I Get Up by J. Cole Lyrics Meaning – A Lyrical Journey from the Grit to the Glory
Lyrics
Nobody, nobody thought a nigga would be right here, though, you know
That shit make like
That shit make, that shit make a difference in me and you
You was supposed to be here, nigga
Nigga, I wasn’t ‘posed to be in this motherfucker
Man, you know what I’m sayin’
Give all the glory to God and hard work
But you niggas gotta respect this shit, you know what I’m sayin’
I’m straight from the-
Where I’m at? (Where) Where I go? (How) How did I get here? (How did I get here?)
Walk around with a Smithfield (Smithfield)
I’m from the south, had a gold grill (Gold grill)
Remember doin’ shows in Mobile (Mobile)
Go against me and it’s roadkill (Roadkill)
Wakin’ up to see the sunrise (Sunrise)
I turned five, I got baptized (Baptized)
We was livin’ up in College Park (College Park)
Midnight, heard the gunfight (Gunfight)
Playin’ football at Forest Park (Forest Park)
Gresham Park where your moment get defined (Get defined)
The story of my life (The life)
Way before I ever wrote a rhyme (Way before)
Have you ever done time? (Time)
Lookin’ at my kids through the blinds (Blinds)
Confinement mind (Confinement)
How you feelin’ when you face a dime? (Time)
The truth be told (Told)
I’m supposed to be locked up and dead, cold (Cold)
In the mind of an old (He cold) white man, the black man soul
Felt like I was born on Mars (Mars), everybody starin’ too hard (Starin’)
They didn’t really think I was a star (They didn’t really)
Then I fucked around, beat the odds (Fucked around)
How did I get right here? (How did I?)
Neck, wrist on chandelier (Chandelier)
Made me wanna drop some tears (Tears)
Thankin’ God that I switched gears (Whooo)
I’m from another lightyear, I’m a Martian (Martian)
One-third of a human, just partial (One third)
I’m the Sergeant, the Captain, the Marshal (Serge)
I start to barf, it was too much potion
Too fast, everything in slow motion
I get the cash and my money keep grossin’ (Get the cash)
Popped a bottle, champagne, we toastin’
Suicide doors on the coupe when they open (Skrrt)
They didn’t believe in me (Nah)
Check the stats, number one, you see (You see)
I bet my haters can’t breathe
Nigga, don’t even compare to me (Nah)
Street niggas, we rare, unique (We rare)
We can fuck ’em by the pair, by the three (By the pair)
Chopper soundin’ like a snare in a beat (Like a snare)
I’m from the A, I love your ass, it’s a peach (Peach)
Where I’m from, niggas cash, don’t lease (Cash)
Where I’m from, the stick’s on the backseat (Stick sticks)
Where I’m from, police put you six feet
A lot of bums and they sleepin’ on the street (Bums)
Yeah, yeah, that’s at home (Yeah)
Nigga, go back to your fam’ where you dead wrong (Go back)
Miss my dawg, dead and gone (Miss him)
I can hear his voice telling me “Don’t go alone” (Pistol)
Yeah, the money can’t fix that (Naw)
Dirty money, had to rinse that (Dirty money)
I try my hardest not to look back (I try)
Not too long ago I would’ve took that (Gimme that)
This for my niggas had to cook packs (Cook cook)
Million dollar trap fall ’cause of one rat (Rats)
Yeah, ain’t no comin’ back (Yeah)
How I made it out the jungle, yeah, without a scratch (Hey)
Where I’m at? (Where) Where I go? (How) How did I get here? (How did I get here?)
Walk around with a Smithfield (Smithfield)
I’m from the south, had a gold grill (Gold grill)
Remember doin’ shows in Mobile (Mobile)
Go against me and it’s roadkill (Roadkill)
Wakin’ up to see the sunrise (Sunrise)
I turned five, I got baptized (Baptized)
We was livin’ up in College Park (College Park)
Midnight, heard the gunfight (Gunfight)
Playin’ football at Forest Park (Forest Park)
Gresham Park where your moment get defined (Get defined)
The story of my life (The life)
Way before I ever wrote a rhyme (Way before)
Have you ever done time? (Time)
Lookin’ at my kids through the blinds (Blinds)
Confinement mind (Confinement)
How you feelin’ when you face a dime? (Time)
The truth be told (Told)
I’m supposed to be locked up and dead, cold (Cold)
In the mind of an old (He cold) white man, the black man soul
Baptized at First Baptist Church
The pastor name was Reverend Johnson (Okay)
Chastised his shirt and matchin’ shoes
But had to front, it never bothered him (Okay)
Hurt his pride but he swallowed it (Okay)
Dirt is all that he spotted
And in the dirty south where bodies pilin’ up
So high, they block the birds and rerouted ’em (Damn)
Plenty murderers had observers but
You never heard a peep out of them
So many funerals it ain’t enough numerals to keep count of them (Woah)
Look, I’m just settin’ the scene
Back when I stared at the phone as I’m lettin’ it ring
Another collector, they leave us a message
My mama in deficit, must intervene
I bust out the seams, I’m gettin’ too big for these britches now
I invest in the dream, I’m destined for green
I got superstar dick for these bitches now
I got superstar dick for these bitches now
And I think about that when I dig ’em out
(When I dig ’em out, when I dig ’em out)
Where I’m at? (Where) Where I go? (How) How did I get here? (How did I get here?)
Walk around with a Smithfield (Smithfield)
I’m from the south, had a gold grill (Gold grill)
Remember doin’ shows in Mobile (Mobile)
Go against me and it’s roadkill (Roadkill)
Wakin’ up to see the sunrise (Sunrise)
I turned five, I got baptized (Baptized)
We was livin’ up in College Park (College Park)
Midnight, heard the gunfight (Gunfight)
Playin’ football at Forest Park (Forest Park)
Gresham Park where your moment get defined (Get defined)
The story of my life (The life)
Way before I ever wrote a rhyme (Way before)
Have you ever done time? (Time)
Lookin’ at my kids through the blinds (Blinds)
Confinement mind (Confinement)
How you feelin’ when you face a dime? (Time)
The truth be told (Told)
I’m supposed to be locked up and dead, cold (Cold)
In the mind of an old (He cold) white man, the black man soul
J. Cole’s vibrant track ‘I Get Up’ from his 2009 mixtape ‘The Warm Up’ serves as a lyrical mosaic, piecing together shards of struggle, survival, and success. Through a candid narrative laced with prophetic wisdom, Jermaine Cole dissects the ruthless realties he overcame to arrive at a place of prominence and prosperity. Cole’s artistry paints a vivid amalgam of his past woes and future aspirations, bridging the gap between the once hungry underdog and the current cultural vanguard.
But ‘I Get Up’ is far more than an autobiographical glance or a simple success story; it’s a symbol of hope, a testament to resilience, and a sonic open letter to those still trudging through their own tribulations. With intricate wordplay and soul-baring authenticity, Cole invites us on a journey of introspection and inspiration, offering a rare glimpse into the makings of an artist who defied the odds.
Harnessing the Human Spirit: Beyond Rise-and-Grind
The titular refrain ‘I Get Up’ isn’t merely a statement of motion but one of defiance and determination. Cole’s personal ascension becomes a beacon of possibility, challenging the notion that circumstance is destiny. It’s a reminder that, while the world slumbers in darkness, there’s a promise in every sunrise and an opportunity at the break of dawn for those willing to chase it.
This chorus of perseverance echoes within the hearts of the marginalized and the overlooked, stirring a collective yearning to transcend societal barriers. The gravity behind Cole’s resoluteness lies in its universal resonance, making ‘I Get Up’ not just an anthem for his triumph, but for anyone who dares to dream while staring down the barrel of hardship.
Rhymes from the Southern Soil: A Map of Memories
J. Cole’s vivid verses serve as a tour guide through the montages of his upbringing in the South. From baptism to brushes with violence in College Park, the lyrics are a GPS of geographical and emotional landscapes that shaped him. The authenticity in his nostalgic recollections positions him not just as a participant in his own story, but as an observant narrator aware of the broader canvas of cultural and communal influence.
Each location drops a pin on the map of Cole’s past, sketching a constellation of experiences that reveal the adversity and rites of passage that are woven into the fabric of his being. As listeners, we’re given a backstage pass to his journey, one that reflects the duality of an environment rich in both camaraderie and conflict.
Unbreaking the Cycle: Spiritual and Societal Renaissance
The motif of baptism recurs in the track, symbolizing not only a rite of spiritual purification but also the emergence of new life. It parallels the biblical resurrection with Cole’s personal and communal rebirth, representing a cleansing of the afflictions that once tethered him to a predetermined fate enforced by systemic oppression.
Moreover, ‘I Get Up’ is an audacious rejection of the life sentence imposed on black bodies by old white minds and the carceral state. In reclaiming his narrative, J. Cole’s renewing waters are those of change, engulfing the roots of racial prejudice and nurturing the grounds for growth and equity.
Hidden In Plain Bars: Deciphering J. Cole’s Coded Chronicles
The track’s hidden meaning materializes in Cole’s comparison of his life to a gambit against inexorable forces. His journey from the peripheries of possibility to the podium of success is an escape act from the systemic straight-jacket designed to constrict the potential of black men.
These lines are encrypted with the insidious nature of societal traps, offering a deeper dialogue on how close proximity to a different outcome can haunt those who ‘beat the odds.’ It is a profound contemplation on survivor’s guilt and the moral complexities that accompany escaping a fate many others could not.
Memorable Lines that Echo in Eternity
The poignancy of Cole’s lyricism is encapsulated in the hammered home truths that litter the track like shrapnel. ‘I’m supposed to be locked up and dead, cold,’ he raps, laying bare the chilling expectations placed upon his existence. This acknowledgment of an alternative destiny, one not graced by the fates but shaped by prejudicial systems, is as sobering as it is stirring.
‘Felt like I was born on Mars, everybody starin’ too hard’ is another stellar line that encapsulates the alienation of ambition. It’s Cole’s assertion that his aspirations were always extraterrestrial in nature, orbiting beyond the gravitational pull of his reality. These bars don’t just resonate; they reverberate, instilling the sense that J. Cole’s story is our own, reflected back at us through the music.
