Through victories
Through all the contradictions
You taught me poetry could wear sneakers
And still speak fluent royalty
That intelligence ain't reserved
For people hiding behind ivy-covered buildings
I learned that wisdom could live
Inside a beauty salon
A barber chair
A front porch
A crowded apartment
A grandmother's warning
Or a cousin's mistake
Everything became material
If you listened deeply enough
Bridge (Soul Vocal)
Some people find purpose
Some people find fortune
Some people spend forever searching
I found a voice
And it found me first
Verse 3 (Soul-Rap)
Now every verse feel like ancestry
Every rhythm feel inherited
Like somebody passed me a torch
And trusted me not to embarrass it
That's responsibility
That's legacy
That's bigger than popularity
Because trends come and go
But truth keep excellent attendance
And long after the spotlight relocates
I'll still be here
Building cathedrals from syllables
Trying to leave something meaningful
For the next dreamer
Listening closely
The same way I once did
Final Hook (Soul Vocal)
You were the first thing that chose me
And I still honor that call
Through every season
Every chapter
Every rise and every fall
You gave language to my silence
Turned my questions into wings
The first thing that chose me
Still the reason that I sing
Outro
Before I knew who I was...
There was a voice.
Before I found direction...
There was a rhythm.
And before the world opened its doors...
There was an art form
Teaching me how to walk through them.