Dave East links up with Big Sean for Man In The Mirror, the standout collab that anchors the deluxe edition of his Karma 4 project, out now via Mass Appeal since October 28.
It’s got that reflective punch, the kind where two vets trade bars on fatherhood, hustle scars, and finally seeing yourself straight—no more blurry edges. With Bun B dropping those trill pre-choruses like a Texas anchor, the track feels like a handoff from street tales to legacy-building, all over High Honors’ soulful beat that nods to classic hip-hop without chasing trends.
Dave kicks it off in the intro, setting that proud provider tone, “You know, being a man, you gotta learn how to provide / Be proud of the nigga you are, you know?” The chorus hits home with that smile in the mirror line, a mantra for anyone who’s traded worry for clarity. He shouts out his kids, Daisha, Nyla, Mir, Kacy, Kyrie, Kobe and lost ones like Jabari and Jay, turning personal wins into fuel, “I done got money and thought that my problems would all disappear / It take a nigga his whole life to do shit I did in a year.” Big Sean slides in verse two with his signature wordplay, pulling from King Arthur vibes to family warmth: “I’m goin’ to war, it’s on, the chosen one, I’m pullin’ the sword out the stone.” He gets real about being torn between providing and presence, name-dropping his own—Noah Hasani, his sister, mom, aunties—while vowing to lock in and drop old habits.
This isn’t just flexing; it’s therapy on wax. Dave East, Harlem’s unflinching storyteller since his Def Jam days, pours out the evolution from corner doubts to boardroom clarity, while Sean’s Don Life polish adds that motivational shine he’s honed since Finally Famous.
The video, directed by Watch The Screen, dropped right after and it’s already pulling views with its raw, mirror-gazing visuals—fans on X calling it “father’s day in October” and sharing how the bars hit different post-grind. TikToks are looping the chorus for those “glow-up” edits, and it’s climbing Spotify’s Rap This Week playlist fast. Karma 4 Deluxe expands on the original’s grit with cuts like this, making it Dave’s most complete body yet—proof that looking back sharpens the path forward.
Dive into the MAN IN THE MIRROR lyrics below and unpack its honest glow. Don’t miss other KARMA 4 tracks for more of Dave East’s real-talk fire.
Lyrics of Man In The Mirror by Dave East & Big Sean
[Intro: Dave East]
Uh
(High Honors)
You Know, Being A Man, You Gotta Learn How To Provide
Be Proud Of The Nigga You Are, You Know?
[Chorus: Dave East]
I Got A Smile On My Face When I Look At The Man In The Mirror
I Used To Worry, My Vision Was Blurry, But It Done Got Clearer
Mama, I Got You Forever, You Know That Your Boy Gon’ Go Get It
It Ain’t Nothin’ I’m Fearin’, I Gotta Provide The Right Life For My Children
Look, I Got A Smile On My Face When I Look At The Man In The Mirror
I Used To Worry, My Vision Was Blurry, But It Done Got Clearer
Mama, I Got You Forever, You Know That Your Boy Gon’ Go Get It
It Ain’t Nothin’ I’m Fearin’, I Gotta Provide The Right Life For My Children
[Verse 1: Dave East]
I Done Got Money And Thought That
My Problems Would All Disappear (Thought They Would Vanish)
It Take A Nigga His Whole Life To Do Shit I Did In A Year (One Year)
I Do It For Daisha, I Do It For Nyla, I Do It For Mir (For Mir)
I Do It For Kacy, And Kyrie, And Kobe,
They Know That I’m Near (They Know That I’m Here)
The Time That It Took Me To Get Where I’m At,
Niggas Couldn’t Compare (Never)
I Think Of Jabari, I Think About Jay And I Gotta Be There (Gotta Be Right Here)
I Know The Influence, I Got It Inspired And Walked Out The Fire (Fire)
So Much Around Me, Not Hard To Think That I Supply It
Whatever You Want, You Can Buy It (Cop Up)
It Done Got Hard To Deny It
Got One Of Them Souls, They Never Could Buy It (Not Mine)
You Played With Your Nose, I Never Could Try It
But You Can Come Cop It If It’s In Your Diet (White)
You Know I Smell Like I Came Out The Dryer (Fresh)
Don’t Mind My Name, Shit, I Got Some Priors (Priors)
Standin’ On Base, Umpire (Umpire)
Smoke It Right Here If You Feel That He Got On A Wire (Yo, Light That Up)
[Pre-Chorus: Bun B & Dave East]
Bring, Bring Them Trill Niggas To Your Hood And Set Your Shit Down (Uh)
Set Your— Set Your Shit Down
Down-down-down, Down (Uh)
Bring, Bring Them Trill Niggas To Your Hood And Set Your Shit Down
Set Your— Set Your Shit Down
Down-down-down, Down
[Chorus: Dave East & Big Sean]
I Got A Smile On My Face When I Look At The Man In The Mirror
I Used To Worry, My Vision Was Blurry, But It Done Got Clearer
Mama, I Got You Forever, You Know That Your Boy Gon’ Go Get It
It Ain’t Nothin’ I’m Fearin’, I Gotta Provide The Right Life For My Children
Look, I Got A Smile On My Face When I Look At The Man In The Mirror
I Used To Worry, My Vision Was Blurry, But It Done Got Clearer
Mama, I Got You Forever, You Know That Your Boy Gon’ Go Get It
It Ain’t Nothin’ I’m Fearin’,
I Gotta Provide The Right Life For My Children (Boy, Boy, Ayy)
[Verse 2: Big Sean]
I’m Goin’ To War, It’s On, The Chosen One,
I’m Pullin’ The Sword Out The Stone
Providin’ The Life, But I Can’t Always Be There To See It With You,
So My Heart Always Torn
Cut From A Different Cloth And
It’s The Same One That Keep The Family Warm
And Every Time I See You Smile,
It’s Like A Crack Of Sunshine In A Crazy Storm (God)
If It’s Us Against The World, Everybody Gettin’ Buried
Everywhere You Step Gon’ Be A Cemetery
And It’s Angels ’round Us For Pulmonarys
Plus, Cash Rules Everything Around Me,
So They See Us Like We Ben & Jerry (What?)
Try And Catch You Sleepin’, But I Taught You Five P’s
Poor Performance Gets Prevented By The Proper Preparation
Long As I’m Here, We Havin’ (Havin’)
We Seein’ Dubs Everywhere We Go Like We Raekwon, Odb, Ghostface
And You Know It’s Methods To The Madness
Hardhead, I Ain’t Gettin’ Padded
From Here On Out, I’m Going John Madden
Giving Game Every Year, But It’s Still Fuck The System,
Know I Put It On The Album
I Really Think I’m Goin’ Ghost Status (Yeah)
I Really Think I’m Matchin’ My Potential
From The Product Of Me Just Finally Lockin’ In
And Droppin’ Old Habits (Boy, Woah, Woah, Woah)
Do This For The Crib, You Know
Where To Find Me (You Know Where To Find Me)
Doin’ This Here For Noah Hasani,
His Sister, His Mommy, And All Of His Aunties
They Always Can Count On Me, I Swear
[Pre-Chorus: Bun B & Big Sean]
Bring, Bring Them Trill Niggas To Your Hood And Set Your Shit Down, Yeah
Set Your— Set Your Shit Down
Down-down-down, Down (Sean Don, Man)
Bring, Bring Them Trill Niggas To Your Hood And Set Your Shit Down (Yeah)
Set Your— Set Your Shit Down (Shoutout My Dog, East)
Down-down-down, Down (Yup, Ayy)
[Chorus: Dave East, Dave East & Big Sean, Big Sean]
I Got A Smile On My Face When I Look At The Man In The Mirror
I Used To Worry, My Vision Was Blurry, But It Done Got Clearer (Yeah)
Mama, I Got You Forever, You Know That Your Boy Gon’ Go Get It (Go Get It, Yeah)
It Ain’t Nothin’ I’m Fearin’, I Gotta Provide The Right Life For My Children (God)
Look, I Got A Smile On My Face When I Look At The Man In The Mirror (For Real)
I Used To Worry, My Vision Was Blurry, But It Done Got Clearer
Mama, I Got You Forever, You Know That Your Boy Gon’ Go Get It
It Ain’t Nothin’ I’m Fearin’, I Gotta Provide The Right Life For My Children
[Outro: Big Sean]
Ayy, Man In The Mirror
I Used To Worry, My Vision Was Blurry, But It Done Got Clearer
Yeah
Go Get It, Yeah
God
Man In The Mirror, For Real
(Mama, I Got You Forever, You Know That Your Boy Gon’ Go Get It)
