Letter to My Younger Self (Prelude to Still Breaking Through)

I’m 42, class of ’02, speakin’ life through time Birmingham nights put fire in these bones of mine Every scar, every rail set the fuse alight L&N City shaped me before I owned the night Yo, lil’ me, this a letter from your older self Life gon’ try to shelf you, bury dreams on stealth But you a flame in the dark, a lion with no chain I spit lessons in bursts, carved deep from pain Every alleyway echo, every street cold stare Was a training ground, boy, life don’t fight fair Birmingham bricks in my DNA, I bleed grit Took every hit, turned scars to my outfit See the night shift ghosts whisper in my sleep But I woke with a roar, soul cuttin’ through deep 42 now, but the boy still sprints in me Every rhyme a blade, every cadence artillery Rail lines hummin’, I ran with the freight Dreams heavy on my back but I carry the weight I ain’t slowin’, ain’t bowin’, no retreat, no rest Every no, every doubt, put my will to the test I spit fire in the dark, words twist like steel You can feel my grind, you can hear my zeal Confidence thick, charisma in my veins I dance with the rain, unshackled from chains I’m 42, class of ’02, sendin’ truth through time Birmingham blood still runs with a force divine Rail-line soul, heart forged, now the flame burn bright L&N City shaped me before I owned the night I’m the grit, I’m the grind, I’m the ghost that survived Every punch, every loss, made the hunger alive Rapid-fire bars like a storm in the street Heart bounce to the beat, life bowin’ to my heat I was the boy with a spark, they called me a dream But a dream turned wolf, now I howl and I scream Tore through the walls, broke locks, broke chains I’m the voice of the city pourin’ out my veins My cadence cut quick, syllables slash like knives Resilience ain’t taught, man, it’s carved in lives Charisma sharp, confidence loud in my tone I spit my life story like I carved it in stone I sprint in rhythm, double-time the flow Every line a memory, every word gon’ glow From the rail yards hum to the stage-lit wild I evolved from the lost to the untamed child Now the city chantin’, I feel that fire rise Every setback gone, see the truth in my eyes I been forged in the dark, now I blaze on sight Fearless, breathless, I own this night I’m 42, class of ’02, and the past talk right Birmingham raised this will in the dead of night Every wound, every loss taught my soul to fight L&N City shaped me before I owned the night I’m the sum of my scars, the echo of my fight Rapid-fire rhymes cut the silence of night Confidence in my chest, triumph in my spit Every word a weapon, every pause legit I survived the alleys, the whispers, the fear Now the city call me king, let the vision appear Grind to glory, pain to poetry, rage to gold Lyrical lightning scorchin’ every story I told I’m a freight train soul, unstoppable fire Every verse a victory, every breath inspire From the boy on the block to the man on the stage I’m a book of resilience, flippin’ through rage Crowds chant my name, and my spirit ascends What they tried to break, now the world defends Birmingham heartbeat, pride in my chest I conquered my nights, my soul confessed I spit fast, I spit raw, I spit truth in flight Every word a storm, every syllable a fight I’m the living proof that the lost can ignite Undeniable, unbreakable—I own the night Lil’ me… hear me now… They doubted us. They tried to bury us. But every shadow we crawled through… Brought us here. To this fire. To this name. Feel the rails shake, the city lean in Every battle, every scar, we were born to win Breath held, heart pound, moment ready to ignite This is the rise, the storm, the last fight I’m 42, class of ’02, now the truth takes flight Birmingham nights built a king out the fear and spite Feet stomp, hearts jump, whole city in my sight L&N City shaped me before I owned the night Own the night Own the night Charisma in the wind, triumph in sight Fade to black, rails hum, eternal night