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Words from the artist’s archive
The Originals Still Hit Different lyrics
Artist-supplied lyric sheet, matched by title. The sheet may differ from this released performance. Production notes and alternate promotional cuts are omitted.
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Intro
Yeah… the block still hits different…
Verse 1
Corner store on 27th, rain tapping the tin like it’s mad at the new towers Old heads on the porch breaking down how the game used to have power Back when the block was the arena, every move had a consequence that stayed Before the new money came through and started charging for space I-95 humming in the background like the soundtrack that never fades Publix line on the first stretching out like the old arcade waits Family house with the porch light flickering, same one from back then Kids in the back room, I’m in the front trying to keep the power in our hands The heat don’t negotiate with the new condos rising on the block The rain still finds every crack in the roof, same as it always did, non-stop
Chorus
The game got new fighters but the original ones still hit different They added new characters but the block still finishes what it starts They can change the lights and they can raise the rent to the sky But the ones who remember the dark still move with that old fire in their eyes The tournament changed but the fight stays the same in these streets
Verse 2
Court date circled on the calendar like a new final boss round Rent due on the first, light bill looking like a final loss sound Friends from the old days either locked, moved, or gone with the wind New faces on the block don’t know the code, don’t know where we been The phone lights up with a number from the county, another test Another chance to fold or another reason to give it your best The rain on the window sounds like the old heads laughing at the new game Telling me it got bigger but the hearts got smaller, the moves got more tame Still juggling three things at once like the old machine with the loose parts Still hitting the combos even when the screen starts glitching in the dark
Chorus
The game got new fighters but the original ones still hit different They added new characters but the block still finishes what it starts They can change the lights and they can raise the rent to the sky But the ones who remember the dark still move with that old fire in their eyes The tournament changed but the fight stays the same in these streets
Verse 3
Look in the mirror and see a new fighter wearing the old face Adapted to the new rules but the original code still in place The city got brighter with the new money and the new lights But some corners got colder and some days don’t feel right See the young ones arguing like the fighters in the old topic Some say skill, some say style, some say who can survive the longest I see both sides in me, the one who stayed loyal and the one who learned to bend The one who remembers the raw and the one who knows how the new game ends
Verse 4
The real enemy ain’t the new fighters, it’s the ones who rewrote the rules The ones who built the towers on the old blocks and started charging for the tools The pressure that makes you choose between keeping the lights on or keeping your soul The system that changed the game mid-round and made it harder to reach the goal Fighting back by keeping the code even when it costs more than it should By teaching the young ones the real moves before they get lost in the new neighborhood By fixing the flickering light with whatever I got in the drawer By staying in the fight even when the screen starts to blur and the buttons get sore
Chorus
The game got new fighters but the original ones still hit different They added new characters but the block still finishes what it starts They can change the lights and they can raise the rent to the sky But the ones who remember the dark still move with that old fire in their eyes The tournament changed but the fight stays the same in these streets
Verse 5
Tell the young ones the game will keep changing, new fighters will keep showing up But the ones who remember why they started are the ones who don’t give up Keep the honor even when the lights get brighter and the rules get more cold Keep the combo even when the screen glitches and the buttons start to feel old The original ones hit different because they came from the raw and the real Pass that down so the next round remembers what the fight was supposed to feel
Outro
The block still hits different…
Inside the recording
Yeah… the block still hits different…
The game got new fighters but the original ones still hit different They added new characters but the block still finishes what it starts
The block still hits different…
Excerpts from artist-supplied lyric files matched by title. Lyric sheets may differ from the released performance.