“TODAY I CELEBRATE” DA’ BEAST/ TWELVE CHRONICLE WRITTEN BY TWELVE [INTRO — LONE ELECTRIC BLUES GUITAR] [One wounded guitar cry] [Low 808 begins pulsing] BOOM… BOOM… BOOM-BOOM… [Twelve — spoken, mentally exhausted] I ain’t gonna stand here and act like getting here was easy. Because it wasn’t. I lost people I thought I couldn’t live without. Carried things I never learned how to put down. And if I’m telling the truth… My mind is tired. [Pause] But I’m still here. So today… I’m not explaining my scars. I’m celebrating my survival. [808 DROPS] [VERSE 1 — TWELVE] I walked through fire with a smile on my face, made everybody comfortable while I carried the weight. Said, “I’m alright,” when I wasn’t okay, then got up the next morning and did it again the next day. I buried my hurt where nobody could see, gave strength to the world while it emptied me. Some nights my mind wouldn’t give me peace, thought after thought wouldn’t let me sleep. But pain didn’t take me. Grief didn’t win. The walls closed around me— I still didn’t bend. I may be exhausted, but don’t call me done. Look at everything I faced… And I still overcame every one. [CHORUS — TWELVE AND CHOIR] Today I celebrate! I made it through the pressure and I kept my faith! Today I celebrate! My mind might be tired—but I’m standing anyway! Put that 808 under my testimony! Let that blues guitar cry out what it knows about me! I’ve been hurt! I’ve been tried! I’ve been down! But I survived! Today— TODAY I CELEBRATE! [TRIBAL WAR-DRUM BREAK] BOOM! BOOM-BOOM! BOOM! BOOM-BOOM! [VERSE 2 — TWELVE] I know what it feels like to lose your ground, when the strongest one alive ain’t allowed to break down. I know what it costs just to answer, “I’m good,” when your heart needs help—but nobody understood. I carried goodbye that I never got to choose, stood in empty rooms with everything to lose. I questioned my purpose. I questioned my worth. But God kept reminding me why I’m still on this earth. Not because I never cried. Not because I never fell. Not because every chapter of my life ended well. I’m here because mercy kept reaching through. Every time I said, “I can’t,” God said, “I’ll carry you.” [DARK CELLO RISES] [Twelve — sung with grit] So let the cello speak for the nights I couldn’t. Let the guitar cry for the tears I wouldn’t. Let the war drums sound for the battles I won. Let the 808 hit— Because I’m not done! [CHORUS — BIGGER] Today I celebrate! I made it through the pressure and I kept my faith! Today I celebrate! My mind might be tired—but I’m standing anyway! Put that 808 under my testimony! Let that blues guitar cry out what it knows about me! I’ve been hurt! I’ve been tried! I’ve been down! But I survived! Today— TODAY I CELEBRATE! [BREAKDOWN — 808 PULSE ONLY] [Twelve — spoken] Listen… Some people celebrate because everything went right. I’m celebrating because everything went wrong… And I’m still standing here. I didn’t come to pretend I’m not tired. I came to prove that tired people can still praise. [TRIBAL WAR DRUMS ENTER] Lead: Is your mind tired? Choir: BUT I’M STILL HERE! Lead: Has your heart been tested? Choir: BUT I’M STILL HERE! Lead: Did the darkness surround you? Choir: BUT I’M STILL HERE! Lead: Then you’ve got a reason— Choir: TO CELEBRATE! [FINAL CHORUS — FULL 808, WAR DRUMS, GUITAR AND CELLO] Today I celebrate! I made it through the pressure and I kept my faith! Today I celebrate! My mind might be tired—but I’m standing anyway! Put that 808 under my testimony! Let that blues guitar cry out what it knows about me! I’ve been hurt! I’ve been tried! I’ve been down! But I survived! Today— TODAY I CELEBRATE! [FINAL VAMP — CHOIR IN TIGHT UNISON] Twelve: Still tired! Choir: STILL STANDING! Twelve: Still healing! Choir: STILL STANDING! Twelve: Mind exhausted! Choir: STILL STANDING! Twelve: Heart still beating! Choir: STILL STANDING! Twelve: I lost some things! Choir: BUT NOT MY FAITH! Twelve: I cried some tears! Choir: BUT NOT TODAY! Twelve: What are we doing? Choir: CELEBRATING! Twelve: What are we doing? Choir: CELEBRATING! [INSTRUMENTS DROP OUT — TWELVE ALONE] I’m not celebrating because it didn’t hurt. I’m celebrating because it didn’t finish me. [ONE MASSIVE 808 HIT] [Twelve and Choir] TODAY I CELEBRATE! [HARD STOP]
