歌词
I grew up, a fuckin' screw up
我在贫穷和苦难中长大(引自Bigge的Runnin’的,是J.Cole对Bigge的致敬)
Tie my shoe up,
系紧我的鞋带
wish they was newer
希望都是全新的
Damn, need somethin' newer
操，我需要些全新的行头
In love with the baddest girl in the city,
因为我喜欢上这城市最迷人的姑娘（J.Cole以女人做比喻来表达他对说唱的feelings）
I wish I knew her
我希望能认识她
I wish I won't so shy,
我希望我到时候不要那么内向
I wish I was a bit more fly
我希望我能主动点
I wish that I, could tell her
我希望我能亲自对她说
how I really feel inside
我内心的想法
That I'm the perfect nigga for her,
我是她的真命天子
but then maybe that's a lie
然而这可能是个谎言
She like a certain type of nigga,
她已经有了喜欢的对象
and it's clear I'm not that guy
显然那个人不是我
Ball player, star player,
那个在NBA打球的全明星球员
I'm just watchin' from the side
我只有在场边看的份（指Cold World:Sideline Story,暗指自己比不上那些NBA球员）
On the bench,
干坐冷板凳
cause my lack of confidence won't let me fly
这都由于我的自卑限制我去闪耀全场
I ain't grow up with my father,
我自小就没有父亲陪伴我成长
I ain't thinkin' bout that now
我不再被这件事给缠扰了
Fast forward four years or
在四年后的现在
so from now I'll probably cry
我可能在哭
When I realize what I missed,
当我发现失去的东西的时候
but as of now my eyes are dry
我没有灰心丧气
Cause I'm tryna stay alive,
因为我拼命活下去（对2pac的Death Around The Corner中line的回忆,”see death around the corner,gotta stay high while i
In the city where too many niggas die
这座城市有太多的黑人丧命了
Dreamin' quiet tryna dodge a suit and tie
梦想着躲避上班族的命运
Who am I? Aye who am I (Yeah)
我究竟是谁？？是啊我究竟是谁呢
Things change, rearrange and so do I
某些事改变了，重新安排了，那么我呢
It ain't always for the better dawg I can't lie
我不能总去维护我的兄弟而去说谎
I get high cause the lows can be so cold
我去追寻成功是因为深处低谷是很煎熬
I might bend a little bit but I don't fold
尽管当中会遇到波折但我是不会去放弃
One time for my mind and two for yours
最重要是要给你大脑思考
I got food for your
我的音乐
thoughts to sooth your soul
安慰你的灵魂，是你的精神食粮
If you see my tears fall just let me be
如果你看到我流泪那么就任由我吧
Move along, nothing to see
离我远点，当什么也没看到好了
I always did shit the hard way,
我投入身心在这说唱圈子里
my niggas slangin' in the hallway
我的哥们在门厅里贩毒
Burnt CD's and trees like this was broadway,
烧毁的CD和毒品让这里看起来就像百老汇
Times Square
纽约时代广场
Kept the dimes there in the locker
将毒品放进小柜里
Some Reggie Miller
那些毒品，比chewbacca更多褐色头发(Reggie Miller,一种毒品,亦指前NBA球星)
With more brown hairs than Chewbacca
偷偷跟我说他卖掉了那一点点毒品
Whispers that he got it for the low low
偷偷跟我说他卖掉了那一点点毒品
Sell a, dime for a dub,
半克的毒品以20刀卖出去
them white boys ain't know no better
那些白人孩子是不会知道比这更好的
Besides,
除此之外
what's twenty dollars to a nigga like that?
20刀对一个黑人来说意味什么？
He tell his pops he need some lunch
白人孩子只有跟爸妈说一声他午餐吃多点
and he gon' get it right back
那么他就刚好补回那条数了
I peep game
我攀登这游戏的高峰
Got home snatched my mama keychain,
回到家偷偷拿母亲的钥匙
took her whip
开走她的车
The appeal, too ill to refrain
这台老古董，太残旧了以致不能打着火
I hit the boulevard pull up
我开到林荫大道
to my nigga front door
去接在前门等我的哥们
His mama at home,
他母亲还在家
she still let em' hit the blunt though
虽然她依然不让她的孩子飞叶子
I told her hello
我跟她打了声招呼
and sat with my nigga and laughed
并且和我的哥们坐一起，有说有笑的
And talked about
谈论着
how we gon' smash all the bitches in class
我们怎样搞上学校的妞
I complimented
我祝贺他
how I see him out here getting his cash,
刚从那里收到的钱
and just asked
并且问他
"What a nigga gotta do to get that? Put me on"
“一个人应该做什么才能得到那些钱？带上我吧”
He just laughed when he seen I was sure
他对我一副认真的样子给雷到
17 years breathing his demeanor said more
17岁的他意味深长地跟我说了很多
He told me,
他跟我说
"Nigga you know how you sound right now?
你知道你说这番话像什么吗
If you wasn't my mans,
如果你不是我的哥们
I would think that you a clown right now
我觉得你现在就像一个小丑
Listen, you everything I wanna be
听好，你现在所获得的东西都是我想要的
that's why I fucks with you
这就是我为什么我认同你
So how you looking up to me,
所以当我以你为目标的时候
when I look up to you
你是怎样看我的呢
You bout to go get a degree,
你即将获得学位
I'ma be stuck with two choices
而我只有两个选择
Either graduate to weight
一就是毕业之后继续深造
or selling number two
或者去贩毒
For what? A hundred bucks or two a week?
为的是什么？一两百的周薪吗
Do you think that you would know
如果你是我
what to do if you was me?
你知道要去怎么做
I got, four brothers,
我有四个兄弟
one mother that don't love us
和一个不爱我们的母亲
If they ain't never want us
如果他们从来没想过要我们
why the fuck they never wore rubbers?"
TM的为什么他们从来不戴套呢
I felt ashamed to have ever complained
对于我以前曾埋怨我的身世
about my lack of gear
我感到好羞耻
And thought about how far we done came
想到我们之间的差距
From trailer park to a front yard
一个住拖车里
with trees in the sky
一个住院子里并且有树遮荫
Thank you mama dry your eyes,
感谢你母亲，不要流泪了
there ain't no reason to cry
因为这没有伤心的理由
You made a genius and I,
你把我抚养成天才
ain't gon' take it for granted
我不会止步于此
I ain't gon' settle for lesser,
我将争取更多的东西
I ain't gon' take what they handed
我不会要他们施舍的
Nah I'm gon' take what they owe me
不，我将拿回他们欠我们的
and show you that I can fly
并且展示给他们看我能够飞黄腾达
And show ol' girl what she missing
告诉那些妞她们所日夜冥想的对象
The illest nigga alive
最生猛的那个人仍生存着
Aye who am I?
对了我是谁
Things change, rearrange and so do I
某些事改变了，重新安排了，那么我呢
It ain't always for the better dawg I can't lie
我不能总去维护我的兄弟而去说谎
I get high cause the lows can be so cold
我去追寻成功是因为深处低谷是很煎熬
I might bend a little bit but I don't fold
尽管当中会遇到波折但我是不会去放弃
One time for my mind and two for yours
重要的是给你大脑思考
I got food for your thoughts to sooth your soul
我的音乐能安慰你的灵魂，是你的精神食粮
If you see my tears fall just let me be
如果你看到我流泪那么就任由我吧
Move along, nothing to see
离我远点，当什么也没看到好了
I never felt better
离我远点，当什么也没看到好了
专辑信息