At an early age, Jenkins’ mother introduced him to contemporary soul greats such as Prince, Erykah Badu, Sade and Jill Scott, thus promoting her son’s musical sensibility. The young artist was charmed by the emotions carried out in this musical genre and later found hip-hop music to be another effective vehicle for these same feelings due its lyrical richness. As he grew older, his passion for music developed into an ever-increasing rap talent. This led him to enter a rap competition called "Who got Bars" during his sophomore year at the University of Oakwood in Huntsville, Alabama. When he was awarded second place, the prospect of a career in hip-hop crossed his mind and the chemistry he had forged with FreeNation throughout the competition inspired him to take his lyrical persuasions seriously.
In the Fall of 2012, Mick returned to Chicago and began attending YCA (Young Chicago Authors) a youth center where his first acapella verse caught the attention of local artist and leader of Chicago’s PIVOT Gang collective, Saba. Shortly after, the two collaborated on “Heaux” for Saba’s 2012 mixtape GETCOMFORTable.
In the spring of 2013 Mick Released a mixtape entitled Trees and Truths. It quickly became a local favorite, buoyed by acid jazz-influenced production, biblical allegory and lacerating lyricism. The project was by far his most lyrical body of work and caught the attention of Chicago’s incipient gatekeepers. A few months after its release, a collaboration with Chance The Rapper and Vic Mensa came in the form of a single entitled “Crossroads”, which was a summer hit.
In 2014, Mick received a lot of attention after the release of his single "Martyrs." This song juxtaposes harsh truths about our society with a catchy hook, creating a thought-provoking single with various underlying messages and subtle notions. "Martyrs" has led people such as Timbaland, among others, to reach out and praise Jenkins for his musical talent and intricate lyricism. Mick continued to find creative ways to convey his message and he released his project entitled The Waters, the project received positive reviews.
In 2015, Mick went on tour with Kirk Knight, Noname, and Saba. On August 21, 2015, Jenkins released his 9-track EP Wave which also received positive reception. Mick released his debut album The Healing Component in 2016.
514
Mick Jenkins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I'm been on Saint Laurent like a motherfucka
Overworked, overlooked, hella red
Tell 'em that I'm Type O for the bloodsuckas
Leeches
I'm 6'5" quit reachin'
Nigga's only goal is the gold, tell them Creflo Dollar motherfuckas quit preachin'
I've been in the 514, my French gettin' too clean
Nigga, I've been going through it as of late
Lot of people talk what they think that they would have did
Like the CTA I keep my patience
I ain't in it for the JP Morgan chase, I'm a nice guy
Nigga do this look like last place, I'm on Priceline
Searchin' for a flight to Montreal
Me and Jerry on Saint Laurent
I just want a little freedom; don't we all? Don't we all
Just, get a little tired of the bullshit they feed us?
Serve and protect, like protect your pockets and servin' subpoenas
Whole shit a circus and they ain't even serving us peanuts
I learned this, back when they was serving us free lunch
System 'bout as foul as a free throw
Tell me what the fuck a nigga know about a free thought
If everything that he thought stem from a remote
This is so that he know
I ain't talking Yves Saint Laurent
But I've been on Saint Laurent like a mothafucka
I've been in the 514, my French getting too clean
Customs is routine, eating hella poutine, I think I'ma buy one more
I've been in the 514, my French getting too clean
Customs is routine, eating hella poutine, I think I'ma buy one more
I ain't talking Yves Saint Laurent
But I've been on Saint Laurent like a motherfucka
On Saint Laurent like a motherfucka
I've been in the 514
Peep the passion, the thought he put in is hardly comparable
Speaking in parables, these days I find myself feeling like Charles Barkley
Man, all you niggas is terrible
So I just tell 'em, South side in this mothafucka, got the presence of a housefly
Everybody know I'm in this mothafucka, you can hear it when you listen
And I do it for the fam Peter Griffin, we got no Meg
Ride good, nigga no pegs
Free Nation rebels, you need more lead, homie get your weight up
You know who I pray to when I wake up, no weapon formed
You don't get spared cause you less informed
I'm on my square cause we in a box, burners be like cinder blocks
Box sampled finna chop, door push it in the cold
You could feel it when a nigga spoke
Cause a nigga broke freeing all the feelings of the fickle folk
Fuck with me, pour a little passion and put it in your hope
Grow a little jasmine and put it in your smoke
Blow a little ash, it'll take a bigger toke
Bumping Little Dragon, I take a drag thinking damn
Hope you see the Simba crashing and a nigga note
Hope you see the symbols, hope you Stacy Dash
Hope you think quick fast when the trigger stroke
Hope you think quick fast, catch my ass in the 514
My French getting too clean
Customs is routine, eating hella poutine, I think I'ma buy one more
I mean I ain't talking Yves Saint Laurent
But I've been on Saint Laurent like a motherfucka
Overworked, overlooked, hella rare
Tell 'em that I'm Type O for the bloodsuckas
Leeches, I'm 6'5" quit reachin'
Nigga's only goals is the goal
Tell 'em Creflo Dollar, mothafuckas quit preachin'
I've been in the 514 (my French getting too clean)
Shoutout to the 514
Shoutout to the 514 (6'5" quit reachin')
In "514," Mick Jenkins addresses several issues that he has faced as an up-and-coming rapper. He begins by saying that although he's not talking about designer clothing line Yves Saint Laurent, he's been on Saint Laurent Boulevard in Montreal, Canada which is located near where many designer stores are located. He then goes on to talk about his frustrations with the music industry - being overworked, overlooked, and constantly dealing with people who are only out to use him. He compares these people to leeches, and asserts that he's not interested in being part of their game. He also mentions Creflo Dollar, a televangelist, and tells him to quit preaching about money, reinforcing his idea of not being interested in the gold.
Throughout the song, Jenkins seems to be searching for freedom from the industry's expectations and from the societal issues that surround him. He talks about the police force that is meant to serve and protect but just ends up protecting the wealthy, and mentions the education system that promises free lunches but fails to follow through on its promises. He also raps about the need to escape from this reality, searching for freedom to do what he wants and be who he wants to be. At the end of the song, he mentions that he's been in Montreal for a while, and his French is getting better. Eating lots of poutine, he says he might buy one more. Amidst all of the frustration, Jenkins finds solace in his travels and exploration of other cultures, expressing his desire to move beyond the negativity and embrace new experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
I ain't talkin' Yves Saint Laurent
I'm not referring to high-end fashion brand Yves Saint Laurent
But I've been on Saint Laurent like a motherfucka
I've been frequenting Saint Laurent street in the 514 area of Montreal a lot
Overworked, overlooked, hella red
I'm overworked, overlooked, and extremely stressed
Tell 'em that I'm Type O for the bloodsuckas
I'm not someone to be taken advantage of
Leeches
People who try to drain me of my resources
I'm 6'5" quit reachin'
I'm tall, but people shouldn't try to make assumptions or stereotype me based on my height
Nigga's only goal is the gold, tell them Creflo Dollar motherfuckas quit preachin'
People who are only after wealth aren't worth listening to, so preachers like Creflo Dollar should stop preaching about money
I've been in the 514, my French getting too clean
I've been spending a lot of time in Montreal's 514 area, and my French language skills are improving
Customs is routine, eatin' hella poutine, I think I'ma buy one more
Going through customs when traveling has become a routine experience for me, but I still enjoy indulging in Canada's popular dish, poutine
Lot of people talk what they think that they would have did
Many people say what they think they would have done in a given situation, without truly understanding it
Like the CTA I keep my patience
I remain patient like Chicago's public transit system, the CTA
I ain't in it for the JP Morgan chase, I'm a nice guy
I'm not chasing after wealth like JP Morgan, I'm content with just being a good person
Nigga do this look like last place, I'm on Priceline
I'm not in a position of defeat, I'm finding great deals on flights using Priceline
Searchin' for a flight to Montreal
I'm looking for affordable flights to get back to Montreal
Me and Jerry on Saint Laurent
I'm hanging out on Saint Laurent street with my friend Jerry
I just want a little freedom; don't we all? Don't we all
I'm seeking a bit of freedom in life, and I think everyone wants that too
Just, get a little tired of the bullshit they feed us?
I'm feeling exhausted from all the negativity and false information that society and media give us
Serve and protect, like protect your pockets and servin' subpoenas
Law enforcement claims to serve and protect, but they're really just protecting their own interests and serving subpoenas
Whole shit a circus and they ain't even serving us peanuts
Our society is a complete circus, and we're not even getting basic needs like peanuts
I learned this, back when they was serving us free lunch
I learned this when I was eating free lunch in school, a sign that my family was struggling financially
System 'bout as foul as a free throw
The system we live in is as corrupt as a badly done free throw in basketball
Tell me what the fuck a nigga know about a free thought
People shouldn't mock others for having a mind of their own, even if they are from an underprivileged background
If everything that he thought stem from a remote
If everything that someone thinks and believes is influenced by external factors
This is so that he know
This insight is important for others to understand
Peep the passion, the thought he put in is hardly comparable
Notice the amount of passion and deep thought that he's put into this
Speaking in parables, these days I find myself feeling like Charles Barkley
I'm speaking in coded messages and I'm feeling like Charles Barkley - unappreciated and misunderstood
Man, all you niggas is terrible
Referring to others as 'niggas', I consider them all to be terrible
So I just tell 'em, South side in this mothafucka, got the presence of a housefly
I'm from the South side, and I'm always around like a pesky housefly
Everybody know I'm in this mothafucka, you can hear it when you listen
I'm well-known in this area, and it's practically palpable when you listen to the conversation and energy around here
And I do it for the fam Peter Griffin, we got no Meg
I do it all for my family, in the same way that Peter Griffin from Family Guy would, but we don't have a family member like Meg
Ride good, nigga no pegs
I'm riding around comfortably, no need for bike pedals to move around
Free Nation rebels, you need more lead, homie get your weight up
I'm part of the Free Nation group that rebels against societal norms, so if you're not ready to stand up for something, you need to prepare yourself better
You know who I pray to when I wake up, no weapon formed
You know who I believe in as an upper power when I wake up every morning, and I firmly believe that no harm can be done to me
You don't get spared cause you less informed
People won't go easy on you just because you're not up to date with the latest happenings and information
I'm on my square cause we in a box, burners be like cinder blocks
I'm standing firm in my beliefs and who I am because we're all in a metaphorical box, but those with guns are like cement blocks that will ruin everything
Box sampled finna chop, door push it in the cold
Someone is here with samples from boxes and they're getting ready to chop and distribute them, while someone else is coming in from the cold through the door
You could feel it when a nigga spoke
My words have weight and impact, and you can sense it when I speak
Cause a nigga broke freeing all the feelings of the fickle folk
I don't have much money, but I don't care because I'm expressing the emotions and thoughts of those who are indecisive and easily swayed by society's influence
Fuck with me, pour a little passion and put it in your hope
Believe in me and the things I stand for, and add a little passion into your own hopes and dreams
Grow a little jasmine and put it in your smoke
Include a little bit of beauty and delicate flowers, represented by jasmine, into your life, even when you're smoking
Blow a little ash, it'll take a bigger toke
Taking a small breath and exhaling a little bit of ash will lead to a bigger, smoother hit
Bumping Little Dragon, I take a drag thinking damn
I'm listening to Little Dragon and taking a drag of something, and it makes me think
Hope you see the Simba crashing and a nigga note
I hope you notice the downfall of those who were once on top, represented by Simba's fall from power in The Lion King, and understand where I'm coming from
Hope you see the symbols, hope you Stacy Dash
I hope people can see the symbols and hidden meanings behind things, in the same way that Stacy Dash once acted as a clueless news commentator
Hope you think quick fast when the trigger stroke
I hope you can react quickly and intelligently in dangerous situations, like when a gun is fired unexpectedly
Shoutout to the 514
A shoutout to the Montreal area with the 514 area code
6'5" quit reachin'
It's not necessary for people to make assumptions about me based on my height, which is 6'5"
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Jayson Jenkins
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind