Will I?
Ill Harmonics Lyrics
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Will I,truly make for myself a name?
Will I,ever exel in this game?
Will I,ever really be who I be?
A person,a Christian,musician,emcee?
Will I ever truly be set apart,
from the world that controls all the sounds
Will I ever really make it without going pop?
Am I truly sold out to God or hip-hop?
Will I ever find the balance of the two in between?
Am I wack cause I dig Rage Against the Machine?
Will I make it to the point where I can be me?
Will heads like me if I'm dissed by a dope emcee?
Will I love,will I fly,will I rapture,will I die?
Am I dumb,am I numb,
cause the apple of my eye
is the sound of the found,
do I search for a pound?
Am I down if dap ain't found when turned around?
Will I grow,learning to do better in my sessions?
Am I wack if I break down
and take guitar lessons?
If I don't use metaphors,will rhymes be silly?
Will they really?
(chorus)
Here I am askin' all the questions of life,
Do I love her enough to really make her my wife?
Will I ever fall just one too many times?
That I lose all my skill,thus affecting my rhymes.
Will my actions ever mach up to my rap?
Will I make one hit and then fall off the map?
Am I not a good enough emcee for my God?
Cause my rhymes ain't the best but I still try hard.
Will I be looked on as the opposite of good?
cause a middle class white-kid
don't come from the hood.
And the ghetto,I ain't really that familiar with.
should I throw in my mic and towel,
just to quit?
If I changed one decision with one human being,
Would I still be practicing this art of emcee'n'?
Am I a musician if I play the MPC?Not really.
(chorus)
Will I reach the full potential of my plan?
if I turn around is there two prints in the sand?
If I lost a battle rap would I still have fans left?
To sing and play guitar,do I gotta be Clef?
Am I doubtin' His word if I stop to think,
will my pen one day just stop producin' ink?
Will I think of rhymes just to one day stop?
Is a head a head if he likes more than hip-hop?
Will I?
The lyrics of Ill Harmonics' song "Will I?" delve into the insecurities and doubts that plague individuals on a regular basis, such as making a name for oneself, excelling in one's field, being true to one's identity as an artist, and finding a balance between one's passions and one's faith. The chorus repeats the question "will I" to underscore the uncertain nature of life and the endless possibilities that exist for one's future. The lyrics emphasize the importance of self-reflection and the impact that one's decisions have on one's career and relationships. The song also touches upon the challenges one faces when pursuing a career as a musician, particularly when it comes to reconciling one's faith with the industry's pressures to conform to mainstream standards.
The song begins by questioning whether the artist will ever truly make a name for himself or excel in his art, despite his passion and hard work. He questions whether he will ever be able to differentiate himself from the influences of the world and find his own unique style. This, however, makes him question whether he is being true to himself and his faith. The artist struggles with the concept of balancing his love for hip-hop and his devotion to God. He questions his worth and if he can make it without "going pop" or if his fans will abandon him if he makes such a move. He also questions if he will be tested enough in life and if his love for hip-hop is just confusing him instead of being a helpful tool to navigate through life. The chorus repeats the questions, symbolizing the extensive doubt and frustration that individuals in this state of mind can feel.
The verses delve into more personal questions where the artist is curious about the highs and lows of his life. He wonders if he will ever love someone enough to marry her, or if he will fall too many times to be great at his art with time. The artist struggles with self-doubt, wondering if his actions depict the same enthusiasm as his music. He fears that his music is too weak or unworthy of his faith. The artist is also afraid that he will not resonate with his audience because of his background and lack of access to the ghetto, and that he will always be someone who did not grow up in it. The lyrics also show the artist's frustration with being labeled as a certain race or from a certain part of the world that he cannot connect to. He also questions the authenticity of the friends he has and whether they will stick by him even if he fails. He concludes by questioning whether he will ever fulfill his potential or whether his time has passed.
Line by Line Meaning
Will I,truly make for myself a name?
Will I ever be known for making a name for myself rather than seeking to glorify God?
Will I,ever exel in this game?
Will I ever succeed in the music industry?
Will I,ever really be who I be?
Will I ever truly be myself?
A person,a Christian,musician,emcee?
Can I be a true Christian and still be a successful musician and emcee?
Will I ever truly be set apart,
Will I ever truly live a life that is set apart from the world?
from the world that controls all the sounds
From a world that dictates the sound that is popular?
of my heart?
Will my heart truly reflect my faith?
Will I ever really make it without going pop?
Can I be successful without compromising my music to fit the popular sound?
Am I truly sold out to God or hip-hop?
Do I prioritize my faith over my music career?
Will I ever find the balance of the two in between?
Can I balance my faith and music career?
Am I wack cause I dig Rage Against the Machine?
Am I a lesser artist because I enjoy music that is not part of my genre?
Will I make it to the point where I can be me?
Can I be successful while still being true to myself?
Will heads like me if I'm dissed by a dope emcee?
Will my fans still support me if I am criticized by another successful artist?
Will I love,will I fly,will I rapture,will I die?
Will love, life, death, and the afterlife be reflected in my music?
Am I dumb,am I numb,
Do I lack awareness or intelligence?
cause the apple of my eye
Because I value the music industry so highly?
is the sound of the found,
Because I am drawn to the popular sound?
do I search for a pound?
Do I prioritize financial gain over my faith or artistry?
Am I down if dap ain't found when turned around?
Am I only successful if people show me approval or support?
Will I grow,learning to do better in my sessions?
Can I improve as an artist and musician?
Am I wack if I break down
Will I be judged as a lesser artist if I struggle or make mistakes?
and take guitar lessons?
If I seek to expand my skillset and learn new things?
If I don't use metaphors,will rhymes be silly?
Must I incorporate metaphors to be considered a skilled artist?
Will they really?
Is that really the case?
Here I am askin' all the questions of life,
Reflecting on life's big questions through my music
Do I love her enough to really make her my wife?
Am I truly ready for a committed relationship?
Will I ever fall just one too many times?
Is failure inevitable?
That I lose all my skill,thus affecting my rhymes.
Will setbacks and failures affect the quality of my music?
Will my actions ever mach up to my rap?
Will my personal life reflect the beliefs and values communicated in my music?
Will I make one hit and then fall off the map?
Will I be a one-hit-wonder?
Am I not a good enough emcee for my God?
Does my faith require me to be an exceptional artist?
Cause my rhymes ain't the best but I still try hard.
Even though I may not be the most skilled, I will continue to pursue music.
Will I be looked on as the opposite of good?
Will my faith be compromised by my involvement in the music industry?
cause a middle class white-kid
Due to my socioeconomic background?
don't come from the hood.
I may not share certain life experiences with other successful artists.
And the ghetto,I ain't really that familiar with.
I may not fully understand or appreciate the cultural experiences of others.
should I throw in my mic and towel,
Is it time for me to give up on my music dreams?
just to quit?
Is quitting the right choice?
If I changed one decision with one human being,
How will my choices affect my future and those around me?
Would I still be practicing this art of emcee'n'?
How much control do I really have over the trajectory of my career?
Am I a musician if I play the MPC?
Does using digital equipment devalue or negate my talent as a musician?
Contributed by Isabella D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Alyse Paquin
wow... this song brings back memories- my brothers used to make me listen to Ill Harmonics, Mars Ill, L.A Symphony and MG!Visionary while we did chores as pre-teens.
LaneR
BRO i remember my dad playing this in the car all the time when i was younger... nostalgia is real man
N. W. Metswath
Ha ha! Excellent. 100% my pleasure! This is one of the songs that started me down the road towards enjoying rap music. The musical interjection, the lyrics, and the "la la la's" are sooooo good. Peace.
Joe Zilinski
I have been hunting this song down for a long time. Glad I finally found it.
Joshua Costello
Me too. I searched for a few hours before I found it on allmusic.com. I looked all over different lyric websites with no luck. Nice to have finally found it though.
Doneen Spence
i love this song!
Raven Watson
I miss listening to this song!!!
Mavrick
Oh snap! I finally found it!
TJ
Where can I find this song on Spotify?
LaneR
idk man i already looked and cant find it anywhere... so sad, this is a banger