Starry Night
Mac Mall/Quincy Jones/Rashida Jones Lyrics

Starry night, an unknown creation
This song is an ode to Vincent Van Gogh's 'Starry Night,' which is often seen as one of the greatest paintings of all time.

Written by, and from the archives of Tupac Shakur
The song 'Starry Night' was created from an unreleased Tupac Shakur verse that was found in his archives.

Dedicated to the memory of Vincent Van Gogh
The song is dedicated to the artistic genius of Vincent Van Gogh, who was not appreciated in his time and struggled with mental illness.

A creative heart obsessed with satisfying
Van Gogh was a highly creative person who was driven to create art that would satisfy his deep emotions and artistic vision.

This dorment and uncaring society
Van Gogh's work was not appreciated by the society he lived in, which was uninterested in the depth of meaning and emotion in his paintings.

You have given them the stars at night
Van Gogh's paintings often featured the stars and the night sky as a way of expressing the vastness of the universe and the beauty of nature.

And you have given them bountiful bouquets of sunflowers
Van Gogh was known for his vibrant paintings of sunflowers, which he used to express joy and happiness despite his struggles with mental health.

But for you there's only contempt
Despite his creative genius, Van Gogh was often rejected and ridiculed by the people around him, who did not understand or appreciate his artistic vision.

Though you pour yourself into that frame and present it so proudly
Van Gogh put all of his passion and emotion into his paintings, even though his society did not respect or celebrate his work.

This world could not accept your masterpieces, from the heart
The world around Van Gogh did not appreciate his art, which he created from a deep well of emotion and passion for his craft.

So on that starry night, you gave to us and you took away from us
Van Gogh's life was a gift to the world, but because he was not appreciated in his lifetime, he struggled with poverty and mental illness, ultimately leading to his tragic death.

The one thing we never acknowledged, your life
Despite his great contributions to the world of art, Van Gogh's society never acknowledged or celebrated his life, which was full of pain and suffering.

Starry night, your life
The song is an homage to Van Gogh's life, which ended too soon due to societal neglect and his own struggles with mental health.

Uh, uh, watch me live my art; writing words from my soul in blood
The rap artist is describing the intensity of his own creative process, which involves putting his deepest emotions and passions into his music.

I speak the truth on every thang I love
The artist only creates music that is authentic and meaningful to him, expressing his emotions and views without compromise.

I'll probably sacrifice my life, to send my message through mics
The artist is committed to his craft to the point of risking his own life, as he sees music as a powerful vehicle to communicate his message to the world.

It's like a war drum calling soldiers at night
The artist's music is compared to a battle cry, calling people to wake up and fight for what they believe in.

It's bigger than music I spit it straight from the heart
The artist sees his music as more than just entertainment, as it comes from the depths of his soul and expresses his deepest emotions and views on the world.

And flows by the M-A-see why'all, Mr. M-A-see Mall
The artist's rap name is Mac Mall, and he is highlighting his own contribution to the song's creation.

You on the cover of da magazine, flossing on the TV screen
The artist is criticizing the superficial glamour of celebrity culture, where people are celebrated for their appearance and wealth rather than their actual contributions to society.

Loaded in the limousine, love to hear the fans scream
The artist is describing the superficiality of fame, where people are driven by adulation rather than a genuine desire to share their talents.

Swimmin' wit the sharks now, ain't no love money king
The artist is criticizing the cutthroat nature of the music industry, where people are driven by money and power rather than artistic integrity.

People got they hands out but ain't nobody lendin' hands
The artist is describing the competitive nature of the music industry, where people are often unwilling to help each other out and instead focus on their own success.

Can you really blame dem for tryin' to get what they can?
The artist is acknowledging the difficult nature of the music industry and recognizing that people are often driven to succeed at any cost in order to survive.

Late night, bright lights, lust n lies
The artist is highlighting the artificiality of the entertainment industry, where people are driven by sex, drugs, and lies rather than artistic integrity.

And anythang goes under the Hollywood sign
The artist is criticizing the hypocrisy of Hollywood, where people often pursue questionable behavior behind closed doors while presenting a polished, respectable image to the public.

Well you might lose ya soul and who knows what you find
The artist is warning that the pursuit of fame and fortune can come at a great personal cost, where people may find themselves losing their sense of self and their moral compass.

But go ahead main we all want to shine
Despite the challenges, the artist acknowledges that many people are still driven to pursue fame and success in the music industry, as it can offer a powerful platform to share their voice and message with the world.

There you have it
The artist is concluding the song by emphasizing the power of music to communicate powerful emotions and messages, just as Van Gogh's paintings did before him.

When ya name is hot it's all love, the world is yours
The artist is acknowledging that success in the music industry can bring tremendous rewards, such as fame, wealth, and the adulation of fans.

But when you fall off, you get ignored
The artist is warning that success in the music industry is often fleeting, and that people who do not continue to innovate and create may quickly find themselves forgotten and ignored by the industry and their fans.