Perfect Man With A Knife In His Hand

[Verse 1]
They say, "you’re so sweet
such a good young man"
Smile for the phone
hold my mama’s hand
But they never saw
what I hid in my sleeve
Little kid shaking
learning how to breathe
Butter knife blade
on the edge of my bed
Just in case the dark
got inside my head
[Chorus]
All of y’all compliment, clap your hands
But you don’t really see how deep this ran
Perfect man that the child never met
Had to build him from the wounds and the sweat
Yeah, you say I’m so kind, so calm
But I’m holding that past in my palm
Little boy with a knife, now I laugh, I stand
Turned the hurt to a plan, I’m the perfect man
[Verse 2]
Teacher said, "so proud
you’re a brilliant son"
Didn’t see me flinch
every time doors slammed shut
Cookie in my lunchbox
sharp in the drawer
I was ready for a war
you were praising my score
Now I joke, I juke, I dance on the pain (haha)
Turn a scar to a crown, make a game of the shame
Playful when I rap, but the truth still lands
I protected that kid with these grown man hands
[Chorus]
All of y’all compliment, clap your hands
But you don’t really see how deep this ran
Perfect man that the child never met
Had to build him from the wounds and the sweat
Yeah, you say I’m so kind, so calm
But I’m holding that past in my palm
Little boy with a knife, now I laugh, I stand
Turned the hurt to a plan, I’m the perfect man (yeah)

rap, Playful, bouncy trap-rap beat with bright keys and elastic bass; verses tight and conversational, lots of sly pauses for ad-libs. Hook opens up with stacked chants and call-and-response. Light vocal chops sprinkled between lines, male vocals sitting right on top of the groove, energetic but still laid-back confident.