i
Kendrick Lamar feat. George Clinton & Thundercat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Trials and tribulations, but I know God
Satan wanna put me in a bow-tie
Praying that the holy water don't go dry, yeah yeah
As I look around me
So many motherfuckers wanna down me
But ain't no nigga never drown me
In front of a dirty double-mirror they found me
And I love myself
(The world is a ghetto with guns and picket signs)
I love myself
(But it can do what it want whenever it wants and I don’t mind)
I love myself
(He said I gotta get up, life is more than suicide)
I love myself
(One day at the time, sun gone shine)
Everybody looking at you crazy (Crazy)
What you gone do? (What you gone do?)
Lift up your head and keep moving (Keep moving)
Or let the paranoia haunt you? (Haunt you)
Peace to fashion police I wear my heart
On my sleeve let the runway start
You know the miserable do love company
Fuck do you want from me and my scars?
Everybody lack confidence, everybody lack confidence
How many times our potential was anonymous?
How many times the city making me promises?
So I promise this
And I love myself
(The world is a ghetto with guns and picket signs)
I love myself
(But it can do what it want whenever it wants and I don’t mind)
I love myself
(He said I gotta get up, life is more than suicide)
I love myself
(One day at the time, sun gone shine)
They wanna say there's a war outside and a bomb in the street
And a gun in the hood and a mob of police
And a rock on the corner and a line full of fiends
And a bottle full of lean and a model on a scheme, yup
These days of frustration keep y'all on tucking rotation
I duck these gold faces, post up fee-fi-fo-fum bases
Dreams of realities peace
Blow steam in the face of the beast
The sky can fall down, the wind can cry now
The strong in me, I still smile
I love myself
(The world is a ghetto with guns and picket signs)
I love myself
(But it can do what it want whenever it wants and I don’t mind)
I love myself
(He said I gotta get up, life is more than suicide)
I love myself
(One day at the time, sun gone shine)
Walk my barefeet (Walk my barefeet)
Down, down valley peak (Down, down valley peak)
I keep my fee-fi-fo-fum (Fee-fi-fo-fum)
I keep my heart undone (My heart undone)
And I love myself
(The world is a ghetto with guns and picket signs)
I love myself
(But it can do what it want whenever it wants and I don’t mind)
I love myself
(He said I gotta get up, life is more than suicide)
I love myself
(One day at the time, sun gone shine)
I went to war last night
With an automatic weapon, don’t nobody call a medic
I'mma do it 'til I get it right
I went to war last night
I've been dealing with depression ever since an adolescent
Duckin' every other blessin', l can never see the message
I can never take the lead, I can never bob and weave
For my nigga that be letting ‘em alienate me
And the sound is moving in a meteor speed
From a 100 to a billion lay my body in the street
Keep my money in the ceiling let my mama know I'm free
Give my story to the children and the lesson they can read
And the glory to the feeling of all of y'all scenes
Seen enough, make a motherfucker scream, "I love myself!"
I lost my head, I must've misread what the good book said
Oh woes keep me, it's a jungle inside
Give myself again 'til the well runs dry
The song "i" by Kendrick Lamar Feat. Jay Rock is about loving oneself despite the negative voices and challenges that surround. Kendrick Lamar talks about how he has been through trials and tribulations but he knows God, and Satan wants to bring him down by putting him in a bow-tie but he prays that the holy water does not go dry. He tells his listeners to lift their heads and keep moving, and not to let paranoia haunt them. People may look at one crazy, but one should not let that blind them to the fact that they are special and should stand up for themselves. The artist talks about how the experiences of the world can be frustrating but one should maintain their inner peace and stand for what is right. The chorus "I love myself, the world is a ghetto with guns and picket signs, but it can do what it wants whenever it wants, and I don’t mind. He said I gotta get up, life is more than suicide, one day at a time, sun gone shine," emphasizes the importance of self-love and resilience.
Throughout the song, Jay explains how he has been dealing with depression since his youth and how he can never take the lead or bob and weave. He feels alienated and isolated because of how people treat him. Despite this, he is determined to keep trying because he wants to get it right, even if it takes going to war with automatic weapons. The artist emphasizes the importance of giving oneself repeatedly until the well runs dry because the journey to self-love and acceptance is never-ending.
Line by Line Meaning
I done been through a whole lot
I have experienced so much in my life
Trials and tribulations, but I know God
I have faced difficult challenges but my faith in God keeps me going
Satan wanna put me in a bow-tie
Evil wants to control and manipulate me
Praying that the holy water don't go dry, yeah yeah
I hope my spiritual strength remains strong
As I look around me
When I observe my surroundings
So many motherfuckers wanna down me
Many people want to criticize and bring me down
But ain't no nigga never drown me
Nobody has ever succeeded in defeating me
In front of a dirty double-mirror they found me
My true self was revealed in an unclean and unfair way
And I love myself
I have a strong sense of self-love
(The world is a ghetto with guns and picket signs)
The world is a dangerous place full of conflict and injustice
I love myself
I value and respect myself
(But it can do what it want whenever it wants and I don’t mind)
The world can be unfair but I choose to accept it and move forward
I love myself
I am proud of who I am and my accomplishments
(He said I gotta get up, life is more than suicide)
I believe that life is precious and worth living, despite its difficulties
I love myself
I am comfortable with who I am as a person
(One day at the time, sun gone shine)
I take life one day at a time and believe that good things will come
Everybody looking at you crazy (Crazy)
People are judging and scrutinizing you
What you gone do? (What you gone do?)
What actions will you take?
Lift up your head and keep moving (Keep moving)
Keep your chin up and don't dwell on negativity
Or let the paranoia haunt you? (Haunt you)
Or will you allow your fears to control you?
Peace to fashion police I wear my heart
I don't care about societal norms or trends
On my sleeve let the runway start
I confidently express who I am
You know the miserable do love company
People who are unhappy tend to bring others down with them
Fuck do you want from me and my scars?
I won't apologize for my imperfections and past experiences
Everybody lack confidence, everybody lack confidence
Many people struggle with self-doubt
How many times our potential was anonymous?
How often have our abilities gone unnoticed?
How many times the city making me promises?
How often have I been let down by empty promises?
So I promise this
I pledge to be true to myself
They wanna say there's a war outside and a bomb in the street
People talk of a dangerous, conflict-ridden world
And a gun in the hood and a mob of police
Where violence and police brutality are common
And a rock on the corner and a line full of fiends
Where drugs and addiction plague communities
And a bottle full of lean and a model on a scheme, yup
Where people are driven to self-destructive behaviors and materialism
These days of frustration keep y'all on tucking rotation
People feel stuck and powerless in their daily struggles
I duck these gold faces, post up fee-fi-fo-fum bases
I try to avoid indulging in materialism and superficial wealth
Dreams of realities peace
I envision a world where peace prevails
Blow steam in the face of the beast
I confront and resist oppressive forces
The sky can fall down, the wind can cry now
Even during chaos and turmoil, I remain strong
The strong in me, I still smile
I maintain my resilience and positive attitude
Walk my barefeet (Walk my barefeet)
I walk through life humbly and without pretense
Down, down valley peak (Down, down valley peak)
Through peaks and valleys, I persist
I keep my fee-fi-fo-fum (Fee-fi-fo-fum)
I remain grounded in my values and principles
I keep my heart undone (My heart undone)
I am open and authentic in my emotions and connections to others
I went to war last night
I have been battling my inner demons
With an automatic weapon, don’t nobody call a medic
And I am going through this alone
I'mma do it 'til I get it right
I will keep working towards my goals despite difficulty
I've been dealing with depression ever since an adolescent
I have struggled with mental health for a long time
Duckin' every other blessin', l can never see the message
I often overlook the good things in my life and miss out on positive messages
I can never take the lead, I can never bob and weave
I struggle to take charge and make decisions for myself
For my nigga that be letting ‘em alienate me
People who have been ostracized and marginalized often understand my struggles
And the sound is moving in a meteor speed
My life is moving quickly and it's hard to keep up
From a 100 to a billion lay my body in the street
I am willing to give everything I have for my beliefs and values
Keep my money in the ceiling let my mama know I'm free
I prioritize my independence and freedom
Give my story to the children and the lesson they can read
I want to inspire future generations with my experiences and lessons learned
And the glory to the feeling of all of y'all scenes
I hope that my legacy can influence and benefit others
Seen enough, make a motherfucker scream, 'I love myself!'
I have experienced enough turmoil and hardship to appreciate and value myself
I lost my head, I must've misread what the good book said
I have lost my faith and misinterpreted my religious beliefs
Oh woes keep me, it's a jungle inside
My struggles and sorrows are overwhelming and chaotic
Give myself again 'til the well runs dry
I will continue to give my all until I have nothing left to give
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: O'KELLY ISLEY, CHRISTOPHER JASPER, ERNIE ISLEY, RUDOLPH ISLEY, RONALD ISLEY, MARVIN ISLEY, KENDRICK LAMAR, COLUMBUS SMITH III
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@DimpzNYC
I remember when tpab first came out. Everybody on twitter was saying it was trash so I decided to give it a listen. Literally couldn't even get past the first song.
...Because I kept replaying it over and over. Never heard anything like this before.
@kendricklamarspotlight
⬇️LIKE IF YOU BUMPING THIS IN 2020! 👍👍
@omargray5279
THANKS FOR MAKING THIS CHANNEL, WHOEVER YOU ARE I LOVE AND GOD BLESS YOU
@PermaJeff
No
@PermaJeff
@@omargray5279 yikes
@omargray5279
@@PermaJeff what?
@JorgeGomez-hx5uu
@@PermaJeff curious as to why you dislike Kendricks music. I mean he did do one thing that made me lose slight respect, but as far as the music goes, it’s just superb. Or are you just hating just to hate?
@giovanni7297
NOTHING can replace hearing this on your first listen. Shit was magical
@kingkunta2977
Fr
@cheesesits
Swear bro. Couldn’t stop bopping my head after the beat drop
@SegaGentleman
The first time I heard this I scream-laughed at the beginning. I just knew I was in for a wild ride