Released: January 28, 2016
Songwriter: J. Cole
Producer: !llmind
[Speech]
Ion think y'all really understand... how much this shit means to means to me, man y’all just-
I'm back home and y'all just sat through my whole fuckin’ entire album and shit that's fuckin' crazy, thank y'all for doing that shit man
I been planning this night for a long time so this shit is- crazy to see like- turning to reality and shit
And I appreciate y'all for sitting through this shit I want to tell y'all some shit
About this album so when you leave here tonight-
I know people been- people been telling me niggas playing the album like crazy and I appreciate it but
But we leave here tonight, I want y'all to know what this album meant to me
So when you driving home
And you playing it this week, next week, next year, whenever
You gon' always remember what this shit is about
What I had to go out into the world and learn- on my own
I’m coming here to tell y’all tonight this is what this album is about
And I'm taking this message across the fuckin’ world ion' care
Here it go:
When we young
And even when we old
The world is constantly, constantly pumping us with images, and messages, about what life is about right, and what- what we need to make us happy
In the United States, we call it the American Dream right
But what does it always include?
A lot of fucking money
A big ass house
A brand new car
A wife that's not even genetically fuckin' possible to have and shit
And bitches
And bitches too
They tell us we need all that to be happy right
So what ends up happening?
The world is setup so that 99% of us can’t live like that, but what do we do?
We idolize the people that do live like that right?
We call them celebrities
We follow they lives
We go "oh man it looks so perfect, I want to be living like them"
And I'm coming here tonight to tell y'all I'm the same dude
That was on the other side of the fence, right here in this city, right down the fuckin' street working at the fucking skating rink daydreaming
Oh y'all niggas love the skating rink
Daydreaming about shit like "Man I want to live like that, I want that" right?
And then I went and got that shit
But I'm telling y'all this
I'm not saying that to stunt, I'm saying that to say this
When I got over there, on that side of the fence, and I started to look closer I'm telling y'all
As not fuck J. Cole I'm telling y'all as Jermaine
As I really started to take a closer look at all that shit we want, and all the shit we need that makes us happy
I started to see for my, with my own eyes like wait a minute
That shit don't feel right, that shit feel weird
And I started to notice that, all of that shit that they tried to tell us is all bullshit and it's all wrong and it's not what we need to make us happy
I had to go figure that shit out on my own
And how do I know that?
How do I know that?
This is how I know that
It's a man right now in the world, he got millions of fucking dollars, he got a billion fuckin' dollars right
He got everything that we think we need to be happy, he got it
He got the money, he got the cars, he got the big ass crib, 3 or 4 of them bitches, he got the genetically impossible wife, and he got bitches. But yet, this dude is fucking miserable right, he's empty inside, he's miserable
But you got a family, that comes from where we come from, from this city right here, worse conditions than what we come from
They couldn't afford to a ticket to this show tonight if they fucking wanted one right?
But yet somehow, they got more happiness and joy in their life right now than this man will ever have in his life
How is that possible?
How's that even possible?
He got everything they told us we need to be happy and he's miserable
And they ain't got shit
But they happy
What do they got that he don't got?
(Love)
What's that?
(Love!)
That's that fuckin' Cumberland County public education system there coming into play Goddammit
I need everyone to put your cell phones in the sky one time tonight Fayetteville we gonna light this shit up one time
Ay yo
A nigga been dreaming about this shit
[Intro]
Love yours
Love yours
No such thing
[Chorus]
No such thing as a life that's better than yours
No such thing as a life that's better than yours
No such thing as a life that's better than yours
No such thing, no such thing
[Bridge]
Heart beatin' fast, let a nigga know that he alive
Fake niggas, mad snakes
Snakes in the grass let a nigga know that he arrived
Don't be sleepin' on your level
'Cause it's beauty in the struggle, nigga (Beauty, beauty)
Goes for all y'all
It's beauty in the struggle, nigga (Beauty, beauty)
Let me explain
[Verse 1]
It's beauty in the struggle, ugliness in the success
Hear my words or listen to my signal of distress
I grew up in the city and though sometimes we had less
Compared to some of my niggas
Down the block, man, we were blessed
And life can't be no fairytale, no once upon a time
But I be goddamned if a nigga don't be tryin'
So tell me, Momma please, why you be drinkin' all the time?
Does all the pain he brought you still linger in your mind?
Shit
'Cause pain still lingers on mine
On the road to riches, listen, this is what you'll find
The good news is, nigga, you came a long way
The bad news is, nigga, you went the wrong way
Think being broke was better
[Chorus]
No such thing as a life that's better than yours
No such thing as a life that's better than yours
(think being broke was better)
No such thing as a life that's better than yours
No such thing, no such thing
[Verse 2]
Cause what's money without happiness?
Or hard times without the people you love?
Though I'm not sure what's 'bout to happen next
I asked for strength from the Lord up above
'Cause I've been strong so far
But I can feel my grip loosenin'
Quick, do somethin' before you lose it for good
Get it back and use it for good
And touch the people how you did like before
I'm tired of livin' with demons 'cause they always invitin' more
Think being broke was better
Now I don't mean that phrase with no disrespect
To all my niggas out there livin' in debt
Cashin' minimal checks, turn on the TV see a nigga Rolex
And fantasize about a life with no stress
I mean this shit sincerely
And as a nigga who was once in your shoes
Livin' with nothin' to lose, I hope one day you hear me
Always gon' be a bigger house somewhere, but nigga feel me
Long as the people in that motherfucker love you dearly
Always gon' be a whip that's better than the one you got
Always gon' be some clothes that's fresher than the ones you rock
Always gon' be a bitch that's badder out there on the tours
But you ain't never gon' be happy 'til you love yours
Nigga
Love yours
Love yours
[Chorus]
No such thing as a life that's better than yours
No such thing as a life that's better than yours
No such thing as a life that's better than yours
No such thing, no such thing
[Bridge]
Heart beatin' fast, let a nigga know that he alive
Fake niggas, mad snakes
Snakes in the grass let a nigga know that he arrived
2,6, Fayetteville, Fayettenam, I fuckin' love ya'll
My name is J. Cole, Cole World
This been some legendary shit man until the next time God dammit
Peace and love
Ion think y'all really understand... how much this shit means to means to me, man y’all just-
I'm back home and y'all just sat through my whole fuckin’ entire album and shit that's fuckin' crazy, thank y'all for doing that shit man
I been planning this night for a long time so this shit is- crazy to see like- turning to reality and shit
And I appreciate y'all for sitting through this shit I want to tell y'all some shit
About this album so when you leave here tonight-
I know people been- people been telling me niggas playing the album like crazy and I appreciate it but
But we leave here tonight, I want y'all to know what this album meant to me
So when you driving home
And you playing it this week, next week, next year, whenever
You gon' always remember what this shit is about
What I had to go out into the world and learn- on my own
I’m coming here to tell y’all tonight this is what this album is about
And I'm taking this message across the fuckin’ world ion' care
Here it go:
When we young
And even when we old
The world is constantly, constantly pumping us with images, and messages, about what life is about right, and what- what we need to make us happy
In the United States, we call it the American Dream right
But what does it always include?
A lot of fucking money
A big ass house
A brand new car
A wife that's not even genetically fuckin' possible to have and shit
And bitches
And bitches too
They tell us we need all that to be happy right
So what ends up happening?
The world is setup so that 99% of us can’t live like that, but what do we do?
We idolize the people that do live like that right?
We call them celebrities
We follow they lives
We go "oh man it looks so perfect, I want to be living like them"
And I'm coming here tonight to tell y'all I'm the same dude
That was on the other side of the fence, right here in this city, right down the fuckin' street working at the fucking skating rink daydreaming
Oh y'all niggas love the skating rink
Daydreaming about shit like "Man I want to live like that, I want that" right?
And then I went and got that shit
But I'm telling y'all this
I'm not saying that to stunt, I'm saying that to say this
When I got over there, on that side of the fence, and I started to look closer I'm telling y'all
As not fuck J. Cole I'm telling y'all as Jermaine
As I really started to take a closer look at all that shit we want, and all the shit we need that makes us happy
I started to see for my, with my own eyes like wait a minute
That shit don't feel right, that shit feel weird
And I started to notice that, all of that shit that they tried to tell us is all bullshit and it's all wrong and it's not what we need to make us happy
I had to go figure that shit out on my own
And how do I know that?
How do I know that?
This is how I know that
It's a man right now in the world, he got millions of fucking dollars, he got a billion fuckin' dollars right
He got everything that we think we need to be happy, he got it
He got the money, he got the cars, he got the big ass crib, 3 or 4 of them bitches, he got the genetically impossible wife, and he got bitches. But yet, this dude is fucking miserable right, he's empty inside, he's miserable
But you got a family, that comes from where we come from, from this city right here, worse conditions than what we come from
They couldn't afford to a ticket to this show tonight if they fucking wanted one right?
But yet somehow, they got more happiness and joy in their life right now than this man will ever have in his life
How is that possible?
How's that even possible?
He got everything they told us we need to be happy and he's miserable
And they ain't got shit
But they happy
What do they got that he don't got?
(Love)
What's that?
(Love!)
That's that fuckin' Cumberland County public education system there coming into play Goddammit
I need everyone to put your cell phones in the sky one time tonight Fayetteville we gonna light this shit up one time
Ay yo
A nigga been dreaming about this shit
[Intro]
Love yours
Love yours
No such thing
[Chorus]
No such thing as a life that's better than yours
No such thing as a life that's better than yours
No such thing as a life that's better than yours
No such thing, no such thing
[Bridge]
Heart beatin' fast, let a nigga know that he alive
Fake niggas, mad snakes
Snakes in the grass let a nigga know that he arrived
Don't be sleepin' on your level
'Cause it's beauty in the struggle, nigga (Beauty, beauty)
Goes for all y'all
It's beauty in the struggle, nigga (Beauty, beauty)
Let me explain
[Verse 1]
It's beauty in the struggle, ugliness in the success
Hear my words or listen to my signal of distress
I grew up in the city and though sometimes we had less
Compared to some of my niggas
Down the block, man, we were blessed
And life can't be no fairytale, no once upon a time
But I be goddamned if a nigga don't be tryin'
So tell me, Momma please, why you be drinkin' all the time?
Does all the pain he brought you still linger in your mind?
Shit
'Cause pain still lingers on mine
On the road to riches, listen, this is what you'll find
The good news is, nigga, you came a long way
The bad news is, nigga, you went the wrong way
Think being broke was better
[Chorus]
No such thing as a life that's better than yours
No such thing as a life that's better than yours
(think being broke was better)
No such thing as a life that's better than yours
No such thing, no such thing
[Verse 2]
Cause what's money without happiness?
Or hard times without the people you love?
Though I'm not sure what's 'bout to happen next
I asked for strength from the Lord up above
'Cause I've been strong so far
But I can feel my grip loosenin'
Quick, do somethin' before you lose it for good
Get it back and use it for good
And touch the people how you did like before
I'm tired of livin' with demons 'cause they always invitin' more
Think being broke was better
Now I don't mean that phrase with no disrespect
To all my niggas out there livin' in debt
Cashin' minimal checks, turn on the TV see a nigga Rolex
And fantasize about a life with no stress
I mean this shit sincerely
And as a nigga who was once in your shoes
Livin' with nothin' to lose, I hope one day you hear me
Always gon' be a bigger house somewhere, but nigga feel me
Long as the people in that motherfucker love you dearly
Always gon' be a whip that's better than the one you got
Always gon' be some clothes that's fresher than the ones you rock
Always gon' be a bitch that's badder out there on the tours
But you ain't never gon' be happy 'til you love yours
Nigga
Love yours
Love yours
[Chorus]
No such thing as a life that's better than yours
No such thing as a life that's better than yours
No such thing as a life that's better than yours
No such thing, no such thing
[Bridge]
Heart beatin' fast, let a nigga know that he alive
Fake niggas, mad snakes
Snakes in the grass let a nigga know that he arrived
2,6, Fayetteville, Fayettenam, I fuckin' love ya'll
My name is J. Cole, Cole World
This been some legendary shit man until the next time God dammit
Peace and love
more tracks from the album
From the album