It Pretend Tho’

(Intro — filtered piano + soft electro-theremin swell, vinyl crackle, low-pass filter opening slowly) Yeah… (theremin glides subtly in background) Lot of illusions in the air right now… ⸻ (Verse 1 — hard drums drop, dry vocal, muted clavinet stabs on off-beats) I see ‘em posing like they built it but they renting the feel Got the image, got the posture, but it’s empty and still They be talking like they pressure but they bending at will I been setting every standard, this the definite skill (clavinet accents syncopate with snare hits) Got a checklist — every box that I’m checking is real While they flexing for attention, I’m collecting the will You can mirror all the motion, you can echo the drill But the code inside the system? You ain’t never gon’ steal (electro-theremin faintly trails last words of bars) I hear the chatter, little patterns, all repetitive spill Same cadence, same angles, it’s a negative thrill I put the weight in every bar like I’m pressing a mill While they skating on the surface, I been depth in the field ⸻ (Hook — drums loosen, warm chords + clavinet groove + expressive electro-theremin melody) Y’all just playing like it’s real — it’s pretend though (theremin melody bends between notes) Talking loud but the sound got an echo (clavinet becomes funkier, more open rhythm) I been grounded in the work, never let go This the real — y’all just dressing in the dress code (layered vocals, light harmonies) Don’t confuse it, I ain’t new to what I said, no I been moving with a proof they can’t replicate though You can act, you can cap, you can echo But this real — y’all just playing like it’s pretend though ⸻ (Verse 2 — faster cadence, tighter hi-hats, clavinet more aggressive, percussive stabs) Now they all in the lane that I paved with the grit Tryna talk like they earned it but they faking the script I put pain in the pen, every page got a print They just playing with the font, never shaping the script (clavinet hits double-time with hi-hats) I got layers in the flow, every cadence can switch From a whisper to a snap, then I break it and twist While they chasing every trend, I’m creating the shift They be late to every wave that I’m making exist (theremin rises subtly under longer syllables) See the difference in the discipline, the weight of the lines Every syllable intentional, I’m placing the time They be racing for the moment, I been pacing the climb Now they staring at the summit like they taking what’s mine ⸻ (Bridge — drums drop out, clavinet filtered + expressive electro-theremin lead, slight distortion) Yeah… (theremin becomes more emotional, sustained notes) Funny how they talk like they built this When they never even dealt with the realness ⸻ (Final Hook — full groove, clavinet + warm synths + stronger theremin lead, ad-libs) Y’all just playing like it’s real — it’s pretend though (theremin more prominent, melodic counterline) Talking loud but the sound got an echo I been grounded in the work, never let go This the real — y’all just dressing in the dress code (ad-libs, wider stereo) Don’t confuse it, I ain’t new to what I said, no I been moving with a proof they can’t replicate though You can act, you can cap, you can echo But this real — y’all just playing like it’s pretend though