[Intro]
Clock on the wall, but the room stays still
One clear thought and a stubborn will
Pages turn, little sparks in the dark
One small phrase turns into a spark
[Verse 1]
I came with a notebook, a bus pass, a plan
Two cheap headphones and a shake in my hands
Learned every lesson from the records that raised me
Names on the sleeves, every bar that amazed me
No shortcut shine, no borrowed disguise
Just work in the booth till the weak part dies
From block-party circles to basement ciphers
Every true voice made the craft grow brighter
[Pre-Chorus]
So here’s my respect, let the whole room know
For the ones who built the road before we could go
[Chorus]
Salute to the real MCs, brick by brick
Every sharp syllable, every beat that hit
You gave us the language, the nerve, the art
Now we carry that torch with a brand-new heart
Salute to the real MCs, names in the grain
Every hard-earned lesson still runs through the frame
If the future speaks loud, let it speak with belief
For the hands that laid the foundation beneath
[Breakdown]
Cut the lights—hold the breath
One beat left, then nothing but steps
[Verse 2]
Now I’m back with a battery, balance and breath
Packing precision in a practical set
Never confuse being quick with being clever
Every phrase got a purpose, every pivot gets better
I’m giving props to the teachers who sharpened the pen
To the voices that opened the door for us then
To the DJs, writers, dancers, the crews
Who turned a little culture into worldwide news
To the ones who stood firm when the room said no
Kept the message intact, kept the roots in the flow
I don’t need a crown, I can point to the source
And acknowledge the force that established the course
[Rapid-Fire Bridge]
Line by line, I refine, redefine what a rhyme can become
With a mind like a metronome, never declining when pressure has come
Every ancestor’s energy enters the sentence, I’m sending it back with respect
No erasing the traces, I’m facing the places that gave me the language and breath
[Chorus]
Salute to the real MCs, brick by brick
Every sharp syllable, every beat that hit
You gave us the language, the nerve, the art
Now we carry that torch with a brand-new heart
Salute to the real MCs, names in the grain
Every hard-earned lesson still runs through the frame
If the future speaks loud, let it speak with belief
For the hands that laid the foundation beneath
[Outro]
Keep the record spinning, keep the circle wide
Give credit where it’s due, let the truth decide
New voices rise, but the roots stay deep
Respect to the real—what you plant, we keep