Music has this weird way of getting stuck in your head, but not always because of a catchy hook. Sometimes, it’s a single line that just won’t leave you alone. If you’ve been typing i just want to know lyrics into a search bar lately, you’re almost certainly looking for "Know" by NF (Nathan Feuerstein). It’s the opening track of his 2017 album Perception, and honestly, it’s one of the most raw explorations of identity and the internal "noise" that any rapper has put out in the last decade.
It’s intense.
People gravitate toward these lyrics because they aren't just about rhyming; they’re about the frantic, almost desperate need for clarity in a world that feels incredibly fake. When NF says he just wants to know "what it's like to be you," he isn't making small talk. He's dissecting the distance between our public personas and the messy reality of being a human being. It’s a song that feels like a therapy session set to a cinematic beat.
The Story Behind the Lyrics
NF didn't just wake up and decide to write a radio hit. By the time Perception dropped, he was already carving out a niche as the "emotional" rapper, a label he both embraced and struggled with. The song "Know" acts as a manifesto. It’s loud. It’s aggressive. It’s kind of a slap in the face to anyone who thought he was just another Christian artist or a "clean" version of Eminem.
The core of the i just want to know lyrics revolves around the idea of perception versus reality. That’s why the album is titled what it is. In the first verse, he’s talking about the industry, the fans, and his own brain. He’s questioning why we value the things we do. If you listen closely to the cadence, it’s frantic. It mirrors the feeling of anxiety—that ticking clock in the back of your head that tells you you’re running out of time to figure yourself out.
Why "Know" Broke the Mold
Most rap songs in 2017 were leaning heavily into the "mumble rap" era or high-gloss trap production. NF went the other way. He used strings. He used heavy, orchestral swells that sounded like they belonged in a Christopher Nolan movie. When the beat drops and he starts questioning the motives of everyone around him, it hits a nerve because it feels authentic.
📖 Related: Big Brother 27 Morgan: What Really Happened Behind the Scenes
- He’s not rapping about money.
- He isn't bragging about fame.
- In fact, he seems to hate the fame part of it.
That’s the hook for most listeners. We live in a world of Instagram filters and curated LinkedIn updates, and then here comes this guy in a black hoodie yelling that he just wants to know what’s actually real. It’s refreshing. It’s also a little uncomfortable, which is usually a sign of good art.
Breaking Down the Verse Structure
The song doesn't follow a traditional pop structure. There isn't a sunny chorus to break up the tension. Instead, it’s a relentless flow. He moves from talking about his mother’s passing—a recurring theme in his work like in "How Could You Leave Us"—to the way people treat him now that he has a platform.
He asks, "You know what your problem is?" and then proceeds to list a dozen things that apply to basically everyone listening. He talks about how we're all "stuck in a box" and how we spend so much time trying to prove we're something we aren't. It's a call to self-awareness. He’s basically saying that if you’re looking for the i just want to know lyrics, you’re probably also looking for a way to be honest with yourself.
The NF "Aesthetic" and Lyricism
If you look at the YouTube comments or Reddit threads about this track, you’ll see a common theme: people feel "seen." NF has this uncanny ability to articulate the specific flavor of "quiet" depression. It’s not always about crying; sometimes it’s just about being annoyed that everything feels scripted.
His lyrics are often criticized by "hip-hop purists" for being too melodramatic. They say he’s "too much." But that’s exactly why his fanbase is so fiercely loyal. In "Know," he addresses the critics directly. He knows he’s polarizing. He knows he’s loud. He simply doesn't care because he’s trying to solve a puzzle in his own head, and we just happen to be eavesdropping.
👉 See also: The Lil Wayne Tracklist for Tha Carter 3: What Most People Get Wrong
The Impact of "Perception"
When the album hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200, it shocked a lot of people in the industry. How did a guy with no major radio play and a "depressing" lyrical style beat out the heavy hitters? It was because of songs like "Know." The lyrics acted as a gateway. Once you hear that level of honesty, it’s hard to go back to songs that are just about the club.
The "i just want to know" refrain isn't just a hook; it's a demand. It's a demand for truth in an era of fake news and digital facades.
Technical Nuances in the Writing
One thing that gets overlooked in these lyrics is the internal rhyme scheme. NF is a technical rapper, even if his content is emotional. In "Know," he plays with multi-syllabic rhymes that keep the momentum shifting. He’ll rhyme "perception" with "deception" and "direction," but he does it in a way that feels like a conversation, not a poem.
He also uses silence.
The "i just want to know" parts often have the music drop out or thin out, leaving his voice isolated. This makes the listener lean in. It’s a classic production trick, but it works perfectly here because it emphasizes the loneliness of the question. You’re left with just the words, and the words are heavy.
✨ Don't miss: Songs by Tyler Childers: What Most People Get Wrong
Common Misconceptions About the Song
A lot of people think NF is just "angry" in this song. If you read the i just want to know lyrics without the music, they might seem aggressive. But if you listen to the tone, it’s actually closer to exhaustion. It’s the sound of someone who has tried every other way to be understood and has finally decided to just scream it.
Another misconception is that his music is strictly "religious." While his faith is a part of who he is, "Know" is a deeply human song. It’s about the psychology of being alive. It’s about the "skeletons in the closet" that he mentions so often. You don't have to be religious to understand what it feels like to wonder if the people in your life actually know the real you or just the version you let them see.
Actionable Takeaways for Listeners
If you’ve been diving into these lyrics, there are a few things you can do to get more out of the experience. Music like this is meant to be processed, not just heard.
- Listen to the transition. Listen to how "Know" flows into the rest of the Perception album. It sets the stage for "Outcast" and "10 Feet Down." It’s the "opening statement" of a long argument he’s making about mental health.
- Look for the "Cage" imagery. NF uses the image of a cage constantly. In the music video and the lyrics for this era, the cage represents the mental cycles we can't break. When he says he wants to "know," he’s looking for the key to that cage.
- Check out the live versions. If you really want to feel the impact of these lyrics, watch a live performance. The raw energy he puts into the "i just want to know" line is much more intense than the studio recording.
- Analyze your own "Perception." Take a second to think about the lyrics. Who are the people in your life that you feel you have to "act" for? That’s the core question NF is pushing on his audience.
The search for the i just want to know lyrics usually starts because a line resonated with a specific feeling of isolation. NF has spent his entire career building a bridge between his own struggles and the struggles of his fans. "Know" is a vital part of that bridge. It’s loud, it’s messy, and it’s unapologetically honest. It reminds us that wanting to know the truth—about ourselves and others—is a painful but necessary part of being human.
By engaging with the text of the song, you aren't just looking at rhymes. You're looking at a roadmap of how one artist navigated his own mind. Whether you’re a long-time fan or just someone who heard the song in a clip, the depth is there if you’re willing to look for it. Use the lyrics as a starting point for your own reflection. Listen to the production. Pay attention to the way the strings build tension. Most importantly, don't be afraid to ask the same questions he does. Reality is usually found in the uncomfortable questions, not the easy answers.