[Intro] Block hot in the summer (uh) Scuffed Chucks on the curb, lil’ brother Brown bag breakfast, quarter juice, butter We was kids tryna stretch one dollar [Verse 1] Woke up to the wheels on the 6 train screechin’ Moms at the sink, Spanish soap, pot steamin’ EBT card, corner store, heart beatin’ Prayin’ that the line don’t see what we eatin’ Chico at the deli, “Mami, you good?” Forty on the tab, he fronted us food I’m countin’ out change for a loosie and chips While shorties by the freezer playin’ numbers with slips Project hallway smellin’ like grease and Pine-Sol Graffiti on the bannister, cousins on call I’m writin’ in my notebook, bars on the wall Tryna make it out the building, bring the whole block along (yeah) [Chorus] From the bodega to the train station Uptown dreams, Castle Hill bass in my chest, no vacation Grew up on the corner, turned pain into elevation Bronx in my blood, every step, every generation From the bodega to the train station Uptown dreams, Castle Hill bass in my chest, no vacation Grew up on the corner, turned pain into elevation Bronx in my blood, every breath, that’s my foundation (yeah) [Verse 2] Double-dutch rope slap, girls on the block Doobie tied tight, gold hoops, tube socks OGs on the benches, card game, side bets Sayin’ “Lil’ ma, spit somethin’,” hands on my chest I drop sixteen ‘bout the rent bein’ late Heat shut off, we was cookin’ on plates They laugh like “Shorty, you gon’ be great” That’s when I knew I could flip this fate MetroCard swipes, hit the platform runnin’ Train doors close, whole car still hummin’ I’m starin’ out the window at the tags on the wall Thinkin’ “One day, my name gon’ stand that tall” (woo) [Chorus] From the bodega to the train station Uptown dreams, Castle Hill bass in my chest, no vacation Grew up on the corner, turned pain into elevation Bronx in my blood, every step, every generation From the bodega to the train station Uptown dreams, Castle Hill bass in my chest, no vacation Grew up on the corner, turned pain into elevation Bronx in my blood, every breath, that’s my foundation (yeah, yeah) [Bridge] Block party lights on a busted wire DJ in the park make the crowd go higher Little Black girl with a handheld mic Turned “one day” to “this my life” (this my life) Neighbors on the fire escape chant my name Whole hood sing along like they feel my pain If you ever came up where the struggle was real You already know how the Bronx kids feel [Chorus] From the bodega to the train station Uptown dreams, Castle Hill bass in my chest, no vacation Grew up on the corner, turned pain into elevation Bronx in my blood, every step, every generation From the bodega to the train station Uptown dreams, Castle Hill bass in my chest, no vacation Grew up on the corner, turned pain into elevation Bronx in my blood, say it loud—my foundation (yeah)
