January 28th Lyrics

[Produced by J. Cole & Team Titans]

[Intro]
Rap tune
Can I make a million dollars off a rap tune?
Can I make a million dollars off a rap tune?
I'm tryna make a million dollars off a rap tune
Yeah, look

[Verse 1]
The real is back, the ville is back
Flow bananas, here, peel this back
And what you'll find is, your highness
Can paint a picture that is vivid enough to cure blindness
Carolina's finest, you knew that already
In terms of the greatest, I proved that already
And if you would like, I do it twice
I just sharpen my blade, for a minute became lost in my ways
This for my niggas that was tossed in the graves
Every so often I fade deep in my thoughts
And then get lost in the days
We used to play before your coffin was made
Just got the call nigga got caught with a stray
Hope he's okay
Just got paid what Cochran got paid to free OJ
Just to share my life on the stage in front of strangers
Who know a nigga far too well, and that's the danger
Know me better than I know myself
I rip a page out my notebook in anger
And let these thoughts linger, singing

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[Chorus]
Don't give 'em too much you (Don't give 'em too much you)
Don't let 'em take control (Don't let 'em take control)
It's one thing you do (It's one thing you do)
Don't let 'em taint your soul (Don't let 'em taint your soul)
If you believe in God (If you believe in God)
One thing's for sure (One thing's for sure)
If you ain't aim too high (If you ain't aim too high)
Then you aim too low (Then you aim too low)

[Verse 2]
What's the price for a black man life?
I check the toe tag, not one zero in sight
I turn the TV on, not one hero in sight
Unless he dribble or he fiddle with mics
Look out the window 'cause tonight the city lit up with lights
Cameras and action
May no man alive come through and damage my faction
I brought you niggas with me 'cause I love you like my brothers
And your mothers' like my mother
Think we need a plan of action
The bigger we get the more likely egos collide, it's just physics
Please let's put our egos aside, you my niggas
And should our worst tendencies turn us into enemies
I hope that we remember these
Nights full of Hennessy
When Hov around we switch up to that D'usse
Gotta show respect, one day we tryna stay where you stay
'Cause we from where you from
Not talkin' bout the slums
I'm talkin' 'bout that mind state that keep a black nigga dumb
Keep a black nigga dyin' by a black nigga gun
And keep on listening to the frontin' ass rap niggas son
Yeah I said 'son'
This is New York's finest
For 11 winters straight I took on New York's climate
Like show me New York's ladder
I climb it and set the bar so high that you gotta get Obama to force the air force to find it
Never mind it, you'll never reach that
Cole is the hypnotist, control the game whenever he snap
That's every track, nigga

[Chorus]
Don't give 'em too much you (Don't give 'em too much you)
Don't let 'em take control (Don't let 'em take control)
It's one thing you do (It's one thing you do)
Don't let 'em taint your soul (Don't let 'em taint your soul)
If you believe in God (If you believe in God)
One thing's for sure (One thing's for sure)
If you ain't aim too high (If you ain't aim too high)
Then you aim too low (Then you aim too low)

[Verse 3]
I ain't serve no pies, I ain't slang no dope
I don't bring no lies, niggas sang my quotes
I don't play no games, boy I ain't no joke
Like the great Rakim, when I make my notes
You niggas might be L or you might be Kane
Or you might be Slick Rick with 19 chains
Or you might be Drizzy Drake or Kendrick Lamar
But check your birth date nigga, you ain't the god
Nah you ain't the god
Nigga, Cole the god (Cole the god, Cole the god)
January 28th

[Outro]
Make a million dollars off a rap tune
Can I make a million dollars off a rap tune?
(*sound of baby laughing*)
I'm tryna make a million dollars off a rap tune
I wanna make a million dollars off a rap tune
I'm gonna make a million dollars off a rap tune

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About

Genius Annotation

January 28 happens to be J. Cole’s birthday. With an album named after his childhood home, he begins taking us on a tour through his life starting with his earliest years.

Since Cole is signed to Jay Z’s Roc Nation, it’s no coincidence that the second track off Jay Z’s fabled Black Album is “December 4th” – Jigga’s own birthday.