Love Hate Thing
Wale Lyrics

Shout out to Marvin Gaye
Acknowledgement to Marvin Gaye for his contributions to the music industry.

Love you then they hate you, then they love you again
People have a tendency to have mixed feelings towards those in the public eye, which can change quickly and often.

Hate you then they love you, then they hate you again lord
People may switch between loving and hating someone depending on the circumstances, especially if they are famous.

(Keep giving me love) Hold me tight
Requesting emotional and physical support.

(Then you take it away) Let me go
Sometimes the person providing love and support may abruptly stop and leave.

(Keep giving me love) Heal my heart
Asking for emotional healing and support.

(Then you take it away) Hurt my soul
The same person who provides love and support can also become the source of pain and hurt.

(Keep giving me love) Build me up,
Asking to be emotionally strengthened and encouraged.

(Then you take it away) Break me down
The same person who was building up can also become the source of destruction and pain.

(Keep giving me love) Make me smile,
Requesting emotional positivity and happiness.

(And then you take it away) Make me frown
The same person who made you happy can also become the source of sadness and disappointment.

(Keep giving me love) Give me love,
Asking for emotional and physical support.

(Then you take it away) take it all away again
The same person who provided love and support can withdraw that support and leave you feeling lost and alone.

(Keep giving me love, then you take it away)
Repetition of the idea that love and support can be given and taken away.

(Then you take it away) take it all away yea
Reiteration of the idea that support can be withdrawn leaving one feeling abandoned.

(Keep giving me love, then take it away)
Repeating the idea of support being withdrawn after being given.

Yeah, ain't no love in the heart of city, that's what they told me
People have told me that the city has no love, suggesting it can be a harsh and unforgiving place.

Beef with over a hundred niggas, don't none of 'em know me
Claims to have many enemies, but they are not familiar with who the artist is.

Son of a mother studying at UDC
The artist is the child of a mother who has attended University of the District of Columbia.

Sitting in taxi cabs, where daddy roaming the streets
Growing up, the artist spent time in taxi cabs where their father would drive for a living.

Seven hallelujahs, my sutana was clean
A reference to the artist's religion and ceremonial garb being cleaned frequently.

On everything I wear it, all the America's tees
Proudly wearing religious garb in America, regardless of stereotypes or biases toward it.

This whole system most prolific in the DMV
Criticism of the political and social system in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

Listen when you get the keys to seldom, you don’t get the beef
Suggesting that once you have access to a higher social strata, you do not encounter the same difficulties as before.

Make a nigga wanna get the piece to get to peace
The desire to protect oneself often leads to violence and a false sense of peace.

You gon' need more than Wikipedia to get to me
The artist may be difficult to understand or influence, and requires genuine interaction to connect with.

PG to Mo County bet they all know about me
Indication that the artist is well known in the Prince George's County and Montgomery County areas of Maryland.

Every hood, every 'burb, I got superb balance
Claiming to have a strong presence and balance between the urban and suburban parts of the DMV region.

From the city that made me love you forever for it
Despite the difficulties of growing up in the DMV, the artist still has an appreciation and love for the city.

Hope you celebrate every moment forever and know it
Encouraging the listener to cherish and appreciate every moment, as they will never come again.

You made me what I am, you made me what I'm not
Acknowledgement that every experience in life shapes a person to become who they are.

They gon' love you a little different when you at the top
People may have different attitudes towards you when you become successful or famous.

Give me love, baby
Requesting emotional and physical support.

Not enough, not enough, just a touch, baby
The support or love given is not enough for the artist's needs.

What the fuck, baby? It's just us, baby
Expression of confusion and disillusionment with the lack of support from one's partner or loved ones.

This ain't right, this is life
Acknowledgement that life can be harsh and cruel, but it is reality.

This a love hate thing whats up
The ups-and-downs of love and affection can be confusing and difficult to understand or navigate.

This a love hate thing
Repeating the idea that love and hatred can coexist or alternate in a relationship.

Yeah, my affinity grows as the city gets cold
As the city becomes harsher or less warm, the artist becomes more attached to it.

As you reaching your goals, you gon' meet you some foes
As one becomes more successful, they may accumulate more enemies or people who oppose them.

Having dinner with Leonsis I'm dreaming to own
Reference to having dinner with Ted Leonsis, the owner of the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals, and aspiring to own a team one day.

But for now me and my homies see the bottom floor
Artist is acknowledging that they are still on the ground floor, and have not reached their ambitions yet.

I'm trying to redefine the culture, renovate the soul
Artist wants to influence and change the community and society through music and art that speaks to the heart and soul of people.

Women in town, but I'm manifestating every goal
Despite the distractions and temptations of life, the artist is focused and determined to achieve their goals.

I see potential in John, talk to him once a week
Artist is acknowledging that they help mentor or support someone named John, and have a weekly discussion regarding their potential or goals.

Media targets in our city it ain't ever sweet
The media often targets DMV artists or celebrities with negative or sensationalist stories.

I lost a lot of friends and they ain't even dead
The artist has drifted apart from many people they used to call friends, even though they have not passed away.

When I was on my way up, why you ain't see the stairs?
People who were not there to support or help the artist rise to fame or success are being questioned about their absence.

Lord father if I opted to follow them
Acknowledging that the artist could have chosen to follow a different path that their friends took, but chose not to.

My heart would tear from my dreams let me know that you here
My dreams of becoming an artist would cause me to drift away from those supportive people in my life.

And it's rare when I'm anywhere with too many heads
The artist prefers to be in small and intimate settings, rather than large and overwhelming crowds.

Niggas jealous and never tell it until they stare
People who are envious of the artist often do not express it openly, but rather stare from a distance.

How could you blame us envy?
Acknowledging that envy or jealousy can easily arise in competitive environments or situations.

We do the same thing for a living
People in the same field or industry of music often compete and are compared to one another.

Know the same niggas, but they all commend me
Even though they know the same people, those people speak highly of the artist and their work.

Champagne I'mma spill it until we all fill up
A reference to celebrating success and sharing it with others.

Maybe it stopped me from giving a fuck about opinions
The artist may have become immune to the criticism or opinions of others, because they have become successful.

And probably not, but I'm temporarily out of fizzucks
The artist may still care about opinions, but for the moment they have decided to overlook them.

So tell the post to leave propaganda to politicians
The artist is telling the newspapers or media to stop propagating stories or lies about them, and leave that to politicians who do the same.

Somebody tell 'em that I'm back, tell 'em I'm back
The artist is reasserting their presence and success, reminding people who they are and what they have accomplished.