Discover the poetic beauty in ‘Stressed Out [Raphael Saadiq’s Remix][*]’ by A Tribe Called Quest. This lyric breakdown takes you on a journey through the artist’s thoughts, emotions, and the story they aim to tell. From clever metaphors to evocative imagery, we delve into the nuances that make this song a lyrical masterpiece. Whether you’re a fan of A Tribe Called Quest or a lover of well-crafted words, our detailed analysis will give you a deeper understanding and appreciation of this song.
I really know how it feels to be, stressed out, stressed out
When you’re face to face with your adversity
I really know how it feels to be, stressed out, stressed out
We’re gonna make this thing work out eventually
Yo I ain’t one to complain but there’s things in the game
(What’s your name?) Consequence, I’m tight, burnt like flames
(And why’s that?) American dreams, they got this ghetto kid in a fiend
Don’t stress that cause it’s not in your bloodstream
Your whole being, comes from greatness, d’you remember
Shatan got you caught in the storms of December
And brothers on the block packing nines like September
Crazy situations keeps pockets on slender
Yo I be on the avenue where they be actin brand new
I’m splurging on these Reebok joints for shorty boo
All of a sudden, I saw these two kids frontin’
Talking out they joints but they wasn’t saying nuttin’
My hand was on my toolie they was actin unruly
(Say word) Yo word up, yo I was tight caught up
But I swallowed my pride and let that nonsense ride
Because I’m positive it seems that negative dies
Yo we was at the dice game making these cats look silly
Flaming, steady running off at the Willie
I had my cash mixed, my rent due, with my play-dough
I gotta see some loot so all my girls I blow
Shook them shits in my palm let em hit the flo’
Kept my eyeballs scopign for them pigs po-po
I got to go on the ave see my parole by fo’
But I gotta steady freak these boys like JoJo
And I was doing it, til I met Ike, Spike, and Mike
One roll, they had my pockets thirstier than Sprite
Yo I know the feeling, when you feeling like a villain
You be having good thoughts but the evils be revealin’
And the stresses of life can take you off the right path (no doubt)
Jealousy and envy tends to infiltrate your staff
We gotta hold it down so we can move on past
All adversities, so we can get through fast, like that
I really know how it feels to be, stressed out, stressed out
When you’re face to face with your adversity
I really know how it feels to be, stressed out, stressed out
We’re gonna make this thing work out eventually
You got the N.W.O. (low cash flow)
Your baby’s on the way (and you don’t know who)
And crosstown niggas trying to (bust at you)
Aiyyo they got me stressed out (and you don’t know what to do)
So frame this Kodak black, and vision to my contact
With a poultry scrap, workers get pistol smacked
The switch hitting Queens, niggas liquid sword spittin
With raw poppy, and now your first love is krill
Your vision of the mil got crept like Hey Lover
Tried to rise to the top, you just couldn’t recover
And all I want is my laceration of the pie
To get this whip cream before the water runs dry
Niggas flash dancing, yo, I don’t know why
You’re sick of snitching, she got you cruising to the pokey
Like Smokey, the stress be trying to squeeze out a homey
While I be trying to get star status like Shinobi
So we can build a dynasty, just like the Toby’s
And all I want, is the world to know my steez
These money hungry niggas is seven thirty
And got me stressed out like these frog emcees
I really know how it feels to be, stressed out, stressed out
When you’re face to face with your adversity
I really know how it feels to be, stressed out, stressed out
We’re gonna make this thing work out eventually
Don’t worry we gon make it (gonna make it)
Don’t worry we gon make it (oh yeah)
Don’t worry we gon make it (gonna make it)
We gon make it (gotta make it)
Don’t worry we gon make it (gotta make it)
We’re gonna make it (we gotta make it)
Don’t worry we gon make it (we gonna make it)
We gonna make it (oh)
Don’t worry we gon make it (oh)
Don’t worry we gon make it (gonna make it)
Don’t worry we gon make it (oh)
We gon make it
Don’t worry we gon make it
I know we gonna make it (we’re gonna make it)
C’mon baby we gon make it (yeah)
We gon make it (yeah)
Don’t worry we gon make it (we’re gonna make it)
We’ve gotta make it (we’ve gotta make it)
We’ve gotta make it (oh yeah)
Know we’re gonna make it
We’re gonna make it, gonna make it, we gotta make it, know we gonna make it