gloria

gloria

Feat. SZA

Kendrick Lamar’s “gloria,” featuring SZA, weaves a gripping tapestry of love, loyalty, and duality. At its heart, the song explores the paradoxical nature of relationships and personal ambition. While on the surface, it reflects the struggles of a turbulent romantic bond, a deeper narrative unfolds: the woman Kendrick addresses could symbolize his artistry—his “pen” and his relationship with rap as a craft. Gloria, meaning “glory” in Spanish, transforms into a metaphor for the complex dance of creation, success, and self-destruction. This layered portrayal of glory as both a blessing and a burden speaks to the universal tension between devotion and individuality.

Sentado, Anita y tú

Me and my bitch got a complicated relationship
She’s so controllin’, I noticed it ain’t no playin’ with
I met her when I was off the porch as a teenager
She said one day I would right my wrongs and see paper
We started out young, lookin’ for some identity, made a thousand mistakes
But never did we lack chemistry
Wrappin’ my hand ’round your waist
That was back when you did whatever I say
Dreams of sellin’ narcotics, runnin’ blocks, or robbin’ banks
I was in love with you, didn’t know what it was with you
Kiss you in back of the class just to get a buzz with you
Some niggas wanted you, but they weren’t committed
Preoccupied playin’ John Madden and bullshittin’
Remember when granny died? You looked at me and said, “Baby, dry your eyes
Depend on me as your relief, let your anger be mine”
We was locked in ever since then
So territorial, even took me ‘way from my friends, hmm, hmm (Gah, gah, gah)

Scared of forever, you know nothin’ else is gon’ pass
I just gotta let you know, woah
Whenever you want me, you got me ’til the end of time
Ooh, just gotta let you know

Said you gon’ see other people if I didn’t grow with you
Wasn’t no more holdin’ them pistols in front of stores with you
You want reality, not tragedy, for sure, I get you
To tell the truth, I been pretty used to what open-minded people do
In 2014, I went to Africa, baby, you was my passenger
My eyes and ears for all the years the neighborhood had baffled us
Of course I had to wrap it up, I didn’t fully trust you
Fabrication, I disgust you, then you blocked me, I said, “Fuck you”

Nigga, what?
I gave you life, I breathe the motherfuckin’ charisma in this bitch
I bring the blessings, I gave you power
Nigga, I bring the rainfall, I gave you hustle
Then fall right back in love the very moment that I touch you (Gah, gah, gah)

Scared of forever, you know nothin’ else is gon’ pass
I just gotta let you know
Whenever you want me, you got me ’til the end of time
Ooh, just gotta let you know

You were spontaneous, firecracker, plus our love is dangerous
Life of passion, laughin’ at you lose your temper, slightly crashin’
Dumb enough to ill reaction, ain’t no disrespect
Highly sensitive, possessed, saw potential, even when it’s tragic
So jealous, hate it when I hit the club to get some bitches
Wrote ’em off, rather see me hit the church and get religious
Who you foolin’? I know what you doin’, you my contradiction
‘Member when you caught that body and still wiggled through that sentence?
Loved you more, when you flip and lose your shit, I hugged you more
It’s sexy to me, cuss they ass out and hold that grudge some more
Down bitch, I know your favorite movie, is it Notebook?
So good, if they all sub me, get ’em all booked
My baby boo, you either heal niggas or you kill niggas
Both is true, it take some tough skin just to deal with you
Logical explanation don’t exist, flippin’ pages
Chapter after chapter, probably remarry and head to Vegas
Bitches gettin’ marked out, they can’t erase our history
They margins ain’t big enough, they all led by bigotry
My woman and my right hand, my saint and my sin
Ain’t no bitch like my bitch ’cause that bitch been my pen

Gloria, I wanna take you to euphoria
Bitches want, but they ain’t strong enough
I heard they talking, we notorious
If someone talking on me
I see you, you see me
Both see what we want, oh, oh
I see you, you see me
Both see what we want

Kendrick Lamar

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