[record needle drops] [OLD SOUL SAMPLE — distant] slowly... but surely... [needle skips] slowly... but surely... [broken beat enters] [Verse 1 — DASnot] ain't gonna fake it to the top slowly but surely I'm building bridges where I used to burn blocks being my own spokesperson finally speaking my mind trying to see some stable living somewhere farther down the line pain taught lessons I kept retaking distant memories still grading papers same mistake different year same wall different neighbor talking to shrinks talking to myself trying to tell the difference between somebody else's assumptions and my actual existence [SAMPLE — chopped] surely surely sure— [reverse] [Verse 2] no reason to drink just because yesterday did no reason every bad thing gotta keep raising its kid work hard look forward find something I'm actually good at something that'll pay bills without me waking up wanting my whole day back barely over minimum wage days already taken out of my life washing dishes thinking about records soap on my hands whole future in sight funny place to plan an empire standing over somebody's plate clock says you got six more hours head says wait [OLD SOUL SAMPLE] slowly but surely we'll come to— [chopped before the final word] [Refrain — DASnot] me and the moon still negotiating I want everything now it keeps saying keep waiting me and the moon been up all night trying to compromise between who I swore I'd become and who woke up alive [Garage percussion opens wider] [Verse 3] watched people get comfortable watched myself start telling truth hard to hold your jaw shut when you finally got something real to lose some folks get riches then lose 'em some get fame then can't sit still I'm trying to learn how to want more without letting more decide what I feel record label big dreams face somewhere somebody might recognize then I catch myself because being seen ain't the same as having a life I want the mark not the monument want the song not the throne want one true thing I can still recognize when everybody goes home [SAMPLE — heavily filtered] one... true... thing... [Instrumental — sample chopped into rhythm] slow— slow— sure— sure— slowly— [muted trumpet answers] [Verse 4] I used to think the top was one place some room where everything finally worked maybe it's just having enough and not being ashamed of what it took maybe it's eating without checking the balance maybe sleep without arguing first maybe somebody says how you doing and I don't automatically prepare for the worst maybe success ain't the loud part maybe the loud part comes and goes I been having conversations with the moon above it don't answer but it knows [Refrain] me and the moon still negotiating I want everything now it keeps saying keep waiting me and the moon been up all night trying to compromise between who I swore I'd become and who woke up alive [OLD SOUL SAMPLE — finally complete] slowly but surely we'll come to a compromise [beat disappears] [DASnot] took you long enough [needle scratch] [OLD SAMPLE, tiny] slowly [DASnot] yeah [vinyl stop]
