Kendrick Lamar – I (Album Version) Lyrics

Kendrick Lamar – I (Album Version) Lyrics

I (Album Version) Lyrics by Kendrick Lamar

“i” is the first single from Kendrick’s third studio album, To Pimp a Butterfly. Kendrick received two Grammys for the studio version of the song at the 57th Grammy Awards for Best Rap Song and for Best Rap Performance.

In an interview with Hot 97, Kendrick said that “i” is the best song he’s ever written because he never thought he’d be in the mindset to make a positive song having grown up around so much negativity in Compton.

The up-tempo track once again delves deep into Kendrick’s personal perspective on the world. While premiering the track on LA’s Power 106, Kendrick explained the song is about self expression, inspired by the lack of self love on the streets of Compton. Though To Pimp a Butterfly revolves around spiritual turmoil, self-doubt, as well as negative temptations, this song offers redemption. The mixing and production on this version emulates a live performance, as opposed to the clean production on the single.

[Produced by Rahki]​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
[Directed by Alexandre Moors and the Little Homies]

[Intro: Kendrick Lamar & Ronald Isley]
Is this mic on? (Hey, move this way, this way)
Hey, Hey! Hey! Turn the mic up, c’mon, c’mon
Is the mic on or not? I want the mic
We’re bringing up nobody, nobody
Nobody but the number one rapper in the world
He done traveled all over the world
He came back just to give you some game
All of the little boys and girls, come up here
(Ah, one two, one two, what’s happening, fool?)
Come right here, this is for you, come on up
I done been through a whole lot (Kendrick Lamar!)
Trial, tribulation, but I know God
The Devil wanna put me in a bow tie (Make some noise, brother!)
Pray that the holy water don’t go dry
As I look around me
So many motherfuckers wanna down me
But enemigo never drown me
In front of a dirty double-mirror they found me

[Chorus: Kendrick Lamar]
And (I love myself)
Huh, when you lookin’ at me, tell me what do you see?
(I love myself)
Ahh, I put a bullet in the back of the back of the head of the police
(I love myself)
Uh, illuminated by the hand of God, boy, don’t seem shy
(I love myself)
One day at a time, huh

[Verse 1: Kendrick Lamar]
They wanna say it’s a war outside, bomb in the street
Gun in the hood, mob of police
Rock on the corner with a line for the fiend
And a bottle full of lean and a model on the scheme, uh
These days of frustration keep y’all on tuck and rotation (Come to the front, yeah)
I duck these cold faces, post up fi-fie-fo-fum basis
Dreams of reality’s peace (Oh, yeah)
Blow steam in the face of the beast
Sky could fall down, wind could cry now
Look at me motherfucker I smile-

[Chorus: Kendrick Lamar]
And (I love myself)
Uh, and when you lookin’ at me, tell me what do you see?
(I love myself)
Ahh, I put a bullet in the back of the back of the head of the police
(I love myself)
Illuminated—
All ya’ll come to the front, ya’ll come up to the front
(I love myself)
Baby what about you? Come on

[Verse 2: Kendrick Lamar]
(Crazy, what you gon’ do?)
Lift up your head and keep moving, (Keep moving) turn the mic up
(Haunt you)
Peace to fashion police, I wear my heart
On my sleeve, let the runway start
You know the miserable do love company
What do you want from me and my scars?
Everybody lack confidence, everybody lack confidence
How many times my potential was anonymous?
How many times the city making me promises?
So I promise this, nigga

[Chorus: Kendrick Lamar]
(I love myself)
Uh, and when you lookin’ at me, tell me what do you see?
(I love myself)
Ahh, I put a bullet in the back of the back of the head of the police
(I love myself)
Huh, illuminated by the hand of God, boy don’t seem shy
(I love myself)

[Bridge: Kendrick Lamar]
Huh (Walk my bare feet) Huh (Walk my bare feet)
Huh (Down, down valley deep) Huh (Down, down valley deep)
(I love myself) Huh (Fi-fie-fo-fum) Huh (Fi-fie-fo-fum)
(I love myself) Huh (My heart undone) one, two, three

[Verse 3: Kendrick Lamar]
I went to war last night
With an automatic weapon, don’t nobody call a medic
I’ma do it ’til I get it right (Oh no)
I went to war last night (Night, night, night, night)
I’ve been dealing with depression ever since an adolescent
Duckin’ every other blessin’, I can never see the message
I could never take the lead, I could never bob and weave
From a negative and letting them annihilate me
And it’s evident I’m moving at a meteor speed
Finna run into a building, lay my body—

[Spoken Interlude: Kendrick Lamar]
(Offstage Argument)
Not on my, not while I’m up here
Not on my time, kill the music, not on my time
We could save that shit for the streets
We could save that shit, this for the kids, bro
2015, niggas tired of playin’ victim, dog
Niggas ain’t trying to play vic— TuTu, how many niggas we done lost?
How many— Yan-Yan, how many we done lost?
No for real, answer the que—, how many niggas we done lost bro?
This—, this year alone
Exactly, so we— we ain’t got time to waste time, my nigga
Niggas gotta make time, bro
The judge make time, you know that, the judge make time, right?
The judge make time so it ain’t shit
It shouldn’t be shit for us to come out here and appreciate the little bit of life we got left, dog
On the dead homies, Charlie P, you know that, bro
You know that
It’s— it’s mando, right, it’s mando
And I s— I— And I— And I say this because I love you niggas, man
I love all my niggas, bro
Exac— enough said, enough said
And we gon’ get back to the show and move on, because that shit petty, my nigga
Mic check, mic check, mic check, mic check, mic check
We gon’ do some acapella shit before we get back to-
All my niggas listen, listen to this:

[Verse 4: Kendrick Lamar]
I promised Dave I’d never use the phrase “fuck nigga”
He said, “Think about what you saying: “Fuck niggas”
No better than Samuel on the Django
No better than a white man with slave boats”
Sound like I needed some soul searching
My Pops gave me some game in real person
Retraced my steps on what they never taught me
Did my homework fast before government caught me
So I’ma dedicate this one verse to Oprah
On how the infamous, sensitive N-word control us
So many artists gave her an explanation to hold us
Well, this is my explanation straight from Ethiopia
N-E-G-U-S definition: royalty; king royalty – wait listen
N-E-G-U-S description: black emperor, king, ruler, now let me finish
The history books overlook the word and hide it
America tried to make it to a house divided
The homies don’t recognize we been using it wrong
So I’ma break it down and put my game in a song
N-E-G-U-S, say it with me, or say it no more
Black stars can come and get me
Take it from Oprah Winfrey, tell her she right on time
Kendrick Lamar, by far, realest Negus alive