“Winter Blues” is a song about a man struggling with poverty, envy and loss… Read Full Bio ↴“Winter Blues” is a song about a man struggling with poverty, envy and loss. He doesn’t have much, so he hustles for what he does have, and always envies the glittery gold. Therefore he turns to malicious acts to obtain them.

When asked about the voicemail he said:

"[In life] I feel like you should have a certain qualification to give advice about anything. If I didn’t have any sort of life experience with the Suicide thing, I wouldn’t be qualified to talk about that."

Winter Blues
JOYNER LUCAS Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Damn I feel so loose, I'm about to pop shit
What's a man to do when he's out of options?
I ain't wanna do it but
Sh, hold on
Be quiet, they're coming

Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no
Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no

Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no
No, no, no, no, no, no
I said gimme that, gimme that
Gimme that, gimme that
Yeah, heard what I said
Nigga run that, run that
Run that, run that
You heard what I said
I said, yeah
Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no
Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no

(Yo) I remember everything was different
When I tried to get a job and make some money
I was livin' on the street
I walk a lot of miles and nobody wasn't hiring
And I had to stand in line if I was to get something to eat
'Cause I ain't had no homies and my girl depended on me
Every night that we were lonely and I couldn't get no sleep
'Cause I was plotting on anybody I seen that was getting money
You got it? I need it, sorry, you don't need it more than me
And bitch, I'm tired of this struggle, ducking and dodging them puddles
Wondering if God ever hear the prayers I said
'Cause every time I got a new hustle, that shit done got me in trouble
You don't know how many fucking tears I've shed
But fuck it, I'm letting loose
And they told me don't bend the rules
This is my winter blues
You know what I'm finna do
Anything necessary to make it up in the news
And I'm taking every muthafucking thing that I pick and choose
And I'm done with all the begging, I'm past that
All I did was get laughed at
You can go backtrack but you'll never get cash back
And they told me I'm half black
But I'm white as a lab rat
With a mic and a gas mask
I'm a light for your trash ass
And I might get the last laugh
Better fight if you backstab
With a knife in your backpack
All my life I've been jabbed at
But I fight like I'm Mad Max with a knife with the yeah, yeah
You know, you know what the fuck I'm talking about
Listen, I don't give a fuck about your feelings
You don't have any idea just what I had to do to get what I want
All I wanted was to make a decent living
I can't even count it all my fingers how much shit that I lost
Nigga this is my job, yeah
These are my thoughts, whoo
I ain't never had shit but for now you better give me what's yours

Damn I feel so loose, I'm about to pop shit
What's a man to do when he's out of options?
I ain't wanna do it but
Sh, hold on
Be quiet
They're coming

Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no
Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no
Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no
No, no, no, no, no, no
I said gimme that, gimme that
Gimme that, gimme that
You heard what I said
Nigga run that, run that
Run that, run that
You heard what I said
I said yeah
Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no
Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no

You really got some nerve talkin' 'bout me like you're better
'Cause you got your shit together and I'm really goin' through it
I don't think you have a clue what it feels like doin' dirt
Knowin' in your heart you ain't wanna do it
I don't got one G bone in my body, I ain't never gangbang I don't know nothing about it
I don't claim to be a thug nigga or Illuminati
But there really ain't no tellin' what I do when I get rowdy
And I'm starvin' and my back against the wall and you ballin'
Every time I see you all you do is flash hundreds
Everything on fleek I ain't never had nothin'
I just wanna be you when I feel like stuntin'
And lettin' loose and they told me don't bend the rules
This is my winter blues you don't know what I finna do
Anything necessary to make it up in the news
And I'm taking every muthafuckin' thing that I pick and choose
I'm done with that hating shit
The fuck do you think this is
Damn it, you made me sick
Ain't no time for no babysit
This is the way we live and yes I'm okay with this
You think you all that and a bag of potato chips?
Could jump off a crazy bridge
And enough of you idiot kids
Go suckin' a lady dick
I would never just make amends
With none of you shakin' hands in public
Yeah, yeah like get the fuck out of my face, dude
Listen
I don't give a fuck about your feelings
You don't have any idea just what a nigga had to do to get loose
All I wanted was to make a decent living
I can't even count on all my fingers how much shit I went through, whoo
What I went through, yeah
What I went through, uh
And when shit get real ain't really nothing that you can do, whoo

Yo, what's up, this is Joyner
I'm unable to take your call right now
Leave me a brief message and I'll get back to you
Peace

Yo, who the fuck do you think you are tryna give advice to a child?
My child
Nigga, you the biggest piece of shit I've ever met in my life
My nigga
You the last person that should be trying to give advice to anybody about anything
Let alone my fucking kid
Acting like some fucking role model or some shit

Nigga, don't no nobody wanna be like you
Stop it

Overall Meaning

In "Winter Blues," Joyner Lucas taps into the frustration and anger that come with being stuck in a cycle of poverty and desperation. The song is a reflection of his own struggles, as well as those of many people in his community who feel trapped and powerless. The lyrics describe a sense of hopelessness and a feeling of being pushed to the brink, as the singer is driven to take extreme measures to survive.

The chorus of the song expresses a sense of urgency and desperation, as the singer demands that others give him what he needs to survive. "Gimme that, gimme that, run that, run that" suggests a willingness to take whatever he can get by any means necessary. The bridge of the song continues this theme, with the singer expressing anger and frustration directed toward those who seem to have everything while he has nothing. He wonders what he would be capable of if he had the resources that others take for granted, and he hints at a willingness to resort to violence if necessary.

The final section of the song is a voicemail message from Joyner Lucas himself, in which he expresses frustration with someone who he feels is trying to give him advice from a position of privilege. He rejects the idea that this person could ever understand what he has been through or what he is going through now. The message is a reminder that, even as a successful artist, Joyner Lucas still carries the weight of his past with him and is determined to use his platform to speak out against injustice and inequality.

Line by Line Meaning

Damn I feel so loose, I'm about to pop shit
I feel confident and ready to express myself boldly

What's a man to do when he's out of options?
When there are no choices left, a man must find a way to survive

I ain't wanna do it but
I didn't want to do it, but circumstances forced me to

Sh, hold on
Wait, be quiet

Be quiet, they're coming
Stay silent, someone is approaching

Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no
Expressing disbelief or worry

I said gimme that, gimme that
I demand that you give me what I want

Yeah, heard what I said
I expect you to listen and understand

Nigga run that, run that
Give it to me, don't hesitate

You heard what I said
I expect you to have heard my words

I remember everything was different
I recall a time when things were changed

When I tried to get a job and make some money
I attempted to secure employment to earn a living

I was livin' on the street
I was homeless, without a place to live

I walk a lot of miles and nobody wasn't hiring
I walked many miles, but no one was willing to employ me

And I had to stand in line if I was to get something to eat
I had to wait in queues to receive even a meal

'Cause I ain't had no homies and my girl depended on me
Because I had no friends and my girlfriend relied on me

Every night that we were lonely and I couldn't get no sleep
Each night we felt isolated and I struggled to rest

'Cause I was plotting on anybody I seen that was getting money
I contemplated taking advantage of anyone I observed with wealth

You got it? I need it, sorry, you don't need it more than me
If you possess something valuable, I want it because I believe I need it more

And bitch, I'm tired of this struggle, ducking and dodging them puddles
I'm exhausted from constantly avoiding obstacles and challenges

Wondering if God ever hear the prayers I said
Questioning whether God listens to the prayers I've offered

'Cause every time I got a new hustle, that shit done got me in trouble
Whenever I sought a new opportunity, it often led to problems

You don't know how many fucking tears I've shed
You have no idea the number of tears I've cried

But fuck it, I'm letting loose
But I don't care anymore, I'm expressing myself freely

And they told me don't bend the rules
People advised me not to break the rules

This is my winter blues
I am experiencing my own struggles and hardships

You know what I'm finna do
You know what I'm about to do

Anything necessary to make it up in the news
I will do whatever it takes to become newsworthy

And I'm taking every muthafucking thing that I pick and choose
I will seize any opportunity that aligns with my desires

And I'm done with all the begging, I'm past that
I am finished with pleading and no longer need it

All I did was get laughed at
All I received in return was mockery

You can go backtrack but you'll never get cash back
Even if you try to retrace your steps, you won't recover the money

And they told me I'm half black
People informed me that I am of mixed race

But I'm white as a lab rat
However, I have a light complexion like a laboratory rat

With a mic and a gas mask
Holding a microphone and wearing a gas mask

I'm a light for your trash ass
I serve as an inspiration to those who are less worthy

And I might get the last laugh
And I might be the one to have the final triumph

Better fight if you backstab
You better be prepared to defend yourself if you betray me

With a knife in your backpack
While concealing a knife in your backpack

All my life I've been jabbed at
Throughout my life, I have been mocked and attacked

But I fight like I'm Mad Max with a knife with the yeah, yeah
But I fight fiercely, like the character Mad Max, with a knife and determination

You know, you know what the fuck I'm talking about
You understand exactly what I'm expressing

Listen, I don't give a fuck about your feelings
Understand that I have no concern for your emotions

You don't have any idea just what I had to do to get what I want
You have no comprehension of the lengths I've gone to achieve my goals

All I wanted was to make a decent living
My only desire was to achieve a respectable standard of living

I can't even count it all my fingers how much shit that I lost
I cannot even quantify the amount of things I have lost

Nigga this is my job, yeah
This is my occupation, my means of earning a living

These are my thoughts, whoo
These are my personal reflections and ideas

I ain't never had shit but for now you better give me what's yours
I have never had anything, but now you better give me what you possess

You really got some nerve talkin' 'bout me like you're better
You have audacity to speak as if you are superior to me

'Cause you got your shit together and I'm really goin' through it
Because you have your life in order while I am struggling

I don't think you have a clue what it feels like doin' dirt
I doubt you understand the hardships and sacrifices I've made

Knowin' in your heart you ain't wanna do it
Being aware that deep down, you didn't want to go down that path

I don't got one G bone in my body, I ain't never gangbang I don't know nothing about it
I am not a gangster, I have no knowledge or experience in that lifestyle

I don't claim to be a thug nigga or Illuminati
I do not proclaim to be involved in criminal activities or secret societies

But there really ain't no tellin' what I do when I get rowdy
Nevertheless, I am unpredictable when I become agitated

And I'm starvin' and my back against the wall and you ballin'
I am desperate and in a difficult situation while you are flourishing

Every time I see you, all you do is flash hundreds
Whenever I encounter you, you boast about your wealth

Everything on fleek I ain't never had nothin'
You have everything perfect, while I have never had anything

I just wanna be you when I feel like stuntin'
Sometimes, I wish I could embody your persona when I want to show off

And lettin' loose and they told me don't bend the rules
And releasing my frustrations even though I was advised not to break the rules

This is my winter blues you don't know what I finna do
These are my personal struggles and hardships, you don't understand what actions I might take

Anything necessary to make it up in the news
I am willing to do whatever it takes to gain media attention

And I'm taking every muthafuckin' thing that I pick and choose
I am seizing every opportunity and choice that comes my way

I'm done with that hating shit
I am finished with spreading negativity and animosity

The fuck do you think this is
What do you assume this situation is?

Damn it, you made me sick
You have caused me to feel disgusted

Ain't no time for no babysit
I don't have time to cater to your immaturity

This is the way we live and yes I'm okay with this
This is our lifestyle and I have accepted it

You think you all that and a bag of potato chips?
Do you believe you are superior and exceptional?

Could jump off a crazy bridge
You could jump off a dangerous bridge for all I care

And enough of you idiot kids
And I'm tired of dealing with you foolish individuals

Go suckin' a lady dick
Go engage in an inappropriate activity

I would never just make amends
I would never seek reconciliation with you

With none of you shakin' hands in public
I would avoid any interaction with you in public settings

Yeah, yeah like get the fuck out of my face, dude
Yeah, yeah, just go away and leave me alone