See World
J. Cole Lyrics

Gettin higher than the soul of little Shaniya,
I'm indulging in substances to try and forget the horrific murder of Shaniya, a five-year-old girl.

To the ones that killed her, hope you burn in fire.
I wish the murderers of Shaniya the worst punishment possible.

I'm burnin tires on the strip, tryna get a grip,
I'm driving fast and recklessly as a release to cope with the pain I feel.

Liquor in the cupholder, tryna get a sip.
I'm drinking alcohol to numb myself from the harsh reality of the world.

6 shots of Hennessey, I'm still goin strong.
Even though I've had a lot to drink, I'm still struggling to cope with the pain I feel.

Please numb me from the bullshit that's goin on.
I'm using substances as a way to try and forget about the terrible things that are happening in the world.

That girl was 5 years old that they just murdered,
I can't believe that someone could be so evil as to kill a young child like Shaniya.

And did some wicked shit to her that was unheard of,
The details of what happened to Shaniya are so heinous that it's unlike anything I've ever heard before.

You fuckin coward.
The person who committed this crime is a coward.

Ain't gotta tell em' go to Hell,
They will face their own punishment eventually, whether it's in this life or the next.

Cause that's the shit that make them other niggas sick in Jail;
People who harm children are looked down upon even in prison, as they are seen as the lowest of the low.

So you gon' feel it.
The person who committed this crime will face the consequences of their actions eventually.

Travel the world reppin this city, know I'm gon kill it,
I'm going to represent my hometown well and make a name for myself in the world.

But yet a nigga ain't got a clue... how I'm gon deal with
I'm not sure how I'm going to cope with all the negativity and pain in the world.

All the bullshit. Niggas sendin shots my way.
People are making things difficult for me, and I'm receiving a lot of hate and negativity from others.

You put a hit out on me, think that I'm gon stop? No way.
Even if someone tries to harm me, I won't give up or stop pursuing my dreams.

Gon have to kill me, or witness a nigga livin so filthy
I refuse to let anyone stand in the way of my dreams and goals, and if someone wants to stop me, they will have to try to kill me, or watch me suffer and struggle.

Young, Black, and Wealthy, nigga for that I'm guilty.
I know that some people will judge me just because of my race and the fact that I'm successful.

Still see all the fake shit.
I see through the insincerity and hypocrisy of others.

It's funny somehow thought the money could erase it.
I once believed that money could solve all my problems, but I now know that this isn't true.

No matter how much dough you got you gotta face it,
No amount of money can completely shield someone from the harsh realities of the world.

And to my niggas gone hope you in a better place,
I hope that my friends who have passed away are at peace and in a better place.

If I make it I'll holla...
If I succeed in life, I'll let others know and share my achievements with them.

Yeah I got a chip on my shoulder the size of a golden nugget
I have a lot of resentment and frustration towards the people and the industry that have overlooked me.

The industry overlook me for that I be holding grudges
I haven't forgotten about the people who haven't given me a chance and I still hold ill feelings towards them.

Wouldn't take a chance on me
People in the industry didn't believe in me or take me seriously.

Suddenly it's, oh you love it
Now that I'm successful, those same people who didn't believe in me before want to be a part of my success and work with me.

Let's get a cole feature that's gon put you over budget
People are willing to pay more just to have me on a song or project.

Picture being broke with no pot to piss in
I used to be so poor that I didn't even have access to basic necessities like a toilet.

And then suddenly your idols is your competition
The people I used to look up to and idolize are now my peers and competitors in the industry.

Used to be God to me, slowly losing my religion
I used to worship these people like they were gods, but as I've gotten to know them and the industry better, I've become disillusioned and lost my faith in it.

As these notes from my composition turn the compositions thin
My music is becoming less authentic and more commercialized as I try to fit in and appeal to the mainstream market.

Put it out and hope the World sing
I release my music into the world and hope that people connect with it and appreciate it.

We sippin' liquor for the pain that the World bring
We drink to forget about the negativity and pain that exist in the world.

We had dreams just to make it up the flag pole
We used to have big dreams and aspirations, just hoping to make it to the top of our field.

Just to find out that out heroes were some ass holes
As we got closer to our idols and those we looked up to in the industry, we found out that many of them were actually terrible people.

Y'all don't hear me, maybe you had the World figured out wrong
People don't understand me and my perspective, maybe because they have a different outlook on the world.

When these niggas go from singing our songs to waiting on you
The same people who used to idolize us now just want to use us and wait for us to make something they can benefit from.

Bout a year later the same ones be hatin' on you
After a period of time, those same people who wanted something from us now turn on us and hate us.

Every other record these rappers be faking on you
Other rappers are constantly putting out fake and inauthentic music.

We singing songs but we know that ain't true
Despite the fact that we sing and rap about our own experiences, we know that many people in the industry are just putting on a show and aren't being true to themselves.

We know you gotta make the people pay you
We understand that we have to make money and profit from our music in order to survive in the industry.

Cause either you play the game or watch the game play you
You have to either play by the rules and conform to the industry's standards, or you'll be left behind and forgotten.

And be that broke motherfucker talkin bout "I stay true"
"Staying true" to yourself and your beliefs won't be enough to get you success and recognition in the industry if you're not willing to play the game and conform to their standards.

[Chorus]
The pain and negativity of the world is overwhelming and inescapable.