[Spoken Intro — low reflective male voice] Funny thing about money… When you’re young… You only count what it gives you. Nobody tells you to count what it takes. Some money buys cars. Some money buys clothes. Some money buys a inmate number you never wanted to remember. [Beat drops] [Verse 1] County blues on my back Shower slides on my feet Steel chain singing every step Walking through that courthouse heat Grandma in the back row Hands folded, eyes closed Praying for a grandson She still sees under these clothes I used to count stacks Never counted nights Never counted empty chairs Never counted missed lights Thought I beat the system Thought I found a cheat code Didn’t see the bill coming When tomorrow came due though [Chorus] They called it easy money I call it expensive A dollar ain’t a dollar When you gotta pay interest Some money fills your pockets Some money takes your peace Some chains you can’t see Still keep you on a leash [Verse 2] Came home talking different Everybody loves change But freedom feels strange When you’re used to fast lanes Old friends saying Man, you changed up They don’t see the battle When your old life calls your name up A clean slate Don’t come with a full wallet Nobody hands you a future When you decide you want it So I traded gold chains For a morning alarm Traded looking rich For keeping freedom in my arms [Bridge] First paycheck… Didn’t look like much. But I knew where it came from. No running. No hiding. No waiting for the knock. No wondering who was coming through the door. Just sweat. Just time. Just me. [Final Chorus] They called it luck When they saw the new shoes They didn’t see the old ones Walking away from old truths Work boots ain’t glamorous They don’t shine in the light But they carry a man Who finally chose his life [Outro — female voice, calm and questioning] What if the hardest thing you ever had to earn… Was believing you were worth a different future?
