THANKFUL – English Lyrics

• By: DJ Khaled, Lil Wayne, Jeremih
• Album: KHALED KHALED

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the powerful message of "THANKFUL" by DJ Khaled, Lil Wayne, and Jeremih! This song is a masterclass in expressing gratitude and resilience, perfect for English language learners. Discover how the artists use heartfelt lyrics and a gospel-infused sound to tell a story of overcoming adversity, offering rich vocabulary and emotional depth that will enhance your understanding of English in a moving and memorable way.

[English]

We The Best Music

Presents

Thankful

We The Best Music

Another one

DJ Khaled

And I know that somebody been praying for me

Head above ground and I could've been six feet deep

Out on these streets, wanna get down on my knees

I'm thankful (thankful), I'm thankful (I'm thankful)

I'ma blow this bag for everybody who counted me out

And I still got love for all my dawgs who holding me down

Head above ground for my niggas and my dawgs

I'm thankful (thankful), I'm thankful (I'm thankful)

I done dodged a few heartbreaks

Never lost a thing I can't replace yet

Couple times, thought I wouldn't make it (thought I wouldn't make it)

Then I came up ten toes out the basement

I done had to mute, fuck noise

Did a couple things they left me no choice

I done hit some licks that my mama won't be proud of

Said we gon' be rich, give her something she can smile for

The devil on the block and he lurking

Tryna hit me up with a dozen

But when I look around, shit ain't worth it, that's for certain, yeah

And I know that somebody been praying for me

Head above ground and I could've been six feet deep

Out on these streets, wanna get down on my knees

I'm thankful (thankful), I'm thankful (I'm thankful)

I'ma blow this bag for everybody who counted me out

And I still got love for all my dawgs who holding me down

Head above ground for my niggas and my dawgs

I'm thankful (thankful), I'm thankful (I'm thankful)

But I'm still out here making moves, ooh

I'ma do what I got to, I'ma do what I got to

Too many niggas gone too soon (I'm gonna do what I got to)

Ain't tryna lay up in a box two feet wide, six deep

You won't catch no RIPs off me

I'ma do what I got to (I'ma do what I got to)

I'm gonna do what I got to

Somebody's been praying for me, for me, for me

I could've been six feet deep

When I get down on my knees, I'm thankful, I'm thankful, I'm thankful

I'ma blow this bag for everybody who counted me out

And I still got love for all my dawgs who holding me down (holding me down)

Head above ground for my niggas and my dawgs

I'm thankful (I'm thankful), I'm thankful (I'm thankful), I'm thankful (I'm thankful)

Thankful

Sit down, be thankful

Big smile although it's painful

I look up and see clouds, weed angels

Seen white chalk make street angels

You're welcome, look down, feet dangles

Be proud, be shameless

Yeah, be now, be ancient, yeah

It been my turn, let me cut off these blinkers

I cut off these strangers and ifs ands and buts of the strangers

I never relinquish, I'm thanking Franklin as an acquaintance

Destiny danger, I done seen from every angle

From my neck to my ankle, the spots on this leopard ain't changing

Nigga, that's for the wangsters, 50 told me that, I say thank you

I been got the bag, I done turned that to the blanket

I been out of hand so I don't wanna dap 'less you banging

I'm being quiet, man

Just waiting for these rappers to thank me, de nada

And I know that somebody been praying for me

Head above ground and I could've been six feet deep

Out on these streets, wanna get down on my knees

I'm thankful (thankful), I'm thankful (I'm thankful)

I'ma blow this bag for everybody who counted me out

And I still got love for all my dawgs who holding me down

Head above ground for my niggas and my dawgs

I'm thankful (thankful), I'm thankful (I'm thankful)

But I'm still out here making moves, ooh

I'ma do what I got to, I'ma do what I got to

Too many niggas gone too soon (I'm gonna do what I got to)

Ain't tryna lay up in a box two feet wide, six deep

You won't catch no RIPs off me

I'ma do what I got to (I'ma do what I got to)

I'm gonna do what I got to

Khaled

Khaled, I understand

I get it

It's painful.

When you go through these hard times, it's your story.

Embrace it.

And embrace that struggle. Embrace that pain.

Cuz it's gonna be traps.

But you have to be the light, even when it's dark, you have to be the light.

It takes time.

But don't watch time.

Be self-made.

But be confident, be now.

Be ancient.

Be historic.

Be legendary.

Be great.

Be thankful.

Sit down, be thankful.

Big smile although it's painful.

I look up and see clouds, weed angels.

Seen white chalk make street angels.

You're welcome, look down, feet dangles.

Be proud, be shameless.

Yeah, be now, be ancient, yeah.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
thankful /ˈθæŋkfəl/ A2	adjective - feeling or expressing gratitude
pray /preɪ/ A2	verb - to communicate with a god or a higher power
head /hɛd/ A1	noun - the part of the body above the neck
ground /ɡraʊnd/ A1	noun - the surface of the earth
street /striːt/ A1	noun - a public road in a city or town
knees /niːz/ A1	noun - the joint between the thigh and the lower leg
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - an intense feeling of deep affection.
niggas /ˈnɪɡəz/ C2	noun - a derogatory term for a black person, often used informally among black people
dawgs /dɔːɡz/ B2	noun - friend
smile /smaɪl/ A1	verb - form one's face into a pleased or amused expression noun - a pleased or amused expression
devil /ˈdevəl/ B2	noun - the personification of evil
proud /praʊd/ A2	adjective - feeling deep pleasure or satisfaction
painful /ˈpeɪnfəl/ A2	adjective - causing emotional or physical pain
clouds /klaʊdz/ A1	noun - a visible mass of condensed water vapor floating in the atmosphere, typically high above the ground.
angels /ˈeɪndʒəlz/ B1	noun - a spiritual being believed to act as a messenger of God
deep /diːp/ A2	adjective - extending far down from the top or surface.
smile /smaɪl/ A1	verb - form one's face into a pleased or amused expression. noun - a pleased or amused expression.
ancient /ˈeɪnʃənt/ B2	adjective - belonging to the very distant past and no longer existing.
historic /hɪˈstɒrɪk/ B2	adjective - famous or important in history.
legendary /ˈledʒəndəri/ B2	adjective - very famous or well-known.
great /ɡreɪt/ A1	adjective - of a high degree of quality or eminence.

Key Grammar Structures

• Head above ground and I could've been six feet deep

  ➔ Past Perfect Modal (could have + past participle)

  ➔ The phrase expresses a hypothetical situation in the past. The speaker is grateful to be alive, implying they were close to death. “could’ve” indicates a lost possibility. The phrase 'six feet deep' is a euphemism for being buried.

• I'ma blow this bag for everybody who counted me out

  ➔ Contraction & Informal Future (I'm gonna/I'ma)

  ➔ “I’ma” is a colloquial contraction of “I’m going to.” It’s common in hip-hop and AAVE. The sentence means the speaker will spend their money to prove those who doubted them wrong.

• I done had to mute, fuck noise

  ➔ Non-Standard English - 'Done' as an Auxiliary Verb

  ➔ The use of 'done' as an auxiliary verb is common in AAVE and some Southern dialects. It emphasizes the completion of an action. The speaker had to ignore negativity ('noise').

• I done hit some licks that my mama won't be proud of

  ➔ Slang & Idiomatic Expression ('hit a lick')

  ➔ “Hit a lick” is slang for committing a robbery or illegal act. The speaker acknowledges doing things that would disappoint their mother.

• Be proud, be shameless

  ➔ Imperative Mood (Direct Commands)

  ➔ The speaker is giving direct commands to the listener. 'Be proud' encourages self-respect, while 'be shameless' suggests a disregard for societal judgment.