Token began cultivating his fanbase at age 14 after releasing simple videos online of him rapping. By age 16, Token had won multiple online rap contests and has amassed over a million views on his YouTube page. Along with his growing social following online, he began performing all around New England, establishing his live show amongst some known artists. Two of his videos, one of which was made when he was only 14, went viral on Facebook accumulating a total of 6 million views. Fresh off his 17th birthday, Token released a new video that went viral on YouTube and hit a milestone of 500k views in only 3 days and has since passed one million. Having garnered quite a dedicated following, Token has received many celebrity co signs including the likes of T-Pain, Fred Durst (of Limp Bizkit), Platinum Producer Clinton Sparks, RA The Rugged Man and Hollywood star and Boston's own Mark Wahlberg who recently pronounced Token his "new favorite rapper"
In 2016 Token released his debut mixtape "Eraser Shavings"
In 2018 Token released his debut album "Between Somewhere"
Real Man
Token Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Residing in a town where weed is glorified
It was nothing, shit it wasn't weird to see some boys get high
See Ben used to burn some, but currently his turn was done
Anxiety left Ben regretting his first puff
But sure enough, he still hung with the same dudes
He was cool with this, 'cause you got a blunt he don't hate you
He's the youngin in they crew
See everybody loved him 'cause they knew when he was rollin'
Through to meet the homies, it was soon that they'd be smokin
See he was the movement of the potent
QP's he'd be holdin and his new deals were the dopest
And him and Ben were tight
Even occasionally he spent the night, when he was locked out and couldn't get inside
He recognized Ben didn't smoke but this was something new
This gave him an idea that he'd bring up a few days later
The crew was rolling up some J papers
Taylor gang was playing, they exhaled in dazed anger
As the oldest one turns to Ben with hands hidden in his coat
Pulled out an O and said "you ever think of flippin' bro?"
Drugs, money, support, what else you need
Temporary money get that temporary self esteem
Drugs, money, support, just dont get brainwashed
Peer pressure doin its dang job, man whatchu talkin' bout
Let's get this money
Homie let's get this money
I gotta go yo I'mma get this money
Get out my face with your opinions, I got paper to be gettin' like a real man
He gave Ben his speech, seemin' almost memorized
All the attention in the room went to Ben's reply
He told Ben he got the heart it takes
The money hangin' out his pocket said let's start today
"Aye, you right homie
Matter fact I'm 'bout to blaze, take this plate
This chick by the bank say she need a slice homie
Have her take your number, tell her you're down with me
Dawg we bout to make a killing in this town, believe"
And how right he was
Ben didn't smoke his chronic so for the first time it was only profiting both they pockets
Ben begun to get addicted, the news spread quicker than Ben's temper if he didn't get money every twenty minutes
He single handedly changed the scene, so busy lying to his own mother became routine
But he loved it
He loved that they relied on him a fair amount
Came a long way from being the youngin no one cared about
They needed him now, so typical
No one expected little Ben to be sellin' shit, he felt invincible
And if he wasn't there was no reason to stress it
The oldest one gave him a knife, he said this is for protection
Ben had everything going for him...
A boss who had his back, a substance that always would attract
And the profit in a closet in the back
Pay no mind to the cops, until they caught him in the act when it was
Drugs, money, support, what else you need
Temporary money get that temporary self esteem
Drugs, money, support, just dont get brainwashed
Peer pressure doin its dang job, man watchu talkin bout
Lets this money
Homie lets get this money
I gotta go yo ima get this money
Get out my face with your opinions, i got paper to be gettin like a real man
Oh, you a man, huh?
In the police station, hands shakin, but actin like you dont give a damn, huh
Your mom pulls up in a van, covers her eyes with her hands and all you thinkin' is she dont understand, huh
Listen to that
You knew happy dont symbolize growth but a weak child fallin into a trap
I fiend for profit, deep involved in a loss of a stream of consciousness, all when hes too naive to watch and see the problem
Ignorance in a system pressured by peers
Holding a knife like your gonna use it, but you dread it with fear
Cause the moment you pullin out that, they pull out theirs
And youll be leakin more than just sweatin some tears
Ahead of your years? Sure, but you ain't do your job dude
You think you lost touch with your friends, they think they lost you
Little did you know, you were losing yourself
Now you gotta explain to your friends and family you were someone else when it was
Drugs, money, support, what else you need
Temporary money get that temporary self esteem
Drugs, money, support, just dont get brainwashed
Peer pressure doin its dang job, man whatchu talkin bout
Let's this money
Homie let's get this money
I gotta go yo I'mma get this money
Get out my face with your opinions, I got paper to be gettin' like a real man
"Real Man" by Token is a song about the consequences of falling into peer pressure and getting involved with drugs and drug dealing. The song follows Ben, who used to smoke weed with his friends, but stopped due to anxiety. However, his friends continued, and he remained close to them. One day, the oldest member of the group offers Ben the opportunity to start dealing drugs with them. Ben accepts out of a need for temporary money and self-esteem, but it quickly becomes addictive. He becomes the main dealer and changes from the young kid no one cared about to an influential figure. However, everything goes wrong when he is caught by the police and has to face the consequences of his actions. The song highlights how peer pressure can have far-reaching consequences that result in a loss of self and ultimately, tragedy.
The song uses a combination of vivid imagery, storytelling, and a catchy beat to convey its message. The lyrics explore the dangers of falling into peer pressure and succumbing to addiction. The chorus emphasizes the pursuit of money as the ultimate goal and how it can cloud a person's judgment.
Through "Real Man," Token warns listeners about the consequences of peer pressure and the dangers of turning to drugs and drug dealing. The song tells a poignant story that highlights the lengths to which some people will go to feel important, even if it means risking everything in the process.
Line by Line Meaning
Residing in a town where weed is glorified
Living in a location where marijuana is worshipped
It was nothing, shit it wasn't weird to see some boys get high
It is commonplace to witness young men smoking weed in this area
See Ben used to burn some, but currently his turn was done
Ben used to smoke weed, but now he has stopped as it increased his anxiety
Anxiety left Ben regretting his first puff
Ben's anxiousness caused him to regret his first smoking experience
But sure enough, he still hung with the same dudes
However, Ben still spent time with his weed-smoking friends
He's the youngin in they crew
Ben is the youngest in the group
But you'da never noticed and the dude that was the oldest was the coolest and the boldest
Despite being the youngest, Ben's friends considered him cool and looked up to the oldest member of the group
And him and Ben were tight
Ben and the oldest member of the group were good friends
Even occasionally he spent the night, when he was locked out and couldn't get inside
Occasionally, the oldest member of the group stayed overnight at Ben's place when he could not get into his own house
This gave him an idea that he'd bring up a few days later
The oldest member of the group thought of an idea after spending time with Ben
As the oldest one turns to Ben with hands hidden in his coat
The oldest member of the group turned to Ben while concealing something in his coat
Pulled out an O and said "you ever think of flippin' bro?"
He revealed a large quantity of drugs to Ben and asked if he ever considered selling them
Drugs, money, support, what else you need
Selling drugs provides temporary money and self-esteem
Temporary money get that temporary self esteem
The money earned from selling drugs is temporary and does not provide a long-term sense of self-worth
Peer pressure doin its dang job, man whatchu talkin' bout
Ben is being pressured by his friends to sell drugs
Let's get this money
They want to make a profit from selling drugs
Homie let's get this money
Ben's friend encourages him to sell drugs to make money
I gotta go yo I'mma get this money
Ben's friend decides to leave and start selling drugs
Get out my face with your opinions, I got paper to be gettin' like a real man
Ben believes that selling drugs is what a real man does and does not want to hear others' opinions about it
He gave Ben his speech, seemin' almost memorized
Ben's friend pitches his idea to him, appearing like he has rehearsed it many times before
All the attention in the room went to Ben's reply
All of Ben's friends were listening intently to see how he would respond to the pitch
"Aye, you right homie
Ben agrees with his friend's suggestion
Matter fact I'm 'bout to blaze, take this plate
Ben agrees to start selling drugs but wants to smoke weed first
And how right he was
Ben's friend was correct in his prediction that they would make money selling drugs
But he loved it
Ben enjoyed selling drugs and the power that came with being important to his group of friends
Ben had everything going for him...
Ben had a successful business selling drugs and felt invincible
A boss who had his back, a substance that always would attract
Ben had a mentor and drugs that were in high demand
And the profit in a closet in the back
Ben kept his profits from selling drugs hidden in a closet
Pay no mind to the cops, until they caught him in the act when it was
Ben was not worried about getting caught by the police until the moment they caught him trying to sell drugs
Oh, you a man, huh?
Ben's masculinity is questioned when he is caught by the police selling drugs
In the police station, hands shakin, but actin like you dont give a damn, huh
Ben is nervous in the police station but is trying to act tough and unafraid
Your mom pulls up in a van, covers her eyes with her hands and all you thinkin' is she dont understand, huh
When Ben's mom comes to pick him up, he thinks she does not understand why he was selling drugs
Ignorance in a system pressured by peers
Ben was unaware of the consequences of selling drugs and was influenced by peer pressure to do so
Holding a knife like your gonna use it, but you dread it with fear
Ben is afraid to use the knife he was given by his friend for protection
Ahead of your years? Sure, but you ain't do your job dude
Although Ben was young, he did not act responsibly and did not do what he was supposed to do
Little did you know, you were losing yourself
Ben did not realize that selling drugs was changing who he was as a person
Now you gotta explain to your friends and family you were someone else when it was
Ben has to tell his loved ones that he was selling drugs and had changed his personality because of it
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Ben Goldberg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind