Mah's Joint (feat. Quincy Jones)

What is an 8 minute song is actually broken up into 3 sections that almost serve as individual tracks. Mah's Joint first tells a personal story from Jon Bellion's life, presumably of his own mother. The lyrics capture the heavily sentimental feelings he has, especially as he recognizes how his own mother "was a mother, to her mom". It's apparent to Jon that even as time passed, the role of a mother isn't exclusive to her own children. The whole chorus is worth reading in its entirety:

There's a house she doesn't know that you take care of
There's a light she doesn't know that you keep on
There's a "sorry" that you fake to keep her happy
When she thinks she hasn't seen you in so long
There are things that she's not able to remember
So I took tonight to put it in a song
That when she meets God, He'll tell her all about it
When my mother was a mother to her mom

The "she" is referring to Jon's grandmother, and "you" to Jon's own mother. He's the audience to beautiful dramatic irony. When his grandmother passes away, she'll understand that the child she rose turned into a figure that could take care of her. In a state of memory loss and possibly dementia, she'll be unaware to that until she's returned to a perfect frame.

The second verse of the introductory section is very well positioned. First, it's input from the devil: why should his mom have to suffer? Jon sings: "What's the point in making memories when you can't even find 'em when you're 70?". He quickly turns around and turns the idea on its head: "Conversations with my Father and he's telling me, There's a point in making memories, 'Cause they'll be even better when we're heavenly". Life can have suffering and opposition, and it will make heaven even sweeter.

The song moves on around the 2 and a half minute mark, advancing the song with strings into a bright flurry of brass. The tone immediately shifts from something very sentimental to a celebration. Heaven is worth celebrating, and when Jon's grandmother there, she'll be celebrated. "This is a song for the mothers" is declared as voices cheer and shout in agreement. It's like a transport into a jazz club, even as the instruments die out they continue singing as if the music should never end.

Around 5 minutes the song takes its final turn to a more reverent sound. It feels ethereal, like it's making a last tribute to mothers on the other side. The passing of an elderly loved can be bittersweet knowing being in heaven—though supposedly more comfortable—means a mother is no longer around.

Nearly unintelligible vocals swirl up to the heavens as the track (and album) close, as a final nod of respect to a universally shared part of humanity, having a mother.