Credits
PERFORMING ARTISTS
J. Cole
Vocals
Ron Gilmore
Keyboards
Pete Whitfield
Performer
Dave Linaburg
Guitar
Joanna Maurer
Performer
Annaliesa Place
Violin
Ann Lehman
Violin
Suzanne Ornstein
Violin
Jung Sun Yoo
Violin
David Southhorn
Violin
Shmuel Katz
Viola
Milena Pajaro-Van De Stadt
Viola
Desiree Elsevier
Viola
Kyle Armbrust
Viola
Jerry Grossman
Cello
Maureen McDermott
Cello
Mary Wooten
Cello
Christine Kim
Cello
John Patitucci
Bass
Rachel Calin
Bass
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
J. Cole
Songwriter
Michael Giffts
Songwriter
Deborah Anderson
Songwriter
Fabrice Dumont
Songwriter
Stephan Haeri
Songwriter
Christophe Hetier
Songwriter
Pete Whitfield
Orchestrator
Ken Lewis
String Arranger
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
J. Cole
Executive Producer
Ken Lewis
Engineer
Juro "Mez" Davis
Mixing Engineer
Sam Giannelli
Assistant Mixing Engineer
Chris Athens
Mastering Engineer
Mark Pitts
Executive Producer
Roc Nation
Executive Producer
Tyler Hartman
Engineer
Daniel Recinos
Engineer
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Aye-yo
Aye-yo
Aye-yo, ah
Aye-yo, ah
Aye-yo
Aye-yo
Aye-yo, ah
[Verse 2]
Yeah, I hate rich ****, ****
'Cause I ain't never had a lot ****
Who you had to kill? Who you had to rob?
Who you had to **** just to make it to the top ****?
[Verse 3]
Or maybe that's daddy money
Escalator no ladder money
Escalade, new Caddy money
Worst fear going broke 'cause I'm bad with money
Crooked smile **** momma never had the money
I ain't trippin', **** Jordan, I ain't Pippin
Yeah, up the steps I ain't slippin'
Tears, blood, sweat and I ain't crippin'
Here's a song you can sing along with when you down
On some let you know you ain't alone ****
When your momma ain't at home 'cause she got a second job
Delivering pizzas, you think she out there getting robbed
Please God, watch her I know how **** do
Half cracker but a **** too
Talking all that sh** about your step pops
How he was a dog, now look at you
I ain't bad as that ****
Plus dog, I'm a grown man now I ain't mad at that ****
But if a plane crashed and it only killed his lame ass
I'd be glad it's that ****, ****
[Verse 4]
Did Kay dirty now it's back to broke
Refund check she used that to float
Mama gets depressed
Falls in love with the next maniac on **** used that to cope
Make a **** smoke a whole stack of ****
Writing rhymes tryna bring back the hope
Tried to ride a storm out and crashed the boat
Coulda drowned but I grabbed a rope
[Verse 5]
And there go you
And there go you
And there go you
Selling me dreams and telling me things you knew
And there go you
And there go you
And there go you
Selling me dreams and telling me things you knew
[Verse 6]
Saying, you got what I want
I got what you need
How much for your soul, and uh?
How much for your soul, and uh?
You got what I want
I got what you need
How much for your soul, and uh?
How much for your soul, and uh?
[Verse 7]
Yeah, I hate rich ****, ****
'Cause I ain't never had a lot, ****
**** can't front on the flows you got
But e'ry **** verse how much dough you got, homie
Don't quit now, hear my **** an' try swich now
Know you felt the **** just now
I know you felt the **** just now
[Verse 8]
Ain't there more to you?
Don't it ever get boring to you?
I realize deep down you a coward getting high off of power
**** more to you, saw through you
And it made me ashamed that I played the game
Not for more money like Damon Wayans
Wanted the respect but it came with fame
I just wanted love but this ain't the same
I took a train down memory lane and watched little Jermaine do his thing
Before he made a name
It's like Sony signed Basquiat
He gave it all he got, and now the **** don't paint the same
[Verse 9]
I guess he can't complain
All the money that be raining in
Spend a hundred thou' for the chain again
Think an old school **** like Dana Dane
Probably kill for another claim to fame my brain the same
Yeah ****, at least he ain't insane, at least he ain't insane
You ain't crazy **** you just 'fraid of change
That's new, maybe that's true
But listen here I got a bigger fear
One day that I become you
And I become lost, and I become heartless
And numb from all the menages
Just one **** don't feel the same no more
And Henny don't really kill the pain no more
Now I'm Cobain with a shotgun aimed at my brain
'Cause I can't maintain no more
Tad bit extreme I know
Money can't save your soul
[Verse 10]
But there go you
There go you
There go you
Selling me dreams and telling me things you knew
And there go you
And there go you
And there go you
Selling me dreams and telling me things you knew
Saying, you got what I want
I got what you need
How much for your soul, and uh?
How much for your soul, and uh?
You got what I want
I got what you need
How much for your soul, and uh?
How much for your soul, and uh?
[Verse 11]
(How much for your soul, and uh?)
(How much for your soul, and uh?)
Written by: Christophe Hetier, Deborah Anderson, Fabrice Dumont, J. Cole, Michael Giffts, Stephan Haeri