You look at me now, and you see the calm.

Growing up where the streets didn\'t have pity.

It was cold, man. The concrete doesn\'t care if you\'re tired.

It doesn\'t care if you\'re just a child.

When my back was against the wall,

when I was completely out of breath,

I looked around. Nothing.

Not a single hand reaching out to pull me up.

Not one voice saying,

\"I got you.\" I had to learn the hard way,

if you fall, you

are the only one who can pick yourself up.

So I held on to this life.

I gripped it so tight my knuckles went white.

I fought through the dirt, the silence,

the lonely nights.

All I ever wanted was to stand on my own two feet,

just to stand without leaning on anybody else.

I don\'t need the fake crowd.

I don\'t need the noise, the masks, or the show.

I keep it raw. I keep it real. I keep it Sade.

I keep it Sade. I still remember the kid

I used to

Growing up where the streets didn\'t have pity.

It was cold, man. The concrete doesn\'t care

if you\'re tired. It doesn\'t care if you\'re just a child.

When my back was against the wall,

when I was completely out of breath,

I looked around. Nothing.