About the song
A story for this song hasn’t been added yet.
Words from the artist’s archive
Still lyrics
Artist-supplied lyric sheet, matched by title. The sheet may differ from this released performance. Production notes and alternate promotional cuts are omitted.
Read the lyric sheet
Intro
Low-pass vinyl crackle, subway reverb breathing in Neon hum, city talking to itself at 2 a.m. Heartbeat kick fades up, tape hiss like a memory loading
Verse 1
I was raised by blinking cursors and cracked phone screens, Dreams buffering slow in the alley of fast means, Mama said, “Patience,” world said, “Swipe and go,” I learned time is money, money hates me though, Shoes with the sole worn thin from pacing plans, Hands inked with ideas I ain’t shake with fans, I talk to myself in the mirror like, “Stay sharp,” A dull blade don’t survive when it’s cut-throat dark, Friends turn pixels when the signal low, Love got a lag when the income slow, I write my name where the dust don’t stick, If tomorrow’s a gamble, I double-click.
Chorus
Still I run, still I rise, through the static noise, Heart on loud, no mute, no choice, From the cracks in the concrete, watch hope deploy, I was built from the echo, not the echo’s voice. Yeah, I run, yeah, I rise, let the whole world know, If the lights go out, I’m a natural glow, From the basement nights to the radio, I was built from the echo, not the echo.
Verse 2
Pressure make diamonds, or it turn you stone, I seen both happen in the same zip code, Group chats silent when the rent past due, But everybody loud when the wins come through, I learned balance from a chair with one leg short, Still sat with the pain, made it my court, Every loss just data for the next play, I don’t beef with yesterday, it already ate, Clock got hands but it don’t hold me, I move off instinct like the old me, If faith a muscle then I train that hard, Hope doing laps round a tired heart.
Bridge
Beat strips down, just bass and breath What if fear just a fear of depth? If I dive, no net, no guide, Do I drown in doubt or come up alive? Risers sweep, tension climbing
Chorus
Still I run, still I rise, through the static noise, Heart on loud, no mute, no choice, From the cracks in the concrete, watch hope deploy, I was built from the echo, not the echo’s voice. Yeah, I run, yeah, I rise, let the whole world know, If the lights go out, I’m a natural glow, From the basement nights to the radio, I was built from the echo, not the echo.
Outro
City exhales, beat dissolves in delay, If they hear my story, let it ricochet, I ain’t chasing silence, I just speak my truth, Echo fades… but the voice stay proof.
Inside the recording
Low-pass vinyl crackle, subway reverb breathing in Neon hum, city talking to itself at 2 a.m.
Still I run, still I rise, through the static noise, Heart on loud, no mute, no choice,
City exhales, beat dissolves in delay, If they hear my story, let it ricochet,
Excerpts from artist-supplied lyric files matched by title. Lyric sheets may differ from the released performance.