I just realized, this video is showing him when he first came to NY to chase his rapping career. As he rides on his bike (too broke to own a car) he looks at everything in the windows including the BMW dealership, picturing what his life would be like once he makes it. Which matches the song. "Do you wanna be happy?" is asking if all the money and success will lead to happiness.
i remember listening to this when life was a little more simpler. more easier. i don’t know if it’s a universal thing for everyone, but man life got fucking hard. excuse my language, but i lost myself man, i fucking lost my god damn self. so tempted to succumb to it and let these demons win. i wont though. I’ll get myself back, I’ll find myself.
Bro I know its been two months but you are telling exactly how I feel. I know you are gonna get better and out of this shitty situation. Man I wish everybody finds his way in this carzy world.
We gonna power through dawg. I catch myself wondering if it’s me or if everyone else just doesn’t feel the same way towards life as they used to. It’s hard to not get comfortable and content with life but you gotta push forward every day. Glad you commented man. I feel you. When good music came out as if it was nothing smh. We gone be alright
I miss the time where I didn't have all these fucking deadlines. But I do feel like I deal with my pain better now. J Cole has a great speech on pain BTW, if you haven't heard it
As a black man I just wanna say I love y’all I love all races equally despite what’s going on in America today and may y’all be happy and find peace (Edit: thanks for the 480 likes hope everyone is safe) (Edit #2: again with everything that’s going on in the world today, I love each and everyone of y’all, hopefully this will make your day, night, etc.) again much love✊🏾❤️ Edit 3: appreciate y’all for 700 likes🙏🏾❤️ Edit 4: I hope everyone is doing well right now mentally physically and spiritually ❤️🙇🏾
Ima Mexican and I was born in Florida and ima currently living in LA. And I saw a video on ig a 2 young black mans and a Mexican oldish lady selling on her stand the 2 young mans came up on her for no reason and dropped her and stole her earnings I don’t get it I rlly hope our lord and teaches everyone a lesson even me
What I saw was fucked up but hopefully ur not the same and do better Im a caring person and Ik every racest done some shit wrong and that god bless everyone and have a health love life🚶🏻♂️ 🚶🏼♂️🚶🏽♂️🚶🏿♂️ we Can create a bigger fuckn kingdom
Dear person reading this, I hope your day has been going well, if not I hope it gets better. You are an amazing person who will inspire others to do great things so keep up the hard work. I know you may feel unimportant or insecure at the moment but know that you are a beautiful human being inside and outside and you are important.
Jakub Damn, hearing this track, seeing the rain and thunder outside pour down and reading this comment hit me all at once, and I gotta thank you. I didn’t know I needed something like this until now.
Lyrics: Do you wanna, do you wanna be Do you wanna, do you wanna be Do you wanna, do you wanna be, happy Do you wanna, do you wanna be, happy Do you wanna be, happy Do you wanna, do you wanna be, happy I said do you wanna, do you wanna be, happy I said do you wanna, do you wanna be, free I said do you wanna, do you wanna be happy I said do you wanna, do you wanna be, free Free from pain, free from scars Free to sing, free from bars Free my dawgs, you're free to go Block gets shot, the streets is cold Free to love, to each his own Free from bills, free from pills You roll it loud, the speakers blow Life get hard, you eat your soul It clears your mind, learn to fly Then reach the stars, you take your time To look behind and say, "look where I came" "Look how far I done came" They say that dreams come true And when they do, that there's a beautiful thing Do you wanna, do you wanna be, happy I said do you wanna, do you wanna be, free I said do you wanna, do you wanna be
Olisa Maduegbuna Inflicta Productions heard it too, it is a master piece in its own right, much better than Sideline story and better than born sinner! if any says it is shit, they are the biggest fool.
Lasse Andersen Wow calm down. I like it and have been listening to it on repeat for 2 days because it's still one of the best out of what new music is out now. But I think the album could have been a lot better. I'll explain why . First it's too short for me and he went too Friday Night Lights on us. I wanted more of his Born Sinner sound from songs like Land of Snakes, Forbidden Fruit and Villuminati. Almost all the songs on this LP were the kind of calm soulful types he did on FNL. I like those especially when combined with good storytelling (of which of course a couple tracks did well but not all) BUT not enough upbeat songs for me. A masterpiece needs perfection and that means a bit of variety for me. This album was too narrow-focused to be a masterpiece. Cole has more than enough skill to do the upbeat battle rap type tracks but doesn't do enough for me. Also he should stop this pretentious bullshit of not featuring other quality socially concious rappers like Kendrick, Drake etc. or not working with classic top notch Hip Hop producers like Timbaland and Kanye West. Working with other great artists doesn't water down your integrity, it only allows you to make better creation. If he doesn't move out of that box of trying to be over-independent I'm afraid he'll never full fill his talent to the level he's supposed to be. He needs to go out of the box of Dreamville and experiment with other great artists in Hip Hop. Sticking with your core group is okay when you're just starting out but on your 3rd LP I expect a great artist to be rubbing minds with other great artists. I fear this album will sell less than Born Sinner and Cole World.
Olisa Maduegbuna Everybody is titled to their own opinion but dude you sound ridiculous. This is hands down Cole's best project. HANDS DOWN (including his mixtape). This album shows the growth of which J. Cole has overcome. He has finally mastered his craft as an artist and this albums reflects that. The great artists don't need to have many artists featuring on their album. Just like how Drake didn't have a lot of artist featured on his NWTS album. You must like a lot of radio play sounds because this album is TRUE HIP-HOP. Not saying that Born Sinner wasn't but it doesn't compare to this album. J.Cole has grown to be one of IF NOT the best rapper in the game. And this album just shows you that. It's soulful and good for the soul. In the next 10 years this album will be a classic and the resurrection of the old but new profound Hip-Hop we all once knew and loved.
Honestly man people seriously underrate just how beautiful this album is. If i listen to it straight through I almost start crying. This songs are beautiful lyrics and beats. It's a shame that some people have never listened to this
J.Cole in one word - Amazing, I liked about 98% of sideline and BS and don't even get me started on his great mixtapes...I'm glad he didnt detour from the path he's been on over the years and I see people talking about how he should branch out and do this or that but there's an old saying: If it ain't broke dont fix it, I'm not saying he's a living reincarnation of Mozart as a rapper (yet) but he damn sure is one of the best rappers alive right now that will go down in history as one of the greats if not the best...shit like future, young thug, migos, rae shurmmard (whatever), Bobby shurmda etc ain't gon be remembered for much cus lets be real they make "turn up" music, here today and gone tomorrow as history does repeat itself but I won't sit here and flex like I don't listen to them I'm just saying they aren't built to last
Preach man, people tend to forget what real rap is...that Hova that Nas and now the new school which consists of rappers who use their lyrics to create pictures, like a Lupe Fiasco or J Cole or Kendrick Lamar....that Migos shit is whacckk, make you wanna stay home and bullshit, bob ya head thinking about bitches to bAg tonight smh. You hit it on the spot, I'm not a fan of the other rappers, but garbage day is still once a week, so hey...
i can see your into "good music" come check me out on my journey as an artist../check out my my latest release uploaded this week "For So Long" ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-7sM4RUWUfKI.html../ comment and subscribe if you like it../ i upload a new music video every week. one love../!!!!!!!!
It’s the last day of the decade and I’m still trying to figure out how this man still doesn’t have a Grammy 🤦🏾♂️ it’s aight he don’t need one he still goated
I just wanna be free from slavery. Mental slavery, social slavery, economic slavery, emotional attachment with destructive people, vanity and vice; I just want to be free from it all.
+Jos3phTheMusicCollector Thats Vague as fuck for the unitiated. This vague shit is not helping! Nigga I know that we gone BE.ALRIGHT. But this slavery shit is real! And the niggas that break free are getting there off good luck and bad trips nigga.
I was on the plane a month back from my deployment in Afghanistan headed to North Carolina to see my family. Ear buds in back in 2014. I’m still very much listening to this album today. This song, this album will forever be enshrined in the hearts of those who truly understand and strive to be happy and free
Luul Mohamud Noor It's the sad truth that will keep happening, People who are trash at rapping will get clout for being trash and the good rappers will stay underground where only a select people know them.
No hate on drake but this 2 min video has better message for real life then his entire career. Drake cool but centuries behind Jermaine LaMar Cole. Kendrick comes close but Kendrick hasn’t rap as much as Cole about real things and a common man struggles in life. Cole the 🐐
+Jmeyer v2 it's just that when we listen to him we feel the freedom and realize how amazing it is and it makes us so happy we get that feeling of happiness... but we only feel it though which is why we feel like crying
This song screams nostalgia for me lol i was a freshman in HS 2014 and there was not an album as impactful as this one on my life at such a age , this all i used to listen to on them computers at school
Same but I was a senior in hs and now im 24 but fuck man. I got into cole because of a female and now honestly that shit hurts me but coles lyrics let me over come the pain and memories 🙃
This album is getting me through some shit rn. I feel so lonely and frankly I don’t feel like my problems even matter. Cole’s showing me I’m not alone. Thank you
Loneliness and isolation sucks, but don’t succumb to the shadows in your mind. Use it as fuel to improve yourself and break those barriers because once you get past it, your outlook on life will be brighter than before the loneliness and the sky will be purple and your perspective will be vivid.
this song changed my life for the better. i remember going through situations with females, family, school, friends , hell even strangers... i held on to what bit of sanity i had and listened to this all the time....tears fell everyday like breathing, it didnt stop... J.Cole's music in general has eased the soul of a growing anime obsessed, magnetic field of negativity. me. i do want to be happy. everyday.
+Ryeale “YokaiRye” Britt Bro thats real shit to be able to admit that. stay strong young king. If you find him inspiring, then you should come fuck wit me. type in wititwednesday or click my pic. my last project was called "keep going". i think you'll find a lot of motivation in it
They could never make me hate the goat what a music right here a u t h e n t I c v i e w s dun took J. Cole oFf 2 da big leagues and fo dat I will always be super grateful
FHD really got me thinking, and ultimately that was the whole purpose of this project. It was like one big essay. Topic, Story, and Conclusion. So with the theme of this album being about "Happiness" and the true meaning of enjoying your life, do you think that Cole is content with himself? Do you think that making this album helped him out? Because no doubt that he's storytelling about how becoming famous has turned his life around and that he's telling us that all that glitters isn't gold, but do you think he's taken his own advice? He seems like a pretty humble guy, but fame even killed Robin Williams, a man that everyone presumed to be okay. This is me just typing my feelings, but I really want to know. What do you guys think? Discuss in the comments...
I think he is. He did what he wanted to do with this album and look at the results.. so many albums sold and tour sales. But Cole said he was proud with this album before the album came out. So the numbers wouldn't even matter. Besides the music, and as far as life goes. Listen to his interview with Combat Jack from a few months ago. Pretty long interview. But it was very insightful, and I think it will answer your questions. :) .. Cole World.
TheBeardedGaymer dude, i've been writing about that stuff in my poems. listening to j cole has sparked a creative mind in me. it's quite beautiful what music can do
Do you wanna, do you wanna be Do you wanna, do you wanna be Do you wanna, do you wanna be, free Do you wanna, do you wanna be, happy Do you wanna, do you wanna be, happy Do you wanna be, happy Do you wanna, do you wanna be, happy I said do you wanna, do you wanna be, happy I said do you wanna, do you wanna be, free I said do you wanna, do you wanna be happy I said do you wanna, do you wanna be, free Free from pain, free from scars Free to sang, free from bars Free my dawgs, you're free to go Block is hot, the streets is cold Free to love, to each his own Free from bills, free from pills You roll the loud, the speakers blow Life get hard, you ease your soul It cleanse your mind, learn to fly Then reach the stars, you take the time And look behind and said, "Look where I came Look how far I done came" They say that dreams come true And when they do, that that's a beautiful thing Do you wanna, do you wanna be happy? I said do you wanna, do you wanna be free I said do you wanna, do you wanna be
2015 needs to be a year of Realness. All that rap just about hoes,money/riches, drugs is played out. That's something we cant really relate too because we dont have those riches(well most fans). All that is a fantasy, a true rapper raps about life problems, his struggles, his past relationships, his fuck up and his victories. That is something we can ALL relate to and it doesnt make rap seem like trash. I mean A lot of people now a days who dont know anything of Hip Hop see it as trash, negative because of all this mainstream music that is clouded with all that junk talk, but if mainstream was like the underground, many people will realize how great it is and real. I mean not saying songs ALWAYS have to be serious and sad but all that fantasy ish is just played out. Before, i wasnt really much of a Hip Hop fan, I was more R&B, but once I listened to these underground rappers and J cole I fell in love, now it Hip Hop is what I listen to the most. I love J cole he just has that aura about him, you can just tell this guy is genuine and been through a lot. He's the type you can laugh and talk about real stuff and give you advice. His songs are very genuine and he is not afraid of what people might think of his music just cuz its "Old Fashion", he makes songs for the fans seeking "Real Music", that are tired of the mainstream stuff today. All I wanted to say, We love you Cole!!!! #coleworld #forever #realmusic #hiphop
Jahrell Gardner Thanks for agreeing and he did? I'm just tired of these mainstream stuff now. Like recently I went to check out new songs that came out for Hip Hop, especially new artist and i was very disappointed, this new stuff is wack to me smh its a shame.
I(and not to go against your own interpretation)but I always interpreted it as he's riding through the city more observant now. It's not a younger him but a wiser older him. He's questioning the real value of these material things we obsess ourselves over, hence the brief stop to look into the window. I feel like he only looked into that window for the audience to then see him turn away from it. He doesn't need it, although at one time he thought he did. He further exhibits that by smiling throughout the video now truly happy and free(He sold his car and got a bicycle). Born into this world we're programmed, brainwashed into thinking we need these things. We say to ourselves we need these things but for the wrong reasons. We need a certain car not for the mobility it provides but for the symbol that they placed on the front and back so that everybody sees. We need that sweater not because it'll keep us warm but because it has on it a logo of a man riding a horse playing a sport none of us play but all identify as valuable. We put our values into these things so that they can represent us therefore obtaining us the same value we've put into it. We think all people will look at these things and be fooled how we were fooled and determine our value from these things how we have. But whatever quality it is you chose to represent yourself you hold forefront consequently pushing all other attributes of yourself lower. You've stolen the light from these real values and now no one will see them. The higher you overcompensate the lower you hold your own true self value without these things. We use these items as well as other costly vices to mask us of our true unhappiness offering temperary gratification. He sings "do you want to be happy, do you want to be free", truly happy truly free. As the intro I think he wanted it to set the tone for the album, asking the listener do you want to be truly happy and free and what are the things you think you need that'll gain you those two things? He responds by saying he's already had these things and in so recognizes the emptiness they hold.
Lol. You dont even understand.!! : ] And on his interludes!!! My favorite one is this one. 2014 Forest Hills Dr. Intro and Sideline Story Interlude!! Maaaaaaannnnnn.. the piano on this song and the S.S. Interlude... two of the most beautiful things Ive ever heard in my life.
This brings sooo many tears out. I just don't have the motivation to fight for life or the courage to take it. I just want to be free from everything. I don't want to live like this.
Word girl... The same happens to me. It gives me a strange feeling of happiness mixed with sadness. Just beautiful, and its even more beautiful to people like us with problems
Best conscious rapper with real lyrical skills. His music is intellectual and relatable, pure realness! I always been a fan since The Warm up and my fave Friday Night Lights mixtape. Man you are pure genius! You are true Hip-Hip hop! None of that mainstream ratchet trap music about hoes, bottles and money. You speak truth!! Don't change.
Keegan Jackson The definition of conscious is "Aware of one's own existence; aware of one's own awareness." While this certainly applies to Cole I'd agree with you in by not labeling him as such.
Used to listen to this shit everyday, after sneaking out of school to calm my mind. Sitting near the golf course with the sun, birds and stillness…… I do wanna be happy Cole. Thank you “Look how far I have came..”
Good album but not gkmc level. Why? Because cole is not letting anyone else help him on the creative process of his album. Imagine if he had a drake or kendrick feature. A kanye west beat, timberland, even a just blaze prod it would make him sound different. Content wise this is jcole best project. I think jcole could have made a gkmc, take care classic album but what he lacks is more ears on his album. Even kanye west gets help producing his album, but jcole? He wants to make his own lane which is respectable but don't put him up there with the top in the game.
***** Making music is more deep than what you think. It's not like those people who would help him in producing and writting would water down his work. An album like MBDTF would not be the same without all the features as much as ''Bitch don't kill my vibe'' without Gaga.
Word to the wise I stay high like the birds in the sky I remember when I first heard the words in my mind A church for the blind It hurts but it only gets worse When you try To look back and reverse I mean back when I thought that the church never lied Before I had to reconcile the hurse when he died Thought we’d always be happy Didn’t worry if I tripped because the gravity had me Put me back on my feet Landed on the road with my phone and my back pack Headed for the gold without knowing where the traps at I go back the place where the smile never breaks and I don’t forget to fly cause I forgot about the race I mean I guess time flies I rock a roley on a jet I lie non stop Said I’ll get holy when I rest I got no time for a fake promise I pay homage And stay hidin as to not face problems And play quiet But imma need to fly high if Imma face giants snakes lions I feel like god stays quiet I pray that he breaks silence I try to listen but It make me feel like given up Imagine if I never had drugs Wish I could remember if I ever had love but The words of the wise Take the blurs out the lines Remind me of the times Before the church was a lie
I would listen to this song on long walks through campus in the snow - returning from studying from exams. This song helped me pull through and helped me remember what it was all for. I thought I needed to excel at school to land a good job and be, well, happy. Seven years later and I finally found my happiness and it hasn't come through cars, clothes, money, jewelry, sex, school, or even a career. It came from inside of me.
J Cole is my favorite artist. Breaks my heart that that he has only won one grammy. He deserves so much more. This is my one of my favorite albums of his I love all the songs on this album
Bro I just wanna cry....so much has changed in 8 years, I loved I lost, my mom passed, pops is in prison, I just wanna be happy and meet someone worth cherishing, I want better for myself, I want love...
sorry to hear that man hope your doing better.start with yourself first though learn how to love yourself first heal from all the things that has happened to you then you’ll find someone who loves themselves as well and you’ll meet that someone one day until then keep progressing it’ll come one love.
6 years ago this classic album dropped and its spent 313 weeks on billboard and sitting at 113 still on the charts so listen don't ever let any cole hater this album is not a classic.
This beat makes you feel like the main character. J. Cole dun took off HAM ON THIS RIGHT HERE! a u t h e n t I c v i e w s dun took his career off 2 the next level fr fr no cap
I am from the Fayetteville, NC area born and raised. I was driving to work today and threw Forest Hills Drive on my car's stereo. About thirty seconds into singing the intro, I started to get emotional thinking about the fragile state our country is in right now and how it relates to the message that Jermaine is portraying. I thought about the senseless killing of Terence Crutcher. I thought about a city from my home state, Charlotte, on fire and broken. I thought about the Orlando massacre and the bombings in Chelsea. Do you (society) want to be happy? Do you want to be Free? Free from pain, free from scars Free to sang, free from bars Free my dawgs, you're free to go Block is hot, the streets is cold Free to love, to each his own Free from bills, free from pills You roll the loud, the speakers blow Life get hard, you ease your soul It cleanse your mind, learn to fly Then reach the stars, you take the time And look behind and said, "Look where I came Look how far I done came" They say that dreams come true And when they do, that that's a beautiful thing ^^^^^ That is the message this country need to hear. ^^^^^
Kendrick drop a dope song to beat out first person shooter mode with jcole it has to be done you friendly fired on Cole just to get at Drake that’s not cool man
To all those who went to see him live: Did ya'll feel how I felt? The amount of anticipation that welled up inside me when the stadium went pitch black and a rush of adrenaline when this came on. Then all that eclipsed to unadulterated joy when you see him sitting there and your soul demands you sing along. Pure bliss I felt each time I saw him. FHD Tour was so damn important to me. I get my life every time I listen to this man. Him and Nas infused themselves in my soul like...their music is so important to me. You make me happy Jermaine!
i love Cole, but I don't get how people want him to keep collaborating with other artists. I personally love his independence mane. People say "Work with your peers, work with this, work with that" Hell nah! Why would he collab with them when he's doing well all by himself? And for those who are gonna say he needs to "branch out" or "rub minds with others" I just can't agree. I hate it when rappers who can actually spit try to branch out and become more "musically broad", you feel me? Like just spit man. Instead of trying to be a jack of all trades, why don't you try to be a master of one? Cole is well on his way to being a master of lyricism. He doesn't need to keep branching out, just let him do him mane.
you don't want a musician to musically broaden ? that's insane. As a creative, you want to try out new things and stay fresh, not just be trapped in your little box and doing the same old shit everytime. who's to say that the thing you started with is the thing you want to do 10 years later ? you grow as a human and as an artist. your sound will reflect that. doing the same thing over and over again will become boring for the listener and for the artist. you develop different interests. I'm sure you like more genres than just "conscious rap". that's like saying dj mustard should keep on making his typical beats for ever. they all sound the freaking same and kinda start getting tiring. and as for collaborating, it's nice for the fans of 2 people to work together, kinda like kanye and jay doing watch the throne. that was dope.
werwolfisddooof nah bc i feel like too many ppl end up comprising their skill man. Like i used to rly be crazy ab Gambino, bc of his samples and the metaphors he used. But then he branched out and now is so focused on singing and extra shit that his bars aren't as prevalent or don't have as much of an impact, feel me? Idk man. If you start out as a multiskilled artist, then by all means keep expanding. But if you are a spitter, then don't ever give up that gift
SickestRap and ik what you're gonna say, but Cole can still give you bars at any given moment fam. May not use em at much as other rappers but he can still spit
nasseh257 I just dont want no haters coming at me like im on his dick. See im frm chicago I live there n you'll never see a rapper rap like cole. Its drill music up here which doesn't make no since at all. Cole is just an amazing artist period.
6775 R.I.P Crazy CMB I feel you I feel you. I know what you meant. and Yeah y'all do have a lot of Drill music! I mean I like the beats to them jonts! but sometimes the lyrics are ehh.
I've been listening to Cole for a long time, and I love that he hasn't change his style and did what he does best and that is SPIT FROM THE SOUL. Such a a great inspiration, he's one of the major reasons why I picked up a pen, and made my own music. CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEW ALBUM MAN! :D
