[Intro – Spoken, Low Organ] My reputation is everything, baby. Yeah, I done did some things. I done been some places. Made some choices I wouldn’t make today. And if you wanna dig that deep— baby, go get your damn shovel. Dig. But while you digging through yesterday, I’m building tomorrow. And my reputation? My reputation is on the line. [Verse 1] Ever since I was a child, I heard, “Mary can’t do that.” Every time I touched a dream, somebody tried to pull it back. “Mary ain’t gon’ make it.” “Mary dreaming way too big.” But every time they closed a door, I found another way to live. I got scars upon my story, I ain’t hiding where I’ve been. But you better read the whole book before you judge me by the end. [Pre-Chorus] Go on, dig— bring your shovel, bring your light. You might find some old mistakes, but you gon’ find I learned to fight. And when you finally reach the bottom, there’s one thing you’re gonna find: I kept getting back up, ’cause my reputation’s on the line. [Chorus – Full Choir] My reputation is on the line! I put my heart in every rhyme! You gon’ hear me, you gon’ feel me, I’m gon’ reach you every time! From the blues into the gospel, from the soul into the grind, I’m digging through every genre till I find that sound of mine! My reputation— my reputation— MY REPUTATION IS ON THE LINE! [Verse 2] I want it in your ears, I want it deep down in your spirit, When that bass line starts to rumble, I want your whole body to hear it. I want the words inside your heart, I want the melody in your soul, I want somebody going through it to hear my song and not let go. Give me organ, give me guitar, give me strings and tambourines, Give me blues straight from the Delta, give me rhythm underneath. Give me hip-hop, give me soul, give me a choir standing strong, I’m gon’ keep digging through the music till I find where I belong. [Breakdown – Music Drops] They said: “Mary can’t.” Hmm. Been hearing that one since I was a child. Mary can’t do this. Mary can’t do that. Well, baby... Mary GON’. [Beat Drops Hard] Mary gon’ write it! Mary gon’ sing it! Mary gon’ build it till the whole room feel it! I don’t need you to understand why I keep pushing every time. I know what I’m carrying. And my reputation is on the line! [Bridge – Gospel Rise] And above my name, above the numbers, above the songs, above the fame— If you feel the power of God moving through something I made, then I did what I came to do. Let the music reach your spirit. Let the truth come breaking through. If He gave me something to carry, I’m gon’ carry it till I’m through. I want you to feel me through the music, but see His light inside it too. [Final Chorus – Huge Choir / Orchestra] MY REPUTATION IS ON THE LINE! I put my heart in every rhyme! You gon’ hear me! You gon’ feel me! You gon’ know I meant every line! I’ll go gospel! I’ll go blues! I’ll go country if I choose! Give me soul! Give me jazz! Give me everything I can use! I’ll keep digging through these genres till that sound gets into you! In your ears! In your spirit! In your heart! In your soul! Till you feel it through your body and the music takes control! [Outro – Piano, Organ & Choir] So if you wanna dig up my past... Go get your shovel, baby. Dig deep. But when you come back up, tell the whole story. Tell ’em Mary kept going. Tell ’em Mary kept creating. Tell ’em every time somebody said, “Mary can’t...” Mary did. My reputation is on the line. And I mean every word I sing.
