(V)iris (Walk With Me)

[INTRO — CHAIN GANG SAMPLE] I want Jesus to walk with me. I want Jesus to walk with me, yeah. [BACKGROUND LOOP BEGINS — CONTINUES UNDER THE TRACK] Walk with me, Lord. Walk with me. [VERSE 1] They ain’t seen what I seen, nah. Eyes burnin’, but I know what I know. Smokin’ heavy, floatin’ solo in da thick-ass air. You may want me, baby, need me maybe, but truly shady, I don’t care. Memories in the haze of every blaze, bringin’ back the gaze of hidden faces from my darkest days. Smoke like sleep, floatin’ at the ghosts, caught up wit da days that shape you most. ‘Cause the smoke keeps drawin’ pretty pictures of my past mistakes. Silent treatment, hear the names that I don’t dare to speak out loud. Heavy with the weight of secrets. Mama never felt so proud. Vision gettin’ cloudy, but the purpose gettin’ crystal clear: When the iris meets the virus, that’s when truth appears. [CHORUS] When this iris becomes the virus, yeah, see the reflection of my sins, my sins. Eyes wincin’ from the bright lights, all the darkness that’s within, within. Iris to the virus, virus, that’s the life that I been livin’, livin’. Caught between the lies and truth, all the pain that I been givin’, givin’. Iris to the virus, virus, that’s the life that I been livin’, livin’. Caught between the lies and truth, all the pain that I been givin’, givin’. [VERSE 2 — BEAT SWITCH: MORE AGGRESSIVE, PERCUSSIVE EMPHASIS, CHOPPY HI-HATS, GRITTIER VOCAL TONE, DOUBLED BARS] Nobody chases the broken souls. We learned to love the scars. Love’s a blind fool in the streets, crashin’ stolen cars. Slippin’ on these wet rocks, tryin’ not to fall. Dis shit will drown you deep. That’s when you lose it all. No cap, I been through the trenches, kept my vision blurred. Speakin’ truth through all the smoke, every single word. They can’t handle what I’m seein’ through this iris lens. When the virus hits your system, that’s where it fuckin’ ends. [CHORUS] When this iris becomes the virus, what! See the reflection of my sins, sins! Eyes wincin’ from the bright lights, all the darkness that’s within, yeah! Iris to the virus, virus! That’s the life that I been livin’, go! Caught between the lies and truth, all the pain that I been given, pain! Iris to the virus, virus! That’s the life that I been livin’, go! Caught between the lies and truth, all the pain that I been given, pain! [BRIDGE — STRIPPED DOWN: 808s, LOW STRINGS, MINIMAL PIANO, REVERBED VOCAL] Again, we meet at the crossroads where hope meets despair. But I keep pushin’ through the vision, like it wasn’t just, just the smoke, smoke in the air… air. [GOSPEL CHOIR WITH SOLOIST — BEAT FADES SLOWLY, ATMOSPHERIC TEXTURES RISE] The virus… of what has always been… What has always been… What has always been… The virus… of what has always been… What has always been… What has always been… The virus… The virus… of what has always been… What has always been… What has always been… The virus… of what has always been… What has always been… What has always been… The virus… [KICK BEGINS] Of what has always been… What has always been… What has always been… The virus… [FINAL CHORUS] When this iris becomes the virus, yeah! See the reflection of my sins, my sins! Eyes wincin’ from the bright lights, all the darkness that’s within, within! Iris to the virus, to the virus! That’s the life that I been livin’, how I’m livin’! Caught between the lies and truth, all the pain that I been givin’, all the pain! Caught between the lies and truth, all the pain that I been given, pain! [BACKGROUND LOOP CONTINUES] Walk with me, Lord. Walk with me.