No permission

Hmm…

Ikorodu ọmọ…

No permission… we dey enter…

(talking drum: gbo-gbo… ta… gbo…)

Early mornings, no light, but my vision dey bright (→F# – F# – A – B – A – F# – E)

Mama pray for the boy, say make I find my own light

Street cold, dreams hot, I dey balance both sides

Empty pocket but my mind full of dollar signs (F# – A – B – C# – B – A – F#)

From ọdẹ road to the mainland bridge

Every step na risk, but I no fit cringe

Dem say “wait your turn”—I say time no dey

If hunger be sin, then I sin everyday

See, I no dey fear silence, na there I dey build

All the pain wey I swallow don turn into skill

My guy, no be luck, na the nights wey I bleed

Now the rhythm dey knock, make the whole world feel

(pause – talking drum fills)

(Ta…gbọn… ta-ta…gbọn…)

Ọlọrun ma je ka fail… (→ A – B – C# – E – F# – E – C#)

(F#m – D – A – E)

We no need permission (eh eh)

(→ F# – A – C# – C# – B – A)

From Ikorodu to the world, we dey mission (eh eh) (→ A – B – C# – A – F# – A)

Hunger in my belly, no be condition (no no)

(→ C# – E – E – D – C# – B)

Na the fire wey dey give me ignition (→ B – C# – E – F# – E – C#)

We go rise, by force, by fire (→ F# – A – C# – C# – B – A)

No retreat, no tire (→ A – B – C# – A)

Ọmọ we go higher, higher (→ C# – E – F# – E – C# – B)

Till we touch that sky… no liar (→ B – C# – E – F# – E – C#)

We no need permission (eh eh)

Music enter soul, no audition (eh eh)

Every ghetto boy fit see the vision

Say one day… we go live that life

Omo, I don trek miles wey no get map

Still dey smile even when life set trap

Dem dey look my shoe, dem no see my path

Every scar wey I get na part of the craft

See the way we dey vibe, pain inside the groove

Jazz chords dey cry but my feet still move

Log drum dey speak like ancestor voice

Say “ọmọ, no dull—make you make that choice”

From the mud to the marble floor dreams

From okada runs to designer schemes

No shortcuts, just God and grind

Every loss wey I take don sharpen my mind

Ọrọ mi jin, you fit feel am deep

No be every hustle person go tweet

We dey plant for nights wey dark like sin

So when light go show, we go fully win

(talking drum break – rhythmic call)

Gbo… ta…gbọn… ta-ta…

“Rise ọmọ… rise…”

(soft “eh eh” on C# – B – A)

(distant female airy vocal on chorus -very low in mix)

We no need permission (eh eh)

From Ikorodu to the world, we dey mission (eh eh)

Hunger in my belly, no be condition (no no)

Na the fire wey dey give me ignition

We go rise, by force, by fire

No retreat, no tire

Ọmọ we go higher, higher

Till we touch that sky… no liar

No gatekeeper fit block this sound…

Na from gutter melody to global frequency…

Music no dey knock…

E dey enter…

(soft chant fades)

No permission…

No permission

(Glide between notes, Slight vocal bends)