High Rises
CHIKA Lyrics

Little black girl from the South
The singer is a young black female who comes from the southern United States.

Little black girl run her mouth
She has a tendency to talk too much and get into trouble for it.

Little black girl don't know where to go
The singer is feeling lost and uncertain about her path in life.

'Cause she like to clown and the teachers stay kickin' her out
The artist's behavior disrupts her learning and she is frequently reprimanded by her teachers.

Insecure, but she won't say it out loud
Although the artist is insecure, she keeps her feelings to herself and doesn't share them openly.

All she wanna do is make her mama proud
The singer is motivated by a desire to bring pride and joy to her mother.

She wanna be like them other girls, they in another world
She is envious of other girls who seem to be more successful or satisfied with their lives.

She just can't figure them out
Despite her envy, she cannot understand how these other girls live their lives or achieve their goals.

Round face, thick thighs
The artist describes her physical features, specifically her round face and thick thighs.

Full waist, bright eyes, she
The artist continues describing her appearance, including her full waist and bright eyes.

Wonders if they'll judge her for her size, she
The singer worries that others will judge her based on her physical appearance and size.

Doesn't compromise, she's
Despite her insecurity, the artist stays true to herself and does not compromise her values or beliefs.

Seen this world before, this child is wise
The singer has experienced struggles and hardships in life, which have given her a sense of wisdom beyond her years.

Never busy
The singer is not currently occupied with any specific task or obligation.

But her mind is occupied, she used to dream of high rises
Although she may not be busy in the moment, the singer is preoccupied with thoughts of success and achieving high social status.

But life is full of surprises
The artist acknowledges that life can be unpredictable and full of surprises.

Talent comes in second place to perfect timing
The artist recognizes that having talent alone is not enough to succeed, as timing and opportunity are equally important.

Used to swear that I was ready, but back then I wasn't rhymin'
The singer used to believe she was ready for success but lacked the specific skills (in this case, the ability to rhyme) that would enable her to achieve it.

Funny, hunger came from stayin' in my dorm and eatin' Ramen
The singer notes the irony that her hunger for success was born out of a time when she had little money and was subsisting off of cheap instant noodles in her dorm room.

College had me stressin'
The artist experienced significant stress during her time in college.

So Father grant me blessings
The artist turns to a higher power, asking for blessings.

Path I'm on is lonely so
The artist feels alone on her journey to success.

Right now just help me feel yo' presence
The singer seeks a sense of connection with her higher power as a source of comfort and guidance.

Gimme royal bars with the humility of mortal peasants
The artist desires to achieve greatness (symbolized by the term 'royal bars') but does not want to lose touch with her humble roots.

Pray that every L just stand for lesson
The singer wishes to learn from every loss or failure (symbolized by the letter 'L') that she experiences.

Call me Lauryn as I stand on this hill
The singer invokes the name of Lauryn Hill, a musician and cultural icon who has achieved great success, as she envisions herself standing on a metaphorical hilltop of her own success.

I begin to survey the field
The singer looks out at the landscape of her life, taking stock of her accomplishments and planning her next moves.

I wondered, just how far I'd get without a deal, 'cause
The artist considers how successful she might be without the help of a record deal or other major support system.

Anything I say is real and any line I spit is facts
The artist believes in her own authenticity and the truth of everything she writes or says.

And any dream I have is valid, so I'm never goin' back, shit
The singer firmly believes in the validity of her own dreams and is determined to never give up or go back on them.

Listen to that voice inside
The singer encourages the listener to pay attention to their inner voice or intuition.

That is where the choice resides
The artist emphasizes that the power of choice lies within each individual's own mind and heart.

You write the future, you know where it lies
The artist believes that it is up to each individual to create their own future and determine where it lies.

I preceed judgment as anger's disguise
The artist does not want to be quick to judge others, recognizing that anger or disdain can sometimes motivate unkind or unfair words.

Taking a risk will always yield a prize
The singer encourages listeners to take risks in pursuit of their goals, as doing so will ultimately result in rewards.

People will tell us to follow our heart and
The artist acknowledges the common piece of advice to follow one's heart.

Then look at us crazy when we live our lives
However, she notes that others may still judge or disapprove of one's choices, even after encouraging them to follow their heart.

My mom, this one's for dad
The singer dedicates the following words to her parents.

All of the supporters that I ever had
She expresses gratitude to all those who have supported her throughout her journey.

This for the principal at my high school
The artist addresses a specific person, the principal at her high school.

Who said I would be nothin', well look where I'm at
The artist reflects on a negative comment made by the principal, which she has since proven to be untrue.

Won't stop till I ain't got to look at the tag
The singer is determined to achieve financial success to the point where she no longer has to worry about prices or affordability.

Till we go out to eat and I pick up the tab
The singer desires to achieve the financial means to treat her friends and loved ones to meals.

Took a leap on my dream now it's all I can see
The artist took a risk on her dreams and is now fully committed to their pursuit.

I'm enjoyin' the scene and I'm not lookin' back, shit
The artist is currently enjoying her success and is not interested in dwelling on the past or regretting her choices.

High rises
The title of the song and a symbolic representation of the artist's desire for success and social status.

Yeah, yeah
A repeated vocalization in the song used to emphasize the lyrics and build energy.

Yeah, yeah
A repeated vocalization in the song used to emphasize the lyrics and build energy.