NF’s “STORY” is a gripping narrative rap song that showcases the artist’s storytelling prowess. Released as part of his album “CLOUDS (THE MIXTAPE)” in 2021, the track stands out for its cinematic quality and intense, detailed storytelling.
The song unfolds like a short film, chronicling a day that begins mundanely but quickly spirals into a dangerous and surreal situation. NF’s vivid lyrics paint a picture of an ordinary morning that takes an extraordinary turn when the narrator becomes caught in the middle of a gas station robbery.
“STORY” is structured as a single, continuous verse that builds tension and suspense throughout its runtime. NF’s rapid-fire delivery and descriptive language immerse the listener in the unfolding events, creating a sense of urgency and fear as the situation escalates.
The track showcases NF’s ability to craft compelling narratives within his music, demonstrating why he’s considered one of the most talented storytellers in contemporary rap. The song’s structure and detailed narrative highlight NF’s skill in creating tension-filled, cinematic experiences through his lyrics.
In this article, we’ll explore the message conveyed in the song’s lyrics.
Table of Contents
“STORY” Lyrics Meaning
[Verse]
Woke up in a bad place
Should probably get up, so I’m not late
Stared at my phone for the past eight
Minutes at nothin’, my head aches
Bottles empty by the lampshade
I’m out of Excedrin again, great
Too early to tell, but at this rate
I’m thinkin’ this might be a bad day
I walk out the bedroom, my roommate’s
Asleep on the couch with her two-faced
Boyfriend who lives here, but don’t pay
A penny for rent, but he still stays
She says he’s broke, I’m like, “No way”
Probably sells drugs, but she won’t say
Told me he dabbles in real estate
I mean I don’t believe it, but okay
Okay, pull out the driveway
Notice my gas tank’s on E again, well, of course, it is
Guess I probably should stop at the gas station
So I take a right, pull up to the pump
While it’s pumpin’, I look at my ashtray
Then remember I need to get cigarettes (Cigarettes)
Anything to help my mind state
So, I park and walk inside—wait!
I should probably get somethin’ to drink and eat, I guess
So I find and grab a couple bags of chips
Where’s the candy aisle? Oh, yeah, here it is
Which one should I get? Should I grab the Starburst or
Change it up and maybe grab the Twix?
Mm, grab the Starburst, then I started walkin’
As I pass the garbage and I reach the fridge
I hear someone yellin’ at the front of the store
Probably just a homeless guy getting bored
Probably just a customer whose card
Didn’t work, and now he wants to start a war
Man, I can’t afford to
Keep buyin’ energy drinks everyday, I shut the door, then
Turn around and as I’m headin’ towards the counter
With my drink, I hear, “Hey, open up the drawer!”
Crouching on the floor
Peek around the aisle, gun is on the fore-
Head of the man that’s behind the counter
Now my heart is poundin’ and I’m prayin’ to the Lord
I don’t die today, I can’t die today
I got things to do, tryin’ not to shake
Plotting my escape, where’s my cellphone at?
Left it in my car, icing on the cake
I start crawling, I can hear ’em yellin’
“I want every penny, I want every dime!” (Yeah)
“Once you finish with the cash
Open up the bag, throw some cigarettes inside” (Yeah)
“Which ones do you want? Which ones do you want?”
“I’m not picky, give me any kind
Give me all of ’em, yeah, just toss ’em in
Keep it movin’ though, I’m runnin’ low on time and
I’d advise ya to move a little quicker
Trust me, I don’t wanna have to pull the trigger
I’ve done it before, it’s not a pretty picture
What, you don’t believe me? I’m just playin’ with ya
Well, no I’m not, no I’m not
Just do what I say ’cause if you even think of tryna pull a fast one on me
Promise you’ll be sorry
Oh, my driver’s calling, I can’t miss my pick-up”
That’s when I did somethin’ stupid
And my jacket knocked over a can of soup and then
It got quiet, did he hear me movin’? Shh!
Hold my breath, he must’ve heard me do it, huh?
I’m assumin’ the
Noise must’ve made him turn his head enough
To let the guy that was at gunpoint grab his own gun
Now they both got weapons
Maybe I should help him
Sneak up slow and deck him
Time to go, time to go, time to go
It’s gon’ be a bloody miracle
Now or never, God, if I had any blessings
Comin’ in my future, could You send ’em to my present?
Peek around the edge, and I start runnin’ at him
He don’t see me comin’, does he? Steppin’ closer
Grab his neck and hold him, squeezin’ on his throat
I’m tryna choke him, then his elbow hits my nose and
Think he broke it, I think he broke it, my
Blood is leakin’ all over my clothes, I try
Not to let go, but my hands begin to slip and bullets start to fly
(*gunshots*) Can’t see out my eyes
(*gunshot*) Cashier still alive?
I can’t tell, I’m tryna crawl away, here comes another guy
He runs inside, like, “Where’s the money?
Did you get the money? Where’s the bag you brought?” (Ayy)
“I don’t know, I think it’s still behind the counter
Prolly by the cashier I just shot” (Ayy)
“Who’s this on the floor? Who’s this on the floor?
“I don’t know!” “Well, did they call the cops?”
He runs up to me, then he grabs my shoulder
As he flips me over, then my jaw drops, ’cause
I thought his voice sounded real familiar, he’s
Got a mask on, but the shirt he’s wearing
Is the same one he had on this morning
Staring in my eyes, I know he knows I know
Embarrassed, he stands above me and says, “Sorry Erin, but
I don’t have a choice,” he holds the barrel up
To my head, I scream, “You can’t be serious!”
He shakes his head and says, “I’m sorry,” then the gun— (*gunshot*)
The song begins with the narrator waking up in a bad mood, setting the tone for the day ahead. He describes common morning struggles like oversleeping, headaches, and running out of medication. This section establishes the mundane reality that will soon be disrupted.
As the narrator leaves his apartment, he observes his roommate’s questionable relationship and heads to a gas station. The ordinary errand of buying snacks and cigarettes suddenly turns extraordinary when he overhears a robbery in progress.
The central part of the song details the intense moments of the robbery. NF’s vivid storytelling puts the listener in the middle of the action, describing the fear and quick decision-making of someone caught in a dangerous situation.
The story takes a shocking turn when the narrator attempts to intervene, leading to a violent confrontation. The situation escalates further with the arrival of a second robber, who turns out to be someone the narrator knows.
The song reaches its climax with a confrontation between the narrator and the familiar robber. It ends abruptly with the sound of a gunshot, leaving the outcome uncertain.
[Outro]
Cashier yells to ask if I’m okay, he’s dialing 911
I run over to him, grab his phone and try to help him up
“911, what’s your emergency?”
“There’s been a robbery, the cashier was shot, he needs an ambulance
He looks kinda pale, I think he might’ve lost a lot of blood”
“Okay, help is on the way, has anybody else been injured?”
“Yeah, the robbers, there were two of ’em”
“Can you tell me their condition? Are they still alive?”
“Well, I’m not really sure, but they don’t look so good
I’m pretty sure they’re dead
Yeah, I think they’re dead”
“Alright, take a deep breath
Everything’s gonna be okay, you’re gonna be alright”
The outro provides a resolution, revealing that the narrator survived and is speaking with emergency services. This section ties up the narrative while maintaining an air of ambiguity about the full consequences of the events.
Deeper Meaning Behind “STORY”
NF’s “STORY” represents a departure from his usual introspective and autobiographical style, instead presenting a fictional narrative that showcases his storytelling abilities. The song follows a young woman named Erin as she experiences a dramatic and life-changing event at a convenience store.
The track begins with Erin entering the store to buy cigarettes and candy, setting a mundane scene that quickly escalates into a tense situation when two robbers enter. NF’s detailed storytelling brings the scene to life, describing Erin’s thoughts and actions as she becomes an unwitting witness to the crime. The narrative builds tension as the situation becomes increasingly dangerous, culminating in a violent confrontation between the robbers and the store clerk.
While the story itself is fictional, NF incorporates elements that reflect his artistic style and personal experiences. The mention of specific candy brands and energy drinks adds authenticity to the narrative, while also possibly alluding to NF’s own preferences or past experiences. The theme of unexpected, life-altering events mirrors the unpredictability and intensity often found in NF’s music.
The song’s cinematic quality is intentional, as NF has expressed his love for movies and his desire to create something different from his usual style. This approach is evident in the accompanying music video, which brings the story to life visually and further emphasizes the song’s narrative focus.
While “STORY” may not directly relate to NF’s personal life, it demonstrates his versatility as an artist and his ability to craft compelling narratives. The song’s intense storytelling and vivid imagery showcase NF’s skill in creating emotionally engaging content, even when stepping outside his typical autobiographical approach.

Jacob Carter is a lyricist. He created the lyrics writing course to teach people how to analyze and write lyrics. He graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in English Literature, so he’s skilled at playing with words.
He’s also an amateur guitarist, which means he knows music and melody very well. With this background, he’s a great lyricist you can rely on to learn writing lyrics.