Crooked Smile
Chorus: T-Boz, Chilli & Jennifer Hudson
Even though I—On my way, on my way, on my way downOn my way, on my way, on my way downYou were the one that was tryna keep me way downBut like the sun, know you know I find my way back roundVerse 1: J. Cole
They tell me I should fix my grill 'cause I got money nowI ain't gon' sit around and front like I ain't thought about itA perfect smile is more appealing, but it's funny howMy shit is crooked—look at how far I done got without it!I keep my twisted grill, just to show the kids it's realWe ain't picture perfect, but we worth the picture stillI got smart, I got rich and I got bitches stillAnd they all look like my eyebrows: thick as hellLove yourself, girl, or nobody willThough you a woman I don't know how you dealWith all the pressure to look impressive and go out in heelsI feel for you, killin' yourself to find a man that'll kill for youYou wake up, put makeup onStare in the mirror, but it's clear that you can't face what's wrongNo need to fix what God already put his paintbrush onYour roommate yelling, "Why you gotta take so long?!"What it's like to have a crooked smileChorus: T-Boz, Chilli & Jennifer Hudson (J. Cole)
Even though I—On my way, on my way, on my way downOn my way, on my way, on my way down (This crooked smile)You were the one that was tryna keep me way downBut like the sun, know you know I find my way back round (Yeah)Verse 2: J. Cole
To all the women with the flaws, know it's hard, my darlingYou wonder why you're lonely and your man's not callingYou keep falling victim 'cause you're insecureAnd when I tell you that you're beautiful, you can't be sure'Cause he don't seem to want you back and it's got you askin'So all you see is what you lackin', not what you packin'Take it from a man that loves what you gotAnd baby girl, you a star, don't let 'em tell you you're notNow is it real? Eyebrows, fingernails, hairIs it real? If it's not, girl, you don't care'Cause what's real is somethin' that the eyes can't seeThat the hands can't touch, that them broads can't beAnd that's you, never let 'em see your frownAnd if you need a friend to pick you up, I'll be aroundAnd we can ride with the windows down, the music loudI can tell you ain't laughed in a whileBut I wanna see that crooked smileChorus: T-Boz, Chilli & Jennifer Hudson
Even though I—On my way, on my way, on my way downOn my way, on my way, on my way downYou were the one that was tryna keep me way downBut like the sun, know you know I find my way back roundPost-Chorus: J. Cole T-Boz & Chilli
We got the crooked smile, we can style on 'emBack round, crooked smile, we can style on 'emYou were the one that was tryna keep me way downBut like the sun, know you know I find my way back roundVerse 3: J. Cole
We don't look nothin' like the people on the screenYou know, the movie stars, picture perfect beauty queensBut we got dreams and we got the right to chase 'emLook at the nationThat's a crooked smile braces couldn't even straightenSeem like half the race is either on probation or in jailWonder why we inhale, 'cause we in Hell alreadyI ask: If my skin pale, would I then sell like Eminem or Adele?But one more time for the 'VilleAnd fuck all of that beef shit, nigga, let's make a mil'Hey officer man, we don't want nobody gettin' killedJust open up that cell, let my brother outta jailI got money for the bail now, and well nowIf you askin' will I tell now—ayy, hell nahI ain't snitchin' 'cause, man, they get them niggas stitches nowIf you was around then you wouldn't need a witness nowHow you like this crooked smile?Chorus: T-Boz, Chilli & Jennifer Hudson (J. Cole)
Even though I—On my way, on my way, on my way downOn my way, on my way, on my way down (That crooked smile)You were the one that was tryna keep me way downBut like the sun, know you know I find my way back roundPost-Chorus: J. Cole T-Boz & Chilli
We got the crooked smile, we can style on 'emBack round, crooked smile, we can style on 'emYou were the one that was tryna keep me way downBut like the sun, know you know I find my way back roundOutro: Choir
La la la, la la la, la-la—la—laLa la la, la la la, la-la—la—laLa la la, la la la, la-la—la—laLa la la, la la la, la-la—la—laOn my way, on my way, on my way downOn my way, on my way, on my way downYou were the one that was tryna keep me way downBut like the sun, know you know I find my way back roundBack roundYou were the one that was tryna keep me way downBut like the sun, know you know I find my way back roundBack roundYou were the one that was tryna keep me way downBut like the sun, know you know I find my way back roundRoundWhat the song means
"Crooked Smile" is about accepting imperfection and finding your way back to joy after feeling pulled down. The chorus returns again and again to the idea of being pushed low by someone else and then rising, like the sun, to find a way back up. The speaker starts by admitting his own insecurity about his teeth, then turns that honesty outward to women who feel pressure to look flawless and to people who feel trapped by their circumstances.
The second and third verses widen the focus. The speaker speaks directly to women about how makeup, appearance, and approval from men can wear them down, and he argues that what is "real" is something deeper than eyebrows or nails. The third verse broadens the scope again to society, pointing to the pressure of celebrity beauty standards, the struggles of his community, and a longing for justice and freedom. The crooked smile becomes a symbol of authenticity, resilience, and being proud of who you are even when you are not picture perfect.
The song's key images work together. The "crooked smile" stands for flaws that are part of your identity, not something to hide. The line about God's paintbrush suggests that natural imperfection is already a kind of beauty. The closing choir and the repeated phrase "back round" suggest a circular return to happiness and self-worth, ending the song on an uplifting, hopeful note.
Key phrases explained
- front like I ain't thought about it
- to pretend you haven't thought about something — Here it means the speaker admits openly he has considered fixing his teeth, rejecting pretense.
- grill
- dental jewelry worn over the teeth — A street-culture reference that signals the speaker's style and attitude toward his own look.
- killin' yourself
- exhausting yourself with effort — Used figuratively to describe how hard women work to meet beauty and relationship expectations.
- God already put his paintbrush on
- God already gave you your natural beauty — A metaphor suggesting that your natural features are an artistic creation that needs no fixing.
- style on 'em
- to outshine or dominate others — Slang meaning the speaker and his crew will overcome and impress their critics.
- I ain't snitchin'
- I'm not informing on anyone to the police — Street slang that signals loyalty and refusal to betray others in a dangerous situation.
Song info
- Release date
- 2013-06-04
- Album
- Born Sinner
- Written by
- Rich Harrison, J. Cole, Meleni Smith
- Produced by
- J. Cole, Elite, Ken Lewis
- Featuring
- TLC
- Samples
- Jennifer Hudson – No One Gonna Love You
- Remix of
- J. Cole – Crooked Smile (Original)
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