"I’m sorry, just young and had to choose between you..."

"...and what the rest of the world might offer me, shit what would you do?" -Andre 3000

Single parents are universally celebrated for doing the work of two parents. The other parent, usually the father is ridiculed for being a "deadbeat". Many different factors lead to these situations. Most don't bother to think about the nuance of each situation. My mom used to tell the story of her dad going to the store for a bottle of milk one day and never returning home. Gone off for greener pastures perhaps. Could one really rationalize this decision?

Andre 3000 is playing around with these ideas in T.I.'s I'm Sorry. He mentions not liking to rap fast then tells himself to slow down as he goes into the first thing he feels sorry about. He then transitions into reflecting about his career and stardom.

Andre varies the pacing of his delivery throughout the rhyme. The same goes for his tone. Later in the song he uses this technique to address how drugs, romanticizing the past and his libido lead him into a situation he immediately regrets. His tone and voice rise as he nears the last line.

"And this that shit that’ll make you call your baby mama
When you gone on half a pill, don’t know why but that how it is
Then you take a flight back to the crib, y’all make love like college kids
And you say all the shit you gon’ do better, we can try this shit again
‘Round the time the dope wear off, you feel stupid, she feel lost
That’s that dopamine, I mean dopamine you think cupid done wore off
Waiting in the hallway with her arms crossed
Her baby boy face full of applesauce
Maybe should have stayed but it ain’t yo fault
Too much pressure, I fell off...."

The visual of this hallway scene of a disappointed mother and innocent child are powerful and clear. It is deepened by the pacing of his delivery. Instead of trotting out the stereotypical- some would say typical- image of the deadbeat dad and hard working mother he goes for more. Afterwards, he slows down his pace and softens his tone before some serious introspection and analysis. 

I’m sorry, just young and had to choose between you
And what the rest of the world might offer me, shit what would you do?
Well I’d probably, do it differently if second the chance
Only if some cool ass older man would’ve let me know in advance
This, this quarry, that is dug so deep in a father’s chest
When he feel that he’s broken up his nest
And he figured shit he was just doing the best that he could
Which end up being the worst that he could

Damn, so much to unpack here. The first two bars could be seen as selfish but choosing between parenthood and living one's life is a reality for many parents. He justifies it at first then admits that his decision to leave may not have been the right one. Men are usually the ones that have the luxury of making this decision. Women seem to be prone to more guilt or ridicule. The "only if some cool ass older man..." line really hits hard. It speaks to the value mentors and the role of elders. Just a few words from a neighborhood "old head" could have changed the course of these three lives. 

The hurt and realization of the situation hits a father so deep it leaves a hole that can only be described as a quarry. Realizing your best was the worst is difficult in any situation. This is about leaving your own child which increases the gravity. Just the thought of it makes him stutter. 

It is really easy to chastise men for not being there for their families. In fact, T.I. does just that during one of his verses. But this is Andre 3000. He looks at the complexities involved in issues as opposed to locking int0 one particular way of thinking. He is living, thinking, growing and struggling out loud throughout his lyrics. 

   

Dope song overall. T.I.P. does well with it, but Dre's verse begins @ 3:16 if you insist. 

"But it ain’t, What it is?
Even if you gotta live
I learned that apartment is way more exciting than a big ass house on a hill
I used to be a way better writer and a rapper
When I used to want a black Karmann Ghia
Now a nigga speeding in a Porsche
Feeling like I’m going off a course
Cut these fuck niggas off
Nigga TIP in my life scream that till im horse
Duck these get the fuck off me projectiles, bitch you ain’t really got a choice
I’m living my life live yours
I don’t even like rapping fast
But that’s how the word come to me talk to me sideways nigga that’s your ass
Slow it down...this that shit that’ll make you call your momma
Say hey I’m sorry for begging for all them clothes you couldn’t afford
And this the type of shit that’ll make you call your rap partner
And say I’m sorry im awkward, my fault for fuckin’ up the tours
I hated all the attention so I ran from it
Fuck it if we did, but I hope we ain’t lose no fans from it
I’m a grown-ass kid, you know ain’t never cared about no damn money
Why do we try so hard to be stars, just to dodge comets?
And this that shit that’ll make you call your baby mama
When you gone on half a pill, don’t know why but that how it is
Then you take a flight back to the crib, y’all make love like college kids
And you say all the shit you gon’ do better, we can try this shit again
‘Round the time the dope wear off, you feel stupid, she feel lost
That’s that dopamine, I mean dopamine you think cupid done wore off
Waiting in the hallway with her arms crossed
Her baby boy face full of applesauce
Maybe should have stayed but it ain’t yo fault
Too much pressure, I fell off....I’m sorry, just young  and had to choose between you
And what the rest of the world might offer me, shit what would you do
Well I’d probably do it differently if second the chance
Only if some cool ass older man would’ve let me know in advance
This, this quarry, that is dug so deep in a father’s chest
When he feel that he’s broken up his nest
And he figured shit he was just doing the best that he could
Which end up being the worst that he could
And all some pussy nigga on the internet can say is that verse ain’t good
It’s boring – boring?
Really?"