Born from the Concrete
Kendrick Lamar

Intro:
Yeah, uh
From the mud, from the dirt

Verse 1:
Grew up in a city where the sun don’t shine,
Gangs on the corner, it’s a bold sign,
Mama working late, just to keep us fed,
While I be dodging bullets, and the thoughts in my head.

Pops in the pen, never knew him at all,
Life’s a game of dice, and most of us fall,
Put the fear in my heart, got me counting the days,
Streets raised me wild, in a dangerous maze.

Chorus:
Born from the concrete, where the dreams lay dead,
Survival of the fittest, hear the screams in my head,
Growing up gangsta, in a world full of pain,
Tryna break the cycle, but it’s driving me insane.

Verse 2:
Hustlers on the block, tryna make that cash,
Grew up with the smoke, never knew it was trash,
Cousins in the clan, taught me how to survive,
But the things that I seen made it hard to feel alive.

Lost a couple homies, buried ‘em in the ground,
Each death a reminder of the life that I found,
Grabbed a pen and pad, started pouring my soul,
Telling tales of the city, where the young boys roll.

Chorus:
Born from the concrete, where the dreams lay dead,
Survival of the fittest, hear the screams in my head,
Growing up gangsta, in a world full of pain,
Tryna break the cycle, but it’s driving me insane.

Bridge:
No love in the hood, just a fight for respect,
Streets keep on watch, you can’t show no neglect,
Caught in the struggle, where the weak lay to rest,
Every day a battle, every night a test.

Verse 3:
But I’m rising up, can’t let the city consume,
Wrote my story down, let it bloom like a rose,
Chains that were shackled, now they fall to the floor,
I’ll be the voice for the ones that can’t roar.

Hope in my heart, I’ma rewrite the fate,
Turning pain into power, no time for hate,
From Compton, I rise, I’ll take on the world,
Change the narrative, as my legacy unfurled.

Chorus:
Born from the concrete, where the dreams lay dead,
Survival of the fittest, hear the screams in my head,
Growing up gangsta, in a world full of pain,
Tryna break the cycle, but it’s driving me insane.

Outro:
Yeah, this life ain’t easy,
But we gon’ make it out,
Born from the concrete, we’re destined to shout.