XXX. FEAT. U2.
Kendrick Lamar Lyrics

America, God bless you if it's good to you
Kendrick Lamar begins by addressing America and its people, expressing that he wishes for God to bless them provided they are leading good lives.

America please take my hand
He then asks America as a whole to welcome him and lend him their support.

Can you help me underst-
Kendrick's thought is interrupted by himself, as he transitions to a new persona, New Kung Fu Kenny.

Throw a steak off the yacht To a pool full of sharks, he'll take it Leave him in the wilderness With a sworn nemesis, he'll make it Take the gratitude from him I bet he'll show you something, woah I'll chip a nigga little bit of nothin' I'll chip a nigga little bit of nothin' I'll chip a nigga little bit of nothin' I'll chip a nigga then throw the blower in his lap Walk myself to the court like bitch I did that x-rated
The lyrics here describe the skills and confidence of Kendrick's Kung Fu Kenny persona. He is so skilled that he can throw a steak to sharks and they will still take it; leave him alone in the wild with an enemy, and he will emerge victorious. Taking away everything from him will only reveal a hidden talent. The repeated line 'I'll chip a nigga little bit of nothing' implies that even if others undervalue him, he has so much skill that he can take on any opponent, no matter how small the stakes. The final line indicates that he is confident enough to face any consequences, and present himself in court without fear.

Johnny don't wanna go to school no more, no more Johnny said books ain't cool no more (no more) Johnny wanna be a rapper like his big cousin Johnny caught a body yesterday out hustlin'
Kendrick paints a picture of the 'Johnny' character, who is a young African American boy with a distaste for school, and instead, aspires to become a rapper like his cousin. 'Caught a body' is a street euphemism for murder or killing someone; this line portrays Johnny as someone who has given into the pressures of the street life and becomes violent.

God bless America you know we all love him Yesterday I got a call like from my dog like 101 Said they killed his only son because of insufficient funds He was sobbin', he was mobbin', way belligerent and drunk Talkin' out his head philosphin' on what the lord had done He said, "K-Dot can you pray for me? It's been a fucked up day for me I know that you anointed, show me how to overcome" He was lookin' for some closure Hopin' I could bring him closer To the spiritual, my spirit do no better, but I told him "I can't sugar coat the answer for you This is how I feel—if somebody kill my son That mean somebody's gettin' killed"
These lyrics present the sad reality of the African American community in the US. Kendrick receives a phone call from a friend who informs him that his child was killed due to lack of monetary resources. This father is grief-stricken and intoxicated, pondering the reason why things turned out the way they did. He requests Kendrick to pray for him and help him find peace. Despite Kendrick's lack of familiarity with spirituality to an extent, he shares his honest opinion that he cannot provide a comforting response because such a tragic incident could only end with revenge.

Tell me what you do for love, loyalty, and passion of All the memories collected, moments you could never touch I wait in front a niggas spot and watch him hit his block I'll catch a nigga leavin' service if that's all I got I'll chip a nigga then throw the blower in his lap Walk myself to the court like, "Bitch I did that"
Kendrick questions the listener about their motivations and how they express love and loyalty to their communities. He then describes his tactics when it comes to revenge: he will wait outside someone's house and watch their every move. If he has limited evidence, he will take advantage of their visit to a religious institution. He emphasizes his self-confidence once again, claiming he will incriminate himself publicly without any fear.

Ain't no black power when your baby killed by a coward I can't even keep the peace, don't you fuck with one of ours It be murder in the street, it be bodies in the hour Ghetto bird on the street, paramedics on the dial
These lines reveal Kendrick's frustration with the violence that occurs within black communities across the country. Kendrick is aware that his people feel powerless in the face of losing children to violence inflicted by others, and implies that this is unacceptable. The violence is so prevalent that there seems to be a constant presence of police helicopters and emergency workers dealing with the aftermath.

Let somebody touch my momma Touch my sister, touch my woman Touch my daddy, touch my niece Touch my nephew, touch my brother You should chip a nigga then throw the blower in his lap Matter fact, I'm 'bout to speak at this convention Call you back
Kendrick ends the song with an intense ultimatum that he believes applies to anyone: the moment someone hurts one of his family members, he will take immediate and irreversible action. He then cuts off the call to start his speech, imparting his message to maintain one's community peacefully and whilst fighting back if required.

Alright kids we're gonna talk about gun control (Pray for me) Damn
Kendrick ironically describes his future plan to talk about the issue of gun control with younger people. Underlying this fact, he implies how difficult it is to think critically around the issue that many people are jailed and killed.

It's not a place This country is to be a sound of drum and bass You close your eyes to look around
The final lines of the song express Kendrick's tendency to see things differently. Referring to the US as not just a physical location, but as a complex concept, he changes the tone to a musical note. He sings the country should sound like a drum and bass genre. He then comments on the problem with turning a blind eye to the issues at hand, resulting in them getting even worse.