[Verse 1: Detroit street-rap male MC, quick and punchy on the knock] Land bank auction, folding table, one bid Paid a dollar for a house with a tree where the kitchen is No roof, no pipes, no copper, scrappers took the wire Back wall black from the night somebody set a little fire Raccoon in the attic and he looked at me like rent Said I'm here now, buddy, and the buddy never went Hang drywall all day in other people's homes Hang it at night in mine with a headlamp and a phone Cousin said you crazy, you just paid to own a hole I said a hole's a basement if you dig it with a goal [Hook: Detroit street-rap male MC, every word hitting the snare] I bought it for a dollar, y'all ain't buy it Laughed at the shell, now the block's real quiet Every nail I hit was a word I didn't say I bought it for a dollar and I'm building it to stay [Verse 2: Detroit street-rap male MC, faster, sawdust in the flow] First winter it was me and a kerosene heater Wearing two hoodies like a deep-sea diver, breathing Pulled a tub out a dumpster on the east side Hauled it up the stairs by myself, nearly died Sister brought soup, didn't say it was a dump Saw the look on her face when the toilet made a thump Every weekend at the hardware store off Gratiot Buying screws by the pound and a two-by-four lot Neighbors on the corner taking bets like it's a fight Two to one he quits by the spring, I hit the light [Hook: Detroit street-rap male MC, every word hitting the snare] I bought it for a dollar, y'all ain't buy it Laughed at the shell, now the block's real quiet Every nail I hit was a word I didn't say I bought it for a dollar and I'm building it to stay [Bridge: Detroit street-rap male MC, half-time feel on the vocal only, the band holds steady] Shingles, check Furnace, check Windows that don't whistle when the wind comes, check Front light on and the light stays on First night warm since the old house was gone [Verse 3: Detroit street-rap male MC, riff answer, the guitar talking back after every line] Letter from the city on the brand new mat Same city sold it to me for a dollar flat Assessor came by with a clipboard and a frown Walked around twice, put a number down Two hundred grand is what they say it's worth Same dirt, same street, same patch of earth Cousin called me crazy, now he wants the spare room Raccoon moved next door and he's renting from the moon Paid the tax smiling, wrote the check real slow Dollar to two hundred, now everybody know [Hook: Detroit street-rap male MC, every word hitting the snare] I bought it for a dollar, y'all ain't buy it Laughed at the shell, now the block's real quiet Every nail I hit was a word I didn't say I bought it for a dollar and I'm building it to stay [Outro: Detroit street-rap male MC] Now y'all buy it [End]
