No Church in the Wild
Jay Z/Kanye West Lyrics

Human beings in a mob
When people come together in a group, they can become a force to be reckoned with.

What's a mob to a king?
Despite being strong in numbers, a mob is trivial compared to a powerful leader.

What's a king to a god?
Even the most powerful ruler cannot match the divine power of a god.

What's a god to a non-believer?
To someone who does not believe in a higher power or spirituality, the concept of a god is meaningless.

Who don't believe in anything?
To those who have no faith or belief, they may question the purpose and meaning of life.

We make it out alive
Despite the chaos and struggles in life, we keep going and survive.

All right, all right
We're doing okay, we're holding on.

No church in the wild
The world can be a chaotic and lawless place without the guiding force of religion.

Tears on the mausoleum floor
A symbol of grief and mourning for the dead.

Blood stains the Coliseum doors
The Coliseum was a place of bloodshed, and this line emphasizes the violent nature of humanity.

Lies on the lips of a priest
A commentary on the hypocrisy and deceit found in some religious leaders.

Thanksgiving disguised as a feast
The idea of masking a celebration with excess and luxury, rather than acknowledging the deeper meaning behind it.

Rollin' in the Rolls-Royce Corniche
A symbol of wealth and luxury, which can be used to escape law enforcement.

Only the doctors got this, I'm hidin' from police
Drug use being facilitated by corrupt doctors, while the singer tries to avoid getting caught by the authorities.

Cocaine seats
A reference to the luxurious interior of a car designed for drug use.

All white like I got the whole thing bleached
White is often associated with purity, but in this context it is about covering up and hiding impurities and flaws.

Drug dealer chic
A commentary on how drug dealers can become glamorized and even fashionable in some circles.

I'm wonderin' if a thug's prayers reach
A question about the efficacy of prayer for those living a life involved in violence and illegal activity.

Is Pious pious 'cause God loves pious?
A philosophical question about whether being devout in one's faith is a result of divine approval or for one's own benefit.

Socrates asks, "whose bias do y'all seek?"
A reference to the philosophical questioning of the bias and motivations behind knowledge and truth.

All for Plato, screech
A pun on 'all for play-dough', emphasizing the pursuit of wealth and luxury in society over knowledge and truth.

I'm out chere' ballin', I know y'all hear my sneaks
A boastful message to listeners about the artist's lifestyle and success.

Jesus was a carpenter, Yeezy, laid beats
A comparison between the humble beginnings of Jesus and the rise to fame of the singer, who is also compared to Jesus by association with Yeezy (Kanye West).

Hova flow the Holy Ghost, get the hell up out your seats, preach
A call to the audience to stand up and listen to the flow of Jay Z (Hova), likening it to the power of the Holy Ghost in a church service where the preacher encourages the congregation to stand up and engage with their message.

I live by you, desire
The singer's desire to be close to someone they love.

I stand by you, walk through the fire
The singer's commitment to stand by and support their loved one through difficult times.

Your love, is my scripture
A message about the power of love as a guiding force in one's life, like religious scripture.

Let me into your encryption, yeah yeah
A message of wanting to be let into someone's innermost thoughts and emotions, like a password or code.

Coke on her black skin made a stripe like a zebra
A drug reference, and a comparison between the white powder and the black skin tone of the person using it.

I call that jungle fever
A reference to the racial stereotype that black people are like wild animals or 'jungle creatures' that white people should desire, and which is reinforced by the drug use imagery in the previous line.

You will not control the threesome
A message to someone who wants to exert control over a sexual encounter involving three people, indicating a desire for freedom and independence.

Just roll the weed up until I get me some
A line about the artist's desire for drugs and how it takes priority over other things.

We formed a new religion
A message of creating a new way of thinking and living for oneself.

No sins as long as there's permission'
A commentary on how the concept of 'sin' is subjective depending on the individual's rules and boundaries.

And deception is the only felony
An ironic statement about how lying and deceit can often go unpunished in society.

So never fuck nobody without tellin' me
A message of wanting to be in control and informed in all sexual encounters involving the artist.

Sunglasses and Advil
A reference to a hangover remedy, and a sign of a wild and crazy night before.

Last night was mad real
A message about a wild and memorable night out.

Sun comin' up 5 a.m.
The morning after the wild night out, with the sun rising early.

I wonder if they got cabs still
A message about the late night/early morning, and the disorientation that follows after a night of revelry.

Thinkin' 'bout the girl in all-leopard
A recollection of a particular person from the previous night, dressed in leopard print clothing.

Who was rubbin' the wood like Kiki Shepard
A reference to Kiki Shepard, who was known for her role on television as a Vanna White-type host on a game show where contestants guess letters to complete words and phrases, and for her appearances in Playboy magazine. The line is sexual in nature, implying the person from the previous night was sexually aroused by rubbing their genitalia against something like a piece of wood.

Two tattoos, one read "no apologies"
A message about someone who lives their life without regret or remorse, and doesn't feel the need to apologize for their actions.

The other said "love is cursed by monogamy"
A message about how the expectation of monogamy in relationships can lead to feelings of entrapment or being 'cursed'.

That's somethin' that the pastor don't preach
A message about how some topics, like non-monogamy and sexual freedom, may not be discussed or endorsed by religious leaders.

That's somethin' that a teacher can't teach
A message about how some ideas can only be learned through personal experience, rather than instruction or guidance from others.

When we die, the money we can't keep
A reminder that material wealth and possessions cannot be taken with us when we die.

But we prolly spend it all 'cause the pain ain't cheap, preach
A commentary on how people may spend their wealth excessively as a way of dealing with emotional pain or trauma, and a call for the preacher to impart this message to the audience.