The way that was mixed, the fucking hiss—that song feels like when depression hugs you.
Three of the seven lines are interviews, and they range widely: working "radical from within the system", a description of how a song's hiss mirrors depression, and rap as black expression. The four lyrics are Huey, Mantra, Off Top and Fire in the Hole, each from a different song, and they cover grief for a grandmother, fame changing the people around you, and growth that only moves forward. Pain, fame and craft tie at 2 lines each.
You know you famous when the niggas that's around you switch
It's no rewinding, for the umpteenth time, it's only forward
I spent the day drinkin' and missin' my grandmother, just
I mean, well, then you got to look at really, like, what is rap - black expression, bro. And what was jazz? It's black expression, bro.
Raised up where every mouth that speak the truth get taped shut
Figuring out how you can be radical from within the system breaks your head