Crooked Smile
J. Cole Lyrics

I'm on my way, on my way, on my way down
I've had some tough times and hit rock bottom, but I am now actively making my way back up.

You're the one that was trying to keep me way down
Someone who didn't believe in me tried to hold me back and keep me down.

But like the sun know you know I found my way back round
Despite the negative influence of that person, I have found my way back to success.

They tell me I should fix my grill cause I got money now
People are suggesting that I should fix my crooked teeth now that I have money.

I ain't gon' sit around and front like I ain't thought about it
I won't pretend that I haven't considered it.

A perfect smile is more appealing but it's funny how
Although a perfect smile is more attractive to others, it's ironic that I have achieved success despite my imperfect teeth.

My shit is crooked look at how far I done got without it
I have achieved a lot despite my imperfect teeth.

I keep my twisted grill, just to show them kids it's real
I keep my crooked teeth to show young people that being imperfect is okay.

We ain't picture perfect but we worth the picture still
We may not look perfect, but we are still valuable and worthy of attention.

I got smart, I got rich, and I got bitches still
I have become successful and attracted women despite my perceived physical imperfections.

And they all look like my eyebrows: thick as hell
The women I am with have thick eyebrows like me, which is an imperfect but unique trait.

Love yourself, girl, or nobody will
It's important to love and accept yourself because if you don't, no one else will.

Oh, you a woman? I don't know how you deal
Being a woman comes with added pressure to look perfect, and I can't imagine the difficulty of coping with that.

With all the pressure to look impressive and go out in heels
Women are pressured to look a certain way and live up to expectations of beauty.

I feel for you
I empathize and understand the struggles that women face in trying to look perfect.

Killing yourself to find a man that'll kill for you
Women often go to extreme lengths to find a man who will love them and care for them deeply.

You wake up, put makeup on
Women often feel like they need to wear makeup to look perfect, even when they wake up in the morning.

Stare in the mirror but its clear that you can't face what's wrong
Women criticize and scrutinize themselves in the mirror because they are fixated on what they perceive to be flaws.

No need to fix what God already put his paint brush on
There's no need to try to be perfect because we were made uniquely by God.

Your roommate yelling, "Why you gotta take so long?"
Women take a long time to get ready because they feel like they need to perfect their appearance.

To all the women with the flaws, know it's hard my darling
It's difficult for women who are not perfect in a world that often demands perfection.

You wonder why you're lonely and your man's not calling
Women often wonder why they are alone and why men are not attracted to them.

You keep falling victim cause you're insecure
Insecurity often causes women to fall victim to societal and personal pressure to look perfect.

And when I tell you that you're beautiful you can't be sure
Women are sometimes so caught up in their own perceived flaws that they can't believe someone who tells them they are beautiful.

'Cause he don't seem to want you back
Men may not want the women they are with because they don't meet their unrealistic expectations of perfection.

And it got you asking
This lack of validation causes women to question their self-worth and ask why they aren't good enough.

So all you see is what you lacking
Women often focus on what they perceive themselves to lack rather than what they have to offer.

Not what you packing
Physical appearance and looks are not the most important things about a woman.

Take it from a man that loves what you got
Men who truly appreciate and value women are attracted to qualities beyond surface-level looks.

And baby girl you're a star, don't let 'em tell you you're not
Women should be confident in themselves and not let others bring them down or make them feel inadequate.

Now is it real? Eyebrows, fingernails, hair
People often question whether a woman's looks are real, whether it's their eyebrows, nails, or hair.

Is it real? if it's not, girl you don't care
Whether or not a woman's looks are real should not matter to her - she should be confident regardless.

Cause what's real is something that the eyes can't see
True beauty is not just skin-deep, it comes from deeper than physical appearance.

That the hands can't touch
Real beauty is intangible and cannot be physically touched.

That them broads can't be, and that's you
True beauty is not something that other women can emulate or replicate, it comes from within.

Never let 'em see you frown
Women should not let others see them upset or bring them down with their words or actions.

And if you need a friend to pick you up, I'll be around
I'll be there to support and encourage you when you're feeling down.

And we can ride with the windows down, the music loud
We can have fun and be carefree together without worrying about what others think.

I can tell you ain't laughed in a while
From what I can tell, you haven't had a good laugh in a while.

But I wanna see that crooked smile
I want to see you happy and smiling, even if your smile is imperfect.

We don't look nothing like the people on the screen
We don't look like perfect, movie-star, beauty-queen types that are put on a pedestal as the ideal.

You know them movie stars, picture perfect beauty queens
We are not like the women we see in movies or on TV, who are held up as the ultimate standard of beauty.

But we got dreams and we got the right to chase 'em
We have our own goals and aspirations that we have every right to pursue.

Look at the nation, that's a crooked smile braces couldn't even straighten
The state of our nation is far from perfect, even with all our advancements and technology.

Seem like half the race is either on probation, or in jail
There are many people in our society who face systemic barriers and inequalities that lead to incarceration.

Wonder why we inhale, cause we in hell already
We breathe in toxins and pollutants because our environment and society are already damaged and unhealthy.

I asked if my skin pale, would I then sell like Eminem or Adele?
Skin color can have a profound influence on how one is perceived in society and their ability to succeed.

Yo one more time for the 'Ville
Shout out to my hometown.

And fuck all of that beef shit, nigga let's make a mil
Let's forget about petty rivalries and focus on making money and becoming successful.

Hey officer man, we don't want nobody getting killed
I don't want anyone to get hurt or killed in the process of pursuing our dreams and goals.

Just open up that cell, let my brother out of jail
I want to see my family members and loved ones be able to live their lives without unjust imprisonment.

I got money for the bail now, well now
I am fortunate to have the resources needed to bail someone out of jail.

If you asking will I tell now? Hell naw
I won't betray anyone's trust or turn on them, even under pressure or threat of incarceration.

I ain't snitching cause
I won't turn informant or give someone else up to the authorities.

Man, they get them niggas stitches now
People who snitch or betray their comrades now get hurt or killed as a result.

If you was around, then you wouldn't need a witness now
If you were present and involved, then you wouldn't need someone to testify on your behalf.

How you like this crooked smile?
How do you feel about me and my unconventional, imperfect smile?

Crooked smile, we could style on 'em (back 'round)
Despite our imperfections, we can still be stylish and successful.

You're the one that was trying to keep me way down
This person tried to hold me down and prevent me from achieving success.

Like the sun, I know you know I found my way back round
Just like the sun rises every day, I have found my way back to success despite their negative influence.