Hold Me Back
Skepta Lyrics

Joseph, my GG
Greeting to a friend named Joseph.

Wah gwan, G?
Asking how the friend is doing.

If you ever knew
Acknowledging that the friend may not understand the situation.

Time, time, time
Emphasis on the passing of time.

Sometimes I don't text you back
Admitting to occasionally not responding to messages.

But I never mean to disrespect you
Clarifying that the lack of response is not intentional disrespect towards the friend.

I'm on the road tryna do this ting
Explaining that Skepta is occupied with pursuing his goals.

I know you see where man's tryna get to
Acknowledging that the friend is aware of his ambitions.

I've been around the world and back
Expressing how much Skepta has traveled.

I ain't met anybody I wanna be with more than you
Stating that he values the relationship with the friend more than any other potential partner.

That's why when the sun goes down at night
Describing how he reaches out to the friend in the evenings.

Man are calling you
Indicating that he is trying to communicate with the friend.

The girl of my dreams
Describing the friend as someone special to him.

You ain't tryna be part of the scene
Observing that the friend is not interested in being involved in certain social situations.

And when I talk in code, you know what I mean
Noting that the friend understands him well enough to interpret his words even if he speaks in cryptic language.

Too much style, way too clean
Complimenting the friend's fashion sense.

I'm in love with the way that you mix the Palace with Celine
Appreciating the friend's unique blend of different clothing styles.

How you mix the Chanel with the Preme
Acknowledging the friend's ability to pair different brands effectively.

Too clean, the best piece of art I ever seen
Comparing the friend's appearance to a work of art.

The perfect picture, lost money this summer
Seeing the friend as a flawless image, despite experiencing financial setbacks during the summer.

So you know I've gotta grind in the winter
Stating that he will work hard to improve their situation.

I ain't one of them wasteman tryna flex on Insta
Rejecting the idea of posting pretentious content on Instagram.

I'm really out here with the axe, tryna chop down timber
Explaining that Skepta is focused on hard physical labor to reach his goals.

This ain't a game like knock down ginger
Implying that his pursuit of success is serious and not a game or mere leisure activity.

Our love's strong like Mufasa and Simba
Comparing the strength of their relationship to a father and son bond between lion characters in Disney's Lion King.

Never need to download Tinder
Asserting that because he has a strong relationship with the friend, he does not need to use the dating app Tinder.

Man, I hate this phone
Disliking the mobile phone aspect of the relationship.

Kiss my teeth when I hear the ringtone
Expressing a negative reaction to the sound of the phone ringing.

Put it on silent, leave me alone
Turning off the phone distractions to focus on his ambitions.

Mum's like "Junior, when are you gonna come home?"
Quoting his mother's inquisition about when he will return.

Mum, man's on the roads
Explaining that he is busy pursuing his goals.

Text her a love heart, text her a rose
Describing the way in which he communicates with his love interest.

I've gotta do these shows
Referring to his musical performances that demand his time and energy.

'Cause I ain't tryna see another tear run down your nose
Explaining that he is working hard to prevent the person he cares about from experiencing more heartache.

Nah, mum, your son's got ambition
Reassuring his mother that he is focused on accomplishing his goals.

Could've been dead, could've been in prison
Implying that he could have ended up in a worse situation if he had not been pursuing his ambitions.

But I had this vision
Explaining that a clear goal and plan inspires him to continue reaching for his dreams.

Of all the fam living in better conditions
Having a desire to improve the lives of his family members.

So I had to go OT
Traveling beyond his home location to pursue his goals.

Man, I've been OT since '03
Reflecting on the many years he has invested in his vision.

I know all my ex-girls know me
Acknowledging that he has had many romantic partners in the past.

I ain't really ever gonna stop lowkey
Asserting that he will continue working hard to improve his situation, but will not do so ostentatiously.

'Cause I've got a big team
Having a supportive group of people working towards his goals together.

And they all want sick things, big rings like Saturn
Having a team of people who share a desire for success and material wealth.

Forget the fame, that's already happened
Acknowledging that he has already achieved success in his career.

Man are on top
Feeling satisfied with his accomplishments and the achievements of his team.

But I can't stop 'til all the mandem are patterned
Going beyond personal success to ensure that his team is also successful.

I ain't out here following fashion
Rejecting trends and fashion norms that are not aligned with his own values and goals.

And ya dun know, as soon as I come home
Taking the opportunity to spend time with his loved ones when he is not busy pursuing his goals.

We can go shopping in Hatton
Planning a fun activity to participate in with loved ones.