Released: 2023 • Features: Juice WRLD
“Cross The Globe” by Lil Durk featuring Juice WRLD presents a raw depiction of street realities intertwined with the pursuit of fame and fortune in the hip-hop industry. This adrenaline-charged track traces Durk’s hustle from the trap house to the global stage, while simultaneously dealing with relationship complications.
We’re greeted by the catchy chant of, “Wheezy outta here,” a common producer tag for Atlanta-based producer Wheezy, who is known for his work with prolific rap artists like Future, Young Thug, and of course, Lil Durk.
The first verse by Durk explores a love triangle with a woman who refuses to choose between Durk and his friend. The phrase, “countin’ up Benjamin Franklins,” references accumulating wealth specifically in hundred-dollar bills, which bear the portrait of Benjamin Franklin. Durk also takes us back to his early days in the streets, “Sold a lot of rock, I don’t gotta cap” – essentially stating that he doesn’t need to lie about his past as a drug dealer, comparing his success in both worlds – the streets and the music industry.
He compares himself to the late hip-hop legend 2Pac, “I got the juice, feel like 2Pac,” referencing the 1992 film Juice starring 2Pac, and also implicating his influence and power in the rap game. There’s also an allusion to the infamous BMW 2Pac was shot in, a symbol of his tragic death and the violent tendencies within rap culture.
As the song progresses, Durk continues to lament about the harsh realities and deception seen in the rap industry. He comments about individuals speaking ill of the deceased, “I hate the trollin’ they do when you die – Honestly, them niggas really be foul”, which is likely a commentary on the online action following the death of fellow rappers.
The line, “50 want to shoot a movie, but I was just tellin’ him this real,” probably references 50 Cent and his many ventures into film and TV. Durk asserts here that the street life is not just a movie, it’s reality, affirming once again the authenticity of his own experiences.
The hook, repeated throughout the song, reiterates the woman’s resistance to choosing between Durk and his friend, symbolizing a broader issue in Durk’s life: the struggle to balance love, fame, wealth, and the street life.
Overall, “Cross The Globe” serves as a gritty, unfiltered look into the burden of street cred, fame, and relationships in the rap game through the memoirs of Lil Durk.
