This song marks the first of the Frank Ocean’s two collaborations on "TESTING", the second being the outro “Purity.”
Brotha Man
A$AP Rocky Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Brotha man
Brotha, brotha
Gotta fight for somethin'
Stand for somethin'
Brotha, understand (no)
Gotta make the place
Take the truth (take the)
Right yours, wait if you just keep it true
Don't fight the blues, don't fight the blues
Brotha man, young man
Let me tell you somethin'
Young man, brotha man-brotha man
You gotta fight for somethin'
Stand for somethin'
That's what the poem told me
It was a greater poet that you know it would
I'd rather talk about how my neck is frozen and I
I'd rather talk about the naked hoes and the stay up in the bitches
While she goes down
When I went to my bros
Told him help me please
Now we hop out the PJs
Hosted by the P
My old bitch yellin' come back
Come back, come back, babe
Come back
Come back, come back
Come back, come back, babe
Harlem nights, quick speed, godspeed
Speed it like Grease Lightnin', leather on my six-speed bike
Bicycle tires, icicle diamonds, popsicle stripes
Popsicles for the Klondikes, pop pop wheelies on the dirty bikes
15 sellin' China white
Cops stoppin' if you opposite o' white
Pop pop like you opposite o' right
Take heat lil' nigga
Lowkey take lead on a nigga
Smooth durag 'round the boulevard
Back in the days on the train
Ride the bus before I ride another nigga wave
Beautiful, the water's flat like ass is pre-Onika (ye-ah)
You the smaller version, you the baby sneaker
Flacko I wonder how it feel to live or be like you
Album number three, and keep it G like Q
Heard you niggas get fly, like G like 2
Nah more like 4, like 3, not 2
Shittin' on these niggas, like P like U
Drip Raheem and Q
Got Hi-C, like juice
Mama hubby got life, he got three strikes too
Real niggas bleed, like me, like you
That's why I got a beam with a green light too
I don't even make a scene, I just swing right through
I'm just stayin' on my Qs and my Ps, like soup
Walk in my shoes, follow me like suit
Brotha man, young man
Let me tell you somethin'
Young man, brotha-brotha
Gotta fight for somethin'
Stand for somethin'
Brotha, understand
Gotta make the place
Take the truth (take the)
Get through
Ride your wave, just keep the true
Remember when I went to my bros
Told him help me please
Now we hop out the PJs
Hosted by the P
My old bitch yellin' come back
Come back, come back, babe
Come back (come back)
Come back (come back)
Come back (come back), babe
You're a cornstar
All you fuck is corn, parched
You fall apart
Frenchie faux pas
'Cause you
Ain't gotta know pa
(Are you?)
The dealer got catches like an outfielder
(Are you? Are you? Are you?)
Getting that God's view from towers
Lookin' downward, like I'm Donald Trump
The song "Brotha Man" by A$AP Rocky is a powerful anthem encouraging black men to fight for something and stand for something. The lyrics "Brotha man, young man, gotta fight for somethin', stand for somethin', brotha, understand" set the tone of the song. A$AP Rocky is conveying the message that black men need to make a place for themselves and take the truth. He encourages his listeners to ride their waves and keep it true, even if they're feeling down. The repeated line "come back" in the chorus is the plea for black men to return to their true essence and embrace who they really are. A$AP Rocky takes a brief detour in the middle of the song to talk about his success and how he'd rather talk about "how his neck is frozen" than get into deep issues. Nonetheless, he returns to the topic, reinforcing that it's essential for black men to stand for something and fight for something beyond the material things.
Overall, the song "Brotha Man" is a call to action for young, black men to take control of their destinies and create something from their individual truths. A$AP Rocky wants to encourage his listeners to be proud of their individuality and to embrace their blackness, with an urgency in his voice that underscores the importance of the topic.
Line by Line Meaning
Brotha man
Addressing a fellow Black man
Brotha, brotha
Emphasizing the relationship between two Black men
Gotta fight for somethin'
Encouragement to have a purpose and stand up for it
Stand for somethin'
Encouragement to have principles and values
Brotha, understand (no)
Sarcastically questioning if the listener understands the importance of fighting for something
Gotta make the place
Responsibility to contribute to improving the community
Take the truth (take the)
Take ownership of the truth and use it as a guiding principle
Get through
Persevere through obstacles and challenges
Right yours, wait if you just keep it true
Stay true to yourself and your values and you will succeed in your own time
Don't fight the blues, don't fight the blues
Don't let negativity bring you down
Brotha man, young man
Addressing a young Black man
Let me tell you somethin'
Offering words of wisdom
That's what the poem told me
Referencing a previous piece of advice received
It was a greater poet that you know it would
Acknowledgment of the wisdom received
I'd rather talk about how my neck is frozen and I
Transitioning to discussing material possessions
I'd rather talk about the naked hoes and the stay up in the bitches
Glorifying superficial things instead of focusing on more important matters
When I went to my bros
Seeking help from his friends
Told him help me please
Asking for assistance
Now we hop out the PJs
'PJs' refers to the public housing projects where they grew up, signaling their success in rising above it
Hosted by the P
Acknowledging their roots
My old bitch yellin' come back
Referring to a previous relationship
Harlem nights, quick speed, godspeed
Reference to the nightlife in Harlem, an iconic Black neighborhood in New York City
Speed it like Grease Lightnin', leather on my six-speed bike
References his flashy lifestyle
Bicycle tires, icicle diamonds, popsicle stripes
More references to his flashy lifestyle
15 sellin' China white
Reference to selling drugs at a young age
Cops stoppin' if you opposite o' white
Commentary on racial profiling by the police
Pop pop like you opposite o' right
Play on words, commenting on the violence and injustice experienced by Black people
Take heat lil' nigga
Warning to younger Black men to be mindful of their actions and surroundings
Lowkey take lead on a nigga
Advice to take charge of one's own life
Smooth durag 'round the boulevard
Reference to a common accessory worn by Black men
Back in the days on the train
Nostalgia for the past
Ride the bus before I ride another nigga wave
Preference for individuality over following trends
Beautiful, the water's flat like ass is pre-Onika (ye-ah)
Commentary on the appeal of a big, curvy butt
You the smaller version, you the baby sneaker
Comparing himself to others and emphasizing his own superiority
Flacko I wonder how it feel to live or be like you
Referring to his own nickname and reflecting on his lifestyle
Album number three, and keep it G like Q
Reference to his third studio album, and his intention to keep it authentic and genuine like other iconic Black rappers such as Nas and Tupac
Heard you niggas get fly, like G like 2
Commentary on the superficiality of some rap artists
Nah more like 4, like 3, not 2
Acknowledging the creativity and originality of some of his contemporaries
Shittin' on these niggas, like P like U
More references to the superiority complex of some rap artists
Drip Raheem and Q
Reference to personal style and persona
Got Hi-C, like juice
Reference to wealth and luxury
Mama hubby got life, he got three strikes too
Referencing the struggles of the singer's mother and her husband
Real niggas bleed, like me, like you
Acknowledging that everyone faces hardships in life
That's why I got a beam with a green light too
Reference to carrying a weapon for protection and the importance of being prepared
I don't even make a scene, I just swing right through
Confidence in his ability to handle situations without needing to escalate them
I'm just stayin' on my Qs and my Ps, like soup
Reference to staying alert and being mindful of one's surroundings
Walk in my shoes, follow me like suit
Encouragement to be a leader and an example for others to follow
You're a cornstar
Insulting someone for being inauthentic
All you fuck is corn, parched
Continuing the insult and referring to sex in a crude way
You fall apart
Pointing out someone's flaws
Frenchie faux pas
Mocking someone for being out of touch with the latest trends
'Cause you
Sarcasm implying that the artist does not care about the other person's opinions or actions
Ain't gotta know pa
Another jab at someone's perceived ignorance
The dealer got catches like an outfielder
Reference to dealing drugs and the success of the singer's drug dealer
Getting that God's view from towers
Enjoying the view and perspective from a high-rise building
Lookin' downward, like I'm Donald Trump
Comparison to a controversial, wealthy public figure
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Christopher Breaux, Dwayne Nesmith, Hector Delgado, Jeffrey Silverman, Karim Kharbouch, Leon Michels, Rakim Mayers, Richard Butler, Toby Pazner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Pro Habits
This Album will be slept on for years
STARDUST
how is that possible it just came out.
Lights
stardust the world isn't ready yet
Baby Monroe
stardust he said it will be slept on not it has been
STARDUST
My Mistake
Weston Crockett
Pro Habits this shit is so fire it’s way ahead of everything rn just watch
officialpeteytv
French's hook is sample heaven. This album is a masterpiece. All due respect to Max B, but Rocky is NY's new wave God.
Ronald McDonald Junior 🤡
Hmm 🤔 you bold for this comment. Goodbye
Morgan Freeman
Frank’s outro is legendary gives me chills for some reason.. that patriotic sounding instrumental and his voice sounds like it’s coming from a different dimension
N/A
could barely tell that was Frank, him and Rocky have near identical voices lmao