Get all 58 Substantial releases available on Bandcamp and save 25%.
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1. |
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(Substantial) VERSE 1
Nowadays only one thing on my mind
Juggling act of quality time and trying to provide
This ain’t easy money, it’s harder unless you die
But the plans to give the fam better living while I’m alive
But the life we want is hard to maintain w/ a nine to five
So I grind, hopin’ the fam support whatever I decide
My ride or die, 20 years and counting by my side
But love is blind, no wonder we don’t always see eye to eye
Locked in my studio giving her cold shoulders
But I can’t move without her, a car with no motor
The time I put in this, I could’ve been with my kids
Irony is, they’ll be living off this when they’re older
I’ve never heard a success story that’s guilt free
Fought hard to keep my soul and I’m still me
I’d do it all again, though that’s hard to comprehend
But is it all worth it in the end? Guess we’ll see!
(Stephanie Gayle) HOOK
The stars form a sea
As far as our eyes can see
Kissed by moonlight at midnight
While the children sleep
I can’t close my eyes,
‘Cause they’re fixed on the prize
Workin’ all night, ‘til I find
That castle in the sky
Oh oh ohhhh
(Substantial) I do my best work while they’re sleeping
Year round warrior, more than just a weekend
(Stephanie Gayle) Oh oh ohhhh
(Substantial) I do my best work while they’re resting
Blessin’ it forever, I’m forever gettin’ blessings
(Stephanie Gayle) Oh oh ohhhh
(Substantial) I do my best work while they’re sleeping
Year round warrior, more than just a weekend
(Stephanie Gayle) Oh ohhhh
(Substantial) I do my best work while they’re resting
Blessin’ it forever, I’m forever gettin’ blessings
(Substantial) VERSE 2
I just want to make our lives a little bit doper
Can't stop ‘cause our goals ain't ever been closer
I don't plan to fall ‘fore we reach curtain call
Want the honor and the spoils way before it's all over
Working like my family life is on the line nightly
So a vacation at this time is unlikely
Got a brother down, feeling like I'm ‘bout to drown
Trying to keep my mind sound as I let the rhythm guide me
Why I'm feeling like I'm failing, even when I achieve
Fatigued ‘cause I'm out here working like a machine
Both my daughters sad and my wife's a little mad
Even though I got the bag I'm too spent to spend some QT
I’ve never heard a success story that’s guilt free
But I refuse to let my love for music kill me
Time I'm on is bartered, So I gotta do it smarter
I don't want to die a martyr in the end. Guess we’ll see.
HOOK
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2. |
Exposition (Remix)
03:22
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3. |
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4. |
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VERSE 1
Started in Cheverly, the line was orange
On January 7th, a star was born
Stayed in Seat Pleasant ‘til mom and I moved on
To the next stop, come ride along
Left pops, moms tired of the fighting and tears
So in Landover’s where I spent my formative years
While living here I met my oldest of peers
Underprivileged yet I’m overcoming my fears
Like robberies and shootins, now we out in Suitland
Right behind my high school to focus on my schoolin’
No longer boostin, now I’m beat looping
Pre-To This Union, writing with my blue pen
Penning blue lines from Pentagon & Addison
Battle raps dumb funny like Billy Madison
Battlin, til my name spread like a pathogen
This is just the start I can feel it in my abdomen!
HOOK
All I see is lines, letters, colors
Zippin’ right by, with plenty numbers
Runnin’ thru my mind, what to make of it
It’ll make sense one day
All I see is lines, letters, colors
Zippin’ right by, with plenty numbers
limit’s the sky, ready, comin’
Take the Sub way
VERSE 2
Left Maryland, but still spittin these bars
Next stop Brooklyn, off of Clinton & Wash
New York, New York was the City of Gods
In Hip Hop, big stage. Hope they give me a part
Took the 4 Union Square, rap ciphers galore
Or the A to West 4th hoping I’m in the store
Fats Beats showed love, thought I made it for sure
Years later, All City on an NY tour… now...
HOOK
VERSE 3
Take the J to Koscuiszko to see old the crib
Or the 2 to Flatbush another place that I lived
Shot to JFK, first Tokyo trip
Bullet train’s like magic, blew my whole brain to bits
everything’s changin’ chances being taken
More time at Grand Central and Penn Station
OT. Brazen… confidence. Amazing…
Where my train of thought took me with a little training
HOOK
VERSE 4
Headed back to MD had a family to start
Now in Baltimore City couple minutes from the MARC
Spending time in DC teaching youth and rippin mics
Kill a show on U St. at Benning Road I save a life
Did the same off Southern Ave. teaching kids to rhyme & more
If I wasn’t with the youth, highly like I’m on tour
Then our brother Junior passed rocked our family to the core
Relocated to VA to hold the fam down for sure
Out in the burbs not too far Dunn Loren
Still nice with the verbs and far from done touring
Now we in Huntington and I’m maturing
Still in PG everyday ‘cause I'ma support’em
Where it all started, I’ll head home someday
Journey’s never easy but I’m making it... someway
Some tracks are curved and some straight
And not everybody will take the Sub way
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5. |
In My Daughters' Eyes
04:15
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STREAM/DOWNLOAD: http://smarturl.it/inmydaughterseyes
In My Daughters' Eyes, the latest single from Substantial's upcoming EP, Recompositions, is a soulful, heartfelt, self-produced ode to his children where he paints vivid portraits of their world with a chill, sparse delivery and honest lyrics. The melodic hook reminds his daughters, "Chin up, fix your crown. You got this!" The lo-fi production is lush, filled with guitar, piano, synths, soothing vocals samples of his frequent collaborator Stephanie Gayle (formerly known as Steph the Sapphic Songstress) and edgy drums.
IMDE Credits: Produced & Written by Substantial
STREAM/DOWNLOAD: http://smarturl.it/inmydaughterseyes
LYRICS
HOOK
Keep growing, baby, keep growing!
It’s your moment, baby, it’s your moment
This life’s a battleground.
Don’t let it get you down!
Chin up. Fix your crown.
VERSE 1
She see love, she see trust
When she... thinking about both she see us
She see anger, she see pain
She learning not everybody think the same
She see laughter, She see tears
Seen some run, while others confront their fears
She see failure, she see success
She see... getting either, that don’t mean that you’re done yetW
She see beauty can be fully clothed or undressed
She see people reach their goals while others are oppressed
She seen state test, she seen recess
Seen some joy while many others seem to be depressed, she just
Seen some games and some comics, she obsess about it
Seen some chapter books and art she get lost in for hours
Seen some progress, seen some others not address the problem
Hopefully she see herself as the right one to solve it
HOOK
Keep growing, baby, keep growing!
It’s your moment, baby, it’s your moment
This life’s a battleground.
Don’t let it get you down!
Chin up. Fix your crown.
Keep growing, baby, keep growing!
It’s your moment, baby, it’s your moment
This life’s a battleground.
Don’t let it get you down!
Chin up. Fix your crown.
You got this!
VERSE 2
She see love, she see trust
When she... thinking ‘bout both she see us
She see gadgets, She see addicts
She see the users tell her that she can’t have it
She see movement, She see music
She see... that there’s more than one way to use it
She seen bright days. She seen dark nights
She see that there’s more to reach if she can just walk right
She see that there’s more to teach if she can just talk right
She see problems only me and my wife can make alright
She see her big sister talking daily bout Fort Nite
Meanwhile both her parents complainin’ bout the alt right
She ain’t understanding everything that she sees
But one thing that’s apparent is this here life ain’t easy
Here for both daughters til they no longer need me to teach’em
When my time comes they gon’ still hear me repeating...
HOOK
BRIDGE
Keep growing, keep blooming, stop trying, start doing, you got this
Always improving but falling is human, don't stop it
Forward you're moving as long as you do it the smartest
Some want you in ruins cuz they never knew you a goddess
So whatever the challenge I know that you'll handle it, honest
And whenever you can't, I'll be there with a plan, that's a promise
Don’t be scared to take chances that’s for your advancement, you’ll profit
Be whatever you can whether surgeon, commander or artist
HOOK
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6. |
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7. |
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(Cuts)
Gotta earn your spot
Black man get on your job
Gotta earn your spot
Black man get on your job
(Verse)
Burning both ends of the candle has become a bad habit
Tunnel vision for the future and the plan to go and grab it
Ain't no punching in or clocking out, any pain you walk it out
Laughing at my doubts like what the hell you talkin' 'bout
I ain't come this far for me to be stoppin' now
Sacrifice too much for me to not be poppin' now
Built my future off my past, took a note from Dame Dash
I ain't working for my first name, I'm working for my last
It's 2AM right now, they upstairs, sound asleep
I'm in the basement four to five nights out the week
Cranking out the master plan, working through the vision
I'm the captain of the ship, I dip and swerve it with precision
Nonstop, 'til we reach the dock, pull it right up to the spot
On a hundred acre lot, turn the key into the lock
Only then can I relax, sit back and take stock
Thankful for it all, what we had and what we got
(Hook)
The stars form a sea
As far as our eyes can see
Kissed by moonlight at midnight
While the children sleep
I can't close my eyes
‘Cause they're fixed on the prize
Workin' all night, ‘til I find
That castle in the sky
Oh oh ohhhh! I do my best work while they're sleeping
Year round warrior, more than just a weekend
Oh oh ohhhh! I do my best work while they're resting
Blessin' it forever, I'm forever gettin' blessings
Oh oh ohhhh! I do my best work while they're sleeping
Year round warrior, more than just a weekend
Oh ohhhh! I do my best work while they're resting
Blessin' it forever, I'm forever gettin' blessings
(Verse)
Win by any means the recipe, rest up when I rest in peace
Stacking bars obsessively to fortify the treasury
I ain't father y'all and you didn't birth or marry me
Apparently, ain't got the time to care 'bout how you measure me
Busy raising Queens in a world full of jesters
To do amazing things with the tools they were blessed with
Without a man approval, whether Trump or Mansa Musa
When trying to make your dream come true, must protect it
Til then, I'll be slavin' so our home remain a haven
Built this business with their mama so it's theirs for the taking
If they want it, they can get it, different plan then I'm with it
I ain't just writing lyrics, every night I'm fighting limits
Trying to push'em up, timing might be bad but it's good for us
Food for thought and bellies after nights when I was cooking up
That ain't good enough, I'm just trying to give'em freer lives
Burnin' midnight oil while they sleep at night
(Hook)
The stars form a sea
As far as our eyes can see
Kissed by moonlight at midnight
While the children sleep
I can't close my eyes,
‘Cause they're fixed on the prize
Workin' all night, ‘til I find
That castle in the sky
Oh oh ohhhh! I do my best work while they're sleeping
Year round warrior, more than just a weekend
Oh oh ohhhh! I do my best work while they're resting
Blessin' it forever, I'm forever gettin' blessings
Oh oh ohhhh! I do my best work while they're sleeping
Year round warrior, more than just a weekend
Oh ohhhh! I do my best work while they're resting
Blessin' it forever, I'm forever gettin' blessings
(Cuts)
Gotta earn your spot
Black man get on your job
Gotta earn your spot
Black man get on your job
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Substantial Alexandria, Virginia
Virginia based International Hip Hop Recording Artist from Maryland.
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