PFFFFFF! Yeah right! What are you? The King of Knots? You think you're the freaking King of Tying Knots??
Florida’s heat has been radiating over hip-hop for many years. From the legendary “Uncle” Luke Campbell, Trick Daddy and Trina to DJ Khaled, Flo Rida, T-Pain, Rick Ross and Plies, the sunshine state has always produced hot music. The next artist to emerge from this sizzling climate is Ace Hood, and with an ace on the top of the deck, he is guaranteed to continue Florida’s heat wave.
“I got the name Ace as a child. My family always thought that I would be the one who would succeed in whatever I did,” he explains. “I feel like I’m an army in myself. I carry my own weight and since I represent for the hood, why not attach that to my name?”
Born Antoine McColister in Broward County, Florida, Ace knew he was destined for greatness. After an injury derailed his burgeoning football career, Ace turned to his true passion, rapping. At the age of 17, Ace teamed up with the Broward-County-based entertainment label, Dollaz & Dealz, to record the hit "M.O.E." ("Money Over Everything") which sparked an immediate buzz in South Florida. Ace began to perform and network which helped him gain exposure like never before. After fine-tuning his craft on local crowds, he set his sights on performing for DJ Khaled at his annual birthday bash.
“We was outside the radio station not even trying to get a deal, just hoping to perform at his birthday bash,” he recalls. “We just figured we’d try and perform. He had a contest going on where you had to give a certain amount of reasons why you should perform at the birthday bash. So I was going to rap for him on camera and show him why I was worthy. Although he had to go to a meeting, he came out, looked at me and said I love his image. We handed him a CD and once we did that he listened to it and called my manager that night. He said I love his swag, I hear starvation in his music and I want to take a meeting with him.”
That meeting turned into Ace becoming the first artist signed to DJ Khaled’s label “We the Best” distributed by Def Jam Records. His hot new single “Cash Flow” featuring T-Pain and Rick Ross is currently blazing the radio waves everywhere. “Once I played the song for Rick Ross he loved it and he put his whole swag to it” explains Khaled. “The song was pretty much done but we felt to make it more of a hit record, get somebody like T-Pain who’s running the game right now, on the hook to make it go that much further.” The song is setting the stage for Ace’s debut album, Gutta, with guest appearances from some of rap’s elite including Trick Daddy, Flo Rida, Akon, Plies and production from Cool & Dre, The Runners, Danjahandz and J.U.S.T.C.E. League, Ace’s deck is definitely stacked.
“This album is definitely gonna be a classic,” Ace says confidently. “People are expecting a lot out of me not only because I’m on Khaled’s label, but because everyone knows that the ace is ranked as the highest.”
With an ace up your sleeve, how can you go wrong?
Back Against the Wall
Ace Hood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got my back against the wall
And it feels like all the times before
The pass till the fall
But today I stand and fight this war
I got my back against the wall
I won't break, I won't break, I won't break
No, no, I won't fall
[Verse 1]
Struggle in my eyes, guns in the stash
Heart full of pride, sunny days past
Monogram bags, Louis V. tags
Money rule the world, I swear this shit is sad
But I will get over that, and I will get over this
See they remain to hate, but they'll get over it
And my mama told me
Yes she told me watch them friends you with
Should of listened to her, they manure wasn't worth a shit
But I'm too legit to quit, understand my arrogance
Hit them where it hurts, I'm miss him for shit
Back against the wall, but still I manage to ball
Success is on my line, but still I manage to call
I will never fall, that's my reply to all
He gave me everything, that skies apply to all
Soul of a beast, I'ma get them all
Many days of pumps, but still I'm standing tall
[Chorus]
[Verse 2]
Uh, and I'm sick of all you blood suckers
Feel like I'ma lose it in this motherfucker
Tell me where the booth at in this motherfucker
So I can burn this bitch down, fireman sucker
Too many days and sleepless nights
I toss and turn and wonder why
My money thoughts corrupted mind
But I guess that's just how I'm designed
Felt like I'm falling down, niggas timid to me all around
But I still remain a beast
Tell them come fuck with me now, I let you win the fight
While I'ma die for war, pride and my respect
I hope you die for yours, money then the power
Continue doing chores, a back against the wall
I penetrate a pause
I'm never looking back, because the destruction caused
Only know to win, you just check the score
[Chorus]
The lyrics of Ace Hood's "Back Against the Wall" reflect on his struggles with life and how he manages to rise above them. The chorus implies that he has faced similar situations earlier in his life, but despite that, he manages to stand and fight against his problems with valour. His previous experiences, the struggles, the falls, and the lessons have all taught him to stay strong and face his challenges head-on. The verse refers to his past life struggles and how he has faced and overcome them. He talks about the challenges he faces when dealing with people, some of them good and others not so much, and how he tries to overcome their influence in his life. Ace Hood talks about the corrupting influence of money and how it controls the world we live in. He admits that at times, he feels like he is losing his mind and that his thoughts are corrupted by his preoccupation with money. However, Hood acknowledges that his pride, strength of will, and the lessons learned from his struggles all serve to inspire him to keep moving forward.
Overall, the lyrics of "Back Against the Wall" embody a message of hope and acceptance. Ace Hood admits that the road ahead is not easy; however, he has the strength to overcome his obstacles and meet them face on. He won't fumble, won't break, and won't fall; with his back against the wall, he will continue to stand and fight.
Line by Line Meaning
I got my back against the wall
I am in a difficult situation and feeling trapped
And it feels like all the times before
I have been in similar situations in the past
The pass till the fall
I have experienced failures before
But today I stand and fight this war
Today, I am determined to face this challenge and overcome it
I won't break, I won't break, I won't break
I refuse to give up
No, no, I won't fall
I will not let this situation defeat me
Struggle in my eyes, guns in the stash
I am struggling and have weapons ready for self defense
Heart full of pride, sunny days past
Although I have had good times, I still feel proud to confront this challenge
Money rule the world, I swear this shit is sad
I am aware of the power of money, and I think it's unfortunate
But I will get over that, and I will get over this
I will overcome both the power of money and this current challenge
See they remain to hate, but they'll get over it
Others may dislike me, but they will eventually move on
And my mama told me
My mother advised me
Yes she told me watch them friends you with
She cautioned me to be careful of the friends I associate with
But I'm too legit to quit, understand my arrogance
I am confident in my abilities and not willing to give up, even if it may seem arrogant
Hit them where it hurts, I'm miss him for shit
I intend to hurt my enemies in any way possible
Back against the wall, but still I manage to ball
Although I am in a challenging situation, I am still able to find success
Success is on my line, but still I manage to call
Despite the obstacles in my way, I am still striving for success
I will never fall, that's my reply to all
I am determined to never give up
He gave me everything, that skies apply to all
I am grateful for what I have, and I believe that everyone can achieve success
Soul of a beast, I'ma get them all
I have a strong will to succeed and will do whatever it takes to achieve my goals
Many days of pumps, but still I'm standing tall
I have faced many challenges, but I am still standing strong
And I'm sick of all you blood suckers
I am fed up with those who take advantage of others
Feel like I'ma lose it in this motherfucker
I feel like I am about to lose my mind in this difficult situation
Tell me where the booth at in this motherfucker
I am looking for a way to express myself and release my frustrations
So I can burn this bitch down, fireman sucker
I want to destroy this difficult situation and come out on top
Too many days and sleepless nights
I have been struggling for a long time
I toss and turn and wonder why
I am constantly thinking about why I am in this situation
My money thoughts corrupted mind
My thoughts about money have negatively affected my thinking
But I guess that's just how I'm designed
I accept that my thinking may be flawed and that I need to work on it
Felt like I'm falling down, niggas timid to me all around
I feel like everyone around me is not supportive and I am losing hope
But I still remain a beast
Despite feeling down, I still have the will to fight and overcome my challenges
Tell them come fuck with me now, I let you win the fight
I am challenging my enemies to confront me and confidently predicting their failure
While I'ma die for war, pride and my respect
I am willing to fight and even die to defend my honor and pride
I hope you die for yours, money then the power
I hope my enemies are willing to fight for the right reasons, not just for money or power
Continue doing chores, a back against the wall
I am working hard despite being in a difficult situation
I penetrate a pause
I am breaking through and overcoming the obstacles in my way
I'm never looking back, because the destruction caused
I am focused on moving forward and not dwelling on past challenges
Only know to win, you just check the score
I only know how to win and will succeed if you measure by results
Contributed by Aaliyah T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.