[A$AP Rocky:]
I’ve been busy (Busy, busy)
I’ve been fuckin’ busy, I’ve been busy fuckin’
I’ve been all kinds of busy, or sorta kinda busy
Like shorty is we fuckin’? Well if not then fuck it
Apologies to the fam, we thought we ducked ’em
Said I was in a rush but I was busy rushin’
It’s busy shit, busy that, busy this
And I need a minute (Hold on)
[Lauryn Hill, A$AP Rocky, and Frank Ocean:]
See this what that voice in your head says
When you try to get peace of mind
“I gotta find peace of mind”
(Ooh, going to find)
“I gotta find peace of mind”
(I’m going to find)
“I gotta find peace of mind”
(Yeah)
[Frank Ocean:]
Spendin’ time spinnin’ out toward a desire that wasn’t pure
Born before the virus was cured
Pitch perfect, violins on the floor
Fast forward, linings on my skull
This the type of design I could afford
Fast forward, bands out
Got they hands out like they acknowledgin’ the Führer
I rewind, Nas track 6
Rewind dance crazes
Read my mind, freed my mind, feed my mind, makes sense
Just like mirrors on the wall, just like sittin’ on me
Raw in mirrors seen it all, could make two, a piece of mind
Flickin’ ash, pourin’ a half, don’t pour in a glass
Pour it in foam, this white got eggshells in my omelet
My earlobes, they yellow like the yolk is runnin’
Brain on drugs, I still ain’t got no peace of mind, fuck
Woof, woof—dogs in the place, loose tooth—lost in the fray
Roof lost on the Wraith, roof lost on the way
Freeway, no Rozay, brute force, Brüt champagne
Tell the front desk to cut new keys
Reserved in the Mercer for two years, in two suites
Took out the bed like it’s fuck sleep
I’ll smack a bitch like it’s hot hands
Fired the label like fuck brands
Comfortable low nigga, fuck Xans
Comfortable slow, who the fuck ran
Nothin’ is sweet, nothin’ in tank sweet, it’s just a tank P
Salt on a slug, soda on slugged teeth
Chewing on nothing
You’re tweakin’ or somethin’, you’re reachin’ for somethin’
You’re speakin’, speak up then, you’re thinkin’, you’re overthinkin’
One blink and I’m pre-cummin’
That could turn every no one into someone
[Lauryn Hill, Frank Ocean and A$AP Rocky:]
“I gotta find peace of mind”
(Ohh, do do, do do, oh)
“I gotta find peace of mind”
(Oh, oh)
“I gotta find peace of mind”
(Oh, oh)
“I gotta find peace of mind”
(You make my desire pure)
“I gotta find peace of mind”
(You make my desire pure)
I just need peace of mind for my purity
“You make my desire pure, just tell me”
“You make my desire pure, just tell me”
[A$AP Rocky and Lauryn Hill:]
Memories burn the roaches
Cheer Hennessy for my old heads
Amphetamines for the dosage
Keepin’ me up and focused
Jewelry cloth, my gold caps
NY throwback like the old Fab
“I’m undone because”
Lost in the Google Maps in your iMac, think my phone tapped
Hold up, hold that (Hold on, my nigga, hold that—) thought
Nigga, pour up soda, nigga, hold that cough
Tryna hold back
The call had dropped when the FaceTime paused, don’t call back
Can’t cope when your heart broke
Soft-spoken, roll somethin’, cop somethin’, Narco
Saint like Joan of Arc, bro
Ring barcode
Two of everything, should have been to blame when Noah’s Ark broke
Two more drinks of everything before the bar closed
Face-to-face with my demons at a barstool
Haven’t checked on my niece in weeks
Months past and months in between since me and my sister would speak
Not a call or visit in weeks
Lost nothin’ since September
Last seen her September ’16
Man it feels like
“I’m undone because”
Lose someone every release, it feels like the curse is in me (A$AP)
Press is gone and I grief
I share with you my peace
[Lauryn Hill:]
“I’m undone because—”
“I’m undone because—”
Exploring the Search for Peace in “Purity”
“Purity” by ASAP Rocky, featuring Lauryn Hill and Frank Ocean, offers an introspective look at the struggle to find inner peace amidst chaos and fame. The lyrics delve into themes of distraction, emotional turmoil, and the relentless pursuit of clarity. Rocky’s verses reveal a constant busyness masking deeper pain, while Frank Ocean’s poetic lines reflect on lost innocence and the consequences of desire. Lauryn Hill’s sampled refrain, “I gotta find peace of mind,” echoes as a mantra throughout, underscoring the central longing for purity in thought and emotion.
Confronting Demons and Seeking Connection
The song poignantly details the effects of strained relationships, substance use, and the pressures of success. Rocky references familial distance and personal losses, highlighting the emotional cost of his lifestyle. Each artist brings vulnerability, illustrating how the quest for purity is complicated by life’s hardships and the constant noise of the modern world.
Song Credits
- Artists: ASAP Rocky feat. Lauryn Hill & Frank Ocean
- Songwriters: Rakim Mayers (ASAP Rocky), Christopher Breaux (Frank Ocean), Lauryn Hill
- Release Year: 2018
- Label: RCA Records