Released: 2018
To understand “Could of Been Different” by Kodak Black, one has to tap into the raw, unfiltered emotions of loyalty, loss, and regrets that lace the track. Kodak Black navigates spaces of personal growth, rueful contemplation, and street reality in this tune, laying bare the fractures and fissures of friendships he once held dear.
The rapper opens up with a shoutout to his hometown, Broward County, 954, signifying his deep connection to his roots. The song then takes an introspective turn, revealing Kodak’s lamentations about the friends he feels abandoned by, wishing they “could’ve been different”, admitting that their betrayal stung but he’s moved beyond it—“But if I put that shit on blast, they gon’ say I’m trippin'”.
Kodak’s lyrics also display a poignant sense of lost trust and burgeoning self-reliance, as he says, “I don’t even feel the love be real no more, so I keep my distance”. These lines reflect a hardened perspective born out of past betrayals.
There’s a stark contrast visible when Kodak talks about his burgeoning fame and success, and the resentment he feels it’s caused. The rapper explains that even amidst his success and busy life “on the plane right now”, he’s still willing to honor those who switched up on him.
The somber reflection switches to a more darker narrative as the rapper revisits the hard past that helped mold his present: “To create my future, I had to revisit my past, revisit my pain.” This clever juxtaposition shows how his adverse experiences have contributed to his artistic persona and his distaste for his disloyal friends.
The verse, “I’m in my cell right now, I’m wishin’ shit could’ve been different” strikes a powerful chord, with Kodak contemplating the path that’s led him down the road of incarceration. Here, he’s acknowledging the consequences of his actions and expressing his yearning for a different outcome.
In the lines, “I remember throwin’ rocks, now we goin’ to prison”, rock-throwing represents the childhood mischief that has escalated into a life of crime and eventual time in prison. The song oscillates between Kodak’s life in the streets and his ascension to fame, shedding light on the duality of his existence. So when he says “But now my watch got rocks, no more drug dealin'”, we see the transition from his past to his present.
Closing the track with the line, “I wish it could’ve been different, though”, Kodak underlines a sense of longing for an alternate reality where things didn’t have to end up the way they did. The song conjures images of loyalty tested, friendships lost, and a dreamscape marred by reality’s harsh blows. It’s a testament to Kodak Black’s ability to navigate harsh truths and an unforgiving backdrop with compelling lyrical ingenuity.
