In 1992, Harris got a big break when she won the grand prize in a local rap contest sponsored by Yo! MTV Raps. For the prize, she got to meet Kris Kross, and they in turn introduced her to their producer, Jermaine Dupri, who signed her to his So So Def label. Dupri cultivated Da Brat's image as a "female Snoop Doggy Dogg", and she became one of the first female "reality-based" rappers.
Da Brat's debut album Funkdafied was released in 1994 and entered the rap albums chart at Number #1. The album went platinum, which made her the first female solo rapper to sell one million units. The single also entitled "Funkdafied" reached #1 on the rap singles chart and #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. She had a follow-up hit from the same album, "Give It 2 You", which reached #26 on the Hot 100.
In 1996, Da Brat released her second full-length album, Anuthatantrum, which included the single "Ghetto Love" featuring T-Boz of TLC.
During the rest of the '90s, Da Brat came to be known more for her "featured" appearances on other rappers' and R&B singers' albums rather than for her own solo work. She contributed a rhyme to the hip hop remix of Mariah Carey's hit, "Always Be My Baby". She also made her feature film debut that year in Kazaam with Shaquille O'Neal. During the summer of 1997, Da Brat appeared along with Dupri on a remix of Carey's "Honey (So So Def mix)" and recorded the hit remix of "Ladies' Night (Not Tonight)" with Lil' Kim, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, Angie Martinez and Missy Elliott. Da Brat was also featured with Kris Kross on their track "Da Bomb" on the album Da Bomb, as well as on their third album Young, Rich and Dangerous.
In 1997, she was featured on "Sock It 2 Me", a track on Missy Elliott's debut album, Supa Dupa Fly. In 1999, she appeared, alongside Krayzie Bone, on the remix to Mariah Carey's cover of Brenda K. Starr's "I Still Believe". She also appeared as a guest artist with Elliott on Carey's remix of "Heartbreaker", and on the remix of Brandy's "U Don't Know Me (Like U Used To)". That year, she was also featured on a remix of the Destiny's Child single "Jumpin', Jumpin'".
In early 2000, Da Brat released her third full-length album Unrestricted, which produced the moderately successful singles "That's What I'm Looking For" (U.S. #56) and "What Chu Like" (U.S. #26), featuring soul singer, Tyrese. The album was not well received compared to Brat's earlier work. However, the new album and new millennium did inspire an image makeover for Da Brat. Abandoning her "gangsta" persona, she decided to follow the trend in popular music and attempted to add to her sex appeal; the video for "What Chu Like" featured Da Brat and Tyrese rolling around naked on a beach.
In 2001, Brat continued her trend of being featured on other artist's remixes, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles chart along with rapper Ludacris on the main remix of Mariah Carey's "Loverboy" and being featured artist on Destiny's Child's "Survivor" remix. Da Brat also appeared as Louise in Carey's 2001 movie Glitter. In 2003, Brat released her fourth album, titled Limelite, Luv & Niteclubz, and appeared on the 4th season of VH1's The Surreal Life.
In 2001, Da Brat pleaded guilty to misdemeanor reckless conduct after she had beaten a woman with a gun during a dispute over VIP seating in a Buckhead, Georgia, nightclub in 2000. The victim in that incident received six stitches for a head wound. Harris ended up serving a year's probation, performed 80 hours of community service and paid a $1,000 fine.
In 2005, she made a comeback of sorts when she was featured on the remix to the song "I Think They Like Me," by Dem Franchize Boyz, which also featured Bow Wow and Jermaine Dupri. The song peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles chart and #15 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 2006, she was an onstage guest on Mariah Carey's The Adventures of Mimi Tour in Atlanta, New York City, Long Island, Washington DC, Chicago, and Los Angeles performing her rap verses on the "Heartbreaker" and "Honey" remixes. She was also featured on Kelly Rowland's "Gotsta Go", a bonus track from her 2007 album Ms. Kelly and is also featured on a bonus track from Carey's E=MC² on a track entitled "4real4real". She also co-wrote a song with Mariah Carey called "O.O.C." which appears on E=MC² and contributes backing vocals on the track.In 2007, she participated in the fifth season of the VH1 reality series Celebrity Fit Club.
On October 31, 2007, she was involved in the altercation that ended in assault at a Halloween party at Studio 72 nightclub in Tucker, Georgia. Harris sparred verbally with a hostess, and later, when the hostess proceeded to talk to her manager, Harris attacked her from behind, striking her in the face with a rum bottle. Harris entered a guilty plea to aggravated assault charges. She was sentenced to three years in prison, seven years of probation, and 200 hours of community service. In May 2010 she was released from prison after serving 21 months.
aint got no time to waste
Da Brat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey shorty
How we do
Hey shorty
I'm all about that paper dough
Can you see me
You know yeah
As the clock keep ticking tick, tick gotta keep my vision bleary,
Still living my dreams wheather its hustling, shaking
And shuffling niggas around I'm getting more greater
And its the gang shit that I ain't seen yet
And its the gang niggas I ain't meet yet
Even though I been to Paris and London and rome,
Japan, Africa, Baghdad Amsterdam brought back a phat sack
And I'm rolling dem joints chrome flashing sparkling like gucci colins
When I throw on that boostey
You niggas can't stop slobbing
I'm a pretty young thug and its hotter than ever
Fucking it up so I get paid to do stuff never
When this cheddar at stake
I'm a chain billionaire blow a couple of millon
Some cars so my family and homies can ride like stars
[Chorus: x2]
I'm all about the money I don't know about you
I got places I wanna go and things I wanna do
Gotta whole lotta living to do be4 I die
And I ain't got time to waste
Honey yeah yeah
Now understand me cause its not complex
I'm young and restless with one life to
Live so I cash checks
I'm individually wrapped liked a fresh twinkie
So if I cream in the middle
Nigga licky, licky, licky, licky
Become sponge bob absorb me up
Can't just polish this I demolish the flow
Niggaz astonished when I spit
When I'm pissed I let it flow
I can afford me a Bentley
Without having to forge a signature
Or getting a nigga to co sign with me
I get bored quickly so I
Sour on the g4 to Cali for more sticky gravy life
Come hop on this tour with me lets get faded for life
I used to save up cookies they are brown even
But I got rid of the whole box
And I didn't even turn the loot in'
I'm shootin' its all cause of you lame ass butlers
When I smirk if devils could talk mine would say fuck ya!
[Chorus: x2]
Its so so def
How could the cans get dropped
From the mansion to the high rise to the block we hot
I rock the white people the Latinos and foreigners
Niggas can't see me when they cry I scratch out there corniers
I'm warning ya I was born a winner
I scare crowed off like that Anna Lotono
Did right after she sang 'home in the weares
After the blizzard that's
When I came through with them frosted pieces was dripping like icicles
Keep a few of dem precious V-V-S's next to my skin
So with the best investment jems ain't no second guessing its here
Ain't not question who the best is
Take a lesson from a bitch who is the goodie in years
Never skooted in here got dem all in here
Cause dirty money spin like clean money from da A-T-M dummy
So when you done bumping your gums there's a lot of dough to be made
You should get you sum before its too late
And you left wiv none
Now its all bout the cash where ever it come from
Nigga
[Chorus: x2]
Honey if you hear me
In Da Brat's song "Ain't Got No Time to Waste," the rapper exhibits a strong desire for financial success and a willingness to put in the work necessary to achieve it. As the clock ticks, she's focused on chasing dough and living her dreams. She's been all over the world and brought back a "phat sack" and a desire to make a lot of money to provide for her family and homies.
Throughout the song, Da Brat uses imagery and wordplay to convey her confidence and determination. She boasts about her ability to afford a Bentley without having to forge a signature, and she describes herself as "individually wrapped like a fresh twinkie" and "dripping like icicles."
In the chorus, Da Brat repeats her commitment to making money and living life to the fullest. She's got places to go, things to do, and a whole lot of living to do before she dies. She doesn't have time to waste.
Overall, the song showcases Da Brat's skills as a rapper and her unapologetic ambition, as she encourages her listeners to get their financial goals in order and start chasing that paper.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey shorty
Addressing someone in a casual and friendly manner
How we do
Asking someone how they're doing
Hey shorty
Addressing someone in a casual and friendly manner
I'm all about that paper dough
Focused on earning money
Can you see me
Asking if someone can understand or recognize what she's saying
You know yeah
Confirming that the other person is aware of what she's talking about
As the clock keep ticking tick, tick gotta keep my vision bleary,
Staying focused on making money even with limited time available
I'm in a hurry to get this paper don't worry I'm a dough chaser I'm Still living my dreams wheather its hustling, shaking And shuffling niggas around I'm getting more greater
She's determined to make money and succeed in her career by hustling and using her skills
And its the gang shit that I ain't seen yet
She still has more experiences to gain and learn from
And its the gang niggas I ain't meet yet
She hasn't met all the potential people she could work with or learn from yet
Even though I been to Paris and London and rome, Japan, Africa, Baghdad Amsterdam brought back a phat sack
She's traveled to many places and has valuable experiences and connections to draw from
And I'm rolling dem joints chrome flashing sparkling like gucci colins When I throw on that boostey
She likes to enjoy the fruits of her labor and indulges in luxury items
You niggas can't stop slobbing
She's doing so well that her success is causing envy in others
I'm a pretty young thug and its hotter than ever
She's a successful and attractive person, and her career is thriving
Fucking it up so I get paid to do stuff never
She's trying new things to gain more success and make more money
When this cheddar at stake I'm a chain billionaire blow a couple of millon Some cars so my family and homies can ride like stars
She's determined to make enough money to ensure a luxurious lifestyle not just for herself, but for her loved ones as well
I'm all about the money I don't know about you
She's focused on earning money rather than other potential goals
I got places I wanna go and things I wanna do Gotta whole lotta living to do be4 I die And I ain't got time to waste Honey yeah yeah
She has ambitions to fulfill and doesn't want to waste time not pursuing those goals
Now understand me cause its not complex I'm young and restless with one life to Live so I cash checks
She's explaining that she's living her life to the fullest by making money while she can and not holding back
I'm individually wrapped liked a fresh twinkie So if I cream in the middle Nigga licky, licky, licky, licky
Comparing herself to a dessert, she's saying she's unique and interesting, and if someone takes advantage of her, they'll enjoy it
Become sponge bob absorb me up Can't just polish this I demolish the flow Niggaz astonished when I spit
She has a unique and powerful flow when rapping that amazes people
When I'm pissed I let it flow
She expresses her anger and frustrations through her music
I can afford me a Bentley Without having to forge a signature Or getting a nigga to co sign with me
She's become successful enough to buy luxury cars without having to rely on others
I get bored quickly so I Sour on the g4 to Cali for more sticky gravy life Come hop on this tour with me lets get faded for life
She's always looking for new experiences and adventures, and invites others to join her
I used to save up cookies they are brown even But I got rid of the whole box And I didn't even turn the loot in'
She used to save her money carefully, but now she doesn't need to and even wastes some of it without feeling guilty
I'm shootin' its all cause of you lame ass butlers When I smirk if devils could talk mine would say fuck ya!
She's indirectly blaming her haters and detractors for her success, taking pride in proving them wrong
How could the cans get dropped From the mansion to the high rise to the block we hot
She's questioning how anyone could not see their success, whether they're living in mansions or the block
I rock the white people the Latinos and foreigners Niggas can't see me when they cry I scratch out there corniers
She appeals to a diverse audience and is so successful that her success affects others negatively
I'm warning ya I was born a winner I scare crowed off like that Anna Lotono Did right after she sang 'home in the weares
She's warning her haters that she's not going to back down and compares herself to a famous singer who refused to be intimidated
After the blizzard that's When I came through with them frosted pieces was dripping like icicles
She's providing a vivid description of her jewelry being eye-catching and impressive like icicles in a winter scene
Keep a few of dem precious V-V-S's next to my skin So with the best investment jems ain't no second guessing its here
She's bragging about her expensive jewelry and implying that it's worth the price
Ain't not question who the best is Take a lesson from a bitch who is the goodie in years Never skooted in here got dem all in here
She's confident that she's the best and warns others to learn from her success
Cause dirty money spin like clean money from da A-T-M dummy So when you done bumping your gums there's a lot of dough to be made You should get you sum before its too late And you left wiv none
She's giving advice to others that they should focus on making money instead of just talking about it, because there are opportunities to be lost if they wait too long
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JERMAINE DUPRI, SHAWNTAE HARRIS, MANUEL LONNIE SEAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
denimdonna
my shyt