Between 2007 and 2011, Tinashe was a member of the girl group the Stunners. Following their disbandment, she released the positively-reviewed self-recorded mixtapes In Case We Die (2012) and Reverie (2012). Following their success, Tinashe signed with RCA Records and released her third mixtape, Black Water (2013). Her debut single, "2 On" (featuring Schoolboy Q; produced by Mustard), reached number one on the Rhythmic airplay chart, and peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100.[4] Her debut studio album, Aquarius (2014), was noted by music critics as one of the most "solid" debuts by a new female artist in years. The album garnered her nominations for Soul Train and BET Awards.[5] Her collaboration with Snakehips and Chance the Rapper, "All My Friends", won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song in 2016.[6] The same year, Tinashe appeared on Britney Spears' single "Slumber Party", which topped Billboard's Dance Club Songs chart. Tinashe's second studio album, Nightride (2016), reached number eight on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in the US. Joyride (2018), her third studio album, peaked at number 58 on the Billboard 200 chart and reached number six on the UK R&B Albums chart. After departing RCA, Tinashe independently released the albums Songs for You (2019), 333 (2021) and BB/Ang3l (2023).
Like I Used To
Tinashe Lyrics
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Hitmaka!
Yeah
Never be the same
Won't trust you like I used to, yeah
Wake up in the morning
I can't fuck you like I used to, yeah
Never be the same
Won't trust you like I used to, yeah
Lay my top back, throw my problems on my new coupe
I know everything but they don't
I've been on a wave they ain't on, no
Swerving lane to lane and it's paid for
I murder everything, nigga case closed, yeah
Bitch I got my own cash
I do what I want to
I might do the whole dash
Drive it like I want to
This shit too easy like a free throw, yeah
This shit might blow up like some C-4, yeah
I had to let go
I'm in my bag bro
If it ain't about the cash flow
I'm sorry got to pass on
I got to pass on you, yeah
Never be the same
Won't trust you like I used to, yeah
Wake up in the morning
I can't fuck you like I used to, yeah
Never be the same
Won't trust you like I used to, yeah
Lay my top back, throw my problems on my new coupe
Ridin' down Hollywood I'm cruisin' (cruisin')
Can't be standing, gotta keep it movin' (movin')
I gave up all my love but you abused it (abused it, ooh)
Now you're just something I checked off my to-do list
Yeah you got your own bag, that ain't why I want you
I can pop my own tags, I can buy my own coupe
This shit too easy like a free throw, yeah
This shit might blow up like some C-4, yeah
I had to let go
I'm in my bag bro
If it ain't about the cash flow
I'm sorry got to pass on
I got to pass on you, yeah (pass on you, no, oh)
Never be the same
Won't trust you like I used to (oh, like I used to, no)
Wake up in the morning
I can't fuck you like I used to, yeah (like I used to)
Never be the same
Won't trust you like I used to, yeah (never be the same, no, no)
Lay my top back, throw my problems on my new coupe
I had to let go
Never touch you like I used to
I got to pass on you
Oh, never be the same
It's such a shame, oh oh oh oh
In "Like I Used To," Tinashe sings about the end of a romantic relationship and the change in her feelings towards her ex-partner. She proclaims that she won't be the same and won't trust him like she used to. She also mentions that she can no longer have sex with him like she used to. Tinashe uses the metaphor of driving her new car and throwing her problems on it rather than her ex. The verse "I know everything but they don't, I've been on a wave they ain't on, no" suggests that Tinashe feels that she is now more successful and advanced than her ex, and she is not going to let him take advantage of her past feelings anymore.
The chorus repeats the line "Never be the same, won't trust you like I used to" in order to emphasize her newfound distrust for her ex. The bridge mentions her cruising down Hollywood, and that she can't stand still, she has to keep moving on. She says she gave up all her love but was abused, and now her ex is just something checked off of her to-do list. Tinashe confronts the fact that even though her ex has his own money, that's not why she wants him. She can buy her own things and doesn't need anyone else.
Overall, "Like I Used To" is a song about letting go of a relationship once a person has evolved beyond it. Tinashe has moved on and isn't willing to go back to her old ways.
Line by Line Meaning
Got it on smash
I am successful
Never be the same
Our relationship has fundamentally changed
Won't trust you like I used to, yeah
I can't rely on you anymore
Wake up in the morning
I can't fuck you like I used to, yeah
Our sexual connection is broken
Lay my top back, throw my problems on my new coupe
I can escape my problems in my car
I know everything but they don't
I am more knowledgeable than others
I've been on a wave they ain't on, no
I am operating at a higher level than others
Swerving lane to lane and it's paid for
I have the money to afford luxurious cars and can easily maneuver them
I murder everything, nigga case closed, yeah
I am confident in my abilities and accomplishments
Bitch I got my own cash
I am self-sufficient financially
I do what I want to
I am in control of my actions
I might do the whole dash
Drive it like I want to
I can drive as fast as I want in my car
This shit too easy like a free throw, yeah
My success comes easy to me
This shit might blow up like some C-4, yeah
My success could potentially become explosive
I had to let go
I had to move on from our relationship
I'm in my bag bro
I'm focused on my goals and making money
If it ain't about the cash flow
If it's not making me money, I'm not interested
I'm sorry got to pass on
I got to pass on you, yeah
I can't continue our relationship
Ridin' down Hollywood I'm cruisin' (cruisin')
I'm driving around Hollywood
Can't be standing, gotta keep it movin' (movin')
I have to keep moving forward
I gave up all my love but you abused it (abused it, ooh)
I gave my all in our relationship but you didn't treat me well
Now you're just something I checked off my to-do list
Our relationship is now just another thing I tried out and moved on from
Yeah you got your own bag, that ain't why I want you
Your financial success isn't what attracted me to you
I can pop my own tags, I can buy my own coupe
I can afford to buy expensive things myself
Never touch you like I used to
Our physical connection is gone
It's such a shame, oh oh oh oh
I'm disappointed in how our relationship turned out
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Christian Ward, Jordan Holt-May, Tinashe Kachingwe
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind