RICH MAN DREAMS (I) Lyrics – IDK

RICH MAN DREAMS (I) Lyrics Meaning

[Refrain]
The refrain sets the tone for the song, showing IDK’s struggles. He talks about owning a beat-up 300Z car that barely worked—it had no heat, no proper seatbelt, and the gas tank was always empty. This car represents his tough financial situation and the struggles he faced while trying to make it. By saying, “You don’t really know me,” he’s implying that people only see his success now but don’t understand the hardships he went through. The repeated phrase “Talk about it” suggests he’s ready to open up about his past struggles.

[Verse 1]
In this verse, IDK talks about his early life, growing up in Section 8 housing and dealing with money problems. He had to track down people who owed him money, and sometimes things got violent. He kept his haircut fresh just in case he had to face trouble. At the same time, he was trying to break into the music industry, reaching out to producers like Tae Beast and Skyehutch, hoping they’d notice his talent and get him into TDE (Top Dawg Entertainment). While chasing his rap dreams, he was also on food stamps, using an EBT card to help his mom buy groceries. When no one came to help him, he teamed up with his friends Obi, Nnamdi, and Brian to hustle and make a name for himself. However, he was also involved in illegal activities, trying to survive while on probation. He was determined not to stay broke, but life kept throwing obstacles at him—his car eventually broke down, and people didn’t believe in him.

[Refrain]
This part repeats the same message—IDK reminds listeners that if they don’t know about his struggles with his broken-down 300Z, then they don’t really understand him. The car is a symbol of his rough past and how he had to push through challenges. By repeating the refrain, he’s reinforcing the idea that people only see his success but don’t recognize what he went through to get there.

[Verse 2]
Here, IDK shares his dreams of working with Ab-Soul, a rapper he looks up to. He imagined himself making music with him, considering it a major goal. He spent time rapping outside barbershops and trying to get his friends, like Obi, to pay him for his work. He also references “Book of Soul,” a song by Ab-Soul, and “Half Note,” a jazz club, showing his deep connection to music. Meanwhile, girls around him weren’t really interested in his music dreams—they just wanted to smoke, and he couldn’t impress them. This made him realize that material things and ego weren’t important. He decided to let go of his arrogance (“threw my ego out the sunroof”), but it made him feel frustrated and lost. He almost gave up rapping many times before getting his first paycheck. He wrote hundreds of songs, grinding hard before seeing any success. He also reflects on his past relationships, admitting that none of the women he was with were truly special, making him question if he should have just continued hustling instead of chasing music.

[Refrain]
This time, Ab-Soul joins in, making the refrain even more powerful. The repetition highlights how people don’t truly understand IDK’s struggles. He keeps bringing up his old 300Z, reinforcing that his rough beginnings shaped who he is today. The refrain serves as a way to emphasize that success didn’t come easy—he had to go through countless struggles just to get to where he is.

[Verse 3 Meaning (Ab-Soul’s Verse)]
Ab-Soul takes over in this verse, sharing his own struggles and how his journey mirrors IDK’s. Instead of a 300Z, he had a Chevy Celebrity, a cheap old car that barely passed emissions tests but still got him where he needed to go. Before platforms like SoundCloud, he was uploading music on SoundClick under the name “Ab The Great.” He emphasizes that he’s been grinding for a long time, doing whatever it took to make music. He even recorded using a stolen desktop mic from RadioShack, rigging it up with duct tape and a stocking cap instead of a real pop filter. He used illegally downloaded software (ACID Pro 4.0) to produce his songs, showing how desperate he was to create music.

He then mentions Snake Hollywood, a producer, and references Black Planet, an old social media site, saying he used it to start building his music career. He was broke, and nobody found his struggles funny. Even though his family owned a record store, which should have been an advantage, it felt ironic because his friends were out in the streets selling drügs while he was trying to sell music. He makes a powerful point—both music and drug dealing involve distribution, but he chose a different path. In the end, he still can’t believe he went from that life to speaking at Harvard with IDK, proving that dreams can come true despite hardships.

[Outro]
The outro wraps up the song with a final statement—people don’t really know IDK unless they know where he came from. It’s a reminder that behind every success story, there’s a struggle that most people don’t see or talk about.