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From The Heart
Dave East Lyrics


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Attica, Clinton
All my niggas downstate caught (?)
My boy Murder doing the pound key, five years
All my life, I've been around tears
Never timid around niggas that sound scared
Green haven, free Ra he up in Lake View
Hating me cause I'm working, you come home they gon' hate you
We was in the club drinking Henny by the gallon
Next morning found out Scrappy on the Island
Doe mom's called me like we gotta go visit
Charlie calling collect, let's just send him some pictures
Your commissary'll never be short, your son good
It really don't matter, whatever get bought
That's on my life

Sending my love to you
Praying that you come home (Inshallah)
Until the day you do (uh)
I'll be sending my love
Sending my love to you
Praying that you come home (Inshallah)
Until the day you do (uh)
I'll be sending my love

Imagine your whole block get indicted
Never thinking that for your freedom you will be fighting
You was only focused on getting back by the 9th ten
If he ain't had the time you was robbing him for his Brightling
Robbing them for they Cuban or anything they was moving
You caught a hot one last summer, you still grooving
Home invasions, living rooms you been intruding
Your mother gave you everything, you shoulda been a student
Shoulda went to college, experience is the best teacher
Never listened, you shoulda took in that knowledge
Learned how to watch for grimy niggas like Knxwledge
Who am I to judge? I got knocked for a couple dollars
I'm just sending my love in case I miss your call
You would hold me down, whether the problem was big or small
And then you come home, they probably find us in the mall
I'm bout to have a daughter, I'll let you know when she getting tall
I love you

Hold your head
Don't forget
I be thinking about you every day
Counting down the days
Till I see your face
And you know we celebrate it

Sending my love to you
Praying that you come home
Until the day you do
I'll be sending my love
Sending my love to you
Praying that you come home
Until the day you do
I'll be sending my love

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Dave East's song "From the Heart" are a heartwarming message of love and loyalty to friends incarcerated. The rapper starts off by mentioning Attica and Clinton, two notorious prisons in New York State, and the fact that "all my niggas downstate" caught, suggesting that his friends have been imprisoned for a long time. Dave then reflects on the sadness and tears that have surrounded him for his entire life and how he has never been timid in the face of adversity. He mentions a friend named Ra who is locked up at Lake View and how people are hating on him for working because they know that when they come home, they will be jealous of his success. The rapper then reminisces about a time when he and his guys were drinking Henny by the gallon. However, his world was suddenly shattered when they found out that Scrappy was locked up on Rikers Island. Dave then affirms that even though his friend Murder is locked up and has been sentenced to serve five years of hard time, he will remain loyal to him and make sure his commissary is never short. The chorus of the song is a constant reminder to his friends behind bars that he is sending his love to them and praying that they come home soon.


The lyrics of "From the Heart" beautifully capture the feelings of frustration, sadness, and love that are often experienced by people who have friends and family in prison. Dave East's message of hope is particularly poignant because he can relate to their experiences, having been incarcerated himself. The lyrics showcase his ability to be introspective and thoughtful while providing a unique perspective on a topic that is often overlooked in hip hop. By embedding messages of love, loyalty, and hope in his music, Dave East presents a refreshing image of masculinity that is often lacking in mainstream rap.


Interesting Facts:


Line by Line Meaning

Attica, Clinton
Referring to two infamous New York state prisons where Dave's friends may have been incarcerated


All my niggas downstate caught (?)
All of Dave's friends who were imprisoned downstate (in New York)


My boy Murder doing the pound key, five years
Dave's friend Murder is serving a five-year prison sentence for drug-related offenses


All my life, I've been around tears
Dave has grown up around people who have experienced hardship and insurmountable challenges, leading to tears and sorrow


Never timid around niggas that sound scared
Dave isn't afraid of people who talk a big game, but are actually scared


Green haven, free Ra he up in Lake View
Referring to two New York state prisons where Dave's friends may be incarcerated, including Ra who is imprisoned in Lake View


Hating me cause I'm working, you come home they gon' hate you
People might hate on Dave because he's succeeding while they're imprisoned, but when they're released, those same people will likely hate on them


We was in the club drinking Henny by the gallon
Dave and his friends were enjoying a wild night out, drinking a lot of Hennessy


Next morning found out Scrappy on the Island
Dave learned that his friend Scrappy was imprisoned on Riker's Island the following day


Doe mom's called me like we gotta go visit
Dave's friend's mother contacted him, asking him to visit her son in prison


Charlie calling collect, let's just send him some pictures
Dave's friend Charlie is calling him from prison, but instead of accepting the call, they decide to just send him some pictures


Your commissary'll never be short, your son good
Dave promises to make sure his friend has enough money in his prison account for necessities and to take care of his son


It really don't matter, whatever get bought
Dave will provide for his friend in prison, no matter what he needs or wants


That's on my life
Dave is making a solemn promise to his friend, and he swears on his own life that he will keep it


Sending my love to you
Dave is expressing his love and support for his friend who's in prison


Praying that you come home (Inshallah)
Dave is hoping and praying that his friend gets released from prison


Until the day you do (uh)
Dave will continue to support and send his love to his friend until he's released from prison


Imagine your whole block get indicted
Dave is asking his listener to imagine a scenario where everyone in their neighborhood gets arrested and indicted for a crime


Never thinking that for your freedom you will be fighting
People who get caught up in crime often never consider the possibility that their freedom will be at risk or that they will have to fight for it


You was only focused on getting back by the 9th ten
Dave's friend was only focused on trying to make money, probably through illegal means


If he ain't had the time, you was robbing him for his Brightling
If someone didn't have the free time to hustle or make money, Dave's friend would rob them to steal their possessions, such as a Breitling watch


Robbing them for they Cuban or anything they was moving
Dave's friend would also rob people who were selling Cuban cigars or anything else of value


You caught a hot one last summer, you still grooving
Despite getting caught by the police last summer (for a crime or drug-related offense), Dave's friend is still going strong, trying to survive in the criminal underworld


Home invasions, living rooms you been intruding
Dave's friend is involved in dangerous crimes like home invasions, where he breaks into people's homes and steals from them


Your mother gave you everything, you shoulda been a student
Dave's friend was given many opportunities by his mother, but instead chose to pursue a life of crime


Shoulda went to college, experience is the best teacher
Dave believes that his friend should have gone to college instead of dropping out, but sometimes the only way to learn is through experience


Never listened, you shoulda took in that knowledge
Dave's friend didn't listen to Dave's advice or the advice of others and missed out on important life lessons


Learned how to watch for grimy niggas like Knxwledge
Dave's friend should have learned to watch out for shady people like Knxwledge who might betray him or try to profit off him


Who am I to judge? I got knocked for a couple dollars
Dave recognizes that he also made mistakes in his life that landed him in jail, so he can't judge his friend's actions


I'm just sending my love in case I miss your call
Dave wants to make sure his friend knows he's there for him even if he can't always pick up the phone


You would hold me down, whether the problem was big or small
Dave's friend has always had his back, no matter how big or small the problem


And then you come home, they probably find us in the mall
Dave expects to go shopping with his friend once he's released from prison


I'm bout to have a daughter, I'll let you know when she getting tall
Dave is excited to be a father and will keep his friend updated on his daughter's growth and milestones


Hold your head
Dave is encouraging his friend to stay strong, even in dire circumstances


Don't forget
Dave doesn't want his friend to forget that he is loved and supported


I be thinking about you every day
Dave wants his friend to know that he's always on his mind and that he cares deeply for him


Counting down the days
Dave can't wait until his friend is released from prison


Till I see your face
Dave can't wait to see his friend and be reunited with him in person


And you know we celebrate it
Dave and his friend will celebrate his release from prison and their reunion together


Sending my love to you
Dave is expressing his love and support for his friend who's in prison


Praying that you come home (Inshallah)
Dave is hoping and praying that his friend gets released from prison


Until the day you do (uh)
Dave will continue to support and send his love to his friend until he's released from prison


I'll be sending my love to you
Dave promises to continue sending his friend love and support


Praying that you come home (Inshallah)
Dave is hoping and praying that his friend gets released from prison


Until the day you do (uh)
Dave will continue to support and send his love to his friend until he's released from prison




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: David Jr. Brewster, Daniel Garcia, Kier Gist, Renee Andrea Neufville, Amber Denise Streeter, Francis Ubiera

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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