Everybody Up

(album: A Martyr's Reward - 2021)

Everything I tell you today up here Ima show it to you in black and white!
(Everybody up)

Tryna make it from the bottom, pull everybody up
Always felt if I fail, everybody stuck

Where I'm from was dilapidated
I can say this: destruction's what that created
All shade, it's only ball players, rappers made it
The youth clings, the only two things that captivated
I chop it up and let what's said simmer
Was always fed before I was fed dinner
Was urged from birth, felt the burden of breadwinning
My young gripes was some nights went to bed thinner
Everybody up
Sentiments like I was sent from the seminary
Rap feats took a backseat, I had men to bury
Taint living, ain't tripping if money's our itinerary
Pro's is those before cons, I was in already
Everybody up
Not a sex villain, raised to respect women, "no" is "no"
It's facts, God, when blacks rob, all we know is woe
It's no wins in them times, went blow-for-blow
That hand-to-hand had us going toe-to-toe
There was no one I feared
But the night Shane died was the moment I veered
Though I slid, still endeared, so it appeared
I'm in my winter, you can tell by the snow on my beard
Everybody up
Gon' take more than what you got for Ka to yield
Build 'til my pot is filled or in potter's field
I did it without a shield
I'm past how it sound, I ask how it feel (how it feel?)
Everybody up
Them bigots did us how they treat peasants
No gifts, but always police presence
Stopped putting in work, a complete severance
In this labyrinth, arrogance defeats blessings
Everybody up (everybody up)
I want everybody up

Tryna make it from the bottom, pull everybody up
Always felt if I fail, everybody stuck
Tryna make it from the bottom, pull everybody up
Always felt if I fail, everybody stuck
(Always felt if I fail)
I want everybody up
If I fail, everybody stuck
(Peace to the 'Ville. Peace to my family, I love y'all, my mother and my peoples, I got you.)

Well they outnumber us, so I'd say it's a fair fight