NILE
Beyoncé & Kendrick Lamar Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

One time I took a swim in the Nile
I swam the whole way, I didn't turn around, man, I swear
It made me relax when I came down
I felt liberated like free birds, I'm stimulated now
Plunging away 'less my body's on top
All of these currents might cost me my life right now
Where danger finds me, it follows with tides
Many miles ahead of me, still I'm in stride, she said

Hey little buddy, where you goin'?
I'm not sure of how to know I'm still motion
You seem regular, I seem regular
These streams may take me out to the ocean

Told myself if I dive in it without precaution of a life jacket
Then I'll dive in it 'til I'm exhausted and I'm type lacking
Waistline on four deep, senses on forty
Feel like there's four of me

One time I took a swim in the Nile (one time I took in a swim in the Nile)
I swam the whole way, I didn't turn around, man, I swear (I swear)
It made me relax when I came down (when I came down)
I felt liberated like free birds, I'm stimulated now (stimulated)
Plunging away 'less my body's on top (stimulated, stimulated now)
All of these currents might cost me my life right now (right now, right now)
Where danger finds me, it follows with tides (follows with tides)
Many miles ahead of me, still I'm in stride
That's some good

Got the Nile runnin' through my body
Look at my natural, I'm so exotic
Darker the berry, sweeter the fruit
Deeper the wounded, deeper the roots
Nubian doused in brown, I'm lounging in it
I tend the youth, I said I'm drowning in it

I'm in denial, deep in denial
I'm in the Nile, deep in denial





That's some good

Overall Meaning

The chorus of "NILE" by Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar starts with "One time I took a swim in the Nile. I swam the whole way, I didn't turn around, man, I swear" which suggests the idea of taking a risk and diving deep into something new. It could potentially symbolize Beyoncé and Kendrick's musical journey and how they took a leap of faith by creating this song together. They may have felt liberated and stimulated by the process of creating something new and inspiring for their fans.


Throughout the chorus, they mention "currents," "danger," and "tides" which could symbolize the obstacles and challenges they faced to create this masterpiece. They may have encountered situations that could have cost them their careers, but they persevered and continued to push forward. The lines "Many miles ahead of me, still I'm in stride" suggest that they have a long way to go, but they are making progress and moving forward despite any challenges or setbacks.


The lyrics further delve into the idea of taking risks and diving deep without any caution or protection. The lines "Told myself if I dive in it without precaution of a life jacket, then I'll dive in it 'til I'm exhausted and I'm type lacking" suggest that sometimes it's essential to take a leap of faith and trust the process despite the risks. However, they also acknowledge the potential dangers of taking these risks.


Line by Line Meaning

One time I took a swim in the Nile
On a past occasion, I submerged myself in the Nile River


I swam the whole way, I didn't turn around, man, I swear
I swam the full length of the river, without changing direction, I'm telling the truth


It made me relax when I came down
The experience of swimming in the Nile River caused me to feel calm and at ease


I felt liberated like free birds, I'm stimulated now
I felt free and unrestricted, like a bird, and now I'm energized


Plunging away 'less my body's on top
I'm diving deep into the water, except for the part of my body that's above the surface


All of these currents might cost me my life right now
The various streams and flows of the Nile River could be a danger to my life at this moment


Where danger finds me, it follows with tides
Whenever danger comes upon me, the corresponding high and low tides of the water follow


Many miles ahead of me, still I'm in stride, she said
Although there is a long journey ahead of me, I'm still moving confidently, as she said


Hey little buddy, where you goin'?
Hello there, my friend, where are you headed?


I'm not sure of how to know I'm still motion
I'm uncertain how to determine if I'm making progress or not


You seem regular, I seem regular
You and I appear to be similar and ordinary


These streams may take me out to the ocean
These various currents could potentially lead me out into the vast and endless ocean


Told myself if I dive in it without precaution of a life jacket
I made a promise to myself that if I were to dive into the river without wearing a life jacket


Then I'll dive in it 'til I'm exhausted and I'm type lacking
I'll keep on diving until I'm completely worn out and unable to continue


Waistline on four deep, senses on forty
I'm diving so deep that the water reaches up to my waist, and I'm fully on alert with my senses heightened


Feel like there's four of me
I feel like I have multiplied into four versions of myself


Got the Nile runnin' through my body
I feel as though I am completely connected to the Nile River and it is coursing through my veins


Look at my natural, I'm so exotic
Observe my natural appearance, I possess a unique and distinctive quality


Darker the berry, sweeter the fruit
The darker someone's skin pigmentation, the more beautiful and valuable they are as a person


Deeper the wounded, deeper the roots
The greater the emotional pain and trauma one experiences, the more profound and deep their inner strength and resilience becomes


Nubian doused in brown, I'm lounging in it
My skin is a beautiful, rich brown color and I am enjoying and relaxing in my own skin


I tend the youth, I said I'm drowning in it
I take care of and support the younger generation, and I am fully immersed and invested in this work


I'm in denial, deep in denial
I am refusing to accept or acknowledge the truth


I'm in the Nile, deep in denial
I am in the Nile River, but I am also deep in denial




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Beyonce Knowles Carter, Brittany Coney, Denisia Andrews, Hykeem Carter, Keanu Torres, Kendrick Lamar, Mark Anthony Spears

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@tripleverbosity

The production on Kendrick’s entry is insanely good. Love that he does so many songs with 2 vocal tracks floating back and forth. Sounds fantastic.

@ChrisSmallman1981

the king of off key... and also hip hop in general

@bmjw18

His engineer is a legend

@dc7236

Ikr... It crazy🤯🤯.. the vocals came together like an absolute masterpiece... I could vision everything he was saying like it was a movie

@stockconsultantbihar8026

Yes it's sensational

@lyrics2challenged

@Big Chris You reached with that other part.

3 More Replies...

@YourFinalMoments

This is a top 5 rap song of all time and maybe even top 5 song ever. You walk away from this song the first time feeling like youve read a book or watched a movie. ONLY AN ARTISTIC MASTERPIECE CAN DO THAT

@YourFinalMoments

And let me be clear. This song is more dark then I'd like. Id hate a man who did what Wayne did. But he starts the song saying hey, I appreciate my fans but im gonna tell you a story about my upcoming. That shit is so real and so heartfelt and well written its a fucking gift to experience. I absolutely love good music like this. Its so special.

@jacob5398

Fax dawg. Lil Wayne also in the top 5 list of the greatest rappers of all time. He doesn’t get enough respect nowadays.

@terrance7220

You mean top …. 5000?

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