Ozark Wills captures the raw essence of growing up in rural Missouri, where poverty and crime dominate daily life. This energetic and gripping song by Kendrick Lamar explores the struggles of living amid widespread drug use, particularly methamphetamine. Through poignant lyrics, Kendrick delivers a powerful narrative of using music, inspired by legends like Johnny Cash, as a means of escaping the oppressive environment.
Yo, it's Kendrick
[Verse 1]
Lookin' out the window, Ozark hills call me back
Where echoes of my childhood echo off the track
Poverty and crime painted landscapes in my mind
Meth smoke fillin' homes, dreams are left behind
In the shadow of the pines, where shadows intertwine
We starve and we strive, just tryin' to survive
A broken family tree, but my roots run deep
Music in my veins, Johnny Cash when I sleep
[Chorus]
Ozark wills, the struggles give us chills
Escape through melody, beatin' all the ills
Ozark wills, where the hard life spills
Broke but not broken, climbing up that hill
[Verse 2]
Mama’s cryin', daddy's lyin', we drownin' in the hurt
Meth labs blowin' up, it's a hellfire alert
Like a preacher in a cage, tryna find the words
Lose myself to the rhythm, it's my only church
They tell us we’re nothin', just statistics in the dust
But through the lyrical prism, I found a way to trust
In these rhymes, we climb, leave the darkness behind
Voice of a generation, redefinin' grind
[Chorus]
Ozark wills, the struggles give us chills
Escape through melody, beatin' all the ills
Ozark wills, where the hard life spills
Broke but not broken, climbing up that hill
[Bridge]
From the shadows, I rise, into the light I fly
With a guitar on my back and a fire in my eyes
The spirit of Cash, guiding me through the fight
A beacon in the meth-fueled night
[Outro]
Ozark wills, my sanctuary, my peace
From the chains of despair, music grants release
In these hills, we learn to love, to heal
Even when we're broke, we find a way to feel
Ozark wills, the battles we’ve fought
Every lyric, every note, it’s the freedom we sought
Ozark wills, through the grit and the grime
Rising from the ashes, we're transcending time
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The song is called “Ozark Wills” a play on Ozark hills. It is about growing up in rural Missouri being broke and around a lot of crime and drugs, especially meth. It is also about using music as an escape from all of that especially people like Johnny Cash.
Kendrick Lamar