Mama Told Me - J Cole

[Omen - Verse 1]Tryna follow my intuition as I'm on
This million dollar mission
Mama told me I was special, thank God I listened
My environment never let me be a pretender
Similar interest with them dope boys but I was different
The hoop dreaming only child? Hyde park?
Pimp slayers, gang wars, living in a lonely town
Who can I relate to?
Feeling like the Golden child, Chi city culture
Full of Pain, full of soul sinkers
Dead bodies in our rivers but their souls link up
A young black man living with unrealistic dreams
But luckily I've seen some unrealist things
A child from the city took the good route
Always fit in and always stood out, complex
Layered, rather show you than say it
Though I know my greatness is always understated
Mama working 12 hours days on her feet
Coming home cooking dinner, made her son wanna weep
My step father working while I'm zoning the beast
Meanwhile my biological was roaming the streets
Tryna be an entertainer, but my heart held love no anger
He yelled, yeah, tryna be a singer
I guess this just the life I was made for

[Hook]Mama told me I was special
Mama told me I was special
Mama told me I was special
Gotta love her for that (yeah)

Mama told me I was special
Mama told me I was special
Mama told me I was special
Gotta love her for that (yeah)

[J. Cole - Verse 2]Yeah, truly yours, J. Cole
My mama coulda been a movie star
Ya know like Judy Garland
I went to St Johns I coulda went to Julia
Cause my beautiful mom mixed with my musical bond
Deep as a funeral line, dawg, I get it from my mama
I used to be embarrassed getting picked up in that Honda
Thought my niggas might play me if they found out that
My mama was a white lady
So like gravy had to cover that
Plus my older brother black but he look white
In an all black school, picture what that look like
No wonder he was under-acheiving not believin' in himself
Coming home just be keeping to himself
Looking back through the silence, he was screaming out for help
Maybe this verse can find the words to get the demons out himself

So yeah, I'm exercising
Right now my record climbing, I'm sort of a stair master
Niggas got there faster, I took the long route,
I never been a scared rapper
Boy this aint fear factor, they tell me can you hear the?
Spilling out these? Made the world clear a path
Bet I'll be on top from now till?
I'm special, mama told me I was special
Mama told me I was special
Know I love her for that

That's right I'm special
Mama told me I was special
Mama told me I was special
Know I love her for that
Know I love her for that

[Omen - Verse 3]Tell me, what's the marketing plan for realness
What's the demographic target audience for brilliance
What's the first week numbers for my inspiration
Who can A&are this passion and this dedication
Name: Omen. This aint a verse, this a revelation
We need some more Sanaa Lathan's in our population
I'm meetin' women I would never date
The kind that say they want a marriage but they really want a wedding day
I'm seeing groupies tryna act like they don't notice me
But the writings on the wall call it hoe-itry
My calls but that's not what my focus be
Music's forever my lady unlike Jodeci
See when a leaders speaking you should simply follow suit
I stay in the zone like it's?, let me show you how to shoot
You know aim for the gold, these are just the chronicles
There calling me the honorable, though I am not no muslim
I'm feeling bro like?, tricky like a good sin
I'm somethin you've mistooken, mistake them for fakeness
Haters don't know what you facing
Oh goodness, oh gracious
They looking at greatness

I was special, mama told me I was special
Mama told me I was special
Gotta love her for that (yeah)
Mama told me I was special
Mama told me I was special
Mama told me I was special
Gotta love her for that (yeah)

Gotta love her for that (yeah)
Gotta love her for that (yeah)
Gotta love her for that
Gotta love her for that (yeah)
Gotta love her for that (yeah)
Mama told me I was special