The song "Do Tell" by Joe Budden is a deeply introspective and personal track where the artist reflects on his life, relationships, and struggles. The lyrics convey a mix of apologies, gratitude, self-reflection, and defiance. In the song, Joe apologizes to his mother for unintentionally hurting her and expresses regret for taking things too far. He sends love to his father, acknowledging the valuable advice he received. He admits to feeling like a replica of his parents, trying to be what they never were. Joe acknowledges his shortcomings as a brother and expresses admiration for his older brother. He apologizes to his grandmother for not visiting her enough due to being consumed by his own self-interest. He mentions his friend Tre and expresses negative feelings towards Tre's mother while implying that he understands how difficult parent-child relationships can be. He then mentions leaving his neighborhood not for material gain but for the sake of his own mental well-being. Joe acknowledges the music as his first love and salvation during tough times. He expresses deep gratitude to his friends for teaching him how to be a friend and acknowledges their contribution to his personal growth. He then speaks about fame, stating that he never desired it and tried his best to pursue it but faced setbacks. He reveals his struggles with mental health, mentioning his dormant state and torment. He admits to having warrants and acknowledges the therapist for helping him through his journey. He questions why his love interest didn't want to live with him. Joe expresses pride in himself and apologizes to anyone who claims to know him better than he knows himself. He mentions his 80-year-old grandfather and encourages fake people to continue their deceptive ways. He credits those who hated him for motivating him. He dismisses the opinions of others who found him difficult. Joe expresses his lack of concern about the world being against him. He requests God's support in case he falls and assures his fans that he always gave his best. He thanks his girlfriend for being there for him during challenging times. He admits to hiding behind his own insanity for too long and apologizes to his family for doing so. He mentions being caught up and instructs someone to inform rapper Curren$y that he pursued him relentlessly but eventually ran out of energy. He acknowledges his bruises, stating that he's fine and will heal quickly. Joe desires to feel the rain as a means of emotional release. He recounts asking for help from someone who refused, and he kept telling himself he couldn't do it until he no longer could. He declares that if someone wants to kill him, they're too late because he has already died metaphorically. He asks anyone who will listen to his story to understand that he tried his best until he had nothing left. He tells the water in his eyes to go away. He mentions enjoying the taste of crust but would prefer to have the whole pie. Joe asks success what he needs to do to achieve it and tells his twin brothers that they are his motivation. He promises to provide for them. He admits to struggling with greed but assures that he is still growing. He addresses failure, stating that he didn't want to get to know it. He challenges those who stereotype him, mentioning that their assumptions don't fit his reality. He apologizes to anyone he has wronged. In the end, Joe acknowledges that life has its ups and downs, but he emphasizes that no one can tell him what he feels inside. He disagrees with the concept of "life is what you make it" and asks for a different perspective.
