[intro]
cope
cope
cope
cope
cope

[Verse 1]
Christmas ’round the corner, Dad on the pipe again,
Slipped off track, now he sway when he stand —
Just a fiend in the skin of a man.
Can’t cop a gift, but he cop that rock,
One more hit and he slump on the block.
Mom on her ’scripts — picture of grace,
If grace ever slipped and fell out of place.
Leanin’ in the doorway with cockeyed eyes,
Lil bro watchin’ me like I’m mama now.
But I didn’t birth him — he ain’t mine,
Why I gotta carry this load every time?
Bills stacked high, they ain’t goin’ away,
Heat shut off, cold breath in the hallway.
Mama ain’t said a word since Monday, man.
Another Xan and she fade to black again
Pops pop up when he can't find a hit
Twitchin’, cryin’, swearin’ he sick.
Same ol’ script — same ol’ bit,
“Never again”… same ol’ shit.
Fiendin’ fast while he chasin’ that blast,
Stealin’ my things for a high that don’t last.
I’m lockin’ my drawer, I’m hidin’ my stash,
Lil bro cold, teeth clackin' like taps,
Blanket too thin, and the walls got gaps.
I tell him, “Warm up your hands if you can,
Turn the stove on low… that’s our winter plan.”
Yeah.
That's our winter plan

[Chorus]
hope don’t live
where the bills ain't paid
you was thinkin next year
i was livin same day
and maybe things get better
but i ain't the one to say.

cope
cope
cope

we cold but we

cope
cope
cope

we cold but we

cope
cope
cope
cope

[Verse 2]
If I go, I go with survivor’s guilt,
Can’t leave lil’ man — I’m the one he built
His whole world on, so yeah, I’m stuck,
Trapped in the same place, same bad luck.
Gotta hustle to get mine, flip that pack,
Then break it down, give lil’ bro a stack.
No credit left — stores done flagged my name,
Phones and bills canceled — all the same.
Ain’t no choice when you raised in this shit,
I was born with a crackhead knowing my digits.
Social Security got passed ‘round quick,
Identity stolen before I could live it.
Grew up with debt I ain’t even make,
Owed to the streets before I was eight.
Tryna build somethin’ on a shattered plate,
But lil’ bro need me — so I hold the weight.
What the fuck else am I gonna do?
Drop outta school for some fast‑food shift,
Sacrifice my whole life just to babysit
Problems that ain’t mine, but I carry ’em quick.
Got a dream? Man, that shit backseat,
Rent due first, and lil’ bro gotta eat.
Hope Mom don’t end up pregnant again —
Another mouth here would break us to the ends.
Maybe when he eighteen, grown enough
To finally stand without me holdin’ him up.
’Til then, I’m stuck in this same tight loop,
Tryna be a parent when I needed one too.

[Chorus]
hope don’t live
where the bills ain't paid
you was thinkin next year
i was livin same day
and maybe things get better
but i ain't the one to say

cope
cope
cope

we cold but we

cope
cope
cope

we cold but we

cope
cope
cope


[verse 3]
Dad's tryna price my shit,
Tuck the gold tight so he can’t get a glimpse.
Slide it under the pillow when I sleep,
Scared he’d risk his life for a nameplate piece.
‘Cause if he creepin’ again, I might lose my calm,
He'll get more than these hands, I'll kill this man
House feel dangerous when the nights run long,
Every creak got me thinkin’ somethin’ goin’ wrong.
Got one eye open, dreamin’ in shifts,
Heart beat jumpin’ every sound I catch.
Lil bro whisper, “Why you never sleep?”
I tell him, “Rest don’t come when you this stressed.”
He don’t know half what I gotta defend —
Childhood stolen, but I’m guardin’ what’s left.
Tryna save pennies in a coffee can,
Tryna grow roots in the dirt and sand.
Tryna be solid when I barely stand,
Playin’ the parent that I never had.
And some nights I swear I’m fallin’ through,
But I breathe real slow and I compose,
Yeah, I compose (I cope), I compose (I hope)

[Bridge]
I ain’t breakin’ my back to raise up another crackhead.
Grab that Jansport, lace them busted airforces.
They scuffed up — but boy, you can walk in ’em.
We catchin’ the bus — no skips, no sick days.
No excuses — you gon’ learn how to stand in dis.
One of us gotta hold the line.
One of us gotta ride that high tide and rise.
Even if it means leavin' some behind —
You gotta move, gotta do you.
And god help you if I catch you on the pipe
I'll snuff you out before that shit gets you
’Cause I am my brother’s keeper —
Like Nino Brown, Gee Money — See ya'
(BANG!!!!!!!)
Rock a bye, baby --

cope
cope
cope
(We cope)

[Chorus]
hope don’t live
where the bills ain't paid
you was thinkin next year
i was livin same day
and maybe things get better
but i ain't the one to say
push down by the pressure
i make the same moves every day

cope
cope
cope
We cold but we
cope
cope
cope
We cold but we
cope
cope
cope