Gravel In My Throat

[Intro]
Cold floor
Metal door
Mama prayin' in the hall
(I ain't comin' back) (rrrah!)

[Verse 1]
Woke up to sirens, same song, same shift
Pop's ghost in the mirror sayin', "Die or get rich"
I was eatin' from a can on a milk crate throne
Whole block like a mouth tryin' to chew my bones

Young wolf in the stairwell, teeth on show
Had a razor in my sock, had a heart made of snow
OG said, "Lil man, you gon' crash that route"
But the hunger in my gut turned the warning to doubt (grrr)

Seen blood on the bus seat, crack in the lunch bag
Teacher tryna talk dreams, I'm countin' on a gun stash
First lick, first flip, first night with a roll
But every crumpled bill felt paid with my soul (uh)

[Chorus]
I got gravel in my throat when I speak on pain (rah!)
Every scar that I show like a dog off chain (rrrah!)
If I bark, better run, better move that lane (move!)
'Cause I came from the dark, I remember that rain

I got gravel in my throat when I scream my truth (what!)
Every tear that I swallowed turned my heart to proof (yeah)
If I bite, I don't let go, tear right through (grrr)
This the life that I chose, or it chose my youth

[Verse 2]
Lil bro on my coattail, eyes too wide
He just wanted my respect, not the weight I hide
Told him, "Stay up out the mix," but the mix like glue
He was stuck in the same storm, so what could he do?

One night, wrong block, wrong face, wrong time
Phone ring, voice crack, "They just crossed that line"
I pulled up, tape up, white sheet on the curb
Auntie screamin' at the sky till her lungs all burned (uh, uh)

I ain't cry at the wake, I was stone, I was brick
But my chest had a hole like a cigarette flick
Took his chain off his neck, put it under my shirt
Now the shine on my chest feel heavy like dirt (rrrah)

[Chorus]
I got gravel in my throat when I speak on pain (speak!)
Every scar that I show like a dog off chain (grrr)
If I bark, better run, better move that lane (move!)
'Cause I came from the dark, I remember that rain

I got gravel in my throat when I scream my truth (truth!)
Every tear that I swallowed turned my heart to proof (yeah)
If I bite, I don't let go, tear right through (rip!)
This the life that I chose, or it chose my youth

[Bridge]
Look in my eyes, you can see that cage (look!)
Bars in my brain, still feel that rage (rrrah)
Tryna pray, but my hands still smell like grief
So I talk to the sky with a mouth full of teeth (grrr, yeah)

[Chorus]
I got gravel in my throat when I speak on pain (pain!)
Every scar that I show like a dog off chain (chain!)
If I bark, better run, better move that lane (move!)
'Cause I came from the dark, I remember that rain

I got gravel in my throat when I scream my truth (truth!)
Every tear that I swallowed turned my heart to proof (proof!)
If I bite, I don't let go, tear right through (rrrah!)
This the life that I chose, or it chose my youth (grrr)