Chaining Day
J. Cole Lyrics

Look at me, pathetic nigga, this chain that I bought
I am consumed by my desire for wealth and fame, and it has led me to this pathetic state of buying and flaunting expensive jewelry.

You mix greed, pain and fame, this is heinous result
Greed, pain, and the need for fame have blended together to create a terrible outcome.

Let these words be the colors I'm just paintin my heart
I express the truth of my situation through my music.

I'm knee-deep in the game and it ain't what I thought
I am fully involved in the music industry, but it doesn't live up to my expectations.

Copped the range rover my girl got the mercedes
I have bought a Range Rover for myself and a Mercedes for my girlfriend, as symbols of my success.

Iced out crazy I wanna shine like baby
I have covered myself in expensive and flashy jewelry, inspired by rapper Birdman's extravagant style.

Compared to that nigga I ain't even got a bib yet
Compared to Birdman, I am barely even established in the music industry.

Truth be told I ain't even bought a crib yet
In reality, I have not even purchased a home yet.

This is everything they told a nigga not to do
I am doing everything that society has warned black men against in order to achieve success.

Image is everything I see, it got a lot to do
The way people perceive me and the image I present is extremely important in the music industry.

With the way that people perceive, and what they believe
People's perceptions and beliefs about me greatly impact my success and reputation.

Money short so this jewelry is like a weave
Since I am not yet making as much money as I would like in the music industry, I view my expensive jewelry as a temporary adornment, like a weave hairstyle.

Meant to deceive and hear niggas say I see you
My jewelry is intended to deceive others into thinking I am more successful than I actually am, and to gain their admiration and approval.

Now bitches wanna fuck you and niggas wanna be you
As a result of my flashy image and jewelry, women are attracted to me and other men want to emulate me.

And police wanna stop you, frisk you wonder what he do
Police are suspicious of me and may stop and search me simply because of my appearance and jewelry.

If a hater snatch yo chain, I bet it still won't free you
Even if someone were to steal my jewelry, I would still feel trapped by my desire for wealth and fame.

Cause I'll be right back grinding 'til I cop another
Even if my jewelry is stolen, I will work hard to make more money and buy more jewelry.

I sit and think about all this shit I coulda copped my mother
I regret spending so much money on jewelry when I could have used that money to provide for my mother.

My partner said that's just the game my nigga
My friend tells me that this is just how the music industry works.

Swear I heard my jeweler say, "Here go your chain my nigga"
I feel like my jeweler is only interested in profiting off of me and my desire for expensive jewelry.

This is chaining day
This is the day when I become fully entrapped in my desire for money and fame, symbolized by my jewelry.

My last piece, I swear, my guilt heavy as this piece I wear
This is the last piece of jewelry I will buy, but I feel guilty for spending so much money on it.

They even iced out Jesus' hair
The fact that even Jesus is represented by jewelry shows how excessive and materialistic society has become.

Ice on this white Jesus seem a little unholy
The idea of making Jesus into a material symbol of wealth seems sacrilegious.

The real strange thing about this iced out Rolly
The truly strange thing about my expensive Rolex watch covered in diamonds is how much it represents my identity and values.

It's the same shit a broke black nigga get gassed at
The same kind of flashy jewelry that I am buying now was the same thing that impressed me when I was broke.

The same shit a rich white mo'fucka laugh at
The same kind of jewelry that impresses people in my community is laughed at by wealthy white people who see it as tasteless.

But I bet your rims ain't the same age as you
Although I am not wealthy enough to invest in stocks, property, or other traditional means of wealth accumulation, I can still take pride in my material possessions like my flashy rims.

And I ain't got no investment portfolio
I lack the means or knowledge to invest my money in more stable or lucrative financial instruments.

But my black and white diamonds shinin' like a Oreo
Despite my lack of traditional wealth, my jewelry still gives me a sense of pride and status in my community.

I know back home where niggas sit today
I can see how my old friends and acquaintances back home are still struggling to make ends meet.

He rock a chain and he always got some shit to say
One of my acquaintances wears a chain and talks a lot about his plans for making it big in the music industry, but I know it's unlikely to come true.

Even back when I was broke I knew his shit was fake
Even when I was struggling to make money, I could recognize that my acquaintance's flashy jewelry and big talk was not genuine or realistic.

He'd prolly sneeze too hard and his shit could break
His jewelry is so fake and poorly made that it would probably break under any kind of pressure or mishap.

But hey, you know the sayin', "Fake it 'til you make it"
This common phrase in the music industry suggests that you should pretend to be successful and wealthy until it becomes true.

Me, I did the opposite, made it then I faked it
Rather than faking my success, I actually achieved a level of fame and wealth in the music industry, but still feel unfulfilled and remorseful about my materialism.

And actin' like I gave a fuck, money I was savin' up
I pretended to care about my image and material possessions, but was actually saving my money for a more meaningful investment.

To buy a crib that's gated to that hundred racks
I was saving up to buy a home with a gate and spend my money on something more secure and lasting than jewelry.

I gave it up, for what
Despite knowing that I should invest in long-term wealth, I still gave in to the allure of flashy jewelry and material possessions.

I need you to love me, love me
Amid my guilt and emptiness, I seek the love and approval of others.

Mama I swear this is the last time
I make a promise to my mother that I will stop spending so much money on jewelry.

So don't take my Chains from me
Despite my feelings of guilt and inner turmoil, I still cling to my jewelry and the status it represents.

'Cause I chose this slavery
I recognize that my desire for wealth and status has enslaved me to the materialistic demands of society.

This is the last time
I want to make a final effort to break free from my materialism and unhealthy desires.

I know that I said that last time
I admit that I have made this promise before and failed to keep it.

But this the last time
Despite my past failings, I am determined to make it right this time.

Don't take my chains from me
I still feel interconnected to my material possessions, despite my efforts to see them as meaningless.

'Cause I love this slavery
I have become so accustomed and attached to my materialistic desires that I still view them as valuable, despite knowing they are harmful.

I need you to love me, love me, love me
I still crave the love and acceptance of others, despite my mistakes and shortcomings.

I need you to love me, love me, love me
My need for validation and love from others runs deep and is difficult to overcome.

I need you to love me, love me, love me
My materialism and attachment to wealth and status is, in many ways, an outward plea and cry for love and support.

I need you to love me, love me, love me
At the end of the day, I recognize that my success and my jewelry mean little if they do not bring me actual love and happiness from those around me.