A lyrical miracle: “FEAR.” by Kendrick Lamar
When I was 27, I grew accustomed to more fear
Accumulated 10 times over throughout the years
My newfound life made all of me magnified
How many accolades do I need to block denial?
The shock value of my success put bolts in me
All this money, is God playin’ a joke on me?
Is it for the moment and will he see me as Job?
Take it from me and leave me worse than I was before?
At 27, my biggest fear was losin’ it all
Scared to spend money, had me sleepin’ from hall to hall
Scared to go back to Section 8 with my mama stressin’
30 shows a month and I still won’t buy me no Lexus
What is an advisor somebody that’s holdin’ my checks?
Just to fuck me over and put my finances in debt?
I read a case about Rihanna’s accountant and wondered
How did the bad girl feel when she looked at them numbers?
The type of shit’ll make me flip out
And just kill somethin’, drill somethin’
Get ill and fill ratchets with a lil’ somethin’
I practiced runnin’ from fear, guess I had some good luck
At 27 years old, my biggest fear was bein’ judged
How they look at me reflect on myself, my family, my city
What they say ’bout me reveal
If my reputation would miss me
What they see from me
Would trickle down generations in time
What they hear from me
Would make ’em highlight my simplest lines.
Strumming my pain with his fingers… this Kendrick guy is pretty good in case you didn’t know but this this one … FEAR. Is different.
It’s different because it pulls at my own insecurities as a young man trying to get me some money.
I’m nowhere near as successful as KDOT by any means, but I do understand what it means to have amassed more than you had when you started, struggle with trust issues, imposter syndrome, and the anxiety that comes with all that success has to offer.
Kendrick has always put together songs that have themes that resonate in my life.It’s gotta be therapeutic to write down all of those thoughts that are really deep and personal and really articulate how you truly feel…
And that’s why he gets the big bucks…
Truly a lyrical miracle.