Willie Burke Sherwood Lyrics

[Hook]
This is for the dads and the grandads
And the little homies that ain't never had dads
This is for the uncles and the OGs
And the lil homies, and the YGs
This is for the men I look up to
And all the struggles that the men had to go through
For every man that's ever had to man up
If that's you, let me see you put your hands up

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About

Genius Annotation

“Willie Burke Sherwood” is the final track off Killer Mike’s 2012 album R.A.P. Music. Produced by El-P, this album is the first full length collaboration between the duo that would become Run the Jewels.

The track is named after Killer Mike’s grandfather, Willie Burke Sherwood, who helped raise him. The song pays tribute to his family and is highly autobiographical. On the cover for the album, graffiti writing reads: “Readers of the books/ Leaders of the crooks,” and on this track Mike describes these two sides of his personality.

Q&A

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

What did Killer Mike say about "Willie Burke Sherwood"?
Genius Answer

Killer Mike said the following in an interview with Spin Magazine:

That’s my granddad. That’s my man. My grandma just died and my granddad died nine yard ago. With them I lost my parents because they raised me. This is probably the most personal song on [the album] because I’m talking about me. I was insecure when I was young, and this record, just listening to it allows people to know me. I had spent so much time being defiant that I had become someone I felt people couldn’t know. I was so torn and worn that I became like an iron man and I need to show people myself. It’s hard for me to listen to this song without weeping.

Credits
Produced By
Written By
Release Date
May 15, 2012
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