i | Kendrick Lamar Lyrics, Song Meanings, Videos, Full Albums & Bios

i
by Kendrick Lamar

I done been through a whole lot
Trial, tribulation, but I know God
The Devil wanna put me in a bow tie
Pray that the holy water don't go dry
As I look around me
So many motherfuckers wanna down me
But an enemigo never drown me
In front of a dirty double-mirror they found me

(I love myself)
When you lookin' at me, ahh, tell me what do you see?
(I love myself)
I put a bullet in the back of the back of the head of the bully
(I love myself)
Illuminated by the hand of God, boy don't seem shy
(I love myself)
One day at a time, uhh

And when they say it's a war outside, bomb in the street
Gun in the hood, mob of police
Rock on the corner with a line full of fiend
And a bottle full of lean and a model on a scheme uhh
These days of frustration keep y'all on tuck and rotation (Come to the front, yeah)
I duck these cold faces, post up fi-fie-fo-fum basis
Dreams of reality's peace
Blow steam in the face of the beast
Sky could fall down, wind could cry now
Look at me motherfucker, I smile

(I love myself)
When you lookin' at me, ahh, tell me what do you see?
(I love myself)
I put a bullet in the back of the back of the head of the bully
(I love myself)
Illuminated
(I love myself)

Lift up your head and keep moving (Keep moving)
Peace to fashion police, I wear my heart
On my sleeve, let the runway start
You know the miserable do love company
What do you want from me and my scars?
Everybody lack confidence, everybody lack confidence
How many times my potential was anonymous?
How many times the city making me promises?
So I promise this, nigga

(I love myself)
When you lookin' at me, ahh, tell me what do you see?
(I love myself)
I put a bullet in the back of the back of the head of the bully
(I love myself)
Illuminated by the hand of God, boy don't seem shy
(I love myself)

Walk my bare feet (Walk my bare feet)
Down, down valley deep (Down, down valley deep)
Fi-fie-fo-fum (Fi-fie-fo-fum)
My heart undone

I went to war last night
With an automatic weapon, don't nobody call a medic
I'mma do it 'til I get it right
I went to war last night
I've been dealing with depression ever since an adolescent
Duckin' every other blessin' I can never see the message
I could never take the lead, I could never bob and weave
From a negative and letting them annihilate me
And it's evident I'm moving at a meteor speed
Finna run into a building, lay my body

Not on my time, not while I'm up here
Not on my time, kill the music
Not on my time
We could save that shit for the streets
We could save that shit, this for the kids bro
2015, niggas tired of playin' victim dawg
Niggas ain't trying to play vic, Tutu how many niggas we done lost?
Yeah, yeah, how many we done lost?
No forreal, answer the question, how many niggas we done lost bro?
This, this year alone
Exactly. So we ain't got time to waste time my nigga
Niggas gotta make time bro
The judge make time, you know that, the judge make time right?
The judge make time so it ain’t shit
It shouldn't be shit for us to come out here
And appreciate the little bit of life we got left dog
On the dead homies Charlie P. you know that bro
You know that
It’s mando
And I say this because I love you niggas man
I love all my niggas bro
Exac, enough said, enough said
We gon' get back to the show and move on, 'cause that shit petty my nigga
Mic check, mic check, mic check, mic check, mic check
We gon' do some acapella shit before we get back to
All my niggas listen, listen to this

I promised Dave I'd never use the phrase "fuck nigga"
He said "think about what you saying, fuck niggas"
No better than Samuel on D'Jango
No better than a white man with slave boats
Sound like I needed some soul searching
My pops gave me some game in real person
Retrace my steps on what they never taught me
Did my home work fast before governement caught me
So I'mma dedicate this one verse to Oprah
On how the infamous, sensitive N-word control us
So many artist gave her an explanation to hold us
Well this is my explanation straight from Ethiopia
N-E-G-U-S definition: royality King royalty, wait listen
N-E-G-U-S description: Black emperor, King, ruler, now let me finish
The history books overlooked the word and hide it
America tried to make it to a house divided
The homies don't recognize we be using it wrong
So I'mma break it down and put my game in the song
N-E-G-U-S, say it with me
Or say no more. Black stars can come and get me
Take it from Oprah Winfrey
Tell her she right on time
Kendrick Lamar, by far, realest Negus alive

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: O'KELLY ISLEY, CHRISTOPHER JASPER, ERNIE ISLEY, RUDOLPH ISLEY, RONALD ISLEY, MARVIN ISLEY, KENDRICK LAMAR, COLUMBUS SMITH III

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Kendrick Lamar (born Kendrick Lamar Duckworth June 17, 1987) is a rapper from Compton, California. He is also a member of the hip-hop supergroup Black Hippy collective along with members Jay Rock, Ab-Soul and Schoolboy Q. His music is largely influenced by the works of 2Pac, Jay-Z, Nas, DMX, The Notorious B.I.G., Mos Def, Eazy-E and Eminem.

He began to gain major recognition in 2010 after his first retail release, Overly Dedicated. The following year, Lamar independently released his first studio album Section. Read Full BioKendrick Lamar (born Kendrick Lamar Duckworth June 17, 1987) is a rapper from Compton, California. He is also a member of the hip-hop supergroup Black Hippy collective along with members Jay Rock, Ab-Soul and Schoolboy Q. His music is largely influenced by the works of 2Pac, Jay-Z, Nas, DMX, The Notorious B.I.G., Mos Def, Eazy-E and Eminem.

He began to gain major recognition in 2010 after his first retail release, Overly Dedicated. The following year, Lamar independently released his first studio album Section.80, which included his debut single, "HiiiPoWeR". By that time, he had amassed a large Internet following and collaborated with several artists in the hip hop industry, including The Game, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Lil Wayne and Drake.

Lamar secured a major-label record deal with Aftermath and Interscope Records, in 2012. His major-label debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city, was released in October 2012 to critical success. The record contained the top 40 singles "Swimming Pools (Drank)", "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe", and "Poetic Justice". It debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Lamar won his first Grammy Award for "i", lead single from his critical acclaimed third album To Pimp a Butterfly (2015). The album drew on free jazz, funk, soul, and spoken word, debuted atop the charts in the U.S. and the UK, and won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album at the 58th ceremony. In 2016, Lamar released untitled unmastered., a collection of unreleased demos that originated during the recording sessions for Butterfly.

Lamar has received a number of accolades over the course of his career, including seven Grammy Awards. In early 2013, MTV named Lamar the number one "Hottest MC in the Game", on their annual list. Time named Lamar one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2016.

Lamar's fourth album, DAMN. was released April 17, 2017 to widespread critical acclaim. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, earning Lamar his third consecutive number one album in the United States. The album was supported by the lead single, "Humble.".