It Be Like That

## Song by Ab-Soul and SiR

"**It Be Like That**" (stylized in all caps) is a song by Ab-Soul and SiR, released as the 16th track from the former's fifth studio album, *Herbert* (2022). It details the rapper's struggle with depression. The official music video was self-directed by Ab and uploaded to TDE's YouTube channel on January 19, 2023.

He told *GQ*, "Kendrick sent that to me, just to let you guys know how close me and him are. He sends me records sometimes that he feels I should try. It was an exercise. I said on this one, I don’t want no punchlines, no metaphors, no double entendres, I want to be simple as possible, straight to the point." He added that it was "the most difficult song" to write, but "the most simplistic song" from the record.

## Personnel

* Andrew Boyd – mixing engineer, recording engineer
* Conner McElwain – composer, producer
* Demetrius Lewis II – mastering second engineer
* Donte "TaeBeast" Perkins – composer, producer
* Greg Cortez – composer, producer
* Herbert "Ab-Soul" Stevens – vocals, lyricist
* Jake Bowman – composer, producer
* Jordan Brooks – composer, bass
* Nicholas de Porcel – mastering engineer
* Phillip Whack – trumpet
* Rory Behr – mixing engineer, recording engineer
* Russell "Russ" Vitale – background vocals
* Sendrick Moore II – recording engineer
* Darryl "SiR" Farris – vocals, lyricist, recording engineer

### Video

* Ab-Soul – director
* Grant Duncan – cinematographer
* Henry Anguiano and Langston Siebens – producer
* Sai Aung Tun – 1st AC
* Edward Hill – steadicam

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
**[Part I]**

[Chorus: Ab-Soul, *SiR*, **Both**]

I messed up, but it be like that

I missed out, but it be like that (*I missed out, but it be like that*)

Like, why they had to do me like that?

Man, it wasn't 'posed to be like that

**It be like that**

I had doubts, but it be like that

I'm assed out, but it be like that (*I'm assed out, but it be like that*)

**Lord knows it's been like that**

But it don't gotta **end like that**

[Verse 1: Ab-Soul]

My sun don't shine no more

My light ain't lime no more (Ain't lime no more)

My kite don't fly no more

My woman ain't mine no more (Ain't mine no more)

My words don't rhyme no more

My life ain't live no more (Live no more)

My heights ain't high, they low

I ain't got time no more

Luck ain't on my side no more

I can't touch the sky no more (Sky no more)

The plug don't supply no more

I ain't alright, I'm wrong (Alright, I'm wrong)

My pot don't multiply, it don't wanna divide no more (Divide no more)

I can't see the signs no more

I don't wanna try no more

[Chorus: Ab-Soul, *SiR*, **Both**]

I messed up, but it be like that

I missed out, but it be like that (*I missed out, but it be like that*)

Like, why they had to do me like that?

Man, it wasn't 'posed to be like that

**It be like that**

I had doubts, but it be like that

I'm assed out, but it be like that (*I'm assed out, but it be like that*)

**Lord knows it's been like that**

But it don't gotta **end like that**

[Verse 2: Ab-Soul]

'Cause my sun just shined again

My light look lime again, yeah

My kite might fly again

My woman wanna be mine again, yeah

And all my words rhyme again

My life's more live again

My heights feel high as shit

I'm takin' my time again

'Cause luck is on my side again

I can touch the sky again (Sky again)

My plug is online again

Everything is alright again, yeah (Alright again)

The product still multiply, the total divide, it make sense

I can see the signs again

Let me tell you why I'm tryin' again

[Chorus: Ab-Soul, *SiR*, **Both**]

I messed up, but it be like that

I missed out, but it be like that (*I missed out, but it be like that*)

Like, why they had to do me like that?

Man, it wasn't 'posed to be like that

**It be like that**

I had doubts, but it be like that

I'm assed out, but it be like that (*I'm assed out, but it be like that*)

**Lord knows it's been like that**

But it don't gotta **end like that**

**[Part II]**

[Verse: Ab-Soul]

Spirallin' (Right), spirallin' (Yeah)

Baby, I've been spirallin' (Spirallin')

(I've been down on my luck)

(Lookin' up like, "What the fuck?")

Spirallin', spirallin'

(Today just ain't my day)

Baby, I've been spirallin' (Mercury retrograde, ayy)

Spirallin' (Oh, man)

Spirallin' (When the sun set and it's cold out and the door closes on you)

Spirallin' (Gotta reset and reroute with more fortitude)

Baby, I've been spirallin' (It's tedious and difficult, but it's supposed to be)

Spirallin' (Too many characters in the alphabet to just settle for E-Z)

Spirallin' (To begin again is frightenin', but the hardest part is startin')

Spirallin' (They say the endin' is everything and they was always heartless)

Baby, I've been spirallin' (We far gone, we march on and charge through the debacles)

Spirallin' (A sad mind is a set mind, it'll take an army to stop you)

## References

1. ↑ Elibert, Mark (January 19, 2023). "Ab-Soul Seeks Peaceful Escape in Stunning 'It Be Like That' Video". *HipHopDX*.
2. ↑ Ahmed, Insanul (December 19, 2022). "Ab-Soul Hit His Lowest Point. Then He Made the Most Liberating Music of His Career". *GQ*.