NF JOURNEY: CLOUDS

Song: Clouds ⛅

Artist: NF

The final album before HOPE! I only remember listening to one song off this mixtape when it was first released...and it was a WILD one!! 😳🤯 It's technically not part of the "Journey" so we'll see if I get around to sharing it.

I haven't heard the title track until now so let's GOOOOOOO!!

😲💣💥😱🤯😂✊👊🔥🔥

WHAT IN THE WORLD!? HE'S DONE IT AGAIN! 👊🔥 ANOTHER ABSOLUTE BANGER!! NF IS UNHINGED!! AND I LOVE IT!! 😂 THAT WAS SO INSANE IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE! Let's just highlight reel this song/video because there's so much I want to say!!

HIGHLIGHTS

• I love that the first verse is basically an "introduction" to his new project, like I haven't forgotten about y'all! Clouds was released in 2021, so a year into the pandemic and as he says: "Hanging on to songs this long is daunting." So he was probably working on new music, COVID happened, now he's like "I've had these songs sitting around for a while and I'm already moving on to new ones sooo..." 
• But then I read his statement with the release of Clouds: "CLOUDS (THE MIXTAPE) is a short project I wanted to put out while I work on my next full-length album. It's really just something for the fans to have while they wait." - NF 🤯 THE FACT THAT HE WAS ALREADY WORKING ON HOPE THEN - IN 2021....I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR HIS FINISHED MASTERPEICE. Because you already KNOW it's going to be A MASTERPIECE!! 🎉👏
• THE FIRST LINE...IS "HEAD'S IN THE CLOUDS" SAID BACKWARD!! 🤯🔥 HOW'D HE DO THAT?? Which is a reference to OUTCAST: "I'm high off the music, my head's in the clouds, I kinda like it up here, I'm not comin' down." It's the little things 🖤
• Minute Mark 0:46-0:50 I STAN SO HARD!! 🔥🙇 "As always, the one-trick pony's here, so QUIT YOUR SULKING!" 
• MY JAW WAS ON THE GROUND THIS ENTIRE SONG!! The lyrics are a mix of quirky, fun, savage and awesome (as per usual)! It's basically just him talking about how cool he is but in the humblest way possible...that's NF for ya!
• THIS WAS MY FACE  THE ENTIRE TIME WHILE WATCHING THE VIDEO 😲😂😱🤯 "Man, I don't know if I'm makin' movies or music videos (videos, videos)" NEITHER DO WE!! 😅
• HIS FACIAL EXPRESSIONS ARE EVERYTHING! 😂 He's the perfect amount of crazy, unhinged while still looking SO COOL! "Might turn Joker like I'm Mike Posner" YES. Joker vibes! I've come to recognize that most creative people are a little off their rocker in some ways tho...that's why they create such incredible art! They think outside the box. And NF has proven this as his work is some of the most creative and unique I have ever seen! And it keeps getting better! And it's CLEAN!! No need for any "graphic" fillers...he's got a vision and it is BEAUTIFUL!! 😭🙌
• He's low-key funny in this too which is WE LOVE TO SEE IT! 👏 Minute mark 1:11-1:13 is one of my absolute FAVORITE parts in any NF video ever! 😂 His face at 1:17 too 😂 He was having a BLAST making this! Reminds me of Grindin'...he's just having FUN!
• HIS DELIVERY AND VOICE...it's a little higher than usual and slightly manic but so fitting and I love it!
• The FLOW is dope as always! "Hollywood, Hollywood, hope Nate doesn't go Hollywood." You think that, you don't know me good." I don't know why I love this part so much but it SLAPS!
• THE BEEEEAAAATTTT! 🔥
• THE TRANSITIONS! 🔥🔥 1:31-1:36 is SICK! And slightly humorous which is fun! 2:15-2:19 😂 Savage! 2:44-2:50 🔥 DOPE! 
• THE DROPS! 😱🔥 MAKES YOU JUMP RIGHT OUTTA YO' SEAT!
• THIS ENTIRE SONG IS A FREAKING MOVIE SOUNDTRACK!! THAT ENDING WAS SO INTENSE!! 🔥💣💥

I'm still REELING! I'll be listening to and re-watching this several more times...this could be my favorite NF music video...

(sduolc eht ni s'daeH)  🤯 THAT IS AWESOME!!

Calmly, feel myself evolving

Appalling, so much I'm not divulging

Been stalling, I think I hear applauding, they're calling

Mixtapes aren't my thing, but it's been awfully exhausting

Hanging on to songs this long is daunting (Yeah)

Which caused me to have to make a call I thought was ballsy

Resulting in what you see today, proceed indulging

As always, the one-trick pony's here, so quit your sulking  🔥✊👊 YEEEEESSS!

Born efficient, got ambition, sorta vicious, yup, that's me (Woo)  🔥🔥

Not artistic, unrealistic, chauvinistic, not those things  😂🔥

Go the distance, so prolific, posts are cryptic, move swiftly

Unsubmissive, the king of mischief, the golden ticket, rare sight to see  🔥👑

I stay committed, embrace the rigid

I'm playful with it, yeah, basically

Too great to mimic, you hate, you're bitter  👊

No favoritism, that's fine with me

Create the riddles, portrayed uncivil

Unsafe a little, oh, yes, indeed  🔥

It's plain and simple, I'm far from brittle

Unbreakable, you following?

I'm Bruce Willis in a train wreck

I'm like tradin' in your car for a new jet

I'm like havin' a boss getting upset

'Cause you asked him for less on your paycheck

I'm like doin' headstands with a broke neck

I'm like watchin' your kid take his first steps

I'm like sayin' Bill Gates couldn't pay rent

'Cause he's too broke,— where am I goin' with this?  🔥😂👊

Unbelievable, yes, yes, inconceivable

See myself as fairly reasonable

But at times I can be stubborn, so

If I have to, I will rock the boat

I don't tend to take the easy road

That's just not the way I like to roll

What you think's probably unfeasible

I've done already a hundredfold

A hundredfold, it's probable

That I might press the envelope

Ideas so astronomical

Sometimes I find 'em comical

Yeah, incomparable

Replay value phenomenal   👈 OH YEAH! IT'S BEEN NON-STOP NF FOR ME ALL MONTH!

Beat selection remarkable

Slowing me down, impossible  🔥🔥 THIS WHOLE SECTION IS FIIIIIRRRE!!👈

I don't rock no Rollies  👑 A HUMBLE KING WE STAN FOR LIFE!

I don't hang around no phonies (Nope)  🙅🚫

I don't really got no trophies

I don't know why God chose me (I don't know)  😭🙌 WE KNOW WHY! CHANGING LIVES!

Got somethin' in the cup, ain't codeine (Never)

Change my style, they told me

Now they come around like, "Homie"  😂

Man, y'all better back up slowly, back up slowly (Woo!)  🔥👊👋

Who are you kiddin'?

How could you doubt me? I've always delivered  🔥👌 FACTSSSS!

Rippin' the teeth out of the back of my mouth's

The closest you get to my wisdom  😲😂🔥❗❗ BARZ

See, my initial thought was to wait

But what can I say? I had to come visit

Check on you guys, you doin' alright?

Your year really sucked? Yeah, that's what I figured  

They cover they heads up whenever I drop

Shake the whole industry, put 'em in shock

Come out the clouds like a meteor rock

Then land on the earth like, "Ready or not?"  🔥

Ain't no one like me, the cream of the crop

Don't even front better, give me some props

I pick up your body and throw it a block

Okay, I admit it, that's over the top—not!  🔥🔥🔥❗❗✋🎤

Deer in the headlights looks every time I step my foot

On the ground, I get mistook

For a lame with no weight to his name

Ground just shook

Let's not beat around the bush

Even my B-sides throw 'em off like, "How's he do it?"

Some say I'm a great influence

I don't know about that, but I did do the best I could  🔥🔥🙌👊

"Hollywood, Hollywood

Hope Nate doesn't go Hollywood"

You think that, you don't know me good

You think that, you don't know me good

"Hollywood, Hollywood

Hope Nate doesn't go Hollywood"

You think that, you don't know me good

You think that, you don't know me   🔥🔥🔥 THIS WHOLE SECTION 👊

I–I–I, I always advance

Say how I feel, you know where I stand

Raisin' the bar, I gotta expand

Top of the charts, I'm settin' up camp  🔥🥇

Pound in my stakes, I put up my tent

Shoot for the stars, they fall in my hand

Stick to my guns, I don't even flinch

Can push all you want, ain't movin' an inch

I rarely miss, you know I'm relentless

Ain't got a choice, no way to prevent it

Just who I am, and I don't regret it

See what I want and then I go get it

Followed my gut, I'm happy I did it

Beat all the odds, I ain't got no limits

Cannot be stopped, you payin' attention?

I ain't gotta say it, they know where my head is

They know where my head is (Head is)  🔥🔥🔥🔥 IS HE ALLOWED TO BE THIS GOOD??