'No Name' lyrics reveals NF's struggles

Image Credit: Capitol CMG (Universal Music Group)

23rd Jan 2018
Tags: Music News NF Hip-hop Rap

The meteoric rise to fame of Nate Feuerstein, now known to millions as NF, has amazed the music world, and seemingly the rapper himself. 

NF's third album 'Perception' entered Billboard's album chart at number one in October and since then his hit single 'Let Me Down' has been streamed over 271 million times on Spotify and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in December, the track now officially achieving Platinum status.

But there's no resting on his laurels for the Michigan native. Less than four months after the release of 'Perception' NF is back with another new single and video, 'No Name'.

NF's desire to express his inner turmoil has made some great art.

NF has, in the words of critic Molly Hudelson, "always had a knack for self-awareness." And as Cross Rhythms writer Andrew Midgley has written, his flows are often confessionals expressing doubts and failures that some of his fellow Christian listeners will find disappointing or disturbing. 

But few will argue that NF's desire to express his inner turmoil has made some great art.

'No Name'

"Look, people ask me what the future is
All I know is I'll be doin' this
All I know is that things are moving quick
That's convenient for me 'cause that's how I live
Now they see me out here moving up
You don't like me, that makes two of us
Times change, yeah I can't adjust
It's who you are not who you was, oh my
Yeah, just went to Europe, they said the single is working
I think I'm learning, I am way more than what people might think when they look on the surface
What is my purpose? Yeah
That is a question that I have been asking myself and it hurts
'Cause prolly something I should already know but I don't know yet
I'm trying to grow as a person, woo!

"I'm sick people tellin' people I'm here 'cause of marketing dollars? Oh
You think that everything is gonna blow just 'cause you market it harder? No
I got my hands in everything, now they out here tryna get to me
Stop tryna lecture me
You don't compare to my level of thinking, so why do you think you compare to my energy, huh?
Small circle, but the number's growin'
Fame called me, I'm like, "How you doin'?"
Hung up on him, I ain't ready for it
I'll get back to that when I make album four
Less talking, I've been workin' more
Better me is what I'm workin' towards
Y'all judgin', but we not in court, no, we not in court; oh Lord!

"Last couple years, let's recap
I make a livin' off of writin' out my regrets
I'm doin' me, I don't care where the scene's at
Try to give me feedback, I don't really need that
I used to walk on stage in a V-neck
I used to wear a lil' tie with a black vest
I came a long way, why you lookin' upset?
I'm tryna paint a picture, get the vision, you ain't hear it yet, woo!

"Look, hold up, hold up, wait a minute, please
Flow's switchin', I got ADD
Brain scatters when you play the beat
It don't matter what you say to me
I'll be doin' this at 83
I've been doin' this since ABC's
In the major leagues doin' major things, don't play with me, woo!

"I'm livin' life in the fast lane
Wake up every morning thinkin' I'ma have a bad day
Drive my own car, I don't like the valet
Parked, then I go into my mind with an AK
Shoot every thought in my head then it rotates
Losin' it all, but I think that I'm okay
Who is involved? I don't know, but I'm insane
Poof and I'm gone, wanna call me a no name, what!?
I'm prolly not what you thought
I'm prolly not what you thought
I used to judge everybody that wasn't like me 'til I learned it was wrong
Girl told me I should get it together and get out the dark
I'm tryna give her my heart
That's when I sit in my car, writin' for hours until I can barely talk

"I mean, where do I start?
Feels like I'm fallin' apart
Act like my image is hard
I always put it my garb
Even when talking to God
Sit in my room and I plot
Everything that I'm not
Comes out in the music I jot
I give it all that I got 
I give it all that I got!
I'm trying to think out the box, no!

"I got people standing outside a bus screaming my name
I don't come out and take pictures
They tell me I change
I don't smile in VIPs, you get mad like you know what I pay?
Guess I don't know what to say
Guess I don't know what to say
I leave it all on the stage
I leave it all on the stage"