A Star Is Born
J. Cole Lyrics

Everyday a star is born (can you say New York City)
New York City, where stars are made every day, is worth being applauded for

Clap for 'em, clap for 'em, clap for 'em
Applaud the stars as they shine and become successful in their careers

I seen Mase do it, I seen Ye do it
Referring to previous successful artists, including Kanye West and Mase, who have risen to stardom in New York City

X came through, caught lighter fluid
DMX, who had just started his successful career in New York City, caught the attention of many music lovers

Still I came through it, clap for him!
Despite the competitive music industry, the artist managed to overcome the obstacles and become successful, worthy of applause

But I'm the blueprint, I'm like the map for 'em
I'm a model for other artists to follow and learn from

I dropped another classic, made Puff pass it
The singer released another successful album that even Puff Daddy couldn't ignore

Nobody could touch Puff back when Puff had it
Puff Daddy was unbeatable at the height of his success, but the artist was able to surpass him

Wayne scorchin', I'll applaud him
Lil Wayne's success is worthy of applause due to his talent and hard work

If he keep going, pass the torch to him
If Lil Wayne can continue his successful career, he deserves to be considered the next major star in New York City

50 came through like hurricanes do
50 Cent arrived in the rap industry with an explosive attitude and talent, just like a hurricane

I thought I'd finish his ass at Summer Jam too
The artist initially thought he could defeat 50 Cent at the Summer Jam concert

I had the Illmatic on bootleg
The singer obtained the album Illmatic, by rapper Nas, through an unofficial source

The shit was so ahead, thought we was all dead
The album's content was so profound and powerful that it made listeners feel like they were experiencing death

Wayne did 'A Milli', 50 did a milli
Lil Wayne and 50 Cent achieved great success by selling over a million albums

Ye too, but what Em did was silly
Kanye West also achieved successful sales, but Eminem's success was much greater in comparison

The white boy blossomed after Dre endorsed him
Eminem's career skyrocketed after he was endorsed by his producer and mentor, Dr. Dre

His flow on 'Renegade', fucking awesome, applaud him!
Eminem's performance on the song 'Renegade' deserves recognition and applause

Snoop dogged it, Nelly came down
Snoop Dogg had a successful career, and Nelly had just started to gain fame in the music industry

The Face Mob kept it ghetto for the H-town
Scarface, from Houston, kept the music scene raw and real in his hometown

Luda moved digits after he moved bitches
Ludacris earned significant money after moving away from his previous romantic partners

Drake's up next, see what he do with it
Drake is the next artist to watch out for, in terms of fame and success

Rule had a run, couple movie parts
Ja Rule experienced some success in his career and even acted in a few movies

T.I. literally wanted to shoot up the charts
T.I. had a strong desire to become very successful in the music industry, similar to how someone would shoot up towards the top of a chart

Y'all remind me of us in early '92
New artists in the industry reminded the singer of his own experiences as an aspiring artist in 1992

Outkast landed, 3 thou was ill
Outkast's performance was impressive, specifically Andre 3000's

Like a male version of Lauryn Hill
Andre 3000's performance was similar to how Lauryn Hill's would have been if she were male

Mobb Deep shook it, but Prodigy took it
Mobb Deep made an impact in their music, but Prodigy was particularly outstanding within the group

A lil' too far, can't fuck with Brooklyn
Mobb Deep's impact was profound, but not quite as much as Brooklyn-based artists

Wu-Tang gang-banged it, Meth ate
Wu-Tang Clan had great success, particularly Method Man

Rae took on the date with the Purple Tape
Raekwon's album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., was exceptionally good

They had a hell of a run, standing ovate, ayyy
Wu-Tang Clan had a major, successful run in the music industry worthy of applause

And I am one of one
The artist is unique and one-of-a-kind

Can't you see just how long my run?
The artist has had a successful, sustained career

My reign, Lulu's son-shine
The singer's success is shining, similar to how Lulu's son is regarded as lucky

Been a star since I was duckin' one time
The artist has had signs of greatness since they were young, despite having to avoid trouble in the past

December 4th, a star was born
The singer was born on December 4th, connecting their birth to their later success

Clap for him! He went from movin' that corner
Applaud the singer's success, as they went from being involved in illegal activities on the street corner to achieving success in their music career

To this corner office, it's so enormous
From selling drugs on the street corner to occupying a corner office in a record label is a huge shift in the singer's life

Hey, Pres Carter
Addressing President Obama by his nickname, acknowledging him as a symbol of black excellence and success

Watch them get they Monica on all day
Celebrities and influential figures in society are constantly being watched and involved in scandals, similar to how Monica Lewinsky's affair with President Clinton was widely publicized

Hey, got so many different monikers but only one Jay
The singer has many nicknames, but they are still the same person, J. Cole

They come, they go, some real, some faux
Different artists enter and exit the industry regularly, some truly talented and some not genuine

Some friends, some hoes
Some people are true friends, while others are simply looking to use the artist for their own benefit

But, no, I goes nowhere, this Hov
The artist has no plans to leave the industry, likening themselves to Jay-Z who has been successful for decades

And could I be a star?
The artist is questioning whether they can achieve stardom and maintain their true identity

Does fame in this game have to change who you are?
The singer is questioning whether success and fame necessarily means a loss of authentic identity

Or could I be the same one who came from a far away life
The artist hopes to maintain their genuine self, despite experiencing success and wealth that is vastly different from their previous life

Just to make it in these Broadway lights?
Referencing New York City, the singer wants to succeed in the music industry but still remain authentic and true to themselves

Now I'm shining in the broad day light, go figure
The singer has succeeded and is now shining brightly in the public eye, eventually revealing the singer's true identity and talent

A slow transition from a little broke nigga from the Ville
The singer gradually transformed from a poor, unknown artist in his hometown of Fayetteville, North Carolina, to a successful star

Got a deal, a real life saver
Signing a music industry contract saved the artist's life, providing opportunities for success and security

Dreams of being behind the wheel, like Jada
The artist dreamt of driving luxury cars like Will Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith

I chill now, cop a little ice later
The singer no longer stresses, enjoying life more and planning to purchase jewelry later on

Cole, you got the glow like a lil' lightsaber
The singer is shining brightly like the light from a smaller version of 'Star Wars' weapon

So clap for him!
The artist's success is worthy of applause

Then applaud Hov, he gave him a platform
Jay-Z played a role in the artist's success, providing opportunities and recognition for the artist's talent

Flow so sick thought he wrote the rap for him
The artist's rap flow is so impressive, it appears as if Jay-Z wrote it for him

No sir, the flow's cold as the shoulders
The singer's flow is not from Jay-Z, but rather his own, and is as cold and smooth as someone's uninterested shoulder

Of gold digging hoes when a broke nigga approaches
Women who are only interested in money are likely to display cold body language when approached by financially struggling men

Told you I'm focused, man
The singer is determined and focused on their career

I'll let you motherfuckers soak it in and clap for 'em!
The singer will continue to work hard and let everyone enjoy his success while applauding him

J. Cole
Acknowledging the singer, J. Cole, who has effectively become a star born in New York City