E.S.G., or Cedric Hill as he was born, is a rapper from Houston, Texas (although he was born in Louisiana and moved to Houston later in life) who played a key role in the development of Houston’s ‘Chopped And Screwed’ sound alongside DJ Screw in the mid to late ’90s, beginning with his debut LP “Oceans Of Funk” in 1994. The more popular songs from this album were repackaged with new songs and released as a faux-sophomore effort by Perrion Entertainment in 1995, as the landmark “Sailin’ Da South”. This album contained several radio-friendly, summery tracks, none moreso than Swangin’ & Bangin’, which was also re-worked (or “screwed”) by close friend DJ Screw. Both the original track and its slowed down alter-ego cemented Hill’s place as a mainstay in the burgeoning Houston rap scene and also the wider southern rap movement.
E.S.G. spent several years in jail following an incident in which his partner was shot dead in a home invasion. E.S.G. returned fire and killed the intruder (“Nigga broke in my crib, shot my partner in the head, so I grab my chopper left a bitch nigga dead”). He was subsequently charged with first degree murder and was incarcerated before beating the charge. “Sailin’ Da South” was released and gained him notoriety while he was on lock.
He was then released and increased his workrate, releasing Return Of The Living Dead shortly after in 1998. He is an original member of Screwed Up Click, the group formed by the late DJ Screw.
E.S.G. is known for having ongoing beef with other Houston rappers, namely Slim Thug, whom Hill claims cut him out of a potential deal, and also Lil’ Flip, for reasons less publicly documented (“Had Flip under my wing, Slim Thug too, and both them niggaz switch like some homosexuals do”).
E.S.G. is married and has a son and a daughter. His father died from complications related to Auto Immune Deficiency Syndrome / Human Immunodeficiency Virus during E’s childhood in Bogalusa, Louisiana (“Then my daddy died, he had full blown AIDS, he was tootin’ up, then that nigga started shootin’ up”). This left E with his uncle as his primary male role model during his youth (“Uncle started recruitin’ us, he was hustlin’ crack, it’s safe to say I was born in the trap”).
In the early ’90s, he moved from Bogalusa to nearby Lafayette, Louisiana, while attending USL (University of Southern Louisiana), before again moving to Houston, Texas, where he made his name as a rapper (“Sold my first thirty Gs, game’s gettin’ deeper, moved to H-Town ‘cause the bricks were cheaper”).
How We Swang
E.S.G. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We riding Cheves and them Lacs, on them thangs
Down Souh, that's how them boys do it mayn
Get out of line, them thangs rain
Paint change, everytime we switching lanes
(from the back-back, to the front and to the side
In the Lac-Lac with a blunt, now where the light
From the back-back, to the front and to the side
[E.S.G.]
I'm back in my hood, we gripping wood we call it grain
It's the man who wrote "Wanna be a Baller", and made you "Swang & Bang"
Yup E.S.G. you know my name, forty G's of in my chain
My rap sheet before the rap game, I had ki's off in my Range
My homie left me hanging, yup he signed with Pharrell
That ain't stopping shit, round here we getting this mail
For my homies in jail, like Beanie Sigel and Young Pimp
Come back home for black chrome, on a 300 M
Dodge Magnum station wagon, I done told ya son
I'm like Pac, Big and Pun all rolled in one
Yup real O.G. I been that G, still got T.V.'s in my seats
Ice the size of Chris Rock teeth, heat the size of Yao Ming feet
You can call me Shaq, the way they threw me in the cross
Now my team's on top, you can't make the playoffs
Yup break boys off my trunk popping, baller blocking ain't money stopping
Mess with me gon R.I.P., like O.D.B. or Johnny Cochran
[Hook]
[E.S.G.]
Not Mike Jones I'm still tipping, ain't no room for Robin Givens
Need a chick that's bout her bidness, like Kimora Lee Simons
Baby this Baby Phat, baby this baby that
Hot boy like Weezy, but I got Baby stacks
Damon Dash cash, so mo' yay we gotta flip
Till my bank account swoll up, like Jay-Z bottom lip
Yeah we thugging in this bitch, steady busting at my foes
Got that Ruben Studdard money, it be busting out my clothes
Standing tall as light poles, or a statue in the park
I'm the wizard tin man, I'm here to give you boys some heart
Down here we spit it for real, icicles in my grill
Candy green say I'm deuce, look like a pickle on wheels
No American idols round here no Paula, Randy or Simon
Just a old school Impala, rolling candy shining
If you grinding keep grinding, cause ain't nothing in life for free
I'ma be a G-A-N-G-S-T-A, till the day I D-I-E g'eah
[Hook]
[E.S.G.]
What you know bout groupie freaks, Gucci shoes and Gucci seats
Bout my ends like Pimpin' Ken, ghetto streets to executive suites
Ashton Mars and EXT's, platinum screens and DVD's
28's and 23's, six T.V.'s in the SUV
S.U.C. now I bet you E, spitting nothing but hits for boys
Bring a role of toilet paper (why), cause I'm shitting on boys
Underground bully, I ain't scared to smash it to ya
This year I'm punking rappers, you can call me Ashton Kutcher
Blades chopping like a butcher, they can't stand me now
Can't be like 50 Cent new album, and let my fan's down
This for my Vice Lord GD's, Bloods, Crips, Latin Kings
Blacks, whites, Asians, everybody in between
Yeah that chopper to chop ya, srop toppers can't stop us
Crooked coppers think they got us, so they watch us with binoculars
Bottle popping trunk knocking, stopping traffic in the Lac
Cause I got one-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight, 15's in the back g'eah
[Hook]
In the song "How We Swang" by E.S.G., the rapper describes the lifestyle and culture of the South, particularly Houston, Texas, where he is from. The hook speaks about the cars that they ride, such as the Chevrolet Cheve and the Cadillac (Lac) and how they ride them. The hook continues to talk about what happens when someone gets out of line, and how they show off their vehicles by switching their paint when switching lanes. In the first verse, E.S.G introduces himself, listing his accomplishments as a rapper and his past in the drug game. He talks about how he keeps going despite losing one of his homies to a record deal with Pharrell. He shows that he is still making money and getting famous even though he is not getting record label attention. In the second verse, E.S.G. brags about his wealth, the expensive cars that he has, and the women he dates. He mentions his love for romantic partnerships with women who are independent and successful, stating that he looks for women like Kimora Lee Simmons. He finishes by calling out other rappers for falling short of his level of skill and success.
One interesting fact about the song is its impact on the Houston music scene. It is a classic song in the Houston hip-hop scene and is one of the defining tracks of the "screwed and chopped" sound which originated in Houston. Another interesting fact about the song is that it inspired the nickname of one of the NBA's best three-point shooters today, Klay Thompson. Another interesting fact is that the song's title is a play on the phrase "swang and bang," which is a term that describes the act of driving through the city slowly and menacingly, while possibly engaging in some kind of criminal activity. It is also a term that describes the rhythmic effect achieved by taking a song and slowing it down to create a hypnotic, intoxicating sound that is very popular in the Houston music scene. Another interesting fact is that the song has been sampled by several other musicians, including Lil Wayne, who sampled E.S.G.'s voice in his track "Let's Do It." Lastly, the song has appeared in a few movies, including the Paul Walker movie, "Running Scared."
The song's chords are not available.
Line by Line Meaning
We riding Cheves and them Lacs, on them thangs
We're cruising in Chevrolets and Cadillacs on rims.
Down Souh, that's how them boys do it mayn
Southern boys are known for living this lifestyle.
Get out of line, them thangs rain
If you act up, you might get shot.
Paint change, everytime we switching lanes
The color of our cars change whenever we change lanes.
I'm back in my hood, we gripping wood we call it grain
I'm back in my neighborhood, and we're holding on to wooden steering wheels, and we call it grain.
It's the man who wrote "Wanna be a Baller", and made you "Swang & Bang"
It's the same man who wrote "Wanna be a Baller" and "Swang & Bang".
Yup E.S.G. you know my name, forty G's of in my chain
Yes, it's me, E.S.G., and I'm wearing a chain worth $40,000.
My rap sheet before the rap game, I had ki's off in my Range
Before I started rapping, I had kilograms in my Range Rover.
My homie left me hanging, yup he signed with Pharrell
My friend abandoned me and signed a record deal with Pharrell.
That ain't stopping shit, round here we getting this mail
That doesn't stop us from making money, we're still hustling.
For my homies in jail, like Beanie Sigel and Young Pimp
This is for my friends who are imprisoned, like Beanie Sigel and Young Pimp.
Come back home for black chrome, on a 300 M
Come back to your hometown to see black rims on a 300 M car.
Dodge Magnum station wagon, I done told ya son
I've got a Dodge Magnum station wagon, like I told you before.
I'm like Pac, Big and Pun all rolled in one
I'm a combination of Tupac, Notorious B.I.G., and Big Punisher.
Yup real O.G. I been that G, still got T.V.'s in my seats
Yes, I'm a real O.G. and I've been that gangsta for a while, and I still have televisions in my car seats.
Ice the size of Chris Rock teeth, heat the size of Yao Ming feet
My jewelry is as large as Chris Rock's teeth, and my gun is as big as Yao Ming's feet.
You can call me Shaq, the way they threw me in the cross
You can compare me to Shaquille O'Neal, with all the obstacles that were thrown my way.
Now my team's on top, you can't make the playoffs
Now that my team is at the top, you won't be able to beat us to the playoffs.
Yup break boys off my trunk popping, baller blocking ain't money stopping
Yes, my trunk is popping and people are giving me money. Nobody can stop my success.
Mess with me gon R.I.P., like O.D.B. or Johnny Cochran
If you mess with me, you might rest in peace, just like Ol' Dirty Bastard or Johnny Cochran.
Not Mike Jones I'm still tipping, ain't no room for Robin Givens
I'm not Mike Jones, but I'm still driving a car with rims. There's no space for Robin Givens in my life.
Need a chick that's bout her bidness, like Kimora Lee Simons
I need a woman who is serious about her business, just like Kimora Lee Simmons.
Baby this Baby Phat, baby this baby that
I'm talking about Baby Phat clothing line, and everything else associated with it.
Hot boy like Weezy, but I got Baby stacks
I'm rich like Lil Wayne, but I have wealth like Birdman.
Damon Dash cash, so mo' yay we gotta flip
I have a lot of money just like Damon Dash, so we have to flip it to make more.
Till my bank account swoll up, like Jay-Z bottom lip
Until my bank account is as big as Jay-Z's lips on the bottom of his face.
Yeah we thugging in this bitch, steady busting at my foes
Yes, we're thugging in this place, and we're constantly attacking our enemies.
Got that Ruben Studdard money, it be busting out my clothes
I have money like Ruben Studdard, and it shows in my clothes.
Standing tall as light poles, or a statue in the park
I'm standing tall like street poles or statues in the park.
I'm the wizard tin man, I'm here to give you boys some heart
I'm like the tin man from the Wizard of Oz, and I'm here to give the boys some bravery.
Down here we spit it for real, icicles in my grill
We're rapping truthfully down here, and I have diamonds in my teeth (grill).
Candy green say I'm deuce, look like a pickle on wheels
My car is a candy green color, but only has two doors, it looks funny.
No American idols round here no Paula, Randy or Simon
We don't have American idols here, no one like Paula, Randy, or Simon.
Just a old school Impala, rolling candy shining
I just have a traditional Impala, but it's still shining with expensive rims.
If you grinding keep grinding, cause ain't nothing in life for free
If you're working hard, keep doing it, because nothing is given for free in life.
I'ma be a G-A-N-G-S-T-A, till the day I D-I-E g'eah
I'll always be a gangsta until the day I die.
What you know bout groupie freaks, Gucci shoes and Gucci seats
What do you know about groupies, designer Gucci shoes, and Gucci car seats?
Bout my ends like Pimpin' Ken, ghetto streets to executive suites
I'm all about making my money, just like Pimpin' Ken, from the ghetto streets to executive offices.
Ashton Mars and EXT's, platinum screens and DVD's
I have Ashton Martin cars and EXT Cadillac trucks, with platinum screens and DVD players.
28's and 23's, six T.V.'s in the SUV
I have 28 inch and 23 inch rims, with six televisions in my SUV.
S.U.C. now I bet you E, spitting nothing but hits for boys
I'm part of the Screwed Up Click (S.U.C.) now, and I'm making nothing but hit songs.
Bring a role of toilet paper (why), cause I'm shitting on boys
Bring some toilet paper, because I'm doing so well that it's like I'm defecating on my haters.
Underground bully, I ain't scared to smash it to ya
I'm a bully when it comes to the underground rap scene, and I'm not afraid to challenge my competitors.
This year I'm punking rappers, you can call me Ashton Kutcher
This year I'm making fun of rappers and taking control of the game, you can compare me to Ashton Kutcher from the TV show Punk'd.
Blades chopping like a butcher, they can't stand me now
My jewelry is so big, it's like butchering knives, and my haters can't stand my success.
Can't be like 50 Cent new album, and let my fan's down
I can't be like 50 Cent's new album, and disappoint my fans.
This for my Vice Lord GD's, Bloods, Crips, Latin Kings
This song is dedicated to all the gang members, such as the Vice Lord GD's, Bloods, Crips, and Latin Kings.
Blacks, whites, Asians, everybody in between
This song is for everyone, including people of all races and ethnicities.
Yeah that chopper to chop ya, srop toppers can't stop us
Yes, we have guns to shoot at you, and even the police helicopter can't stop us.
Crooked coppers think they got us, so they watch us with binoculars
Corrupt cops think they have us under control, so they monitor us with binoculars.
Bottle popping trunk knocking, stopping traffic in the Lac
We're popping champagne bottles and playing loud music, causing traffic in our Cadillac cars.
Cause I got one-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight, 15's in the back g'eah
Because I have 15 inch speakers in my car, adding up to a total of eight.
Contributed by Cooper A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.