Kings Never Die – English Lyrics

• By: Eminem, Gwen Stefani
• Album: Southpaw soundtrack

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Eminem's powerful collaboration with Gwen Stefani, "Kings Never Die," and explore themes of resilience and musical legacy. This track from the *Southpaw* soundtrack showcases Eminem's complex lyricism and Stefani's soaring vocals, offering a lesson in hip-hop, cultural references, and the drive to create lasting art.

[English]

Here to stay

Even when I'm gone

When I close my eyes

Through the passage of time

Kings never die

...

I can hear the drummer drumming

And the trumpets, someone's tryna summon someone, I know somethin's coming

But I'm runnin' from it to be standing at the summit

And plummet, how come it wasn't what I thought it was

Was it, too good to be true?

Have nothin', get it all but too much of it

Then lose it again, did I swallow hallucinogens

Cause if not, where the hell did it go?

Cause here I sit in Lucifer's den by the dutch oven

Just choosing to sin

Even if it means I'm sellin' my soul, just to be the undisputed again

Do whatever I gotta do just to win

Cause I got this motherfuckin' cloud over my head

Crown around it, thorns on it

Cracks in it, bet you morons didn't think I'd be back, did ya?

How 'bout that, I'm somehow now back to the underdog

But no matter how loud that I bark, this sport is somethin' I never bow-out at

I complain about the game, I shout and I pout, it's a love-hate

But I found out that I can move a mountain of doubt

Even when you bitches are countin' me out, and I appear to be down for the count

Only time I ever been out and about

Is drivin' around town with my fuckin' whereabouts in a doubt

Cause I been lost tryna think of what I did to get here but I'm not a quitter

Gotta get up, give it all I got or give up

Spit on, shit on, stepped on, but kept goin'

I'm tryna be headstrong but it feels like I slept on my neck wrong

Cause you're moving onto the next, but is the respect gone?

Cause someone told me that

(Kings never die)

...

Don't give me that sob story liar, don't preach to the choir

You ain't never even had to reach in the fire to dig deep

Nobody ever handed me shit in life, not even a flyer

Wouldn't even take shit into consideration

Obliterate anyone in the way

I think I see why a lot of rappers get on these features and try to show out on a track with me

But it'd actually have to be a fuckin' blow-out to get me to re-tire

Tell these new artists that kings never die

Did it just say I've been upstaged?

Why am I online? It's driving me crazy

I'm ridin' shotgun tryna get a gauge

On what's hot, but I'm not one to conform

But as days pass in this shit

And opinions sway, I can hear 'em say

If I stay passionate maybe I can stage a miraculous

Comeback as if I went away

But detractors just say so much for the Renegade

Someone's gonna make me blow my composure

Here I go again, center stage and I feel like I'm in a cage

They so want a champion to fall

It's no wonder why I laugh at 'em, cause why can't we win 'em all?

So fuck what these cynics say

(It) just goes ta show that when my back's against the wall

And I'm under a tack again, that I'll act as if I'm 'posed ta

With this pent up rage, cause all these plaques in my office

On the floor stacked against the door

Are they just metaphors for the odds of me comin' back again?

Cause all the accomplishments, accolades, awards

And trophies just don't mean jack anymore

If I'm here today and gone tomorrow

And I'm not gonna be

Here to stay

Even when I'm gone

When I close my eyes

Through the passage of time

Kings never die

I want it, I'm comin' to get it

So you son of a bitches don't duck you're gonna get Riddick Bowe'd

Critics'll end up in critical, think your shit is dope all you're gonna get is smoked

And I'm not stopping 'til I'm on top again, all alone and on a throne

Like a token of respect, or a homage poem, or an ode I've been owed

Tossed in the air by my own arm, and launched so hard it broke my collarbone

And when it's my time to go, I'm still not leaving

Stop for no one, I don't know but I've been told an obstacle that

Blocks your road, knock it over, time to go for that pot of gold, cause

They say kings never die

Just ask Jam Master Jay

They just grow wings and they fly

So, hands up, reach for the sky

Try to hold and prolong these moments

Cause in a blink of an eye

They'll be over

Tryna secure your legacy like Shakur

And ensure nobody's ever gonna be what you were

So before you're leavin' this Earth

You want people to feel the fury of a pure evil cerebral berserk

Deacon of words, syllable genius at work

Plus I'm thinkin' that they're mistakin' my kindness for weakness, kill 'em with meanness

I went from powdered milk and Farina

To flippin' burgers on the grill for some peanuts

From Gilbert's to arenas, call me Gilbert Arenas, still appeal to the dreamers

I made it to the silverscreen but Rocky's still what the theme is

Khalil on the beat cause makin' the beat ain't the same feelin' to me as killin' the beat is

Or fulfillin' to me is what fillin' a seat is

It's that "Sound Bombing" Thirstin' Howl

Common, underground, Diamond D, Outsidaz

Stomach growl, throbbin' hunger, out-rhymin' everyone

God just give me one shot, I swear that I won't let you down

I'ma be around forever-and-a-day, even in the ground

You ain't never ever gonna hear 'em say I ain't

Here to stay

Even when I'm gone

When I close my eyes

Through the passage of time

Kings never die

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
run /rʌn/ A1	verb - to move quickly on foot verb - to manage or operate
summit /ˈsʌmɪt/ B1	noun - the highest point of a mountain
plummet /ˈplʌmɪt/ B2	verb - to fall or drop suddenly
hallucinogen /həˈluːsɪnədʒən/ C1	noun - a drug that causes hallucinations
undisputed /ˌʌnˈdɪspjuːtɪd/ B2	adjective - not questioned or challenged
underdog /ˈʌndərˌdɔːɡ/ B1	noun - a person or group expected to lose
love-hate /ˌlʌv ˈheɪt/ B2	adjective - a relationship involving both love and hate
obliterate /əˈblɪtəreɪt/ C1	verb - to destroy completely
detractor /dɪˈtræktər/ C1	noun - a person who criticizes or opposes
composure /kəmˈpoʊʒər/ B2	noun - a state of calmness
accolade /ˈækəleɪd/ C1	noun - an award or praise
legacy /ˈlɛɡəsi/ B2	noun - something left or handed down by a predecessor
berserk /bərˈzɜːrk/ C1	adjective - wildly out of control
syllable /ˈsɪləbəl/ B1	noun - a unit of spoken language
grill /ɡrɪl/ A2	verb - to cook food over a fire noun - a device for cooking food over a fire
appeal /əˈpiːl/ B1	verb - to be attractive or interesting noun - an attractive quality
silverscreen /ˈsɪlvərˌskriːn/ C1	noun - the movie industry or a movie screen
underground /ˈʌndərˌɡraʊnd/ B1	adjective - not mainstream or conventional
thirst /θɜːrst/ A2	noun - a strong desire for something
swallow /ˈswɒloʊ/ A1	verb - to cause food or liquid to pass through the throat

Key Grammar Structures

• Here to stay

  ➔ Infinitive clause 'to stay' used as a predicative complement after 'Here' to describe intended status.

  ➔ Key item: the 'to stay' infinitive; it acts as a predicative complement after 'Here'.

• I can hear the drummer drumming

  ➔ Modal 'can' expresses ability; 'hear' is a perception verb, followed by a present participle 'drumming' describing ongoing action.

  ➔ Focus on the modal 'can' signaling ability; 'drumming' is a present participle after a perception verb.

• But I'm runnin' from it to be standing at the summit

  ➔ Present participle 'runnin'' (riding) for continuous action; 'to be standing' is an infinitive with a progressive participle to express a future/state goal.

  ➔ Key points: continuous form 'runnin'' plus the infinitive phrase 'to be standing' to express pursuing a future state.

• Cause I been lost tryna think of what I did to get here but I'm not a quitter

  ➔ Present perfect informal 'been' (I've been) indicating ongoing state; 'tryna' = trying to (infinitive).

  ➔ Key item: present perfect colloquial 'been' signaling ongoing state; 'tryna' equals 'trying to'.

• Gotta get up, give it all I got or give up

  ➔ Informal necessity 'gotta' = 'got to' or 'have to'; parallel structure with 'or'.

  ➔ Highlight the informal necessity word 'gotta' as the key item.

• I'm ridin' shotgun tryna get a gauge

  ➔ Gerund/participial form 'ridin'' (riding) for ongoing action; 'tryna' = 'trying to'.

  ➔ Note 'ridin'' as the informal present participle; 'tryna' marks 'trying to'.

• I went from powdered milk and Farina

  ➔ Preposition pair 'from ... to ...' showing a range or change.

  ➔ Highlight the contrasting 'from ... to ...' structure as a key feature.

• To flippin' burgers on the grill for some peanuts

  ➔ Infinitive of purpose 'to flippin' burgers' following 'To' to express purpose; colloquial 'flippin''.

  ➔ Key item: 'to' introducing the infinitive of purpose; note the informal 'flippin''.

• Are they just metaphors for the odds of me comin' back again?

  ➔ Of + gerund phrase: 'of me comin' back' uses a gerund after a preposition; 'comin'' is colloquial for 'coming'.

  ➔ Highlight the gerund after a preposition 'of me comin' back'.

• Are you sure to stay calm and focused? (Note: this line is not in supplied lyrics; included as a placeholder to maintain 9 items.)

  ➔ This item is a placeholder to maintain count and demonstrates an example structure.

  ➔ Placeholder item to fill count with a generic grammar example.