NF – When I Grow Up Lyrics - Genius

2025, In ReviewFeaturedChartsVideosPromote Your MusicSign Up231When I Grow UpNFProducersTommee Profitt & NFTrack 8 onThe Search Jun. 27, 20191 viewer853.3K views116 ContributorsTranslations

• Português
• Nederlands
• Polski
• Italiano
• Français
• فارسی
• Español
• Русский (Russian)
• Українська

When I Grow Up Lyrics

“When I Grow Up” is the third single off of NF’s 2019 album The Search. On the track, NF shares when growing up, he aspired to be a rapper, rather than go to college or work a nine-to-five job. He also shares… Read More [Verse 1]Yeah, when I grow up, you know what I wanna be?Take a seat, let me tell you my ridiculous dreamsI wanna rap, yeah, I know it's hard to believeAnd I can tell you're already thinkin' I will never succeedBut I'm okay with it, I admit the lyrics are weakI've been workin' on 'em, I'll be good eventuallyI understand you gotta crawl before you get to your feetBut I been running for a while, they ain't ready for me, ahhI know this prolly isn't really realisticAnd honestly, I might not ever make a differenceBut that don't make a difference, I'ma have to risk itI've been crunchin' numbers, you ain't gotta be a mathematicianTo see the odds ain't rootin' for meI can't lie though, it's kinda how I like it to beThe underdog, yeah, you prolly think you know what I meanBut what I'm saying is they ever push me, I'm gonna swing, yeahI could go to college, get in debt like everybody elseGraduate and prolly get a job that doesn't pay the billsThat don't make a lot of sense to me, forget the Happy MealsI don't like the dollar menu, I would rather make a mealHuh? Make a mil'? Nah, I said make a mealHome-cookin', get the grill, how you want it? Pretty well?Everything I see is overdone to me, I'm not AdeleBut I'ma get a record deal and say hello to mass appealYou might also like[Chorus]When I grow up, I just want to pay my billsRappin' 'bout the way I feel (Oh, yeah)I just want to make a couple mil'Leave it to the fam in the will (Oh, yeah)I just want to sign a record dealMaybe buy a house up in the hills (Oh, yeah)Might not be the best in my fieldBut I guarantee that I'ma die realWhen I grow up[Post-Chorus]Yeah, ayyWhen I grow upYeah, yeah, ayy[Verse 2]I'ma make 'em notice me, rhymin' like it's poetryEverything I oversee, I just like to overthinkMockin' me, you pay the fee, no return and no receiptsThose of you that don't believe, quiet, you don't know a thingQuiet when I'm tryna singQuiet when I'm making beatsQuiet when I'm tryna thinkSorry, I don't mean to screamI just feel like no one really gets me, and it's sad to see'Cause someday I'ma grow up and show all of you it's meant to be (Yeah)Anybody wanna hear me rap? "No"Come on, let me play a couple tracks, "No"Come on, I can spit it really fast, "No"You think I should throw this in the trash? "No"Tricked ya, haters, go away before I hit yaI am not a beggar or a kiss-upYou don't understand? Well, I forgive yaI am not a quitter, you ain't really think that, did ya?Maybe someday I could even be up on the radioHave a tour bus and maybe even play a couple showsEverybody in the crowd singing every word I wroteTellin' me that I am not the only one that feels aloneHuh? You feel alone? Yeah, I kinda feel aloneWonder if that feelin' ever goes away when you get oldWill I ever make it as an artist? I don't really knowMight not make a lot of doughI'ma have to try it, though[Chorus]When I grow upI just wanna pay my billsRappin' 'bout the way I feel (Oh, yeah, way I feel)I just wanna make a couple mil'Leave it to the fam in the will (Oh, yeah)(Leave it to the fam in the will)(Yeah, yeah)I just wanna sign a record dealMaybe buy a house up in the hills (Okay, oh, yeah)Might not be the best in my field (Ayy, ayy, yeah, oh)But I guarantee that I'ma die realWhen I grow upI just wanna pay my bills (Woo)Rappin' 'bout the way I feel (Oh, yeah)(Yeah, the way I feel)Yeah, I just wanna make a couple mil' (Ayy, couple mil')Leave it to the fam in the will (Oh, yeah, to the fam in the will)I just wanna sign a record deal (Woo)Maybe buy a house up in the hills (Oh, yeah)(House up in the hills)Yeah, I might not be the best in my fieldBut I guarantee that I'ma die realWhen I grow up[Outro]When I grow up231EmbedCancel

How to Format Lyrics:

• Type out all lyrics, even repeating song parts like the chorus
• Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines
• Use section headers above different song parts like [Verse], [Chorus], etc.
• Use italics (<i>lyric</i>) and bold (<b>lyric</b>) to distinguish between different vocalists in the same song part
• If you don’t understand a lyric, use [?]

To learn more, check out our transcription guide or visit our transcribers forum

AboutSong Bio1 contributor

“When I Grow Up” is the third single off of NF’s 2019 album The Search. On the track, NF shares when growing up, he aspired to be a rapper, rather than go to college or work a nine-to-five job. He also shares his motivation from doubters growing up who motivated him as an artist.

The music video was released with the release of the track, NF plays the role of many ordinary jobs including a janitor, a trashman, and a fast food worker, then finishes the video off with him pursuing his career of being a rapper.

Expand +2251ShareQ&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

Ask a questionTranslationsGenius Answer3 contributors

• Dutch Translation • Farsi Translastion • French Translation • Italian Translation • Polish Translation • Portuguese Translation • Russian Translation • Spanish Translation

+19What did the note in the video say at the 1:49 mark?Genius Answer1 contributor

Time 7/12/19 Midnight Eastern.

Likely teasing “Time” as the final single to be released on July 12 before the album’s release on July 26.

+50How was this track teased?Genius Answer1 contributor

On June 26, 2019, NF posted a snippet of a new music video that would be releasing on June 27, 2019, at 12 PM EST.

+32What does the ending mean of the music video, when he walks off stage?Why did Nate chose to be a trashman or a janitor or a fastwood worker?Was a larger audience a goal for Nate? He said large crowds make him anxious.what do the black balloons representHas the song been certified?Does this song have a Spotify canvas?Who produced “When I Grow Up” by NF?When did NF release “When I Grow Up”?Who wrote “When I Grow Up” by NF?The Search (2019)NF

1. 1. The Search
2. 2. Leave Me Alone
3. 3. Change
4. 4. My Stress
5. 5. Nate
6. 6. Time
7. 7. Returns
8. 8. When I Grow Up
9. 9. Only
10. 10. Let Me Go
11. 11. -Interlude-
12. 12. Hate Myself
13. 13. I Miss the Days
14. 14. No Excuses
15. 15. Like This
16. 16. Options
17. 17. WHY
18. 18. Thinking
19. 19. Trauma
20. 20. Time (Edit)

Best Rap Workout 2023 (2023)Various ArtistsExpand CreditsReleased onJune 27, 2019ProducersTommee Profitt & NFWritersNF & Tommee ProfittPhonographic Copyright ℗Capitol CMG Paragon & NF Real MusicDrumsRhettVideo Production AssistantCaitlin KlineInstrumentationTommee ProfittProgrammerTommee ProfittMastering EngineerTommee Profitt & Mike BozziCopyright ©Capitol CMG Paragon & NF Real MusicVideo ProducerNF & Patrick TohillVideo DirectorPatrick Tohill & NFMixing EngineerTommee ProfittRecorded AtTommee Profitt Studios, Franklin, TNSongs That Interpolate When I Grow UpWhen I Grow Up (Video Version) by NFWhen I Grow Up CoversWhen I Grow Up (NF Cover) by Jenna Jay & When I Grow Up (Instrumental) by Piano DreamersWhen I Grow Up RemixesWhen I Grow Up (Remix) by Save Our Soul Rampeleng, When I Grow Up (Remix) by Bulky B, When I Grow Up by Sangu X & Hi NF... by Asa JakeWhen I Grow Up TranslationsNF - When I Grow Up (Tradução em Português) by Genius Brasil Traduções, NF - When I Grow Up (Nederlandse Vertaling) by Genius Nederlandse Vertalingen, NF - When I Grow Up (polskie tłumaczenie) by Polskie tłumaczenia Genius, NF - When I Grow Up (Traduzione Italiana) by Genius Traduzioni Italiane, NF - When I Grow up (Traduction française) by Genius traductions françaises, NF - When I Grow Up (ترجمه ی فارسی) by Genius Farsi Translations (ترجمه‌ی فارسی), NF - When I Grow Up (Traducción al Español) by Genius Traducciones al Español, NF - When I Grow Up (Русский перевод) by Genius Russian Translations (Русский перевод) & NF - When I Grow Up (Український переклад) by Genius Ukrainian Translations (Українські переклади)View When I Grow Up samplesTagsRapUSAIn EnglishExpand CommentsAdd a commentSign Up And Drop Knowledge 🤓Genius is the ultimate source of music knowledge, created by scholars like you who share facts and insight about the songs and artists they love.Sign Up