NF JOURNEY: WHEN I GROW UP

Song: When I Grow Up

Artist: NF

FINALLY!!!! I HAVE BEEN WAITING TO GET TO THIS ONE!!! 🎉😍

This was the very FIRST song from NF I EVER heard! 💗 I remember seeing my cute little brother jamming to a song (he had his headphones on so I couldn't hear what it was) but he was really gettin' into it, so I asked him what he was listening too. He told me to look up the song When I Grow Up....I jokingly asked "by Shirley Temple?" 😂 "Shirley Temple!? No! By NF!" We listened to it together and my brother sang every, single word! I thought it was so much fun! From the beat, the flow and most especially the lyrics...A CLEAN RAP SONG that's actually super cool and not cheesy! WHO IS THIS GUY?? (I did make my brother look up the song When I Grow Up from Shirley Temple though, hahaha 😂 As always, he had a hilarious reaction to it and it became an inside joke between us 😌 I MISS HIM SO MUCH! 😭). From there, my brother introduced me to The Search. Then one evening one of my other brothers was over and I noticed he was wearing a hat with the initials NF...I told him about how our youngest brother had just shown me a couple of his songs and he was like, "You guys know who NF is!?" Younger bro: "YOU know who NF is??" Other bro: "He's the KING!" 😂 Goes to show how underrated this dude truly is! I was then introduced to Leave Me Alone, If You Want Love and Let You Down. Eventually I looked him up and read some of his song titles off The Search album that sounded interesting to me (My Stress, Hate Myself and Trauma) 😭 YEP. He's a good one! Sadly, it took me all this time to get to where I am now...but better late than never! Not to sound dramatic but, I have a feeling his music came into my life at the right time. I think it's going to have life-changing effects on me...

So, yeah. This is the song that introduced me to the MAN, THE MYTH, THE KING, THE G.O.A.T. NF! I understand his songs so much more now (my brother was totally right! I really didn't understand him at all! So glad I waited to go on this journey before watching HOPE...I'm so excited to get to it!) and I can't lie, it's been so much fun having something new to fall in love with again....that hasn't happened for me, especially with a musical artist since...Michael Jackson! 😯 No joke. And that was clear back in 2015! It's been a long draught!

I don't have much more to say than this song is GREAT! It's fun and more light-hearted in subject matter and lyrics then some of his other hard hitting ones which is refreshing. We need the pick me up 😅 He's still telling his story, but it's done in a more hopeful and optimistic way. 

My favorite part will always be this whole stanza: "Anybody wanna hear me rap? "No!" C'mon, let me play a couple tracks, "No!" C'mon, I can spit it really fast, "No!" You think I should throw this in the trash? "No!" Tricked ya! —haters, go away before I hit ya! I am not a beggar or a kiss up. You don't understand? Well, I forgive ya. I am not a quitter. You ain't really think that, did ya?" 😂💪

I always found that entire section so funny! And while my brother was singin' along flawlessly to every single line, my "part" consisted of shouting: "NO!" 😂 lol. I can't rap. I have few sections down now but I get too mixed up and tongue tied to easily sing along, hahaha. I don't have that skill.

This was my first time watching the music video and it's INCREDIBLE! As always. Nothing new here. The beginning is SO stinkin' adorable! 😍 And minute mark 2:54 made me so excited! 🔥✊ I want to go to an NF concert now!!

I'm still trying to figure out what I want to be "when I grow up!"

Oh! Here's a fun Easter egg I just found out about! In the music video (below) there is a clever "announcement" for the song Time, with a piece of paper on which the title of the song and its release date are shown. Watch for it below!! 

Yeah, when I grow up, you know what I wanna be?

Take a seat, let me tell you my ridiculous dreams

I wanna rap—yeah, I know it's hard to believe

And I can tell you're already thinkin' I will never succeed

But I'm okay with it, I admit the lyrics are weak

I've been workin' on 'em, I'll be good eventually

I understand you gotta crawl before you get to your feet

But I been running for a while, they ain't ready for me (Ahh)  👊💪

I know this prolly isn't really realistic

And honestly, I might not ever make a difference  😭 There's no doubt about it...YOU HAVE SIR!

But that don't make a difference, I'ma have to risk it

I've been crunchin' numbers, you ain't gotta be a mathematician

To see the odds ain't rootin' for me

I can't lie though, that's kinda how I like it to be

The underdog, yeah, you prolly think you know what I mean

But what I'm saying is—they ever push me, I'm gonna swing, yeah  🔥👊💪 INSPO!

I could go to college, get in debt like everybody else

Graduate and prolly get a job that doesn't pay the bills

That don't make a lot of sense to me, forget the Happy Meals

I don't like the dollar menu, I would rather make a meal

Huh? Make a mil'? Nah, I said make a meal

Home cookin', get the grill

How you want it? Pretty well?

Everything I'm seeing is overdone to me, I'm not Adele

But I'ma get a record deal and say hello to mass appeal  THIS👏WHOLE👏SECTION👏😂🔥

When I grow up, I just want to pay my bills

Rappin' about the way I feel (Oh, yeah)

I just want to make a couple mil', leave to the fam and in the will (Oh, yeah)

I just want to sign a record deal, maybe buy a house up in the hills (Oh, yeah)

Might not be the best in my field, but I guarantee that I'ma die real

When I grow up

Yeah, ayy

When I grow up

Yeah, yeah, ayy!

I'ma make 'em notice me, rhyming like it's poetry

Everything I oversee, I just like to overthink

Mockin' me, you pay the fee

No return and no receipts

Those of you that don't believe—quiet, you don't know a thing

Quiet when I'm tryna to sing

Quiet when I'm making beats

Quiet when I'm tryna to think

Sorry, I don't mean to scream  😂

I just feel like no one really gets me and it's sad to see

'Cause someday I'ma grow up and show all of you it's meant to be (Yeah)  💪💣💥

Anybody wanna hear me rap? "No"

C'mon, let me play a couple tracks, "No"

C'mon, I can spit it really fast, "No"

You think I should throw this in the trash? "No"

Tricked ya—haters, go away before I hit ya

I am not a beggar or a kiss up

You don't understand? Well, I forgive ya

I am not a quitter

You ain't really think that, did ya?  😂🔥👊

Maybe someday I could even be up on the radio

Have a tour bus and maybe even play a couple shows

Everybody in the crowd singing every word I wrote

Tellin' me that I am not the only one that feels alone

Huh? You feel alone?

Yeah, I kinda feel alone

Wonder if that feelin' ever goes away when you get old

Will I ever make it as an artist? I don't really know

Might not make a lot of dough

I'ma have to try it though

When I grow up

I just wanna pay my bills

Rappin' about the way I feel (Oh, yeah)

I just wanna make a couple mil'

Leave it to the fam in the will (Oh, yeah)

(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)

I just wanna sign a record deal

Maybe buy a house up in the hills (Okay, oh yeah)

Might not be the best in my field (Ayy, ayy)

But I guarantee that I'ma die real

When I grow up

I just wanna pay my bills (Woo)

Rappin' about the way I feel (Oh, yeah)

(Yeah, the way I feel)

Yeah, I just wanna make a couple mil' (Ayy)

Leave it to the fam in the will (Oh, yeah)

I just wanna sign a record deal (Woo)

Maybe buy a house up in the hills (Oh, yeah)

(House up in the hills)

Might not be the best in my field

But I guarantee that I'ma die real

When I grow up