No Hoodie
Dave East Lyrics

This shit real
The situation that the artists are describing is not exaggerated, it is real and happening.

Half you niggas don't know how it feel
Many people can't even begin to understand the struggles that the artists are facing.

I ain't have nowhere to go, nowhere to go
The artist had nowhere to go and was stuck in their situation.

If you know what I know, I ain't have nowhere to go, nowhere to go
If you understand the artist's situation, you would know that they were truly without options.

Broke and it's about to get cold
The artist is broke and winter is coming, making their situation even harder.

I slept in my hoodie, woke up on the train
The artist slept in their hoodie and ended up on the train, without a real home.

I wanna rob everybody I know
The artist is so desperate that they are considering resorting to criminal behavior.

The thoughts of a menace
The artist is having thoughts of violence and criminal behavior due to their desperation.

I ain't been good in a minute
The artist's mental state has been suffering for some time.

I'm stuck in the hood, I'm just sittin'
The artist is trapped in their community and unable to leave.

Mental been slippin'
The artist's mental state is slipping and they are struggling to cope with their situation.

And I ain't get invited to not one Thanksgiving dinner
The artist is so isolated that they were not even invited to any Thanksgiving dinner events.

I'm scared of the winter, New York can get colder than cold
The artist is scared of the coming winter and knows that it will make their situation even worse.

Ask God to just open my soul
The artist is asking for spiritual guidance and help.

Fuck the system, no, I don't wanna vote
The artist has lost faith in the political system and doesn't think it can help them.

Not to mention, I do not own a coat
The artist is so poor that they don't even own a coat to keep them warm.

It's freezin', my nigga
The cold weather is making the artist's situation even more dire.

I don't got cash or no credit, no Amex or Visa, my nigga
The artist has no money, credit, or way to get help from financial institutions.

Slept in my Jeep with the heat on, my nigga
The artist is sleeping in their car to try and stay warm.

I'm starvin' for real, ain't no secret, my nigga
The artist is truly hungry and struggling to get enough to eat.

I was just tryna get my hands on the purp'
The artist is resorting to drug dealing to try and make money and survive.

My man just got hit, I seen that on a shirt
One of the artist's friends was shot and killed and the artist found out from seeing the t-shirt commemorating their death.

And I got a felony, it's gon' be hard to get work
The artist has a criminal record and knows that it will make it very difficult for them to find a job.

Fuck the judge, I hope your honor get murked
The artist is so frustrated with the justice system that they wish harm upon the judge in their case.

Nobody helpin' me, nobody there for me
The artist feels incredibly alone and unsupported by their community and society as a whole.

Think of my mama, know she said a prayer for me
The artist's mother is praying for them and trying to support them emotionally.

Pedestrians lookin' so scared of me
People are afraid of the artist and treat them as a threat due to their appearance.

Think I need therapy, please, before somebody bury me
The artist recognizes that they are in a very difficult mental state and is asking for help before things get worse.

None of these bitches won't marry me, watch how you stare at me
The artist is so undesirable due to their situation that they know nobody would want to marry them and are defensive against judgement.

I ain't got nothing to lose, so you better move carefully
The artist has nothing left and is willing to do whatever it takes to survive, so others should be cautious when interacting with them.

Ain't got no hoodie on
The artist is so desperate that they don't even have a hoodie to keep them warm.

Nothing to eat, only dope on the stove that I'm cookin' on
The artist is so hungry that they are cooking drugs instead of food to try and make some money.

Might take a life if he lookin' wrong
The artist is so desperate and violent that they may end up killing someone if provoked.

I'm feeling cold, yeah
The artist is physically very cold and in pain due to the weather.

Ain't got no home, yeah
The artist is homeless and has nowhere to go or stay.

Young nigga ain't got no heart
The artist has been so beaten down by their situation that they feel numb and have lost their sense of compassion and emotion.

I was just tryna get outta the trap with no jacket, ain't know where to start
The artist is trying to escape the cycle of poverty and violence in their community, but doesn't know how to even begin.

I mastered the dark nights, Christian Bale
The artist has become very experienced at surviving through the toughest and darkest times, like the character played by Christian Bale in the movie Batman.

Tryna find home like Dorothy Gale
The artist is searching for a place to belong and call home, like the character Dorothy Gale from The Wizard of Oz.

In the land of the free and the home of the brave
The artist is pointing out the irony of living in a country that values freedom and bravery, yet there are so many people who are struggling and suffering.

Well ask this cat, we lost in Hell
The artist is comparing their current situation to being lost and trapped in hell.

Walk the streets with no face or name
The artist feels invisible and overlooked by society.

Nothin' left to do but embrace the pain
The artist has no other choice but to accept and endure their pain and suffering.

Wandering through this wilderness, where my only companion is hate and shame
The artist is lost and alone in their struggles, and their only feelings are hate and shame.

Like Johnny Blaze, it's fuck the world
The artist is feeling very rebellious and resentful towards society and the world at large, like the character Johnny Blaze (also known as Ghost Rider).

While I walk the line like Johnny Cash
The artist is referencing the musician Johnny Cash, who famously sang the song 'I Walk the Line', implying that they too are trying to maintain some sense of ethical consistency and integrity in their difficult situation.

Trapped between this light and dark like Johnny Depp was in Donnie Bras
The artist is feeling stuck between two extreme situations, like the character played by Johnny Depp in the movie Donnie Brasco.

Regan to Trump, ain't nothin' changed
The artist is criticizing the political system and pointing out that, despite new leaders coming and going, the struggle and suffering of people like them hasn't changed.

Politics is for the politicians
The artist is expressing a disillusionment with the political process and believing that politicians only serve themselves, not the people they are meant to represent.

Full meltdown in this melting pot
The artist is referencing the idea of America being a 'melting pot' of cultures and races, but saying that things have gotten so bad that there is a complete breakdown of societal cohesion.

While I roam the block with no pot to piss in
The artist is saying they are so poor that they don't even have a basic toilet to use.

Guide me O, Thou Great Jehovah surrounded by these snakes and cobras
The artist is calling out for help and guidance from a higher power (in this case, Jehovah), while also referencing the idea of being surrounded by dangerous people.

Constantly I'm getting high, 'cause this life is too harsh to face it sober
The artist is using drugs to cope with their situation, which is too difficult to face sober.

One nation under God, allegedly indivisible
The artist is referencing the American pledge of allegiance (which includes the phrase 'one nation under God, indivisible') and implying that this ideal is not being lived up to.

Welcome to the American Dream where the homeless live invisible
The artist is being very critical of the American Dream ideal, saying that in reality, homeless people are often overlooked and ignored by society.