Lyrics
How many bars I got right here?
Expression of confidence and pride in the quality of the bars being presented.
Hahaha
Laughter, possibly indicating amusement or a light-hearted tone.
9th Wonder showed me proof that God is real
Acknowledgment of evidence from 9th Wonder that reinforces the speaker's belief in God.
No joke, when he spoke a nigga got the chills
Description of a powerful and spiritual experience, feeling chills when 9th Wonder spoke about God.
When it's real, it's real, it ain't hard to feel
Emphasis on the authenticity of genuine experiences and the palpable nature of reality.
The only way to build, still sharp as steel
Highlighting the importance of authenticity and the metaphorical comparison to a sharp steel tool for personal growth.
The Iliad is dead, The Odyssey is over
Declaring the end of epic narratives like The Iliad and The Odyssey, possibly suggesting a shift in focus or perspective.
Found God within me, started searchin' for Jehovah
Finding spirituality within oneself and initiating a quest for a higher power.
What you searchin' for? Where you focus at?
Prompting introspection about one's goals and priorities.
If it's happiness, no one can give you that
Emphasizing that happiness comes from within and cannot be granted by others.
It flows from within, it knows all your sins
Attributing an internal source to true happiness and acknowledging personal flaws.
You can never win bein' envious of other men
Warning against the negative impact of envy on personal well-being.
Covetousness is such a sin
Labeling covetousness as a sinful behavior.
Wantin' what other people have has become a trend
Observing a societal trend of wanting what others possess.
But don't bow down to the dollar bill, y'all
Discouraging the worship of material wealth represented by the dollar bill.
Commercial consumerism is tryna kill y'all
Criticizing the negative impact of consumerism on society.
I'm tryna heal y'all and still make a livin'
Expressing a dual purpose of healing and making a living.
Be conscious of what you gettin' for what you givin'
Encouraging awareness of the value received in exchange for what is given.
We got to a point now, where
Reflecting on the devaluation of art and the importance of spending time with artists.
Art is so devalued, and what you're spending is time with the artist
Stressing the significance of time as a valuable commodity.
And that's the most valuable commodity of all
Highlighting the artist's role in providing valuable experiences to the audience.
So what are you getting in exchange for your time?
Prompting reflection on the value gained in exchange for the time spent with an artist.
Do you feel encouraged?
Asking various questions about the emotional impact of the listener's time spent with the artist.
Do you feel uplifted?
-Do you feel comforted?
-Do you feel nourished by the time you're givin'
-To the artist that you've listened to?
-I can't sleep when a Tarantino flick's on
Personal preferences and advice on staying true to oneself, following intuition, and understanding one's mission.
I can't eat with a new pair of kicks on
-Spillin' Polynesian sauce on my Off-Whites
-Always go with your gut when it's not right
-Let your intuition put you in position
-Even when you don't, say you understand the mission
-Competition's for the jocks and the meatheads
Rejecting conventional competition and doing it for genuine appreciation and passion.
Not me, I just do it for the street cred
-For the heads that love to rock the real shit
-For the ones who ain't scared to bleed and feel shit
-I kill myself right before I hit the bed to sleep
Metaphorical expression of personal growth and improvement.
So every day I'm resurrected as a better me
-Never be afraid to grow just a little
Encouraging personal growth and expressing vulnerability.
Never be afraid to hurt and let it show a little
-When you allow someone else to help
Highlighting the reciprocal nature of seeking and offering help for mutual healing.
You give them the chance to try to heal themself
-Sometimes you're not able to ask for help from—
Exploring the dynamics of asking for help, ego, and the missed opportunity for mutual benefit.
'Cause of pride or your ego, whatever
-And that's cool
-But you're also denying someone else the opportunity to help themselves
-And, it's kinda like the whole Paid Dues thing with me, like
Discussing the speaker's experience with the Paid Dues platform and its underlying intentions.
People think I started for money or
-I think the kids that I put on owe me somethin', but that's not the case
-No one looked out for me when I started out on the west coast
-So I built that platform to elevate those comin' from under me
-And I never expected anything in return
Clarifying the lack of expectations in return for helping others and addressing personal resentment.
Because it was helping heal the hate and resentment
-I had towards the dudes who never put me on
-But I ended up bookin' them, too, with the younger acts,
Describing the positive outcomes for both the culture and personal well-being resulting from the speaker's actions.
And it was just good for the culture and good for my f—, my pocketbook
-But mostly just good for my soul
Emphasizing the positive impact on the speaker's soul, particularly through the metaphor of a pocketbook.
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