Joyner Lucas emphasizes the whirlwind of emotions that come with seeing a loved one battling drug addiction in “Best for Me (feat. Jelly Roll).”
Channeling the pain of witnessing someone you love slowly lose themselves, “Best for Me” finds Joyner Lucas explaining how this person’s bad habits have negatively impacted their relationships and life. Meanwhile, Jelly Roll sings the chorus in an eloquent fashion, questioning the extent of loving someone who’s chosen to take a detrimental path.
In the first verse, Joyner Lucas speaks to the person he cares about who is battling this disease. Without hesitation, the Not Now, I’m Busy artist offers sympathy to his loved one and hopes that one day they’ll overcome this fight against their vices. He delivers introspective bars, ensuring them that they aren’t alone.
“But I wrote this song, in hopes when they hear it/They’ll never forget who they was,” Joyner Lucas raps. “I hope you feelin’ your spirit enough/I wanna just tell you I love you in case that you really don’t hear it as much.”
He continues, “I hope you look in the mirror and see all the things I been seein’ in you/Hope your reflection will send you a message and show you this s**t is much deeper than you.”
As the song continues, Joyner Lucas implies that as painful as it is to walk away, he must. Seeing the person he loves slowly kill themselves is taking a heavy toll on him.
By the second verse, Joyner Lucas speaks from the addict’s point-of-view as they describe what it’s like to lean heavily on their vices. No matter how much their family or close friends want them to get help, the addict takes these pleas as judgment. And so, the addict points the finger at these people, suggesting they take a look in the mirror, too.
“Nobody is perfect, not even you/So why do you keep targeting me?” Joyner Lucas spits. “I feel like we can’t even have a genuine conversation without you starting to preach. I feel like a dog on a leash; it’s not what I need. I’m Living in hell, wondering when I gotta leave.”
Before the song ends, the addict sadly comes to terms with their drug addiction. This person tells their loved ones to either take them as they are or to leave them behind. Sonically, “Best for Me” merges country elements with live instrumentation and hip-hop arrangements.
Ultimately, “Best for Me” serves as a lending hand for people who are seeing their close friend or family member battle a substance use disorder. The song informs these individuals that they aren’t alone in this struggle.
Joyner Lucas’ “Best for Me (feat. Jelly Roll)” will be on his new album Not Now I’m Busy, which drops on March 22. Other singles, such as “Sticks & Stones (feat. Conway The Machine),” “Seventeen,” “Broski,” “24 Hours to Live,” and “Cut U Off (feat. YoungBoy Never Broke Again),” can be found on Joyner Lucas’ upcoming LP as well.
