a m a r i by J. Cole Lyrics Meaning – Unveiling the Stirring Path from Struggle to Stardom
Lyrics
Bada-ba, ah-ah
Off-season
Let’s work, hey
Plottin’ my escape, this game rot a nigga’s faith
Got a couple M’s hidin’ in the safe
Imagination turned a Honda into Wraith
I was doin’ eighty on the interstate
Tryna make it back before my class started
Country nigga never seen a passport
‘Til I popped off and got a bag for it
Now I’m at the Garden sittin’ half court
Watchin’ Jr. catch it off the backboard
‘Ville nigga never seen nothing
‘Cept a fucking triple beam jumping
Good dope leave a fiend krumping
Made it out, it gotta mean something
Either you gon’ hustle hard, or nigga, Uncle Sam got yo’ ass re-enlisting
2-6, murder scene pumping
Better leave it tucked if ye’ ain’t dumping
Pow, pow, nigga, he slumping
Twelve comin’, we ain’t seen nothing
Time change, niggas ain’t rumbling no more
Nah, what for? Hungry for more
If you solo these vocals, listen close and you can hear grumbling
Bow tie and I’m still munching
Big bag, never fear fumbling
Want smoke? Nigga don’t choke
I’m a whole fuckin’ nicotine company
Dreamville the Army, not a Navy
How could you ever try to play me?
Kill ’em on a song, walk up out the booth, do the Westbrook, rock-a-baby
I never fall out with the bro
Hate when your family turn into foe
We had a penthouse on the road
Interior decorated with the hoes
Just like a multiple-choice getting chose
My niggas like “Eenie, meenie, minee, moe”
Scoop up a dime-piece like we homeless
Then we gon’ send ’em back pigeon-toed
Out of the concrete was a rose and winters was cold
Had to go over and stand by the stove
We from the Southeast, niggas know
This where the opps creep real slow
Won’t vote but they mob deep with the poles
I punch the time sheet, not no more
‘Cause now my assigned seat is a throne, right
Plottin’ my escape, this game rot a nigga’s faith
Got a couple M’s hidin’ in the safe
Imagination turned a Honda into Wraith
I was doin’ eighty on the interstate
Tryna make it back before my class started
Country nigga never seen a passport
‘Til I popped off and got a bag for it
Now I’m at the Garden sittin’ half court
Watchin’ Jr. catch it off the backboard
‘Ville nigga never seen nothing
‘Cept a fucking triple beam jumping
Good dope leave a fiend krumping
Made it out, it gotta mean something
Made it out, it gotta mean something
Made it out, it gotta mean something
Bada-ba, bada-ba
Bada-ba, ah-ah
J. Cole’s ‘a m a r i’ spins a rich tapestry of personal struggle, triumph, and the relentless drive for success. Relatable yet profound, the lyrics traverse through his trials and tribulations, transforming them into a universal anthem of resilience.
There’s a raw, unfiltered depth to Cole’s storytelling, a journey that mirrors the American Dream, painted vividly with the brush of hip-hop culture. Through ‘a m a r i’, Cole not only shares his narrative, but also ignites a dialogue on the very essence of what is to overcome adversity.
The Rise from Humble Beginnings: A Real-Life Cinderella Man
Cole recites the early chapters of his life, depicting the grit it took to escape a preordained fate. His bars, ‘Plottin’ my escape, this game rot a nigga’s faith,’ reveal the determination to evade the pitfalls that have consumed others in his community.
The ‘Honda to Wraith’ metaphor isn’t merely about cars; it symbolizes a transition from modesty to luxury, echoing the notion that willpower can morph reality into the grandeur of one’s dreams.
Hidden Meanings Behind the Venomous Bars
Cole doesn’t shy away from exposing the underbelly of his journey. The lyric, ‘Country nigga never seen a passport,’ addresses not just a lack of travel, but a lack of opportunity for many growing up under similar circumstances.
His lines speak to the systemic barriers, and his success becomes a beacon of possibility, a ‘passport’ for others to chase dreams beyond their geographic and socioeconomic borders.
Sport and Struggle: An Arena-Bound Metaphor
There’s an undeniable crossover between sports and life’s hustle in Cole’s narrative. ‘Now I’m at the Garden sittin’ half court’, isn’t a stealthy brag; it’s the auditory representation of achieving dreams once thought unattainable.
‘Watchin’ Jr. catch it off the backboard’ might read as a specific moment, but it’s emblematic of witnessing the next generation thriving, perhaps without enduring the hardships he faced.
Navigating Family Ties and the Bonds that Break
‘I never fall out with the bro. Hate when your family turn into foes.’ These lines capture the complexity of relationships when success alters one’s social standing.
The struggle here is internal and societal, a commentary on how prosperity can forge rifts between loved ones, making trust a luxury that might not be affordable even when you’ve ‘made it out.’
Echoing Through Time: A Legacy of Memorable Lines
‘Made it out, it gotta mean something’ is the philosophical punchline of Cole’s narrative, a mantra for anyone striving to imbue their personal victory with a greater purpose.
This simple yet impactful declaration rings loud, iterating the idea that succeeding against the odds is not just personal gain, but a symbol of hope for a collective struggle.
