Collard Greens by ScHoolboy Q Lyrics Meaning – Unpacking the Layers Beneath the Lush Beats
Lyrics
Uh uh, yo ya
Oh (oh) luxury
Chidi-ching-ching could buy anything, cop that
Oh (oh) collard greens
Three degrees low, make it hot for me, drop that
Oh (oh) down with the shit
King shit, smoke this, get down with the shit, aye
Oh (oh) down with the shit
This, that, pop this down with the shit
Smoke this, drink this
Straight to my liver
Watch this, no tick
Yeah, I’m the nigga
Gang rap, X-mas
Smoke, shots out the liver
Faded, Vegas
Might sponsor the killer, shit
Shake it, break it
Hot hot for the winter
Drop it, cop it
Eyes locked on your inner object
Rock it, blast-blast, new beginnings
Lovely, pinky how not I remember fiending,
Gimme, gimme, gimme some
Freak the freckles off your face
Frenchy, freaking, swapping tongue
Click my link and spread your buns
Loose your denim, make it numb
Blow it baby, no Saddam
Icky, icky, icky uh
Fucking in the car service
Thank me for the car pool
Chromosome, part full
Prolly off a Norco
And gas, not the Arco
Popping since the intro
You shopping from the window
Play my favorite tempo
Oh (oh) luxury
Chidi-ching-ching could buy anything, cop that
Oh (oh) collard greens
Three degrees low, make it hot for me, drop that
Oh (oh) down with the shit
King shit, smoke this, get down with the shit, aye
Oh (oh) down with the shit
This, that, pop this down with the shit
Hold up, biatch
This your favorite song
Translation, Ven aqui
Mami, asi culo
Tu quiero coger mi huevos
Y papi molestes pero
Chuparse puto pendejo
El pinche cabron, let’s get it
Nights like this I’mma knight like this
Sword in my hand, I fight like this
I am more than a man, I’m a God
Bitch, touche, en garde
Toupee drop and her two tits pop
Out of that tank top and bra
And when I say “Doo doo doo doo!”
Bitch, that be K. Dot
She want some more of this
I give her more of this, I owe her this
In fact, I know she miss the way I floored this, I’m forgis
I know my Houston partners drop a four on this, and focus
And slow it down (down)
Alright let me blow this bitch I’m famous, I blame this, on you
Cash in the mirror
Hang in my penthouse roof
Skyline the clearest
Watch it, your optics
Popping out, you look the weirdest
Pop my top on the 1-0-5
Head with no power steering, ah!
Oh (oh) luxury
Chidi-ching-ching could buy anything, cop that
Oh (oh) collard greens
Three degrees low, make it hot for me, drop that
Oh (oh) down with the shit
King shit, smoke this, get down with the shit, aye
Oh (oh) down with the shit
This, that, pop this down with the shit
Bummy nigga famous, straight from the bottom
Broke niggas hate it, still never robbed ’em
Guns in the basement, out they have a problem
Kush be my fragrance, we love marijuana
Function on fire, burn the roof off this motherfucker
Psych ward is ballin’, dope craze like no other
Weed steady blowing, pass the blunt to my Mama
Runs in the family, puff-puff keep a nigga fiendin’ uh
Faded faded faded right
Shot glass super size, she gon’ get some dick tonight
Meet me at the W, and no its not the westside
Stick it up ya south side (Icky icky icky ooh)
Baller futuristic, groovy gangsta with an attitude
What these niggas make a year, I spend that on my daughter shoes
Smoking weed and drinking, all the college students loving Q
We gon’ turn it out until the neighbors wanna party too
Oh (oh) luxury
Chidi-ching-ching could buy anything, cop that
Oh (oh) collard greens
Three degrees low, make it hot for me, drop that
Oh (oh) down with the shit
King shit, smoke this, get down with the shit, aye
Oh (oh) down with the shit
This, that, pop this down with the shit aye (oh)
In the lush expanse of modern hip-hop, ScHoolboy Q’s ‘Collard Greens’ is a verdant oasis of rhythm and storytelling that delves into themes of extravagance, temptation, and the highs of life both literal and figurative. As we navigate the tapestry of this Kendrick Lamar-assisted track, we uncover a multifaceted narrative that stitches hedonism with slices of introspection.
Beneath the catchy hook and propulsive beat, ‘Collard Greens’ harbors deeper lyricism and contextual commentary. This track from ScHoolboy Q’s acclaimed 2014 album ‘Oxymoron’ invites listeners into a world of opulence papered over a foundation of strife and survival.
A Siren Song of Materialism and Menace
The hook of ‘Collard Greens’ sounds like a roll-call for conspicuous consumption, as ScHoolboy Q raps about the trappings of success and the things money can buy. But there’s an underlying menace to the way he drops terms like ‘luxury’ and ‘collard greens,’ a slang reference to cash, suggestive that amidst the wealth, there’s an ever-present threat – be it losing it all or the dangers that come with street life.
As the lyrics unfurl, we’re led through a parade of indulgence, yet Q’s clever wordplay fashions a narrative that’s just as much about the pitfalls of hedonism as it is a celebratory flex. It’s this juxtaposition that gives the song its gritty edge, encapsulating the dichotomy of the high life and the hustle.
Decoding the Symphony of Euphemisms
‘Collard Greens’ is rife with double entendres and clever euphemisms, each line threading deeper into Q’s experiences. From ‘smoking weed and drinking’ to ‘the blunt to my mama,’ he paints a picture of an intergenerational tether to vice and escape within his community.
Meanwhile, Kendrick Lamar’s verse in Spanish is not just a linguistic flex; it signals to the diversity of their audience and the global reach of their message. Each word plays with expectation and conceals complex ideas within seemingly straightforward brags.
Peeling Back the Velvet Curtain: The Track’s Hidden Meaning
While easy to dismiss as another party anthem, a closer examination of ‘Collard Greens’ reveals a more poignant narrative. It’s a tableau of life in the fast lane, yes, but also a reflection on the ephemeral nature of success in an environment where stability is not guaranteed. It speaks to living in the moment because the future is never promised, especially in the chaotic world that Q narrates.
The track can also be seen as a critique of the ‘American Dream,’ the carrot on a stick that perpetuates a cycle of seeking satisfaction in material gain which, as Q suggests, might be as unsubstantial and temporary as smoke wafting through air.
Unforgettable Lines and Their Lasting Echo
‘Hold up, biatch, this your favorite song,’ declares Kendrick, a line that in its audacity and immediacy taps into the club culture’s heartbeat. Lyrics like ‘Frenchy, freaking, swapping tongue’ and ‘icky icky icky uh’ contrast playful sexuality with the raw, sometimes unpalatable aspects of real life.
Another line, ‘Faded, Vegas, might sponsor the killer,’ sneaks in a darker subtext amid the rollicking party scene, nodding to the inescapable presence of violence and danger that accompany their realities. The track is no stranger to grit, and it’s in these concise, memorable lines that a larger story is hinted at, a narrative that plays out in the shadows of the revelry.
The Beat: A Catalyst for the Lyricism
The production on ‘Collard Greens’ by THC is not just a backdrop for Q and Kendrick’s verses; it’s a pulsating entity that adds urgency and vibrance to the lyrics. The beat marries a traditional West Coast bounce with modern flourishes that accentuate the song’s tone of intoxicating decadence and the duality of risky business.
Every snare hit and bass drop serves to punctuate the words, giving them an extra punch that drives home their meaning. As the song’s foundation, the beat is both a rally cry for party-goers and a sonic symbol of the environment Q and Kendrick lyrically traverse.
