Down Bad – English Lyrics

• By: Dreamville, J.I.D, Bas, J. Cole, EarthGang, Young Nudy
• Album: Revenge of the Dreamers III

Lyrics & Translation

Ready to dive into modern American hip-hop? "Down Bad" by Dreamville and its all-star lineup offers a vibrant and energetic entry point. Through its compelling narrative of overcoming adversity and celebrating success, you can explore contemporary slang, idiomatic expressions related to struggle and triumph, and the diverse lyrical styles of multiple acclaimed rappers. This track is special for its raw energy, collaborative spirit, and the powerful storytelling that will immerse you in the language and culture of today's rap scene.

[English]

Tell 'em, slime

Yeah, I am the king of the E.A.

Get this bitch screwed like the DJ (Big slime)

Yeah, I am the shit where we play

We got the chalk where we play (Okay)

Yeah, come through the city

We gon' chop your ass up just like some sushi (Yeah)

AK47, stick go stupid (Yeah)

Draw the money out, all the way...

Okay, lil' dirty, nappy-headed East Atlanta nigga

Father said that I was a force

.44, Hank Aaron chrome

When I make it home, then get out the Porsche

Let a nigga cover FADER 'fore I have to fade a nigga at the FADER Fort

It's tomato or tomato, either way, the boy the greatest

Play it, I won't say it no more

I was just fucked up, I was just down, down bad

I had to tighten the fuck up, but I'm here for the crown

Board of Education vs. Brown

I was bored of education, left the town

Fuck a résumé and fuck a cap and gown

Fuck a background check back 'round when I get the check

Nigga, that's now

I was just fucked up, I was just down, down bad

I had to tighten the fuck up

But I'm here for the crown, crown (Oh, shit)

I was just fucked up, I was just down, down bad

I had to tighten the fuck up

But I'm here for the crown, crown, crown, crown

I was just fucked up, I was just down, down bad

Picked up the pad, picked up the slack

Pick of the litter, don't litter no bag

Bassy been pickin' up racks, raps come in clearer than Acuvue 2

When I'm back in the booth

Got 'em hackin' a Shaq 'cause they lackin' the juice

Niggas droppin' the ball, they on Shaqtin' a Fool

Activis drool out the side of their face

We ain't jackin' it, we ain't dappin' them fools

Get a napkin, you dudes is embarassin'

Who going crazy like us? No comparison

Dreamville like Marion Jones on the steroids

Y'all niggas slow as a heroin high

Y'all had a year, y'all had a year

Y'all had a year, but you let it go by

Yee

I was just fucked up, I was just down, down bad

I had to tighten the fuck up

But I'm here for the crown, crown (Oh, shit)

I was just fucked up, I was just down, down bad

I had to tighten the fuck up

But I'm here for the crown, crown, crown, crown

Dreamville head honcho

Bitch, we came from nothin' just like the Big Bang Theory

That poverty stains kept the pain buried

And covered the shame with a dream

We would have fortune and fame

A mil' in the bank, chameleon paint turned cranberry

Now little Jermaine got the same story

As that boy out of St. Vincent-St. Mary: G.O.A.T.

All hail King Cole, first of his name, long may he reign

The boy got the throne, but you know it ain't a game

Ville nigga, I was born in the same

Pressure cooker that's been known to

Bust a lump of coal and make a diamond

Two six, we enrolled in Reaganomics

Crew sick, we the Golden State of rhyming, on God

You could die today, so be hell to pay

I'm a livin', breathin', schemin' testimony

So don't test me, homie, put that in ya, homie

Put a foot up that ass, you a steppin' stone

All my niggas ain't gettin' no sleep

All of my niggas be chasin' their dreams

Ooh, I'm a force of nature, I can't wait to date ya

I was havin' problems 'til I had to break through

All my tattoos for sure, they ain't never for show

Might get tattoo'd on today, ya ho get the dope

Spend my time makin' love to your thoughts

Gon' get in line, baby, slut up your mind

It's a brand new season, I'm a righteous heathen

I take on the challenge and I leave it bleedin'

I was down bad, now I'm even Steven

And I'm leavin', leavin' every fuckin' weekend (Oh)

I was just fucked up, I was just down, down bad

I had to tighten the fuck up

But I'm here for the crown, crown (Oh, shit)

I was just fucked up, I was just down, down bad

I had to tighten the fuck up

But I'm here for the crown, crown, crown, crown

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
shit /ʃɪt/ B2	noun - excrement; something of poor quality noun - an instance of something
play /pleɪ/ A1	verb - to engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation verb - to perform a role noun - an act of playing
city /ˈsɪti/ A1	noun - a large town
money /ˈmʌni/ A1	noun - a current medium of exchange in the form of coins and banknotes
force /fɔːrs/ B1	noun - strength or energy as an attribute of physical action or movement verb - make (someone) do something
boy /bɔɪ/ A1	noun - a male child
crown /kraʊn/ B2	noun - a circular ornamental headdress worn by a monarch verb - to acknowledge as the best
pad /pæd/ A2	noun - a thick piece of soft material used for protection noun - a writing pad
slack /slæk/ B2	noun - lack of activity verb - to be less active
raps /ræps/ B1	noun - a type of popular music with a strong rhythm and spoken lyrics
juice /dʒuːs/ A1	noun - the liquid from fruit or vegetables noun - power, influence
droppin /ˈdrɒpɪn/ A2	verb - to allow something to fall
fools /fuːlz/ A2	noun - a person lacking good sense or judgment
dream /driːm/ A1	noun - a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep verb - experience dreams during sleep
pain /peɪn/ A2	noun - physical suffering or discomfort
shame /ʃeɪm/ B1	noun - a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior.
game /ɡeɪm/ A1	noun - a form of play or sport
throne /θroʊn/ B2	noun - the special chair used by a ruler
dreams /driːmz/ A1	noun - a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep
force /fɔːrs/ B1	noun - strength or energy as an attribute of physical action or movement

Key Grammar Structures

• I am the king of the E.A.

  ➔ Simple present tense for stating identity/facts

  ➔ The line uses "I am" in the simple present tense to declare a permanent state or identity. This is the most basic tense for stating facts about oneself that are currently true.

• We gon' chop your ass up just like some sushi

  ➔ Future intention with "gonna" (gon') and simile structure

  ➔ The line uses "gon'" (informal for "going to") to express future intention. It also employs a simile structure with "just like" to compare the action of chopping someone up to preparing sushi.

• Father said that I was a force

  ➔ Reported speech with past tense

  ➔ The line demonstrates reported speech structure where "Father said" introduces what was previously stated, followed by "that I was a force" using past tense to report the content of what was said.

• I was just fucked up, I was just down, down bad

  ➔ Past continuous for describing past states

  ➔ The line uses "I was" + adjective construction (past continuous form) to describe a temporary state or condition that existed in the past. The repetition emphasizes the intensity of the emotional state.

• I had to tighten the fuck up, but I'm here for the crown

  ➔ Past modal obligation (had to) with present contrast (but I'm)

  ➔ The line combines past modal obligation "had to" with a present state contrast using "but I'm". This structure shows a past necessity that led to a current successful state, creating a narrative of personal growth.

• Board of Education vs. Brown / I was bored of education, left the town

  ➔ Wordplay/homophone and past simple sequence

  ➔ The line demonstrates wordplay with the homophone "Board" (governing body) and "bored" (feeling uninterested). It also shows past simple sequence with "I was bored... left the town" where two past actions are connected without a conjunction.

• We would have fortune and fame

  ➔ Conditional perfect for hypothetical past desires

  ➔ The line uses "would have" + noun structure to express a hypothetical desire or dream about the future from a past perspective. This conditional perfect form suggests something that was hoped for but not yet achieved at the time of speaking.

• All my niggas ain't gettin' no sleep

  ➔ Double negative in informal English

  ➔ The line uses a double negative structure with "ain't" (am not/are not/is not/have not/has not) and "no" to create emphasis in informal English. While grammatically incorrect in standard English, this construction is common in dialects and informal speech, and actually means "All my people are getting no sleep" (they are not getting any sleep).