Crown of Thorns

[Intro - Spoken]
Crown of thorns, or, sunrays

[Verse 1]
Mosh pit rowdy, party people shouting
Crazy in the crowd but the silence is the loudest
When Babs cuts the beat my ears still ringing
The emptiness is deafening, the houselights beaming
And the fans start leaving and the man starts sweeping
It all seems surreal like I can't stop dreaming
Bartenders and the sound-man cleaning
But minutes ago people were dancing on the ceiling
Fiending for that buzz till the dawn breaks night
I crash barely with the high but I still take flight
Fighting isolation but I won't chase the fame
But moths can't help it, born to chase the flame
Twists up and sips up and to erase the same
Darkness served with the bitter taste of pain
Raised in Hollywood but real life is more than stranger
It's the sun shining from my California manger

[Hook: Aloe Blacc]
I never thought that life was gonna be this way
But every battle I fight makes me stronger every day
And Lord knows I've been through some low valleys
Even though my clothes are torn, my pride is strong
I'm still king in my crown of thorns

[Verse 2]
I cipher to the team, mix-tape to a family
I battle the hustler's hand with my life dabbling
Redirection is the key to fifty-two choose one
Baby born with black magic, maybe time to use some
Now I'm the only thing stopping me
Elders told me "walk free" when they gave me prophecy
But that option was not to be
Though I did know it can be difficult to talk to me
Yeah we could have done more probably
But we did what we did do properly
Now I'm older than I thought I'd be
I'm holding less property and money flowing awkwardly
But blessed with a spiritual empire
Inspired to purify em, I just fan the flames and fuel the fire
Tick-tock, no time to live life scared
Spread my arms like Christian Hosoi, Christ yeah

[Hook: Aloe Blacc]
I never thought that life was gonna be this way
But every battle I fight makes me stronger every day
And Lord knows I've been through some low valleys
Even though my clothes are torn, my pride is strong
I'm still king in my crown of thorns

[Verse 3]
In the room full of mirrors I sit and reflect
So I can correct any defects
Ev told me I could be more emo
Then I just laughed and said fuck that, we need more Primo
He nodded in agreement, ashes on the cement
Feet to the pavement walking on the deep end
Messiah footprints all over the industry
Hennessy numb, no love for the enemy, rappers are puppets
Look close, you'll see the cables
Look up, you'll see the hand
Look back, you'll see the labels
De facto lawyer learn to read the fine print
Learned the Latin and Shakespearian that contracts in
Expansion team still scoring at will
Angel's the old crisco but then tour in Brazil
Even so low the family that I brought is real
Fuck the rumors, Dilated got it on lock still

[Hook: Aloe Blacc]
I never thought that life was gonna be this way
But every battle I fight makes me stronger every day
And Lord knows I've been through some low valleys
Even though my clothes are torn, my pride is strong
I'm still king in my crown of thorns