SMILE
Saba Lyrics

Sweet west side Chicago, two-flat apartment
Saba describes his hometown, a two-flat apartment in the west side of Chicago

Red brick and garden, that's been forgotten
The apartment building is made of red brick and the garden is now abandoned

Grass all splotchy, vacant lot splotchy, bank account splotchy
The grass is patchy, there are abandoned lots nearby, and the residents struggle financially

And we talk like we from the south
Despite living in Chicago, the residents speak with a southern accent

Our parents' parents from the south
This is likely due to their parents or grandparents coming from the south

And if I make a million dollars
Saba dreams of making a lot of money

I'll vacation in the south, and I'll
He plans to use that money to vacation in the south

Smile, smile, smile, smile
Saba repeats the chorus, emphasizing the importance of smiling and staying positive

Warmer outside and safe ol' playground, grandma payroll cut, yeah
Saba reminisces about playing outside with his cousins in a safe playground, while his grandma struggled financially

Cut up with my cousins, dream about when we grow up, yeah
He has fond memories of playing and talking with his cousins, and dreaming about their future

Two times slippin' off our feet, our sauce is hella black
They often slip and fall, and their shoes are blackened from their neighborhood

When we die we go to heaven, know my granny taught me that
Saba's grandmother taught him religious beliefs about an afterlife

Oh, oh-oh, oh, I done lost a friend or two, they moved
Saba has lost friends who have moved away from the neighborhood

Got in trouble for they fetchin', I ain't mean no mula rules
Some of his friends got into trouble for stealing, but Saba himself does not follow those rules

My bag got that two on two, our whole neighborhood unite
Saba's bag has a design representing their neighborhood, and it brings everyone together

I put my fam' in a hotel when they couldn't pay the light
Saba helped out his family by paying for a hotel when they faced financial difficulties

Life, I be takin' for granted, capture the moment, the Canon
Saba feels he takes life for granted and tries to capture moments with his camera

My cousin be trappin', it came in the mail
His cousin sells drugs and received a shipment in the mail

I sat him down, asked his plan, he said, "This shit sell itself"
Saba talked to his cousin about his drug selling business and his cousin believes the product will sell easily

Grandma say, "What is that smell?"
His grandmother notices the smell of drugs in the neighborhood

We turn to Boomhauer like we on King of the Hill
Boomhauer is a character from King of the Hill who speaks incoherently, and they imitate him in a lighthearted moment

Niggas talk that they gone keep it a hundred but I rather keep it a mil'
People claim to be honest and keep it 100, but Saba would rather keep it a million by making a lot of money

Everybody eat, I treat it like heat so that mean it's not a joke
Saba takes the idea of everyone eating seriously, like it's something important that shouldn't be joked about

I said I'ma keep it a mil', the rule, that mean a higher note
Saba plans to keep striving for a million dollars, which represents a higher level of success

My grandma from Pinkhill and my granddaddy from Houston
Saba's grandparents come from Pinkhill and Houston

And if I make a million dollars, then I'ma tell them we movin'
If Saba makes a lot of money, he plans to move his grandparents from their current location

All that I am is my family mistakes
Saba recognizes that his family has made mistakes and that those mistakes are a part of who he is

Moment of madness I can't seem to evade
There are some difficult moments that Saba cannot seem to avoid

More than a canvas, you carry me these days
Saba is grateful for the people in his life who support him emotionally

Practice, I'm trying to remember, remember
Saba is practicing and trying to remember important things in his life to help him stay grounded and focused