“tell you the truth about progression— it ain’t about the cash and blessings, it’s about making mistakes and learning lessons. it’s about getting from where you’re from to getting to where you’re destined. follow your own direction. it’s about minimizing second-guessing. i got a while ‘till i kick my feet up. if it ain’t money involved, we probably won’t link up. i got goals now, and they don’t involve leisure. i’m tryna get deeper in my big bag. big stacks, big wins, big brags. make a sad b*tch BIG MAD, make a real b*tch say “BI*TCH YOU DID THAT!” ‘cause i do this. made em look up from your stereo asking you, “who dis?” if they don’t feel it, they foolish. if they don’t feel it, it’s not for their spirit, so i do my sh*t and keep moving. wrangler jeep, i’m cruising. tinted out the windows. now they peeking through them. that’s the cost of progression— everybody wanna witness it. we from the slums, we come from lack, guns, and ignorance. look at how we’re flipping it. change of the weather. found peace and found pleasure. i’m better and better. it’s coming together.” at the very core, i’m just a girl from the ghetto that decided to keep growing. i come from poverty and hand-me-downs. i witnessed gang violence from my bedroom window. i grew up back and forth between inglewood and the jungles of LA (where they shot “training day”). but even with the hand i was dealt, somehow i always knew that there was more waiting for me outside of the bubble i was in. my mom owned a business growing up, and although we struggled, she was and continues to be my inspiration to aspire for more. so i went to college, graduated, moved around, and kept pushing towards my dream of being an artist that the world would soon resonate with. as i continue to push towards that dream, i realize that what matters more than success is progress. the choice to continue. the falling and restabilizing. the climb. that’s where excellence really lives. that’s the part of the story that really matters. this is my first rap on the blockchain! my genesis rap record! so many more to come, but i believe this is a great introduction to my lyrical ability. produced by kaelin ellis with artwork by stonez the organic. i’m so grateful to have their hands on this piece. this NFT comes with framed lyrics, a handwritten + singed note from me, along with a personalized journal to ensure that you continue to track your life’s progression. i wish the winner of this NFT continued and uninterrupted progression. may you keep pushing forward even when you feel stagnant. love, iman europe