Pressure

(album: Reason To Smile - 2022)

How you gon' act when the cameras flash?
Would you strike a pose?
Would you double back?
Can you withstand the pressure?
And how you gon' move when all eyes on you?
Could you walk a day in my shiny shoes?
Can you withstand the pressure?

Keep your heart cold, play your part
Even when it's hard, don't let 'em take yo' heart from you
Many men gon' miss the missing
Friends might get to switching on you
Twitter fingers sneak dissing
Back-stabbing, incision
Brothers I would ride for, I don't know their new addresses
Mothers I would cry with, even though I know who did it
Secrets I might die with
Couple masks I slide with
Way before the virus, way before the millage
God knows I been trying
Getting every night in
Mama told me, "Patience is the key," and she weren't lying
Done with all the crying, fussing, and defying
Heavy is the crown, but, I'ma wear it 'til I die
You're supposed to be the king, people still depending on you
Even on yo' dark days, keep a little love inside you
Keep a little hope aside, defend it like the back four
Even when the Devil stride
Even when your homies die
Way before the summertime
That happened in another life
Niggas die everyday B, you'll be alright
If you stop, the money's stopping
And we ain't going back to crime
Stop all the complaining bro, remember that you chose this life
So—

How you gon' act when the cameras flash?
Would you strike a pose?
Would you double back?
Can you withstand the pressure?
And how you gon' move when all eyes on you?
Could you walk a day in my shiny shoes?
Can you withstand the pressure? (Uh)

In 2017, I had a five-figure debt
In 2018, I had to find my respect
I know my inner peace was never comfortable with less
2019, my compliments to the chef, I'm cooking
Season with a little bit of luck
2020 came, I made a mill' before lunch
Took my family shopping for a house out in Count'
In a real-life, show you what it takes, but, you won't know what it feels like
To hold this kind of weight and still walk with your head high
My noose was getting looser every time I took a step
Money came in faster than I knew what to do with it
From young, I got condition like a movie from Coober Rick
To think it would clocked be that I wanted some stupid shit
Fell in love with pussy and petroleum on lonely nights
Gave a lot of wisdom, wasn't taking my own advice
I didn't get warning if were talking 'bout—

How you gon' act when the cameras flash?
Would you strike a pose?
Would you double back?
Can you withstand the pressure?
And how you gon' move when all eyes on you?
Could you walk a day in my shiny shoes?
Can you withstand the pressure?

My life in Ghana was alright, it was okay
But, you know, when you are in Ghana and the opportunity come
To come to England, you jump for it
Especially when my mother struggled in life
Raising her children—
So when I had a chance to come, my aim is to come
And then work hard, and look after her as well
And I came in at wintertime, which was December
So it was hard, and that I wanted to go back