All My Life (Lil Durk song)
"All My Life" is a song by American rapper Lil Durk featuring fellow American rapper J. Cole. It was released through Only the Family, Alamo Records, and Sony Music as the lead single from the former's eighth studio album, Almost Healed, on May 12, 2023. it was written alongside Rocco Did It Again!, Ryan Ogren, LunchMoney Lewis, Theron Thomas of R. City, and producer Dr. Luke. It features uncredited vocals from the young choir.
"All My Life"
On October 13, 2023, two remixes of the song were released, respectively with Burna Boy and Stray Kids; the latter omits J. Cole.[1] The song won Best Melodic Rap Performance at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, making it Durk's first Grammy and J. Cole's second.
Composition and lyrics[edit]
"All My Life" sees Durk trade his usual energetic drill style for more introspective production, which was considered a departure from his regular style of music, and contains the vocals of a young choir as he raps about the criticism that he has faced: "I decided I had to finish, but the media called me a menace / I done sat with the mayor and politicians, I'm tryna change the image / You can't blame my past no more, I come from the trenches".[5] He raps about social and community changes as he touches on abusing drugs, paying child support, and children wanting to cause self-harm, speaking on what he has lately been trying to do to help the world change for the better.[6] Cole raps about young rappers dying before they reach a big level of fame in his verse.[7]
Music video[edit]
The official music video for "All My Life", directed by Steve Cannon, was released alongside the song on May 12, 2023.[8] It sees Durk and Cole with a choir of children singing the chorus of the song.[9] The two artists stand on a porch and dance in a yard, as well as play catch with some of the children.[10]