J. Cole

commonplace; a trite or obvious remark

Went and found a man, but I'm hopin' you're alone now

Can't help but feeling like I dropped the ball, cliché

I used to pop up on you at the mall each day

period; a definite length of time marked off by two instants

I want it in physical

A million dollars, I count up in intervals

Without it I'm miserable

remain; remain present although waning or gradually dying

I stare at the screen a while before I press decline

But she plants the seed and it still lingers in my mind

Told myself I'm strong enough to shake it and I'm trying

huge; of great force or power

Haven't you heard? I'm as cold as the tip

Tip of the iceberg that tipped the Titanic

No tip-toein' around it, my shit is gigantic

show; break the trust of; reveal unintentionally

When I'm in love, I love heavily (on God)

If you betray me, you dead to me (21)

I disrespect you respectfully (straight up)

effectiveness; the power or right to give orders or make decisions

Like lettin' a nigga come sleep on your couch and he eatin' up all yo' groceries

My nigga repeated this quote to me, I felt its potency

Said, "Most of these niggas gon' hang themselves, just give 'em the rope and see"

product; the result of mathematical differentiation

Just to get by for a limited time, the steepest of mountains they tryna climb

I'm here tryna find the derivative

You niggas don't feel me, you see the clout

assist; make easier

Are you doin' this work to facilitate growth or to become famous?

Which is more important?

disgrace; cause to be distrusted or disbelieved

My friends went to war, I walked away with all they blood on me

Now some will discredit me, try wipe away my pedigree

But please, find a nigga out that's rappin' this incredibly, uh

warp; make false by mutilation or addition; as of a message or story

But I know depression and drug addiction don't blend

Reality distorts and then you get lost in the wind

And I done seen the combo take niggas off the deep end

legal identification; any authorization to pass or go somewhere

Tryna make it back before my class started

Country nigga never seen a passport

'Til I popped off and got a bag for it

lying down; having a tendency (to); often used in combination

We from the South where we learn all about stashin'

Where niggas prone to shoot first and run they mouth last

And if you run your mouth, bitch, you goin' out sad

organize; a law officer having duties similar to those of a sheriff

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

sophistication in speaking; using language effectively to please or persuade

If we the new slaves

I am Frederick Douglass of rhetoric ahead the the others

You motherfuckas better get free

fake; intended to deceive

So they know the difference between you

The real niggas, and the motherfucking fraudulent niggas, man

Don't never get it fucked up

amusing; humorously sarcastic or mocking

No criminal record but I'm makin' criminal records

Isn't it ironic? Isn't it iconic?

Jacket so expensive you wouldn't even try on it

compete; compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others

Y'all know who the truth is (whoa)

Crazy like a movie by that nigga Stanley Kubrick (whoa)

Perfect time to pop up (whoa)

dishonest; not straightforward or candid; giving a false appearance of frankness

Your soul lookin' down over your body in suspension

The critics, they be on me, but they all be disingenuous

Bitch, I came up 'round addiction, seen like 40 interventions

disaster; an event resulting in great loss and misfortune

Shit profound, we propagating more profanity

Paid off collections from recollections of calamity (oh shit, look, that nigga 'bout to shoot)

The shit pop off, I learned to duck under the canopy (oh shit, run, nigga, run)

deep; showing intellectual penetration or emotional depth

I got more cribs than Habitat for Humanity

Shit profound, we propagating more profanity

Paid off collections from recollections of calamity (oh shit, look, that nigga 'bout to shoot)

scheming; indirect in departing from the accepted or proper way; misleading

Hey make that ass drop (Drop, drop)

Now if you only had one wish is it devious?

'Cause you already know who your genie is

government; the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit

Just a little piece, I ain't tryna make a scene

Like it's something it's not, my whole regime is up in the spot

Carefully watched by dozens of thots

fond remembrance of the past; longing for something past

I pray you get to see it across the Atlantic

Tonight, I stepped out with my niggas and felt the organic nostalgia

That arouses when I'm with the rest of the bandits

relieve; provide physical relief, as from pain

I sit in silence and find whenever I meditate

My fears alleviate, my tears evaporate (mmm)

My faith don't deviate, ideas don't have a date

amaze; an overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration

Fuck 'em all, they don't know all the pain I felt

I'm in awe, after all the fame I felt, I evolved (ooh)

I no longer bury demons

examine; any tiny hole admitting passage of a liquid (fluid or gas)

Henny pour on any floor

Pain seepin' out my memories' pores

Lord forgive me for the times I didn't follow

honorable; having a good reputation

Like the rose that grows from out the concrete of bold, you gotta just go no matter the gold

You're from a beautiful, but not reputable place

You seen your fair share of funeral dates

overly narrow representation; a conventional or formulaic conception or image

Talk is cheap, it's like y'all grew up in a Jewish home

Hah, pardon the stereotype

But y'all giving me mixed feelings like I married a white woman

delicate; characterized by lightness and insubstantiality

Like overdosin' off a myriad of various pills

You're not alone when you experience ethereal thrills

Even niggas burnin' in Hell, when they hear me, get chills

careful; marked by keen caution and watchful prudence

Ain't gonna be no more kings

Be wary of any man that claims

Because deep down, he clings onto the need for power