[Verse 1] I came up on bricks and rhymes, Tape hiss in the corners of my mind, Back when the lines had weight, Every word had a shape. You needed breath and nerve, Not just flash, not just wordplay served, We cut through the room, calm, Steel in the palm, still raw. Boombox hum in the van, Kicks in the chest, make a stand, Every verse had scars, Every bar knew where you are. [Pre-Chorus] Slow it down, let it ride, Real ones know what survives, If it don’t hit the bone, It can’t call itself gold. [Chorus] Old school, hold the line New school, change the climb Old school, built to last New school, moving fast Old school, hold the line New school, change the climb Same game, different shine I keep mine in time (in time) [Verse 2] Now it’s quick cuts, tight clips, Short hooks, bright tricks, Phones light up, scroll smoke, One blink, whole soul goes. Some got the hunger, some got the pose, Some got a wave, some got the rope, I don’t hate the new, I just know what the roots do. A smooth talk, a sharp grin, Still need truth in the skin, If the crown sits right, It still gotta earn that light. [Pre-Chorus] Let it breathe, let it swing, Not every move gotta sting, If the cut runs deep, Then the whole thing sleeps. [Chorus] Old school, hold the line New school, change the climb Old school, built to last New school, moving fast Old school, hold the line New school, change the climb Same game, different shine I keep mine in time (in time) [Bridge] I seen the old heads nod, I seen the young ones draw, One ear on the past, One hand on the glass. You can dress it all up, Still need soul in the cup, Different drums, same grind, Different tongue, same spine. [Chorus] Old school, hold the line New school, change the climb Old school, built to last New school, moving fast Old school, hold the line New school, change the climb Same game, different shine I keep mine in time (in time)
