What If – English Lyrics

• By: Lil Durk, TK Kravitz

Lyrics & Translation

Delve into Lil Durk and TK Kravitz's poignant exploration of loyalty and authenticity in "What If." This track offers a unique opportunity to explore themes of relationships and introspection, inviting listeners to contemplate the true meaning of connection through its heartfelt lyrics and R&B-infused hip-hop sound.

[English]

Baby, you know how I'm coming

I came all from nothing

That's why I came for with you niggas who be fronting

If you my dawg, you my dawg for real, for you I kill

If I got it then you got it too, that's the deal

Just don't change on me my nigga

My life can't get no bigger

I became a big spender

But you still don't get the picture

That money don't mean shit to me

That money don't mean shit to me

I notice everybody love you when you got something to give

(Everybody I'm talking everybody)

But what if I ain't have it

Would you still be my real (My real!)

If I didn't have nothing to give

What if I ain't have nothing to give

What if I ain't have nothing to give

I lost so many niggas I dropped a tear about them

We dropped a couple of them niggas, you don't hear about it

I tell my niggas I love them to death, that's on my dead body

I do and give up my last for everybody

Think they finessin' Durk, 'cause I help 'em out

'Cause I want they ass to win and take a better route

Wish Law ain't take that 15 he ain't settle well

They take 'em off the street to make 'em settle down

I notice everybody love you when you got something to give

(Everybody I'm talking everybody)

But what if I ain't have it

Would you still be my real

If I didn't have nothing to give

What if I ain't have nothing to give

What if I ain't have nothing to give

My momma said I don't love nobody but codeine

Trappin' like a fool 'til my pockets obese

Real caught two ten murders on the police

Gave 'em twenty years, still sendin' money every week

I feel like [?] we won't ever speak

Tell my team "Need plaques so I won't ever sleep"

I'm forever real, I'm from the [?]

Can't struggle when I'm rich, I know the same body

I notice everybody love you when you got something to give

(Everybody I'm talking everybody)

But what if I ain't have it

Would you still be my real

If I didn't have nothing to give

What if I ain't have nothing to give

What if I ain't have nothing to give

What if I ain't have nothing to give

What if I ain't have nothing to give

Key Grammar Structures

• I came all from nothing

  ➔ Past Simple Tense

  ➔ Uses "came" (past form of "come") to describe completed actions in the past.

• If you my dawg, you my dawg for real

  ➔ Zero Conditional (Informal)

  ➔ Omits "are" (If you *are* my dawg) for conversational flow. Expresses universal truths in street language.

• That money don't mean shit to me

  ➔ Double Negative + Slang

  ➔ "Don't" (instead of doesn't) + "shit" emphasizes strong negation. Common in AAVE/casual speech.

• I notice everybody love you when you got something to give

  ➔ Present Simple + Omitted Relative Pronoun

  ➔ "Everybody love" (not loves) reflects informal speech. Implied "who" before "love" (everybody *who* love you).

• But what if I ain't have it

  ➔ Hypothetical Question (Ain't)

  ➔ "Ain't" replaces "didn't" for hypothetical scenarios. Central to the song's theme of questioning loyalty.

• I lost so many niggas I dropped a tear about them

  ➔ Cause-Effect (Implied Conjunction)

  ➔ Omits "that" (I lost so many niggas *that* I...). Shows emotional consequence through parallel structure.

• Trappin' like a fool 'til my pockets obese

  ➔ Present Continuous Contraction + Slang Metaphor

  ➔ "Trappin'" (trapping) shows ongoing action. "Pockets obese" uses body metaphor for excessive wealth.

• Would you still be my real

  ➔ Hypothetical Modal Question

  ➔ "Would" explores imaginary scenarios. "Real" (noun) is street slang for "real friend".