Brief
I sold my sneakers to pay a bill and told everyone I was over that phase.
★ During judging, the MY Music Gacha lyrics in this pair were presented as “B” (second) — “B” in the verdicts below refers to MY Music Gacha
MY Music Gacha
[Intro] [Spoken Word] First of the month and the notice lay flat Coffee went cold while I did the hard math No big speech when the numbers don't bend Just me and a box and a bill at the end [Verse] [Rap] [Gritty] Wiped down the midsoles and dusted the seams Fresh paper folded like packing a dream Every crease held a corner every scuff held a scene But the bill on the table didn't care what they mean I knew every colorway release date and pair Which shop had the raffle who camped on the stairs Used to walk in the room and put pride in the air Now I'm checking resale like the rent's standing there Took pictures in daylight then named my price Buyer came low so we haggled it twice My hands said no but my mouth said alright Taped up the box by the kitchen light I boxed up my youth and bought one more month That's the cleanest way I can tell you what went From a shelf full of stories to cash up front Had to feed real life so the fresh got cut [Chorus] [Chanted] I'm over that phase that's what I tell 'em No more fresh pairs no need to collect 'em Laces and labels don't run my life Sole sacrifice had to get things right I'm over that phase yeah leave it alone Say it like I mean it then carry it home [Interlude] [Verse] [Rap] [Gritty] Plain black shoes and a walk down the block No rare air just a pair from the shop They fit just fine and they do what they should Still I step like I'm hiding the hurt in the hood Then a kid passed by in a pair I once chased Same sharp shape same impossible shade I gave him the nod kept a calm straight face Like I never knew the launch or the line or the place He said nice kicks and I laughed at the phrase Mine looked built for the bus and the rain Said I grew out of all that expensive display While my eyes took inventory half a street away Pride plays defense when the truth gets close So I joked on the price and I praised my old soles But the walk felt longer though the road stayed short Funny how losing your footing can look like support [Chorus] [Chanted] [Deep] I'm over that phase that's what I tell 'em No more fresh pairs no need to collect 'em Laces and labels don't run my life Sole sacrifice had to get things right I'm over that phase don't ask what they cost Say it with a grin so it don't sound like loss [Bridge] [Spoken Word] [Minimal] Truth is those shoes knew the kid I had been The stoop and the schoolyard the crews I'd fit in They weren't just leather with thread through the tongue They were proof on my feet that I came from somewhere I didn't quit caring I answered a need Growing up took the box and left me the receipt [Chorus] [Chanted] [Deep] I'm over that phase that's what I tell me No more fresh pairs no reason to envy Laces and labels don't run my life Sole sacrifice had to get things right I'm over that phase I can live with the trade Keep saying it slow till I stand by the claim [Outro] [Low Energy] [Fade Out] Bills get paid and the shine wears thin You learn what to lose and what living can win These plain shoes carry me where I need to go Still I miss that box more than anyone knows
The other side
(Beat: Smooth, soulful boom-bap, maybe a melancholic piano loop with a heavy bassline) (Intro) Yeah. They asked me where the collection went. Told ‘em I was just growing up. Sometimes the hardest flex is just keeping the lights on. Look… (Verse 1) Stacked boxes in the corner, reaching up to the ceiling Every pair got a story, yeah, you know the feeling Deadstock 4s, Chicago 1s, keeping ‘em pristine But then the mail came through and interrupted the dream Red letters on the envelope, final notice in bold Looking at my bank account, man, the balance is cold Can’t pay the electric with a retro release Gotta make a sacrifice just to buy a little peace Staring at the closet with a knot in my gut Wondering how I’m gonna eat if the water gets cut So I grab the holy grails, give the suede a little brush Gotta liquidate the heat, and I gotta do it quick. (Chorus) So I bagged up the kicks, took ‘em down to the shop Homies asking why I’m letting all the inventory drop I just shrug and tell ‘em, "Man, I’m over that phase. I'm on a different type of time, in a minimalist space." Yeah, I play it off cool, keep a smile on my face Say I outgrew the hype and I’m changing my ways But the truth is a pill that’s too heavy to swallow: I sold my favorite shoes ‘cause the bank account’s hollow. (Verse 2) Group chat going crazy: "Bro, you selling the Dunks?!" I type back, "Yeah, they just taking up room in the trunk. I'm investing my money now, putting cash into stocks." (Whole time I’m just praying I don't change out the locks). Pride is a heavy coat, wear it in the summer heat Looking at the regular beaters I put on my feet Wrapped the Yeezys in the bubble wrap, printed out the label Just to put some real food on the family table It’s the art of the front, it’s the mask of the proud When you drowning in private but you flexing out loud I tell ‘em "Sneakerhead culture is getting too toxic" When really I just needed cash in my pockets. (Bridge) They see the calm on my face, they don’t see the defeat When you choose between styling and having something to eat Yeah, the soles might be gone, but my soul is intact Sometimes you gotta lose a step just to get on the track It’s the price of the hustle, the toll of the grind Left the icy outsoles and the laces behind. (Chorus) So I bagged up the kicks, took ‘em down to the shop Homies asking why I’m letting all the inventory drop I just shrug and tell ‘em, "Man, I’m over that phase. I'm on a different type of time, in a minimalist space." Yeah, I play it off cool, keep a smile on my face Say I outgrew the hype and I’m changing my ways But the truth is a pill that’s too heavy to swallow: I sold my favorite shoes ‘cause the bank account’s hollow. (Outro) Yeah, I’m over it, bro. It’s just leather and rubber anyway, right? (Sound of a light switch clicking on) Lights are on though. Rent is paid. Still walking tall in these beat-up Vans. We good. Yeah. Over that phase.
Judges said
Judge A — “The imagery and emotion in B felt fresher and more intimate, drawing me into the story on a personal level.”
Judge B — “B's quieter, specific pictures (packing a dream, the kid in the old pair, boxing up youth for a receipt) made the lie and the leftover ache feel lived-in instead of just explained.”