► “When I Grow Up” is a song by American rapper NF, released on June 27, 2019 as the third single from his fourth studio album The Search.
On the track NF narrates from his perspective when he was a child. He recounts his childhood dream of becoming a professional rapper, and his strong determination to pursue his career despite the extreme difficulty to do so and how the events in his life turn out.
► When I Grow Up – NF – Lyrics:
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 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, ah
I know this probably isn’t really realistic
And honestly, I might not ever make a difference
But that don’t make a difference, I’ma have to risk it
I been crunchin’ numbers, you ain’t gotta be a mathematician
To see the odds ain’t rootin’ for me
I can’t lie though, it’s kinda how I like it to be
The underdog, yeah, you probably think you know what I mean
But what I’m saying is they ever push me, I’m gonna swing, yeah
I could go to college, get in debt like everybody else
Graduate and probably 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 mil’
Huh? Make a meal? Nah, I said make a mil’
Home-cookin’, get the grill, how you want it? Pretty well?
Everything I see is overdone to me, I’m not Adele
But I’ma get a record deal and say hello to mass appeal
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 it to the fam 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, rhymin’ 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 sing, quiet when I’m making beats
Quiet when I’m tryna 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”
Come on, let me play a couple tracks, “No”
Come on, I can spit it really fast, “No”
You think I should throw this in the trash? “No”
Tricked you, haters, go away before I hit you
I am not a beggar or a kiss-up
You don’t understand? Well, I forgive you
I am not a quitter, you ain’t really think that, did you?
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 singin’ 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 want to pay my bills
Rappin’ about the way I feel, oh yeah
I just want to make a couple mil’
Leave it to the fam in the will, oh yeah (yeah)
I just want to sign a record deal
Maybe buy a house up in the hills, oh yeah (okay)
Might not be the best in my field (ayy)
But I guarantee that I’ma die real (ayy, oh)
When I grow up, I just want to pay my bills (woo)
Rappin’ about the way I feel, oh yeah (yeah, the way I feel)
Yeah, I just want to make a couple mil’ (ayy)
Leave it to the fam in the will, oh yeah (to the fam in the will)
I just want to sign a record deal (woo)
Maybe buy a house up in the hills, oh yeah (a house up in the hills)
Yeah, I might not be the best in my field (ayy)
But I guarantee that I’ma die real
When I grow up
