Jamila released her debut album HEAVN on her SoundCloud page on July 11, 2016. HEAVN featured Chance the Rapper, NoName, Saba, Lorine Chia and Donnie Trumpet.
In My Name
Jamila Woods Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Keep my name out your mouth 'cause you can't handle the fleek
Don't cut your tongue on my syllables
Bet you need a syllabus to teach you how my vowels sound
It's a long "I" baby, but your tongue too lazy
Needa fix your face and say your grace
Before you pray to me
In my name, in my name, in my name, in my name
Somebody better come get they cousin
Shawty, honey, sweetie, I swear that wasn't
What my momma gave me
Let me speak more slowly
My name, in my name, in my name, in my name
In my name, in my name, in my name, in my name
In the song "In My Name" by Jamila Woods, the lyrics are a command to people who talk about her. She requires anyone who speaks about her to wash their mouth before they mention her name. She emphasizes her name to be so important that people cannot handle even the mention of it. Her name becomes a symbol of power and authority that she wants people to respect. In the same way, she warns people to be careful in pronouncing her name because her vowels hold a unique sound that can only be understood if someone follows a syllabus.
However, in the second part of the song, she shifts her attention to a different audience. She addresses someone indirectly and says that someone should come and get their cousin, who may have said something inappropriately. She uses different endearments such as "Shawty," "honey," and "sweetie," which represent a tone of annoyance. She then speaks slowly to ensure that people understand that her name is vital and should not be misused. The lyrics show the artist's intent to demand respect and recognition for the importance of her name.
Line by Line Meaning
I like to make you wash your mouth before you talk about me
I expect you to speak with respect and cleanliness when referring to me
Keep my name out your mouth 'cause you can't handle the fleek
Don't speak my name if you can't handle my level of excellence
Don't cut your tongue on my syllables
Don't struggle with the pronunciation of my name
Bet you need a syllabus to teach you how my vowels sound
You probably need a guide to learn how to say the vowels in my name correctly
It's a long "I" baby, but your tongue too lazy
My name has a long "I" sound, but you're too lazy to say it correctly
Needa fix your face and say your grace
You should correct your attitude and show proper respect before speaking to me
Before you pray to me
Before you ask for something from me, make sure you have the right attitude and respect for me
Somebody better come get they cousin
Someone needs to control their relative's disrespectful behavior towards me
Shawty, honey, sweetie, I swear that wasn't
I don't appreciate being spoken to in a condescending or patronizing way
What my momma gave me
My name is a gift given to me by my mother
Let me speak more slowly
I'll slow down and repeat myself so you can say my name correctly
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jamila Woods
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind