Concrete Rose

[Verse 1]
Backblock baby
grew up dodging tape lines
Bookbag heavy
had a stash and a steak knife
Mama said pray
but the rent came late twice
So I learned math
turning grams into break time
Whole hood watching
every move is a headline
Sneakers on the wire
mark a grave and a deadline
Off-white hoodie
but my record ain’t that light
Pretty face
but my past got a black side
[Chorus]
I’m a concrete rose
came up out that crack, out that crack (yeah)
Everything froze
when I turned my back on the trap (on the trap)
Hands in the air
if you made it out scars intact (let ’em know)
I’m a concrete rose
and I’ll never, ever fade back
I’m a concrete rose
came up out that crack, out that crack
Heart got cold
still I keep my circle intact
Hands in the air
if you made it out, scream that back
I’m a concrete rose
and I’m never, ever going back
[Verse 2]
Big step shorty
I don’t trip, I make landslides
Kept my mouth zipped
saw the ones who ain’t survive
They was chasing likes
I was chasing a deadline
Now it’s stadium lights
same girl from the red line
Judge said “statistics”
I said “watch me rewrite”
Turn a sentence to a sentence
now I live what I type
They was clockin’ my pockets
I was clockin’ they bite
Now they quoting my quotes
like I’m carving they life
[Chorus]
I’m a concrete rose
came up out that crack, out that crack (yeah)
Everything froze
when I turned my back on the trap (on the trap)
Hands in the air
if you made it out scars intact (hands up)
I’m a concrete rose
and I’ll never, ever fade back
I’m a concrete rose
came up out that crack, out that crack
Heart got cold
still I keep my circle intact
Hands in the air
if you made it out, scream that back
I’m a concrete rose
and I’m never, ever going back

rap, Hard-hitting Chicago drill beat, sliding 808s and skittering hi-hats, with ominous piano stabs and haunting choir pads. Female vocals, cold and confident on the verses; chorus locks into a repetitive, shout-along hook with layered gang vocals and distant ad-libs. Snare cracks upfront, bass snarls under the vocal, occasional drop-outs for a-cappella punchline moments., drill