Credits
PERFORMING ARTISTS
J. Cole
Vocals
Eero Koivistoinen
Sampled Artist
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
J. Cole
Songwriter
Eero Koivistoinen
Songwriter
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
J. Cole
Producer
Juro "Mez" Davis
Mixing Engineer
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Yeah, look I just shed tears homie and I ain't too proud to admit it
Just seen my father for the first time in a minute
When I say a minute I mean years man
Damn, a whale coulda swam in them tears fam
[Verse 2]
Cause as I left him I reflected on my younger days
When it was just me and my brother and my mother played
Father, cause no other mane bothered
Not even my biological, it never seemed logical
But I accepted it 'cause I ain't know no better
[Verse 3]
Though I was brighter than a polo sweater
No pops was like Martin with no Coretta
So many things you coulda told me
And saved me the trouble of letting my mistakes show me
I feel like you barely know me
[Verse 4]
And that's a shame 'cause our last name is the same
That blood type flowing through our veins is the same
My mama left you and maybe your angers to blame
But that's no excuse, only you and God know the truth
[Verse 5]
And why you only call Monthly, barely ever saw me
Spent some summers with you and played with my cousin Maury
Maybe I should be telling you fuck you 'cause you selfish
But I want a father so bad I cant help it
[Verse 6]
Breakdown, I breakdown
Can't help but break down, I break down
[Verse 7]
Yeah, I never thought I'd see my mama on that shit mane
It's fucking with her body now she's sick, damn
I wanted a big house with the white picket fence and the pool
Who would've ever thought that it would ever come to this, man?
[Verse 8]
Quicksand, that's what this life feel like
That shit these rappers kick is nothing like real life
You made a milli off of serving hard white? Yeah right
My mama tell you what addicted to that pipe feel like
[Verse 9]
Stupid ****, ain't heard the cops been shooting ****
I swear to God, Wish I could bulletproof my ****
Can't get no jobs but they still recruiting ****
We trying stand tall when it gets too crucial ****
[Verse 10]
Break down, we break down
We break down, we break down
Bring the breakdown
[Verse 11]
Yeah, he's serving time, locked down
And she don't want nobody to know
His daughter 25 pounds
By the time he get out she gon' be 4
[Verse 12]
Now will his girl stay down?
Ain't no doubt she love him, yeah thats for sure
But temptations stays round
And if she strays, how could he ever know, never know
[Verse 13]
And so, she goes to the club on the weekend,
A little freaking, but them **** holla, but she never speaking,
But tonight I see the devil creeping
Cause she been lonely, she ain't felt the man in seven seasons
[Verse 14]
Damn, she do the best that she can
Her mama telling her to find another man
She college educated with a felon boyfriend
That's what she thinking tonight,
Maybe she's right but please
[Verse 15]
Stay down mama
Gotta be strong, don't break down mama
Please, stay down mama
Gotta be strong, don't break down mama
[Verse 16]
Don't break down
Don't break down
Don't break down
Don't break down
Bring the breakdown
Written by: Eero Koivistoinen, J. Cole