Always Shine
Robert Glasper Lyrics

You're in my heart, you're in my mind
The person referenced has a lasting impact on the singer's thoughts and feelings.

You're the star that will always shine
The person referenced will always be remembered as a shining example.

Forever you'll be with me
The person referenced will always hold a special place in the singer's heart.

Uh, it go like
The artist is beginning a new thought.

You ever see the inner depths of a man's soul?
The artist is questioning whether the listener has ever experienced true introspection.

Or ninja turtles pouring out of manholes
The singer is making an unlikely analogy to express the need for balance.

This is balance
The singer is discussing the importance of balance between two elements.

Between a comic and a conscious, that's the challenge
The artist is saying that balance between humor and serious reflection is difficult.

Between the solitary and the conference that I examines
The artist is discussing the importance of introspection and group discussion.

That I imagine was a figure
The artist is envisioning a hypothetical person who embodies these qualities.

Would be the start of world peace and the transformation of niggas
The singer believes that this person would be the catalyst for positive change.

Like the transubstantiation of liquor
The artist is using a metaphor about religious transformation to describe this change.

But that's just turnin' them into blood
The singer is highlighting the negative effects of this type of change.

And we'll be right back where we was
The singer is saying that this transformation would ultimately lead to the same problems as before.

Not a peace-sign, but a fascination with scissors
The singer is expressing a desire to remove themselves from certain situations and relationships.

So I can cut
The artist is implying that they want to separate themselves from negative people and situations.

Myself off from the calculations of empress, empires, and the sinners
The artist is saying they want to disassociate themselves from power dynamics and corrupt individuals.

For advancement of human suffering
The singer is suggesting that certain individuals and systems contribute to the suffering of others.

And other things trying to impede my publishing and editorials
The singer is discussing obstacles to their creative output.

That's gon' bring it back to us again
The artist is implying that by overcoming these obstacles, they can inspire positive change in others.

A boomerang might as Halle Barry and Eddie and everybody fuckin' it
The artist is using humor to describe the idea of karma or cycles of actions and consequences.

Shotgun
The artist is referencing the front passenger seat in a car.

Even though independent cars ain't got one
The singer is acknowledging that some cars don't have a physical seat for a passenger.

I got some and more to spare
The artist is saying that they have enough resources to share.

No more despair
The singer is expressing a desire to move beyond feelings of hopelessness or negativity.

My motor-ware don't match my motivate to mate
The singer is discussing the disconnect between their drive and their love life.

Also I drive to stay alive and ride this over there
The singer is referencing their transportation as a means of survival and getting to their destination.

My momma so mad, so no alcohol in here
The artist is referencing a restriction on alcohol in their car due to a parental figure's beliefs or preferences.

I'm Aries Spears on my Jay-Z shit
The artist is referencing the similarities between their persona and those of a famous comedian and rapper respectively.

Affion on the Drake skit
The singer is referencing the similarities between their persona and those of a famous comedian and rapper respectively.

Now how many more can I make with just one voice
The singer is questioning how many different personas or impressions they can do with their voice alone.

They might call it fake shit
The artist is acknowledging that some people may see their impressions or personas as inauthentic or disingenuous.

This some deep shit
The artist is expressing that what they're saying or doing is serious or important.

It's my me impersonatin' we shit
The artist is discussing their ability to embody multiple personalities or personas.

Vicariously in every rap I speak with
The singer is saying that they live through their music or artistic expression.

I hope you're speakin' for me, if I'm ever speechless
The artist is expressing a desire for their music to resonate with people even if they can't express themselves in the moment.

Cause I'mma be you
The singer is saying that they relate to their audience or persona in a deep way.

Even though you're not here to be with
The singer is acknowledging that their persona or audience doesn't necessarily physically exist.

I hope I see these gangsters actin' like teachers
The singer is expressing a desire for people in positions of power or influence to become positive role models.

Wake up out they sleep, then they dream
The artist is suggesting that people have the ability to inspire positive change if they awaken from their complacency or apathy.

And the world so Martin Luther King-less
The artist is lamenting the lack of leaders or figures like Martin Luther King Jr., who fought for social justice and equality.

And to my hero Heron, Gil Scott
The singer is acknowledging their musical influences.

In a discourse with Baldwin
The singer is referencing a conversation between James Baldwin and the aforementioned influences.

On a jet plane with no fear for fallin'
The artist is referencing the confidence or courage of these figures even in the face of potential danger or failure.

But wishin' it never lands
The artist is expressing a desire for time to stop or for a moment to last forever.

Reminiscent of the dream time
The artist is comparing this moment to a dream or a time when things seem too perfect to be real.

Presently en route to the rhymes of the machine time
The singer is referring to the present moment and the themes that dominate current society or culture.

Magazine times
The artist is referencing the way that media can shape or reflect society.

With coffee more sugar and milk than coffee
The singer is using this phrase to describe something that's been overly processed or diluted.

Aborted rhymes, rotten beats, and failed hooks
The singer is referencing bad music or artistic output.

Roads as bumpy as braille books
The singer is using an analogy to describe rough or challenging circumstances.

Fail cools, bad French, and mad push at the door
The artist is discussing various types of negative experiences or interactions.

Gourmet food at the starving soiree
The artist is referencing a stark contrast between abundance and scarcity.

A choice of one easy woman at a time
The singer is referencing the way that some people view romantic relationships as disposable or interchangeable.

I'll take three the hard way
The singer is saying that they prefer challenges or difficulty in their relationships.

Trying to be as abstract as possible
The artist is expressing a desire to be creative or unconventional.

And vulgar, the more shocking the more profitable
The artist is commenting on the way that some people prioritize shock value or controversy over genuine creativity or expression.

A baby fed molten gold
The artist is using an extreme example to describe something that's been corrupted or distorted.

And sat upon a pedestal promote getting called 24 carot souls
The singer is commenting on the way that people can become obsessed with wealth or status.

How to describe this
The artist is questioning how to articulate their thoughts or feelings on a particular subject.

Insightful remarks such as the best thing I've ever heard is silence
The singer is highlighting the value of silence or stillness in certain situations.

Some more technically impressive
The singer is acknowledging that some people value technical skill or ability over creativity or originality.

In a faux Spanish romantic hues of a Marxist dialectic
The singer is using a mix of cultural references to describe something that's complex or obscure.

Please listen to the critics, pointless is the common passerby
The artist is saying that they value the input or opinions of critics over those of the general public.

Might as well not even exist, not even a bit
The artist is suggesting that people who aren't passionate or invested in something might as well not be there at all.

In the event of my demise give everything I prize to the poor
The singer is saying that they want their possessions to be used for the benefit of the less fortunate after they die.

And to the oppressors, I leave a war
The singer is expressing disdain or anger towards those in power who perpetuate inequality or injustice.

And so on and so forth
The artist is indicating that they could continue on this train of thought indefinitely.