Yeah

Hold on

Stayin' fresh when it gets so dirty

Strange bird from Africa, caged in America

Mama come in court waitin' on that verdict

Ran ecstatic like a leopard, they don’t get the message

Vision of that casket got her so hurtin'

Misunderstood as the foreigner, “quote unquote” average Joe

Mind of an oracle, what you hatin’ for?

I'm steady creatin' though, why is you waitin', bro?

The time is now, and um—

This is what I've seen, why these thoughts so pertinent

Stay cool through it all, stay fresh through it all

Stay blessed through it all, cross your morals

I'm guaranteed you destined to fall

I put my wins in these bars, I put my L's in 'em too

I learned the rules of the game and I respected 'em too

But now I'm ready to break 'em, what you expect me to do?

They try to write me off, but I'm still writin' on

I turn my pain to songs, help the quiet feel strong

Every bar they built, I bend until it's gone

You can't stop the dawn, I rise, I move on

Why, stayin' fresh through it all? (Huh)

From the cage to the sky, I’m soaring

Yeah

Every wound in my past, still roaring

Why, stayin' fresh through it all, baby?

Can’t hold me down, no borders, no walls

Strange bird sings loud, hear the call

Callin' me about mess, bro, I'm rejectin' the call

This n***a still stayin' still and they acceptin' the stall

I'm not respectin' the stall, it's not respected at all

Keep goin', keep growin', keep your chin to the stars

Raised on resistance, fluent in struggle

Dreams in my fist, can't burst my bubble

They said “fall in line,” I don't march the same

I built my own fire, I carved my own name

History heavy, still my spirit stays wild

Plantin' seeds for tomorrow, watch the future smile

I put my wins in these bars, I put my L's in 'em too

J for sho' been a P and brought the L's with him too

Fuck an election, I'm tryna make sure my section evolve

From the ground to the stage, from the silence to sound

Strange bird flies higher, wings never touch down

What you fear, I embrace (yeah), what you doubt, I create

What you cage, I escape, I was born to innovate

If the door don’t open, I’m makin’ a way (keep goin’)

If the path ain’t paved, I’m shapin’ the clay

From the cage to the sky, I’m soaring

Stayin' fresh when it gets so dirty

Every wound in my past, still roaring

Stay blessed through it all, keep your chin to the stars

Can’t hold me down, no borders, no walls

I'm turnin' pain into songs, breakin' every bar

Strange bird sings loud, hear the call

Why, stayin’ fresh through it all? (Huh)

You can’t stop the dawn, I rise, I move on

Stay fresh through it all, then we all evolve