Lyrics from J. Cole’s “Love Yourz.” CREDIT: Aliyah Brown
By Aliyah Brown, Staff Reporter
Rapper and record producer J. Cole, whose real name is Jermaine Lamarr, has explored a wide range of subjects in his music. Themes present in his songs include racism, single-parent households, poverty, political corruption, and being black and multiracial.
Cole’s song “Love Yourz” from the album “2014 Forest Hills Drive” emphasizes the value of enjoying the present and showing gratitude for what you already have.
The song’s lyrics include:
“Huh
Love yours
Huh, love yours
No such thing
No such thing as a life that’s better than yours
No such thing as a life that’s better than yours (love yours)”
The words “love yours,” can be interpreted as a play on the phrase “love yourself.” The song encourages listeners to appreciate the unique qualities and experiences that make their own lives special and fulfilling.
“No such thing as a life that’s better than yours
No such thing, no such thing”
The lyrics are an affirmation, as they explain that no one’s life is better than anyones, everyone struggles. Although life can get hard, there are always things to appreciate and be grateful for.
“It’s beauty in the struggle, ugliness in the success
Hear my words or listen to my signal of distress
I grew up in the city and know sometimes we had less
Compared to some of my friends down the block, man, we were blessed”
During the entirety of the song, Cole compares and contrasts the benefits of discovering satisfaction and pleasure within oneself with the drawbacks of pursuing external approval and monetary achievement. Instead of dating an unachievable concept of perfection, he urges his audience members to accept and appreciate the flaws and defects that already exist inside themselves.
Some of the song’s lines go on to describe the narrative of a guy who earns fame and money only to discover that his success has left him feeling hollow and dissatisfied. This message resounds throughout the song, reminding listeners that material goods and outward successes are not the keys to happiness.
“Think being broke was better
Now I don’t mean that phrase with no disrespect
To all my friends out there living in debt
Cashing minimal checks
Turn on the TV see a Rolex
And fantasize about a life with no stress
I mean this shit sincerely
And that’s a friend who was once in your shoes
Living with nothin’ to lose
I hope one day you hear me
Always gon’ be a bigger house somewhere, but friend feel me”
Pursuing objectives and never feeling satisfied can be mentally taxing. Cole warns his audience against the perils of jealousy and advises them to celebrate the achievement of others rather than letting their own failures serve as a basis for feelings of bitterness.
In an interview with Tavis Smiley on PBS, Cole says “When I was young, I thought that success was all I needed. That was going to bring the happiness. Buying my mom a house, the fame, the accolades, having people say ‘Yo, you really are the best in the game’. I thought those things would bring the happiness. Then when those things came, the happiness wasn’t there. I realized why that was, there was such an attempt to achieve these things and to keep going that you lose sight of the people and blessings that you have around you.”
When the song gained popularity, many individuals could relate.
“Love Yourz” reached number 33 on Billboard’s Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop National Airplay chart. Nonetheless, the album opened at number one on the Billboard 200 in the United States, selling over 353,000 copies. In its first week, the album was streamed over 15.7 million times. This song has become a classic in the life of many individuals.
