4 Your Eyez Only: Ville Mentality

J. Cole’s song “Ville Mentality” from his 2016 album 4 Your Eyez Only introduces the term ville mentality, the mentality of living in the moment. J. Cole is originally from Fayetteville, North Carolina. Hence the “Fayette”-ville mentality. In referring to the mentality of being present in the moment and not really looking towards the future as the ville mentality, it suggests that J. Cole sees most people in his hometown as taking it day by day and just cruising along instead of giving themselves the opportunity to dream for something bigger. Something more than what they are experiencing and what they know in Fayetteville. J. Cole sings in the chorus of the song,

How long can I survive with this mentality?
How long can I survive with this mentality?

This means that the ville mentality is one thing to have temporarily, but another thing for it to be your sole mentality. What I take from the chorus is: What kind of life will you live not having anything to accomplish or look forward to? How long can you survive, before you just feel lost and dead inside?

The “problem” with the ville mentality that J. Cole makes clear is that when you’re stuck in that mentality, you do not see yourself as something greater than where and who you are at that very moment. You are not aiming for something beyond. On the flip side, when you have the ville mentality, you get to fully take in, appreciate, and experience today. Those who do not have the ville mentality, myself included, are always planning and working towards a better tomorrow or dwelling on failures yesterday that we miss the blessings that we have today.

I think, at times, it is important to tune in to the ville mentality. Trips, time with those we care about, concerts, random adventures and detours can be so much more meaningful and etheral even, with the ville mentality. During these times especially, it is hard to appreciate what we do have because we are focusing on what we had, or what we want for the future. I have found myself happier accepting the position that I am in and working as hard as I can on the present. I was so ready to leave home, leave my past problems and branch off in college, but for one reason or another, I’m still at home for another year. I have decided to embrace that and live and be grateful for the more time that I have here with my friends and family. Moreover, I wouldn’t want to only have the ville mentality, but I do admire it, and I am enjoying it for now.

Works Cited

“J. Cole Explains The Meaning Behind Ville Mentality.” Youtube, 15 Oct. 2017, https://youtu.be/AmMcqEIh3IA

“J. Cole — Ville Mentality.” Genius, 8 Dec. 2016, genius.com/J-cole-ville-mentality-lyrics.