Heart heavy, streets talking, concrete whispers scars,

Dreams trapped in bodegas, hope stuffed in stolen cars.

Mama prayed through the static, father locked behind bars,

Every scar a medal, won battles under night stars.

Brick by brick, we rise above the flames,

Echo of the hood still tattooed on our names.

From shadows to the light, past whispers and shame,

The pain made us kings, we ain’t playing no games.

Dodging stray halos from angels on the block,

Friends turned to vapors, lifted when the hammers knock.

Through crumbled buildings, saw the gold inside the rock,

Turning lead to legacy, that grind don’t stop.

Old heads told stories, whiskey breaths held wisdom,

System held us down but we escaped the prison.

Soulful hums in the breeze, church bells a rhythm,

Faith held the weight when the world turned villain.

Brick by brick, we rise above the flames,

Echo of the hood still tattooed on our names.

From shadows to the light, past whispers and shame,

The pain made us kings, we ain’t playing no games.

Light the candle, pour a drink for the ones we lost,

On this chessboard of survival, every move has a cost.

Built bridges from rubble, saved my soul from the frost,

Now I wear the crown forged in every line I crossed.