Self Love
Dreamville Ari Lennox & Bas Lyrics

I said
Expressing frustration and dissatisfaction with the current situation.

Tired of being cordial
Feeling exhausted from being polite and courteous all the time.

Tired of being normal
Feeling fatigued from conforming to societal norms and expectations.

Tired of being forced in
Feeling stifled and constrained by the pressure to fit in and be accepted.

Tied up in the moment
Feeling trapped in the present moment and unable to move forward or progress.

I'm leaving with outer purpose
Deciding to leave with intention and a sense of direction for the future.

Wearing it on the surface, love
Putting up a facade and pretending to be okay even though there is internal turmoil and pain.

Making it look good
Putting in effort to make it seem like everything is okay from the outside.

Meanwhile it's been hurting, oh
Despite the outward appearances, inside there is deep emotional pain and distress.

Self love is the best love
The idea that the most important kind of love is the one we have for ourselves.

See your love is the worst drug
Comparing the addictive and damaging qualities of a toxic relationship to that of a drug addiction.

Tired of all this faking
Expressing exhaustion with pretending to be someone else in order to fit in.

Wearing all of this makeup
Using makeup as a metaphor for trying to conceal one's true self and appear perfect to others.

And meanwhile feeling complacent
Feeling stagnant and unfulfilled, despite trying to appear content to others.

Fitting in, feeling basic and
Feeling like blending in and conforming to societal norms is leading to a loss of individuality and creativity.

Meanwhile tryna replace him
Trying to replace someone who was once important but no longer serves a positive role in one's life.

But all these feelings are makeshift
Realizing that the quick fixes and temporary solutions are not going to solve the underlying issues and emotions.

Hard for me to face it
Admitting that it is difficult to confront and deal with one's true feelings and emotions.

When everything is changing, ay
Feeling overwhelmed and disoriented by the constant changes and uncertainties in life.

Take it in vain, this pain is a feeling that we can't ignore
Acknowledging that even though it is painful, it is important to confront and process the emotions and not try to ignore or suppress them.

Dealer man, hand me more
Metaphorically comparing the desire to numb the pain to a drug addict seeking more drugs from a dealer.

A baby in a candy store
Feeling overwhelmed and helpless in the face of one's own addictive tendencies.

I got secrets that just can't leave tour
Carrying around deep, personal secrets and struggles that cannot be easily shared with others.

How did we go from lost in your arms to
Reflecting on the past and the loss of intimacy and closeness in a relationship that once felt secure.

Arms in a conflict?
Wondering how the once comforting embrace of a partner could turn into a battle or conflict.

Long arm my conscience
Feeling a constant struggle between what one thinks is right and what their emotions are compelling them to do.

Lost in my thoughts
Feeling lost in one's own internal struggles and doubts.

The cost of my art, we growing apart
Feeling like the personal cost of pursuing one's artistic passions is causing a rift in a relationship.

You growing irate
Noticing an increase in tension and anger from a partner as they become more dissatisfied with the relationship.

Stuck in the door of my state
Feeling trapped and unable to move forward or progress to a better emotional state.

I carry my Gemini traits
Acknowledging one's astrological sign as having a duality of personalities.

I bury my face
Feeling ashamed and wanting to hide from the world.

Shameful hands, took your hand
Feeling guilty about past actions that caused harm or pain to a partner.

Led you astray, as you would say
Acknowledging that one's actions caused a partner to lose trust and faith in the relationship.

As soon as we clash, you adjudicate
Feeling like conflicts always end in one person making a final judgement, rather than trying to work towards a compromise.

As for the date, it was like last June or May
Reflecting on the specific time period when the relationship began to unravel.

We were like, "Let's do the break", 'cause
Referencing the decision to take a break from the relationship in order to gain some perspective and work on personal growth.