All My Life

* Single
* Remixes

## Single by Lil Durk featuring J. Cole

"**All My Life**" is a song by American rapper Lil Durk featuring J. Cole. It was released through Only the Family, Alamo Records, and Sony Music as the lead single and third track from Durk's eighth studio album, *Almost Healed*, on May 12, 2023. A collection of remixes was released on October 6, 2023, with versions either done by Burna Boy or Stray Kids.

The lyrics speak about the struggles that Lil Durk and J. Cole have faced throughout their lives and how they refused to let anyone keep them down. It also provides social commentary on what Black communities face, such as police brutality, systemic racism, child support, drug use, and gun violence.

## Background

Lil Durk told Apple Music of the collaboration with J. Cole, "It's so crazy because we'd been talking for, like, two years, and he'd always be like, 'Send me a record.' And I'm like, 'I gotta find the right record.' I'm glad I waited two years. In my eyes, he a legend. If you have a chance to do a song with a legend, it be like, will you send them something just to send it, just to say you got one, or you gon' make it stick?" He added, "So that's why I never just sent him a record. 'Cause I'm like, 'I want something that's gon' stick.' As soon as I did the record, he was the first person to pop in my head. Like, I got it. I believe in timing. Timing is everything."

On September 22, 2023, the two performed it live for the first time at the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Festival, where Cole made a surprise appearance.

## Music video

The official music video, directed by Steve Cannon, was released alongside the song on May 12, 2023. The two artists stand on a porch and dance in a yard, as well as play catch with some of the children.

## Personnel

Song
* Ashlee Gibbs – coordinator
* Bryce Bordone – assistant engineer
* Clint Gibbs – recording engineer
* Dale Becker – mastering engineer
* Durk "Lil Durk" Banks – lead artist, writer
* Gamal "LunchMoney Lewis" Lewis – writer
* Grant Horton – assistant engineer
* Jermaine "J. Cole" Cole – featured artist, writer
* Kalani Thompson – recording engineer
* Łukasz "Dr. Lule" Gottwald – writer, producer
* Nate Mingo – assistant engineer
* Rocco "Rocco Did It Again!" Valdes – writer
* Ryan Ogren – writer
* Serban Ghenea – mixing engineer
* Theron "R. City" Thomas – writer
* Tyler Sheppard – recording engineer

Video
* Steve Cannon – director
* Nolan Riddle – executive producer, editor
* Peter Jideonwo "unnecessaryballing" – executive producer
* Tashi Bhutia – producer
* Grade A Films – production company

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Intro: J. Cole]

Durkio told me he been on some positive shit, yeah, yeah

Lately, I just wanna show up and body some shit, yeah, yeah

Always been a lil' mathematician, lately, it's cash I'm gettin'

Got me losin' count of these bags, I've been movin' too fast

Hard times don't last, 'member when cops harassed

Talkin' out my ass, boy, you ain't shit but a bitch with a badge

[Chorus: Choir, *Lil Durk*]

All my life (*All my life*)

They been tryin' to keep me down (*They been tryna keep me down*)

All this time (*All this time*)

Never thought I would make it out (Never thought I'd make it out)

They couldn't break me, they couldn't break mе (*No, no*)

They couldn't take me, thеy couldn't take me (*No*)

All my life (*All my life*)

They been tryin' to keep me down (*They been tryna keep me down*)

[Verse 1: Lil Durk]

I decided I had to finish

But the media called me a menace

I done sat with the mayor and politicians, I'm tryna change the image

You can't blame my past no more, I come from the trenches

Some said I'd never be a superstar, but I know I'm different (No, no, no)

I'm The Voice, but the system ain't give me a choice

Know some people that's still unemployed

I know a felon who tryna get FOID

Child support your only support

For a visit, I'm goin' through courts

Went to jail, they was chainin' me up

And you know that I'm famous as fuck

See how you gon' joke about stimulus?

But they really had came in the clutch

I know some kids wanna hurt theyself

Stop tryna take drugs, I refer to myself

Tryna better myself, tryna better my health but

[Chorus: Choir, *Lil Durk*, **J. Cole**]

All my life (*All my life*)

They been tryin' to keep me down (*They been tryna keep me down*)

All this time (*All this time*)

Never thought I would make it out (Never thought I'd make it out)

They couldn't break me, they couldn't break me (*No, no*)

They couldn't take me, they couldn't take me (*No*)

All my life (*All my life*)

They been tryin' to keep me down (*They been tryna keep me down*, **yeah**)

[Verse 2: J. Cole]

First-generation ghetto n\*\*\*a

Cole world, hello n\*\*\*as

Made it out the city with my head on straight

N\*\*\*as keep shootin' up the lead out

Young Jordan Peele, gotta get out

And the shit that I spit out

Is a cheat code like I'm facin' a RICO

And how a n\*\*\*a put a hit out

And another one, and, and another one

I got like a hundred of 'em

'Bout to lap n\*\*\*as so they think they ahead of me

But I'm really in front of them

Now some of them fumblin' they bags

Fuckin' up the little crumbs that they had

A reminder to humble yourself

This shit could be gone in an instant

Me, I'm runnin' long distance, all pistons firin'

I been stuck between maybe retirin'

And feelin' like I'm just not hittin' my prime

These days seein' rappers be dyin'

Way before they even gettin' they shine

I never even heard of lil' buddy

'Til somebody murdered lil' buddy

Now I'm on the phone, searchin' lil' buddy name

Got to playin' his tunes

All day in my room, thinkin', "Damn

This shit wicked, to get they names buzzin'

Some n\*\*\*as just gotta go lay in a tomb"

And media thirsty for clicks

I got a new rule

If you ain't never posted a rapper when he was alive

You can't post about him after he get hit

It's simple, it's the principle

On any tempo, I'm invincible

Don't even rap, I just vent to you

I rather that than an interview most days

Fuck 'em all like I'm goin' through a ho phase

Young n\*\*\*a shoot out the whip like road rage

I pray all of my dawgs stay so paid

And the only thing that kill 'em is old age

[Chorus: Choir, *Lil Durk*]

All my life (*All my life*)

They been tryin' to keep me down (*They been tryna keep me down*)

All this time (*All this time*)

Never thought I would make it out (Never thought I'd make it out)

They couldn't break me, they couldn't break me (*No, no*)

They couldn't take me, they couldn't take me (*No*)

All my life (*All my life*)

They been tryin' to keep me down (*They been tryna keep me down*)

## References

1. ↑ Aniftos, Rania (July 11, 2023). "Here Are the Lyrics to Lil Durk & J. Cole's 'All My Life'". *Billboard*.
2. ↑ "Meaning of All My Life by Lil Durk (Ft. J. Cole)". *Songtell*. June 1, 2023.
3. ↑ "Lil Durk: The 'Almost Healed' Interview | Apple Music". *YouTube*. 2023.
4. ↑ Nevares, Gabriel (September 23, 2023). "J. Cole & Lil Durk Perform "All My Life" Live for the First Time". *HotNewHipHop*.
5. ↑ Griffin, Marc (May 12, 2023). "Lil Durk, J. Cole Inspire Change in "All My Life" Music Video". *Vibe*.