My 27th Birthday

[00:06.00] White fish on the coast of the Caribbean, my life is a film
[00:08.76] Hero and villain, I'm playin' both in the script
[00:10.89] Worthy of Spielberg or Christopher Nolan readin'
[00:13.19] The constant overachievin', I know
[00:15.11] I ain't as rich as them people with old money, but I didn't know money
[00:17.93] They mock me online for speakin' up on all of our issues
[00:20.36] And bein' vocal, the shit that I see on socials, but
[00:24.41] How can I stay silent when, when
[00:26.95] I'm out in Barbados, white people mistreatin' locals
[00:29.85] The villa in Jamaica, but it's owned by the Chinese
[00:32.16] Head to the right bеach and they're chargin' us five еach
[00:34.93] They say the Caribbean paradise, like, why leave?
[00:37.66] But how can I be silent when there's blood on the pine trees?
[00:40.18] Most of us would sacrifice our soul for the right fees
[00:42.78] Before I find love, I'm just prayin' I find peace
[00:45.34] Before I find love, I'm just prayin' I find peace
[00:47.90] You know what I believe, I don't know if I handled it well
[00:50.89] It's fuck Coca-Cola, did I stop drinkin' Fanta as well?
[00:53.36] I could see the blood on the lyrics I write for myself
[00:56.22] I cried about slavery, then went to Dubai with my girl
[00:58.74] "Surely I ain't part of the problem", I lied to myself
[01:01.34] Jewels that my people die for are a sign of my wealth
[01:04.03] My work is a physical weight of my life and my health
[01:06.63] The last couple years, felt like I been inside on a shelf
[01:09.28] I just phoned Cench, and I said, "You inspired myself"
[01:11.96] I don't feel a spot of jealousy inside of myself
[01:14.57] But when I'm all alone, I won't lie, I question myself
[01:17.34] Am I self-destructive? Am I doin' the best for myself?
[01:20.03] I know I love music, but I question the rest of myself
[01:22.37] Like, why don't you post pictures? Or why don't you drop music?
[01:25.02] Or why not do somethin' but sittin' and stressin' yourself?
[01:27.71] Ten years I been in the game and I won't lie, it's gettin' difficult
[01:31.76] This shit used to be spiritual
[01:33.34] We don't need no commentators, we could leave that to the sports
[01:36.07] Just listen to the music, why do you need somebody's thoughts?
[01:38.84] And some of it constructive, but most of it is forced
[01:41.35] And why we countin' the numbers, how the music make you feel?
[01:44.15] I'm just bein' real
[01:48.00] (Alright)
[01:48:80]
[01:50.39] Yeah
[01:51.68] White fish on the coast of the Caribbean, my life is a film
[01:54.07] Hero and villain, I'm playin' both in the script
[01:56.28] Worthy of Oscar and Hollywood nominations
[01:58.16] I'm throwin' money at women in different denominations and killin' the conversation
[02:02.43] All them people told me, "Keep grindin', be patient"
[02:04.95] It's weird bein' famous, tryna navigate the spaces
[02:07.76] Feel like a celebrity, but you ain't on the A-list
[02:10.36] And you never drop, so you ain't really on a playlist
[02:13.27] But your fans love you, you can see it on their faces
[02:15.83] America feels so close that you can taste it
[02:18.47] 2017, was tryna make it to the ranges
[02:20.95] 2025, I'm tryna make it to the Grainges
[02:23.72] How do I explain me and my soulmate are strangers
[02:26.32] That we've already met and I've known her for ages?
[02:29.05] How do I explain? Because I'm runnin' out of pages
[02:31.70] How do I explain South London and its dangers?
[02:34.34] Can't recall the last time that we was all together, but
[02:36.69] All I can remember, the Olympics was in Beijing
[02:39.42] Move to Dubai, that's for the taxes that they takin'
[02:42.11] Or move to Qatar, feel the breeze on the beach
[02:44.84] But how can I explain to my kids that it's fake wind?
[02:47.44] Free, but I'm broke, have me feelin' like I'm caged in
[02:50.04] How do I explain two pounds got you eight wings?
[02:52.73] How do I explain my opps lost, but we ain't win?
[02:55.55] Girls I'm around had surgery on their hips
[02:57.85] How do I explain that I love her the way she is?
[03:00.58] How do I explain my feelings of having kids?
[03:03.14] That it wasn't what it was, but it is what it is
[03:05.96] How do I explain my niggas are in the hood?
[03:08.43] And they don't ask for nothin' even though they know they could
[03:11.08] 'Cause they rather trap, rob and get it on their own
[03:13.72] How do I explain these messages on my phone?
[03:16.50] I just got a call, my girl's sittin' in the car
[03:18.89] And it says "Serge", but Serge with us in the car
[03:21.79] I know I might sound like a villain from afar
[03:24.48] How do I explain that my mechanic is a chick?
[03:27.12] Or why she callin' me when I don't even own a whip because my licence is revoked?
[03:30.71] I mean, how do I explain that I don't wanna heal 'cause my identity is pain?
[03:34.76] How do I explain, I mean, how do I explain?
[03:37.80] I went and hit the streets because I didn't want a boss
[03:40.11] I ended up a worker, I was barely gettin' paid
[03:42.67] For someone that was two years above me in my age
[03:45.04] I didn't even find it strange, I mean, how do I explain?
[03:48.35]
[03:58.70] Yeah
[04:00.50] Fifty-two miles from Marseilles, I'm in Miraval
[04:03.50] Four years, seventeen days, I ain't been around
[04:05.93] I can't lie, it even shocks me that I'm still around
[04:08.57] I can't lie, it even shocks me how I'm livin' now
[04:11.26] Starin' at this Rachel Jones paintin', I'm sittin' down
[04:14.04] The last thing I drew was a weapon, I'm livin' wild
[04:16.64] Turned twenty-seven, but I feel like I'm still a child
[04:19.20] In this house out in Central London I can barely afford
[04:22.01] Six months sober and I feel like I'm Dave again
[04:24.40] Drinkin' all my pain and my sorrows away again
[04:27.09] I got withdrawal symptoms, but they happen at ATMs
[04:29.52] Next two years, I'll be lookin' at eighty M's
[04:32.30] Who's the best artist in the world? I'm sayin' Tems
[04:34.86] Maybe James Blake or Jim, on the day, depends
[04:37.37] Let's see who quits now we ain't gettin' paid again
[04:40.50] Yeah
[04:41.45] I'm just here drinkin' liquor by myself
[04:43.24] Is my music just becomin' a depiction of my wealth?
[04:45.80] Never trust a girl whose lock screen's a picture of herself, I had to learn that shit myself
[04:49.69] Now I'm sittin' by myself with no girl, like, shit, I really did this to myself
[04:53.90] Twenty-seven and I'm terrified of livin' by myself 'cause there's a kid inside myself I haven't healed
[04:59.09] And me and him debate each other
[05:00.80] I can't love myself, I'm made from two people that hate each other
[05:03.38] My parents couldn't even save each other, made each other unhappy
[05:06.85] Used to be excited by the block, but size doesn't matter
[05:09.54] You supplyin' it or not? Sling a shot, I could've really killed a giant with a rock
[05:13.33] But that's a life that I forgot, and my young boys are slidin' over what?
[05:16.79] I don't know 'cause I ain't spoke to him in time
[05:18.75] Been afraid of gettin' older, scared of bein' left behind
[05:21.23] And then I, and then I question, will I live my life in resent?
[05:25.20] Is anybody ever gonna take my kindness for strength?
[05:28.01] I gave Tisha the world, it weren't enough and then she went
[05:30.66] Everybody's makin' content, but nobody's content
[05:33.22] Safe space, can I vent? It crept up
[05:36.12] My girl cheated on me when I was next up
[05:38.38] It made me want her even more, man, it's messed up
[05:41.07] I still walk around the Vale with my chest out
[05:43.71] I don't wanna leave my house because I'm stressed out
[05:46.40] You done me dirty and you didn't even tell a lie
[05:48.94] It ain't about what you said, it's what you left out
[05:51.71] My whole life, I been feelin' like I'm left out
[05:54.23] If you fuck another girl, she say you cheated on her
[05:56.86] And if she fuck another man, she say she stepped out
[05:59.55] And if you askin' 'bout Dave, they say, "The best out"
[06:02.37] Yeah, and I survived through these eras cah I barely made any, I'm just speakin' how I feel
[06:08.40] Yeah
[06:09.10] Fucked up, speakin' how I feel
[06:11.99] Recordin' till the morning, I ain't even had a meal
[06:14.25] I dropped Joni home and fell asleep behind the wheel
[06:16.98] Drivin' at a hundred an hour, I switched gears
[06:19.54] I ain't spoke to 169 in six years
[06:22.23] Don't even get me started on—, this shit's weird
[06:24.75] Call me what you want, but with music, I'm sincere
[06:27.48] You wanna know the reason it's taken me four years?
[06:30.16] It's not 'cause I'm surrounded by yes-men and sycophants
[06:32.77] It's 'cause I'm with producers and people that give a damn
[06:35.24] It's me who's gotta carry the pressure, I live with that
[06:38.01] All I thought about was the song we could give the fans
[06:40.66] When I was out there gettin' stood up by artists I'm bigger than
[06:43.13] I don't want no girls around when my nieces, they visit man
[06:45.78] They might see the way that I'm livin', I figured that
[06:48.60] I wanna be a good man, but I wanna be myself too
[06:52.27] And I don't think that I can do both, so I can't let her too close
[06:55.21] It hurts, but I'm still movin', feel like it's me versus me and I'm still losin'
[07:00.37]
[07:04.36] Yo, my boy, it's Josiah, what you sayin'?
[07:06.90] You know man had to check you on your fuckin' birthday, my boy
[07:10.07] More life, my guy
[07:11.82] Man soon out, don't even watch that
[07:15.08] What you sayin', though, bro?
[07:16.86] I know you got space on one of them eight-minute, nine-minute tracks to give man a shoutout
[07:21.00] Tell the people dem my story
[07:22.68] Dem man already know what I was on, the mandem know my thing
[07:26.39] Come on, bro, I know you got me
[07:30.19] Aight, lastly, my sis, Tamah
[07:33.73] I beg you check in with her, please, make sure she's blessed
[07:36.38] While I'm gone, make sure she's safe
[07:40.35] Ayy, soon home, my boy, love
[07:43.35]