Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: hip-hop
Song Meaning of “Nosebleeds” by Danny Brown
Nosebleeds is a song by Danny Brown that speaks to the hustle of drug dealing and its effect on one’s life. In the song, Brown raps about the constant strain of having to sell drugs in order to survive and the constant fear of getting caught. The song paints a vivid picture of a life without hope as he talks about being “six feet in a prison cell, trying to make my phone calls”, and his desperation to make money, “dogged a 20 for a brick, I got it cooking in the microwave”, to take care of his loved ones.
The song has an undertone of the anxiety that comes with living an illegal life, “Keep my nose running, nosebleeds, don’t know if I’m gonna make it home tonight. Nose still running, nosebleeds, living life on the edge ain’t no flight”. The lines also allude to the double edged sword of the street life—”with one hand it can give you everything you want but on the other it can take it all away. The chorus, “It’s only cold when you take a breather, I had to keep going, run from the feds, every night is a heist, and the nosebleeds show it’s real.” conveys the bleak reality that the danger of the street life is all encompassing, and not even taking breaks (in the form of breaths) can protect one from its icy touch.
Overall, the song serves as a reminder of the pervasive sufferings of people living outside the law who sell drugs to make ends meet. It also serves as a sign of respect for those who have fallen in the process, ultimately giving them a voice and providing a sobering insight into their daily struggles.