Mills was born and raised in Harlem, New York to his father, a therapist, and his mother, who operated two daycare centers in Manhattan. He attended an all-boys school St. Bernard's School during his elementary years and later graduated from the Browning School. Mills attended Union College to originally pursue a sports journalism major, but he dropped out ten weeks after starting classes to begin his rapping career.
Throughout high school, Skiz made a few raps here and there, although he never thought they would take him anywhere.
However, as a high school senior, he realized that rap was what he wanted to pursue. He threw away his dreams of becoming a sports analyst and even his college diploma to write songs. With heavily supportive parents, Skizzy was able to hone his skills without giving up on his dreams.
After releasing a few projects, including American Psycho EP, Phases, and Pace, he debuted his first major EP. The Red Balloon Project was dropped in 2015, and it received a fair amount of buzz on the internet, even hitting #35 on the Billboard 200. It gave him a few minor hits such as “Be Lazy,” and “Do You There.”
In 2016, Skizzy delivered his debut studio album, Alone Together, with appearances from Jojo, Olivver The Kid, and more. This album gave off a more emotional feel, with tracks like “Girl On A Train” and “Comb.”
Recently, Mars announced his next album, are you OK, which was released in 2018, using a mini-documentary. He explained this album as “a more honest and raw description of my life.”
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The City
Skizzy Mars Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a symphony of music in the street
And I get high to drown it out
But it don't work, it just gets louder
In the city, in the city
The big apple took a bite out of me
Look what I turned out to be
Or is she tripping, is she lying
Is she on to all my lies? Mean that shit ain't rocket science
I've been coming home at four, and my eyes been red as sirens
I miss slurring all my words when she asked me how my night went
I swear it's them white boys, it's them white boys
Everything they do is so much doper than my life been
I don't got that type of money, I don't got that finance
She's like, why you so lazy trying to get by
Back before I smoked, I wasn't even tryna get high
Cigarette breaks at lunch time
Bong rips to my face, I passed out at Dave's place
In the morning tryna get right
Nigga's got a curfew, you ain't ready for these bright lights
In the city, I'm always awake
There's a symphony of music in the street
And I get high to drown it out
But it don't work, it just gets louder
In the city, in the city
You really changed, change is good
When you said don't let the city change you, I think it should
Come from different angles, see it different ways
I don't got the money, maybe we can make a trade
If I can make you laugh, you can spot me cash
What's the move on Tues?
Yo I heard it's ave
These girls are kinda bougie, mom calls 'em fast
Some say you pretentious but I call it class
Prep school boys with their collars popped
Coming through the spot, always see you with your sleeves rolled up
Even with a uniform
I could never do the norm
How could I forget? I be on some shit
Now I rock sweats and I still get it
New kids never fit in, I wasn't any different
Had to get my mind right, wasn't ready for those bright lights
In the city, I'm always awake
There's a symphony of music in the street
And I get high to drown it out
But it don't work, it just gets louder
In the city, in the city
Let's do something dangerous
Break the rules, yeah let's shake it up
Let's do something dangerous
In the city that was made for us
Let's do something dangerous
Break the rules, yeah let's shake it up
Let's do something dangerous
In the city that was made for us
In the city, I'm always awake
There's a symphony of music in the street
And I get high to drown it out
But it don't work, it just gets louder
In the city, in the city
In this song, Skizzy Mars portrays his experience of living in the city, particularly New York City. He starts by describing the constant noise that surrounds him and his attempts to drown it out by getting high, but it only makes it louder. This noise is symbolized by the symphony of music in the streets that he hears all the time. Mars then reflects on his past and how the city has changed him. He wonders if his mother is proud of him and realizes that he has been lying to her about his habits. He misses the days when he could simply hang out with his friends and be carefree. He even blames "white boys" for making him feel inadequate for not having as much money as they do.
The chorus of the song repeats the idea that being in the city is overwhelming, but it's also where Mars feels alive. He knows that he is not the same person he used to be and he accepts that change is good and necessary. In the end, Mars wants to do something dangerous, break the rules, and have fun in the city that was made for him.
Line by Line Meaning
In the city, I'm always awake
The city never sleeps and neither do I
There's a symphony of music in the street
The sounds of the city are like a beautiful orchestra
And I get high to drown it out
I use drugs to escape the noise of the city
But it don't work, it just gets louder
Drugs can't silence the chaos of the city, it only amplifies it
The big apple took a bite out of me
Living in NYC has had a profound impact on me
Look what I turned out to be
The city has changed me into someone I never thought I'd become
I wonder if my mama really means it when she says that she's proud of me
I question whether my mother is truly proud of the person I've become
Or is she tripping, is she lying
I question if my mother is being honest or if she's just trying to be supportive
Is she on to all my lies? Mean that shit ain't rocket science
My mother is not naive, and can tell when I'm lying
I've been coming home at four, and my eyes been red as sirens
I've been out late and using drugs to cope with the stresses of the city
I miss slurring all my words when she asked me how my night went
I miss being carefree and not having to worry about my actions in the city
I swear it's them white boys, it's them white boys
I blame the privileged white people for making life in the city seem so easy and fun
Everything they do is so much doper than my life been
I compare my own life to the extravagant lives of the wealthy in the city
I don't got that type of money, I don't got that finance
I don't have the financial means to live like the wealthy people in the city
She's like, why you so lazy trying to get by
My girlfriend questions why I don't work harder to achieve success in the city
Back before I smoked, I wasn't even tryna get high
Before I discovered drugs, I wasn't even trying to escape reality
Cigarette breaks at lunch time
Taking a break from the hustle and bustle to smoke a cigarette
Bong rips to my face, I passed out at Dave's place
Taking drugs to the point of passing out
In the morning tryna get right
Trying to recover from the previous night of drug use
Nigga's got a curfew, you ain't ready for these bright lights
Living in the city means following strict rules and facing intense challenges
You really changed, change is good
People change when they live in the city, which can be a positive thing
When you said don't let the city change you, I think it should
I disagree with the idea of not allowing the city to change me
Come from different angles, see it different ways
Experiencing the city from multiple perspectives can promote growth
I don't got the money, maybe we can make a trade
I don't have financial resources, but maybe I can provide something else of value
What's the move on Tues?
What should we do on Tuesday in the city?
Yo I heard it's ave
I heard that the avenue is the place to be on Tuesday
These girls are kinda bougie, mom calls 'em fast
The women in the city are often seen as materialistic and promiscuous
Some say you pretentious but I call it class
Some people think I'm trying too hard to fit in, but I see it as having class
Prep school boys with their collars popped
Privileged young men who display their wealth by dressing up
Coming through the spot, always see you with your sleeves rolled up
The hardworking people who are always on the move in the city
Even with a uniform
Despite fitting in with a certain group, I don't feel like I truly belong
I could never do the norm
I don't want to conform to societal norms in the city
How could I forget? I be on some shit
How could I forget what I've experienced living in the city?
Now I rock sweats and I still get it
I've learned to embrace comfort over style and still manage in the city
New kids never fit in, I wasn't any different
It's difficult for newcomers to adjust to life in the city
Had to get my mind right, wasn't ready for those bright lights
I had to focus on my mental health before I could handle the pressures of living in the city
Let's do something dangerous
Let's take risks and live life on the edge in the city
Break the rules, yeah let's shake it up
Defy expectations and do something unexpected in the city
In the city that was made for us
The city is our playground, let's have fun and explore all it has to offer
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MYLES MILLS, PHOEBE RYAN, MICHAEL KEENAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind