**[INTRO]** *(Vinyl crackle — scratched vocal)* “Rise above the chaos…” “Look higher…” *(Heavy boom-bap drums drop)* **[CHORUS]** We rise beyond the smoke, where the truth get told They can build a cage outta concrete and gold I done seen light shine where the cold wind blow Head high, eyes open — **beyond the smoke** We rise beyond the smoke, where the fake can’t go Pain turned pressure, now the spirit got soul Every loss taught lessons that the heart can hold Now I’m looking past the clouds — **beyond the smoke** **[VERSE 1]** I was chasing every road that I thought led to the treasure, God was changing my direction, I was calling it bad weather. Had my hand upon the wheel, thought I knew where I was headed, Then He closed a couple doors that I swore I needed open. I was looking for the answers in the noise of everybody, While the quiet voice inside kept telling me, “Walk beside Me.” I learned purpose ain't a trophy, ain't a number, ain't applause, Sometimes losing what you wanted puts you closer to the cause. I seen darkness try to convince me that my past was my identity, God saw something underneath the parts that tried defeating me. Every setback left a lesson, every failure left a clue, I thought I was finding God — **turns out He was finding me too.** So I don't fear the smoke, I know the Light is still above it, When the road gets complicated, I remember who I trust in. They can question every move, they can question every road, But I ain't walking by myself — **God carries what I hold.** **[CHORUS]** We rise beyond the smoke, where the truth get told They can build a cage outta concrete and gold I done seen light shine where the cold wind blow Head high, eyes open — **beyond the smoke** We rise beyond the smoke, where the fake can’t go Pain turned pressure, now the spirit got soul Every loss taught lessons that the heart can hold Now I’m looking past the clouds — **beyond the smoke** **[VERSE 2]** God don't need an algorithm just to calculate my worth, He knew me before the applause, before I stepped upon this earth. So let the numbers fluctuate, let the followers divide, I got something way more solid than a trend that peaks online. I was trying to write the blueprint, He was writing through the pressure, I called certain chapters losses — He was building me a message. Every detour had a reason, every pause had something hidden, Sometimes God makes you wait because the thing ain't what you pictured. I wanted instant answers, He was teaching me endurance, Wanted Him to change the world, He started changing me first. That's a different kind of miracle, different kind of elevation, When you stop demanding signs and start recognizing transformation. Now I put the faith inside the rhythm, truth inside the drums, Every time I beat the darkness, I remember where I'm from. I don't claim to have it mastered, I'm still learning as I grow, But when life turns into smoke — **God still knows where I go.** **[CHORUS]** We rise beyond the smoke, where the truth get told They can build a cage outta concrete and gold I done seen light shine where the cold wind blow Head high, eyes open — **beyond the smoke** We rise beyond the smoke, where the fake can’t go Pain turned pressure, now the spirit got soul Every loss taught lessons that the heart can hold Now I’m looking past the clouds — **beyond the smoke** **[VERSE 3]** I don't need to see the whole staircase, just the next step, Faith taught me how to breathe when the road got complex. I had plans for my life, God had plans beyond mine, Funny how the pieces fit when you stop forcing the design. I thought I needed more money, more recognition, more respect, God was showing me the value of the things I had neglected. Peace over possessions, purpose over popularity, Soul over statistics — that's a different kind of currency. Now every beat becomes a testimony without preaching, Every bar another hand reaching somebody who's still seeking. If you hear yourself inside it, then the message did its job, I'm not here to act perfect — I'm just pointing toward God. See, the smoke might get heavy, but the Light don't disappear, And the valley might get lonely, but the Shepherd's still near. So whatever road I'm walking, whatever chapter unfolds, I keep my eyes above the smoke — **God already knows.** **[OUTRO]** *(Beat fades — piano remains)* “Rise above the chaos…” “Look higher…” *(Scratch)* “Beyond the smoke…” **SILL-E.**
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