Asphalt Ancestry

[Intro]
[Verse]
Keys in the ignition, hear the static hiss
City changed its face, something I might miss
Boarded-up bodegas where the spirits dwell
Luxury glass towers, bought a soul to sell
The asphalt remembers every heavy tread
While the new owners sleep in a designer bed
Crackle on the needle, dust on the dash
Memories are priceless, keep your plastic cash
[Pre-Chorus]
Shadows on the sidewalk, long and lean
Searching for the places that I've seen
Everything is shifting in the dark
Waiting for a tiny little spark
[Chorus]
They can build it higher, but the roots remain
Washing off the history with a little rain
This is my block, this is my blood
Rising from the pavement, thicker than the mud
Yeah, we still here, even when we gone
Singing for the ghosts until the break of dawn
Hold onto the corner, hold onto the street
Feel the rhythm moving underneath your feet
[Hook]
(Scratch: "The foundation")
(Scratch: "Never gonna break")
(Scratch: "My block")
(Scratch: "No mistake")
[Verse]
Used to play the corner, now the corner's gone
Replaced by a bistro serving brunch at dawn
Where's the fam? Scattered to the outer rings
Chasing down a dream on some broken wings
Malik moved to Jersey, Tone is in the south
Words of the old world dying in my mouth
I see the crane swinging like a pendulum
Counting every heartbeat like a kettle drum
[Bridge]
Trumpet blowing lonely in the cold
Story of the neighborhood being sold
But they can't buy the way the wind blows
Or the secret that the alleyway knows
Keep the fire burning in the night
Everything is gonna be alright
[Verse]
I’m the last witness of the brick and mortar
Watching as they redraw every single border
The upright bass thumping in my hollow chest
The avenue is tired, but it never gets to rest
I keep the maps hidden in my mental vault
This ain't progress, it's a slow assault
Keep the melody playing for the ones who stayed
Before the final color of the mural starts to fade
[Chorus]
They can build it higher, but the roots remain
Washing off the history with a little rain
This is my block, this is my blood
Rising from the pavement, thicker than the mud
Yeah, we still here, even when we gone
Singing for the ghosts until the break of dawn
Hold onto the corner, hold onto the street
Feel the rhythm moving underneath your feet
[Outro]