Stand up tall… Rise above them all... Storm round here, but we stand up tall… Bruv, this block made steel, not fragile at all… Born in the flats where the sirens cough, Concrete jungle, the lights switch off, Mum said “hold faith when the nights get rough,” Bare pressure on chest but I stayed headstrong. Elevator broke, so we climbed them floors, Cold stairwell with the echo of wars, Every young blud tryna settle their scores, But I patterned my path, never folded to jaws. Council estate with the mould on walls, Dreams too big for these narrow halls, Bare shutdowns, no Santa Claus, Just pain that bites with a metal jaw. Still, man rose like a flare through fog, Still, man grew from the ash and bog, Still, man ran through the nights with the squad, Now I glide through life like a greased-up cog. Stand up tall — even when the weight gets heavy on your back, my bro, Stand up tall — in the coldest block where the wicked winds blow, Stand up tall — hold tight when the whole damn world says “no,” Stand up tall — ‘cause a king ain’t crowned till he blazes diesel smoke. Block life raised me, never could break me, Hardship shaped me, hunger upgraded me, Every little L that I took just made me Made bare gains ‘cause the grind inflating me. Grew up round fiends and the fiends got shaky, Feds in the lobby and the vibe got achy, Late-night knocks got the mandem wakey, Hand on heart like “Lord, just save me.” Still, I march like a soldier bred, Staring down fear till fear turns dead, Put in that work till my soul turned red, Now I shine like a torch in a blackout stead. Trauma in the brain but I forge that flame, Turning every block pain to a brand-new claim, Turning every setback to a step in the game, Now they know my name when they chant my name. Stand up tall — even when the weight gets heavy on your back, my bro, Stand up tall — in the coldest block where the wicked winds blow, Stand up tall — hold tight when the whole damn world says “no,” Stand up tall — ‘cause a king ain’t crowned till he blazes diesel smoke. Rain on the block but I still stand tall, Pain in my chest but I still stand tall, World on my neck but I still stand tall — Stand up tall bruv… or don’t stand at all.
