Rise - “Evolution”
[Emcee(s): Rise]
[Producer(s): DJ Static]

[Intro: Rise]
Evolution

[Verse 1: Rise]
A word grew to be a bar, then a bar to a verse
This verse grew to be a song, then the song to a thirst
A thirst to a search for diverse persons to work
It didn't work, so I became the persons I searched
And practiced the gifts. Instead of buying jackets and kicks
I needed shit that'll get me better samples and kicks
And better audio and other things improving the sound
Money and family can't mix like Honey Love and Doo Doo Brown
So I don't borrow. 9 to 5, I come home and rap
In open mics, hoping that they pull my name out a hat
I need time to grow ‘cause I could think and write like the man
But I rhyme to the floor and muffle the mic with my hand
I'm kind of busy now but try to always write when I can
I got to make it, man. My face'll like nice on a van
So from tapes to DATs, to features on tracks on wax
Learn to blaze the tracks but leaving the past as the past
And keep growing, keep flowing, moving on with no problem
If not, I'd still be kicking my verse off the Lounge album
Little more respect I'm getting now and it's about time
‘Cause niggas knew I rhymed but they didn't know if I rhyme rhymed. Look
I'm unsigned still now, but ask if I care. Evolved
At high speeds from a tree seed to a chair
So if you’re doing what you love and don't believe in your fear
(“You can go anywhere”). Now try to stop me if you dare
I love rap now. It's not just a seedy affair
The CD is here. You cease to believe in the rare
This emcee that'll lead a crew that's deeper than hairs
The weak interfered, but now you see the weak isn't here
We learned to say, “Fuck cats that only recently cared”
So beats are prepared—for weeks, we've been tweaking these snares
And working out, running miles, punching meat in a freezer
And grew to the point where now I only speak to your leaders
You can't stop me, so rock me. The hardest'll pass
You ran the whole nine yards. I went nine-and-a-half
The length of the field, scored, did the Bird, kept running
Then into the crowd to roars and applause. I'm bugging
Sprint to the back row and down the back of the wall
The same speed as before and still protecting the ball
Controlling my breath, timing my steps, rhyming with depth
Yo, Rise is wiling out. Yo, how much lines he got left?
Well, I'm the main character and now this movie just started
You wack rappers signed your death warrant soon as you bought it
So welcome now to a mind state that's dark but still bright
A lot of innovators now are hard to still like
Yo, everybody falls, but that's not my story
You’ve got to hand it to me—that's why my fans support me
People that once ignored, bored, now they brag they saw me
Rise, I’ll elevate. Simple, self-explanatory