NF is the stage name of rapper and composer Nate Feuerstein from Gladwin, M… Read Full Bio ↴NF is the stage name of rapper and composer Nate Feuerstein from Gladwin, Michigan. Feuerstein endured a hardship-filled childhood in which his parents divorced, his mother's boyfriend physically abused him, and his mother eventually killed herself. Music was his escape, and he began recording songs on a karaoke machine, with instrumentals on one microphone and his raps in the other. Placing second in a nationwide Fine Arts Festival rap competition in 2008, and first in Michigan the following year, he independently released a debut album, Moments, in 2010. The album attracted the attention of Xist Music, which signed him to a recording deal in 2012, by which time Feuerstein had taken on the stage name NF. The label announced the release of an EP that same year, but it never appeared, and NF and Xist parted ways. NF spent the next two years looking for a label and working with local producer Tommee Profitt in his studio; they came up with the song "Wake Up," which convinced Capitol Christian Music Group to sign him. CMG released a six-song (including a Manny Marroquin remix of "Wake Up") self-titled EP late in the summer of 2014. His debut album, Mansion, was released in early 2015 and reached number 62 on the Billboard 200 while topping the Christian Albums chart. The aptly titled Therapy Session followed in 2016 and also topped the Christian Albums chart with its raw emotions and honest lyrics. The following Summer saw the release of the singles "Outro" and "Green Lights", in anticipation of the arrival of his third studio long player, Perception, which dropped later that October. NF achieved mainstream popularity in 2017 with Perception; the album charted at number one in the United States and was certified platinum, while its third single, "Let You Down", reached number twelve on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and was a top-ten hit internationally. He achieved similar commercial success with his follow-up The Search (2019). Feuerstein's most recent album, Hope, released on April 7, 2023, had commercial success and peaked at number 2 on the US Billboard 200.

CAREFUL
NF Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Stuntin' on me, you get exposed
I don't wanna pick then I buy both
Doesn't go plat', it'll go gold (go gold)
Keep it up upfront, I don't tiptoe (ayy)
I be at the house tryin' to lay low (lay low)
Duckin' and dodgin' the promo (promo)
Sit on my roof like J. Cole (ayy)
Yeah, sit on my roof like J. Cole (ayy)

Thinking about how I'm so thankful (woo)
Subpar songs, I don't make those (I don't make those)
Look at that car I paid for (I paid for)
Look at my life, I'm grateful (I'm grateful)
Hatin' on me, that's hateful (that's hateful)
You know I hit what I aim for (aim for)
Talkin' 'bout risks, I take those (I take 'em)
Didn't get here being careful (ayy)

Listen, ah
Talkin' 'bout risk, I take those
Millionaire still riding with the Draco
Courtside at the game Jumbotron got my name on it
That's how a typical day goes
I just left Nigeria, Lagos
I just met Kanye, Yesoz
I was talkin' to God, 'bout what's real or what's not
All he said was remain faithful

Okay, I get, I got it, I'm with it, I'm 'bout it
My crib is exotic I'm blessed, hey
We living chaotic, was high off narcotics
But that's when my life was a mess, hey
We come from the bottom, we still at the bottom
I get high to relieve the stress, hey

I don't think y'all get the message
This just world is built off misconceptions

Talkin 'bout greed
Talkin 'bout envy
Talkin 'bout money, then we talkin' 'bout plenty
Talkin 'bout dollars, or we talkin' 'bout pennies
Talkin' 'bout drinking, then we talkin' 'bout Henny
What we talkin' 'bout?
Lost souls at a crossroad, money coming in in large loads
I've been crossed, so my heart cold
That's all we know, yeah-yeah

Stuntin' on me, you get exposed
I don't wanna pick then I buy both (buy both)
Doesn't go plat', it'll go gold (go gold)
Keep it up upfront, I don't tiptoe (ayy)
I be at the house tryin' to lay low (lay low)
Duckin' and dodgin' the promo (promo)
Sit on my roof like J. Cole (ayy, ayy)
Yeah, sit on my roof like J. Cole (ayy, ayy)

Thinking about how I'm so thankful (woo)
Subpar songs, I don't make those (I don't make those)
Look at that car I paid for (I paid for)
Look at my life, I'm grateful (I'm grateful)
Hatin' on me, that's hateful (that's hateful)
You know I hit what I aim for (aim for)
Talkin' 'bout risks, I take those (I take 'em)
Didn't get here being careful (ayy)

Called up my dad and I told him I got you
You wanna retire, then do it, you're good
Called up my grandma and told her
It's time to move out of that basement, let's get you a crib
Called up my manager, told 'em get ready
It's 'bout to get busy this record is, ah
Called up to God and I asked 'em, "You watchin' my back?"
He ain't say nothin' back but I heard what He said
When you see how I'm livin' the answer is obvious ain't it
When you go from poverty stricken and stressing
'Bout buying the groceries to not even having to look at the total
You know you've been blessed
Sharing the wealth, ain't no point in me keeping this all to myself
I ain't taking this money with me to my grave
Yeah, I might as well bless all the people I love

We talking 'bout making a difference, I'm making one
Talking 'bout risks, I been taken 'em
Talking 'bout dreams, I been chasin' 'em
Talking 'bout lives, I been changin' 'em
Talking 'bout family don't play with 'em, whoa

That's a line you don't cross, no
Low blows can't respect those
Gotta keep the loved ones close
That's all we know, yeah

Stuntin' on me, you get exposed
I don't wanna pick then I buy both (buy both)
Doesn't go plat', it'll go gold (go gold)
Keep it up upfront, I don't tiptoe (tiptoe, ayy)
I be at the house tryin' to lay low (lay low)
Duckin' and dodgin' the promo (promo)
Sit on my roof like J. Cole (ayy, ayy)
Yeah, sit on my roof like J. Cole (ayy, ayy)

Thinking about how I'm so thankful (woo)
Subpar songs, I don't make those (I don't make those)
Look at that car I paid for (I paid for)
Look at my life, I'm grateful (I'm grateful)
Hatin' on me, that's hateful (that's hateful)
You know I hit what I aim for (aim for)
Talkin' 'bout risks, I take those (I take 'em)
Didn't get here being careful (ayy)

Overall Meaning

The song "Careful" by NF consists of three verses in which the rapper talks about his life experiences. He talks about how people who try to show off in front of others will eventually get exposed for who they truly are. Then he speaks about his work and how he makes sure to put in effort and risks into his music. This is shown by the line "Didn't get here being careful." He also mentions how he is grateful for his life and all of his achievements. In fact, he has been able to help his family and give back to those he loves. He talks about how he tries to make a positive influence on people's lives.

Throughout the song, NF uses a range of instruments, including piano and a dark beat. The beat of the song gives the lyrics an intense feeling while the piano provides a softer tone. The song has a consistent rhythm, and NF uses metaphors to make his point rather than being direct. The overall message of the song is to show that taking risks, hard work, and being grateful will lead to success.

Line by Line Meaning

Stuntin' on me, you get exposed
If anyone tries to show off or impress me through their possessions or behavior, I can easily see through them.

I don't wanna pick then I buy both
I don't like making choices, so I just choose both options instead of weighing them.

Doesn't go plat', it'll go gold (go gold)
I have faith in my music and believe that even if it doesn't become a massive hit, it will still be successful.

Keep it up upfront, I don't tiptoe (ayy)
I'm straightforward and don't beat around the bush when it comes to expressing myself.

I be at the house tryin' to lay low (lay low)
I like to keep a low profile and stay out of the spotlight when I'm not performing or creating art.

Duckin' and dodgin' the promo (promo)
I avoid promotional events or attention-grabbing activities because fame and attention aren't my priorities.

Sit on my roof like J. Cole (ayy)
I like to sit in a place where I can reflect and think about my experiences, like J. Cole, who famously sat on a roof for his album cover.

Thinking about how I'm so thankful (woo)
I take time to appreciate what I have and express gratitude for my blessings.

Subpar songs, I don't make those (I don't make those)
I won't settle for mediocrity or put out songs that don't live up to my standards.

Look at that car I paid for (I paid for)
I worked hard to earn the money to pay for my car and take pride in my achievements.

Look at my life, I'm grateful (I'm grateful)
I appreciate the good things in my life, even if things aren't perfect.

Hatin' on me, that's hateful (that's hateful)
Criticism and negativity directed towards me only shows the other person's negativity and hate.

You know I hit what I aim for (aim for)
I set goals and work toward them, achieving what I set out to do.

Talkin' 'bout risks, I take those (I take 'em)
I embrace challenges and am willing to take risks in order to achieve my dreams and goals.

Called up my dad and I told him I got you
I'm grateful for the sacrifices my dad has made for me and want to take care of him.

Called up my grandma and told her, It's time to move out of that basement, let's get you a crib
I want to help improve the living conditions of my grandmother and give her a better place to live.

Called up my manager, told 'em get ready, It's 'bout to get busy this record is, ah
I'm motivated and ready to work hard to promote my new album.

Called up to God and I asked 'em, You watchin' my back?, He ain't say nothin' back but I heard what He said
I talk to God and seek support and guidance from a higher power, even if the message doesn't come through in a direct way.

Low blows can't respect those
I won't tolerate disrespectful or hurtful comments or actions towards my loved ones or myself.

Gotta keep the loved ones close
I prioritize my relationships with my loved ones and value their support and presence in my life.

We talking 'bout making a difference, I'm making one Talking 'bout risks, I been taken 'em Talking 'bout dreams, I been chasin' 'em Talking 'bout lives, I been changin' 'em
I'm not just talking about making a difference in the world, I'm actually doing it by taking risks, chasing my dreams, and impacting people's lives in a positive way.

Sharing the wealth, ain't no point in me keeping this all to myself
I believe in sharing my success and wealth with others, rather than hoarding it for myself.

I ain't taking this money with me to my grave
I recognize that material possessions are temporary and won't matter in the grand scheme of things.

Didn't get here being careful (ayy)
I haven't achieved success by playing it safe and being careful, I've taken risks and pushed myself to achieve my goals.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Spirit Music Group
Written by: Cordae Dunston, David Arthur Garcia, Nate Feuerstein

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@JB23OOWEE

1y↑16

It’s like NF threw a lob up, and Cordae just came and WINDMILLED IT🤣🔥

@mitchellwaldrop232

1y↑21

This dude has rightfully earned more collaborations with more artists than he has. NF could pull off a whole album with Cordae, Andy Mineo, Joyner Lucas, or Logic.