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Respect Ain’t Free by Slow Burn Society

Respect Ain’t Free

Verse 1
Came up hungry on a cracked-up street (yeah)
Every promise here was counterfeit
No handouts, just calloused palms
Late nights grinding while the world stayed calm
Talk cheap, but my silence loud
Built my name where the air was foul

Pre-Chorus
They want the crown but not the bleed (nah)
They want the fruit, don’t plant the seed

Chorus
Respect ain’t free, it’s paid in pain (paid in pain)
Every ounce earned the hard way
Sweat on the concrete, scars on me
No shortcuts where I come from, see
You want my seat? You better bleed
Respect ain’t free, nah, respect ain’t free

Verse 2
Smiles fake when the lights go on
Same ones gone when the hope feels gone
I kept walking when the doors stayed shut
Learned real quick who I could trust
Every loss wrote a line in my face
Every win came late, but it stayed

Pre-Chorus
They see the shine, don’t see the nights (uh-uh)
They want the glory, skip the fight

Bridge
I paid my dues in sleepless hours
Built this strength when I had no power
Still ten toes when the tide turned mean
Earned my stripes in the in-between

Outro
I don’t beg, I don’t plead
I stand tall on what I bleed
Say my name, remember me—
Respect ain’t free (yeah)