Not Going Back Songtext
von Childish Gambino

It seems like they all want me to fail
But I′m not going back
Not going back, baby
Please tell me you don't want me to fail
′Cause I'm not going back
Not going back

I coulda been a tragedy
That's why these fake niggas who call me "pussy" are mad at me
′Cause they ain′t have the smarts or the heart
Ain't you read the fuckin′ book, 'Things Fall Apart′?

I was never gonna stay the same
All I ever really wanted was to change the game
Spent the year kickin' ass and takin′ names
Try to tell it to your heart, Taylor Dayne

Mama told me I was special when them test scores came in
Callin' me the new Will Smith, that's Jaden
Callin′ me a faggot when I′m rappin', that′s hatin'
I need to slow down, what the fuck is y′all sayin'?


Step inside the party, y′all niggas is mood killers
My lifestyle simple, live easy and Bruce Willis
I'm the boss, Michael Scott, y'all bitches is just Phyllis
Set the world on fire, y′all motherfuckers is chillin′, what is this?

That's why these fuckin′ MCs want their asses back
Don't you know that I′m a rapist? Ask a track
Whiskey-sippin', wanna drink the whole bottle
But these smart middle-class black kids need a role model

Fuckin′ hate me, that's what I'm used to
Suck a dick, we the shit, Metamucil
Goddamn, man, there′s gotta be a better way
Than pill-poppin′ all these drugs so I can stay awake

Like I'm Jessie in this bitch, I′m so excited
There's a party at the top, you ain′t invited
But it's lame and all the bitches is fake
You think about your old girl and how breakin′ up's a mistake

Black dudes assume I'm closeted or kinda gay
White people confused like girl on Glee and Gabourey
IAmDonald is a full-time job
These niggas want me to fail so they can write me off


It seems like they all want me to fail
But I′m not going back
Not going back, baby
Please tell me you don′t want me to fail
'Cause I′m not going back
Not going back

Dirty girls love my dick, they're cockroaches
Jewish girls eat my meat, it′s not kosher
Relax, black chick, I think that I have offended thee
Got nothin' against the sisters, I just don′t think they're into me

I am not a thug, aka what they pretend to be
I am just myself, aka my worst enemy
Yeah, bitch, cut the swag with a fuckin' knife
I come hard like my life keep her pussy tight

It′s cool, though, it′s all good
You want a dude who keep it real and stay hood
I'm sorry, babe, but I act me
I don′t act black, whatever that be

I'm just happy these girls seem into me now
Yeah, they′re looking for some In-N-Out, animal style
With this lettuce, cheese, bread, makin' sandwiches
That′s why you niggas fail like all of your parents' marriages

Ran into Rashida Jones, told me that she heard my song
When I called her mixed like the crowd at my last show
She said to write her somethin' nice on the next track
But she cute, so I wrote her ass a whole rap

Man, I threw that shit away, it felt dumb
Believe me, it was bad, we′re better off, you′re welcome
I worked hard on that song like day and night
That whole song made this one verse crazy, right?

I guess it all goes somewhere, you know that
Like that bullshit you talked before Culdesac
"I didn't know he had it in ′im"
Couldn't see me as Spider-Man, but now I′m spittin' venom

Now you payin′ attention, pick your fuckin' face up
When I wanna be a superhero I just wake up
Renaissance man with a Hollywood buzz
I refuse to go back to not likin' who I was, because

Fake love, these fake dreams
These fake sounds
All the things that we felt
Your voice was screaming too loud
I know what you′re ready to be (be)
But it isn′t with me (me)
So I'm ready to leave you alone

I don′t really wanna fight like this
I don't ever wanna lose your kiss
All I ever wanted was someone to hold on to
I just wanna be your girl
Everything you haven′t heard
Plus, I just wanna be with you

(With you) with you
(With you) with you
(With you) I just wanna be with you
(With you) with you
(With you) with you