Verse 1:

I was lost in the dark
till my other mind switched on the lighter
I've been though a lot, you can see it in my heart
and not one of you soldiers are ready for the fight
you don't know my struggle, don't know my story
don't know my past, you don't know me
none of you haters can judge all my actions
you cant survive on a little bit of pea

I'll make this beat bleed from my words
been through hell and back but I've learnt
aint tried selling crack but I've burned
made my own wave and you can't surf
I started taking charge of my future
coz all I wanna do is get it on track
I'm proud of myself that I moved out
now I got nobody to hold me back

never had nobody to hold my own
so many houses not one of them home
I smoke weed to deal with struggle
coz what I've been through not one of these know
so I hold it down for the peeps that had me
when I was lost and could barely survive
I never forget what you done in times of struggle
and for you I owe you my life

Hook:
I wasn't ready for the hard life
nobody said it would be easy and
I'm just trying to play my cards right
but now I've wound up with some thick skin

Verse 2:
Life is a blessing I'm learning in time
channel my struggle through stanzas and rhymes
mountain to climb but my heads still high
keep moving on through the slime and the grime
patterns designed, flows entwined
spitting divine send shivers down spines
time to shine, feel alive
self doubts deep rooted like oaks and pines

Rise in the morning
from dusk till dawn ink jet stays pouring
pick each other up whenever we falling
spreading our wings and now we're souring
flying high
rise to the challenge coz this is our time
we reside in concrete jungles
having a bubble and still stay humble

work with me purposely
conquer adversity, nurture diversity
streets turning burgundy
state of emergency, fuckery's a certainty
been on my hustle
staying on my grind and smile through my troubles
big up to my people living in the struggle
now plant your seeds and rise from the rubble

Hook:
I wasn't ready for the hard life
nobody said it would be easy and
I'm just trying to play my cards right
but now I've wound up with some thick skin

Verse 3:

It pisses me off when people assume
that all Asians are proper rich
my parents didn't come here with pots of gold
I didn't even have a pot for piss
Mum was in a chip shop chopping chips
I done business with a box of cigs
I'm secure now but I took a lot of risks
I used to be broke but I got it fixed

I've learnt from mistakes and I don't deny them
only got a hand full of people I rely on
relied on a few guys once
who exposed all of my stuff on a sly one
so I enlarged the castle, shrink the circle
they were all acting in a quick rehearsal
if I wash it out and link for Persil
you only know the score if you're thinking purple

You might not see everybody's true colours
I don't watch no one, just do what I do brother
so if I aint travelling with my true brother
I'm going everywhere with my other two brothers
and by Gods grace I'm a looker
I never had to pay for a hooker
Everythings in order
Mum didn't fancy a takeaway so Imran paid for a new cooker