Hailing from Gary, Indiana, a place whose murder and crime rates have ranked it several times at the top of the "Most Dangerous Cities" list, Freddie Gibbs is the true definition of a street survivor. Raised on Gary's east side, Gibbs lived the hard life firsthand in a run-down industrial community plagued with vice and ignored by the establishment. After playing at Ball State on a football scholarship, Gibbs was kicked out of college. Over the next few years he went through court-ordered boot camp, joined and got discharged from the military, and held down a series of 9 to 5 jobs without success. Feeling like the system had failed him, Gibbs turned to hustling; pimping and selling crack out of a local house. Inspired by rappers like UGK, The Geto Boys, and 2Pac, Gibbs started rhyming about his life and the issues facing urban youth in Gary and the countless other impoverished cities just like it. Gibbs is the first rapper signed to a major label from Gary.
The Steel City's most famous musical residents to date are the Jackson 5, whose name still adorns a marquee on a falling-apart theater in Gary's blighted downtown. His desire to rep the Midwest and his city led Gibbs to start recording mixtapes and pushing them online as well as the streets, where he quickly began garnering fans drawn to his original style, diverse flows, and deeply personal lyrics about his experience as a young black man growing up below the poverty line in a forgotten American city.
Freddie has worked with respected producers like Madlib, Red Spyda, Just Blaze, Buckwild, the Alchemist, Polow Da Don, and Collipark among many others. Gibbs cites Houston rap and Pac as his major influences, and it shows in his ability to alternate between chillingly tense street stories of violence and laid back comedic tales about women and weed. Ultimately Gibbs shows and proves with his rhymes, which demonstrate the promise of a legend in the making. His skills, wit, and street credibility establish Freddie Gibbs as a true artist. He's ready to represent for Gary, the Midwest, and anyone who relates to the struggle of inner city life. As Gibbs tells it: "My music is definitely on some gangsta shit. That's what I was raised on and what I witnessed. How can I speak on anything else?" "Become a fan now, or become one later."
Anything to Survive
Freddie Gibbs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Saw his body shiver and get spinned around
He might be out for the count, them hollow tips pinned him down
Now I ain't slept in two weeks I'm up like I'm tweaking
Serving geekers, man it's hard to get paper up when you beefing
Niggas know my face
Niggas know my name, where I stay at
Is they gonna bitch up or is they gonna be patient and get they payback?
Add the pressure 'til them hoes get the message, I'm gon' relay that
I got five thousand, a couple ounces and plenty burners, bruh
TV and a microwave for my dro, fuck the furniture
And my homie sister a geeker, should I be serving her?
It's like we feed each other's addictions
I'm out here earning a living off of killing my own
Flipping, pitching them stones
Niggas gonna listen 'cause I'm living this shit in my songs
If I should die before I wake
Just know some busters ran up in my spot and shot me in my face
'Cause I'm a motherfucking gangster
And I move through the day, carry on through the night
What I do to get paid? Anything to get by
And I move through the day, carry on through the night
What I do to get paid? Anything to survive
Young, black, violent, Islamic, that's how they painted me
Forgot seasoned and polished, plenty knowledge from scholars
Globe trotter, I be in the ZaZa in Dallas
Doing my daily routine with a queen from Hollis
Know that I came from the bottom here, for the challenge
Not trying to cause mileage, try to maintain the balance
But it's kinda hard when
Niggas that swore to be made men just can't maintain they silence
Central minds under storm, make it rain violent
Sodom and Gomorrah style, hurricane island
Hit em with the 4-5, if it get homicide, matter fact suicide
Wonder if his crew will ride?
Who am I?
It's the one and only bitter Wyatt Earp, acquire work, I do oblige
Get the work to you asap, through the dodge
These other niggas telling fairytales, but we them guys
Yeah
And I move through the day, carry on through the night
What I do to get paid? Anything to get by
And I move through the day, carry on through the night
What I do to get paid? Anything to survive
High rollers send the yola down to Minnesota
Money is the motive, niggas know I go scrotum
Getting cabbage is a habit
If we establish any suckas ain't cut from my fabric
You can clearly see I'm messing with another stylist
We the best and we ain't never met DJ Khaled
Certified head bussa, so above your average
They comin' from Texas, I'm balling like a Dallas Maverick
If you ever middleman me 'cause I'm shopping through ya
Money on your head is how I send ya profits to ya
If ya snitching, then I gotta send them choppas to ya
Fuck a witness, hit the shooters on the prosecutor
I'm talking digits, seven large on my debit card
Never been a thief, pussies fuck with credit fraud
My heart's colder than a popsicle
Give you more shots than a hospital
'Cause I'm a motherfucking gangsta
And I move through the day, carry on through the night
What I do to get paid? Anything to get by
And I move through the day, carry on through the night
What I do to get paid? Anything to survive
The lyrics to Freddie Gibbs's song "Anything to Survive" speak to the difficult life he leads as a gangster trying to make a living off of selling drugs and committing violent crimes. He describes witnessing a murder, being constantly awake due to the stress of his lifestyle, and serving drug addicts to make ends meet. Gibbs laments the fact that he is earning a living off of "killing his own" and questions the loyalty of his fellow gang members.
He also mentions the way society has labeled him as a "young, black, violent, Islamic" person, despite having plenty of knowledge and experience as a "globe trotter". The lyrics give a glimpse into the cyclical nature of gang life, where violence begets more violence and it becomes difficult to maintain control over one's actions.
The song portrays a dark and gritty reality of life as a gang member living and surviving on the fringes of society. The lyrics also touch on the themes of loyalty, family ties, and the consequences of a life of crime.
Line by Line Meaning
I was gone before he hit the ground
I left the scene immediately after I shot and killed someone
Saw his body shiver and get spinned around
I witnessed the physical reaction of the victim after being shot
He might be out for the count, them hollow tips pinned him down
He's probably not conscious because the bullets I used were hollow-point and caused extensive injury
Now I ain't slept in two weeks I'm up like I'm tweaking
I haven't slept in a long time and I'm tired but still alert like I'm on drugs
Serving geekers, man it's hard to get paper up when you beefing
I'm selling drugs to addicts and it's hard to make money when there's conflict with rival drug dealers
Niggas know my face
People in my community recognize me
Niggas know my name, where I stay at
People in my community are aware of my identity and where I live
Is they gonna bitch up or is they gonna be patient and get they payback?
Are they going to surrender or wait for the right opportunity to retaliate?
Fuck a sitting duck, we just gonna clip up and go where they stay at
We're not going to wait around, we're going to arm ourselves and attack where our enemies live
Add the pressure 'til them hoes get the message, I'm gon' relay that
We're going to increase the intensity until they understand the situation and respond accordingly
I got five thousand, a couple ounces and plenty burners, bruh
I have $5000, a few ounces of drugs, and many guns
TV and a microwave for my dro, fuck the furniture
I only care about having a TV and microwave to use for my drugs, I don't care about having nice furniture
And my homie sister a geeker, should I be serving her?
My friend's sister is a drug addict, should I sell drugs to her?
It's like we feed each other's addictions
We enable and support each other's harmful behavior
I'm out here earning a living off of killing my own
I'm making money by selling drugs and contributing to the destruction of my own community
Flipping, pitching them stones
I'm buying and selling drugs
Niggas gonna listen 'cause I'm living this shit in my songs
People will pay attention to my music because I'm rapping about the lifestyle I truly live
If I should die before I wake
If I die suddenly and unexpectedly
Just know some busters ran up in my spot and shot me in my face
Someone invaded my home and killed me by shooting me in the face
'Cause I'm a motherfucking gangster
I'm a violent and ruthless criminal
And I move through the day, carry on through the night
I constantly stay active and vigilant
What I do to get paid? Anything to get by
I will do whatever it takes to make money and survive
Young, black, violent, Islamic, that's how they painted me
Society characterizes me as a violent Muslim because of my race and religion
Forgot seasoned and polished, plenty knowledge from scholars
People ignore my intelligence and skills acquired through education and life experience
Globe trotter, I be in the ZaZa in Dallas
I travel frequently and stay at luxury hotels like the ZaZa in Dallas
Doing my daily routine with a queen from Hollis
I'm spending time with a beautiful woman from a wealthy neighborhood called Hollis
Know that I came from the bottom here, for the challenge
I came from a disadvantaged background and I'm here to prove myself
Not trying to cause mileage, try to maintain the balance
I want to avoid getting into unnecessary conflicts and maintain equilibrium in my life
But it's kinda hard when
However, it's difficult when
Niggas that swore to be made men just can't maintain they silence
People who pledged loyalty to our criminal organization cannot keep quiet about our activities
Central minds under storm, make it rain violent
Our group is experiencing chaos and tension and it's resulting in violent behavior
Sodom and Gomorrah style, hurricane island
Our situation is similar to the biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and a hurricane-ravaged island
Hit em with the 4-5, if it get homicide, matter fact suicide
I will shoot them with a .45 caliber gun, and if it results in their death it's as if they committed suicide
Wonder if his crew will ride?
I'm curious if the victim's friends will seek revenge
Who am I?
I question my identity and place in the world
It's the one and only bitter Wyatt Earp, acquire work, I do oblige
I am a ruthless criminal and will take on any job or task
Get the work to you asap, through the dodge
I will quickly deliver the item or complete the task, even if it requires dodging the authorities or rivals
These other niggas telling fairytales, but we them guys
Other people are lying about their crimes and skills, but we are the real deal
High rollers send the yola down to Minnesota
Wealthy drug dealers are sending large amounts of cocaine down to Minnesota
Money is the motive, niggas know I go scrotum
I'm motivated by money and will do whatever it takes to get it
Getting cabbage is a habit
Making money is something I am good at and frequently do
If we establish any suckas ain't cut from my fabric
If anyone isn't loyal to our criminal organization, they will pay
You can clearly see I'm messing with another stylist
It's clear that I'm working with a new group of people
We the best and we ain't never met DJ Khaled
We are the best at what we do and don't need anyone's validation, even a famous DJ like Khaled
Certified head bussa, so above your average
I'm a certified violent criminal and above the average person
They comin' from Texas, I'm balling like a Dallas Maverick
My rivals are coming from Texas but I'm doing well, like a player for the Dallas Mavericks basketball team
If you ever middleman me 'cause I'm shopping through ya
If you try to act as a middleman between me and your supplier because I'm buying from you, you will regret it
Money on your head is how I send ya profits to ya
I will put a bounty on your head and take the money that was meant for you
If ya snitching, then I gotta send them choppas to ya
If you're a snitch or informant, I will send people to kill you
Fuck a witness, hit the shooters on the prosecutor
I don't care if there are witnesses, I will go after the people who are trying to convict me
I'm talking digits, seven large on my debit card
I'm talking about making a lot of money, with $7000 on my debit card
Never been a thief, pussies fuck with credit fraud
I've never been involved in petty crime like stealing, I prefer more lucrative activities like credit card fraud
My heart's colder than a popsicle
I have a very cold and callous personality
Give you more shots than a hospital
I will shoot you multiple times, likely resulting in your death
'Cause I'm a motherfucking gangsta
I'm a violent and ruthless criminal
And I move through the day, carry on through the night
I am constantly on the move and never stop working
What I do to get paid? Anything to get by
I will do whatever is necessary to make money and survive
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Tipton Fredrick Jamel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
litzuh blackonyx
Even In 2020 this song still gives me chills🥶 it’s to real for radio 📻
Damien Williams
2022
Alexander Coffman
Me T00, and how cool and ironic too that Thee Singer Adrian sounds like like Michael Jackson?
The MALHAMA
Almost committed the sin of forgetting about this jewel.
The MALHAMA
Word
Blah Blah Blaze
This is forever classic
BG That Guy
I'm still listening to this song after 10 years I'm am 24 now anything to survive I stay strong this song is powerful
Trip
Nbs I'm 27 this fire for the soul
The MALHAMA
This sh*t is legit one of the dopest tracks of all time period. Man I hadn't bumped this in yrs, been slippin
D7 K08K
incredible timeless hook - been listening to this song since 2011