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."
Fuckin' up the Count
Freddie Gibbs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Time to whip these zippers in the kitchen with the same nigga
All I know is selling weed and water, dope and yay nigga
Money on my mind, don't do the crime unless it pay nigga
New 650 Bimmer coupe, I'm fucking in a foreign car
Got diamonds in my Rollie face I'm 'bout to cop a Audemar
Top down on a bitch when I ride by, I feel like fuck the law
Got diamonds in my Rollie face I'm 'bout to cop an Audemar
Freddie where your bills at
Teacher told me go get a job, I said where the scale at?
Told my Cali plug wrap the package up, we can mail that
Teacher told me go get a job, I said where the scale at?
Bitch, I'm straight balling
Fifty thousand dollars in a nigga couch
And never fucking up the count
Bitch I'm straight balling
Hunnid' thousand dollars in my momma house
And never fucking up the count
Bitch, I'm straight balling
Tryna make a million before they take me out
And never fucking up the count
Bitch I'm straight balling
Fifty thousand dollars in a nigga couch
And never fucking up the count
This look like money, motherfucker
Money be green
Money feel like money
That shit look green to you?
Got a dead fucking president on it
I don't give a fuck
Quarter brick, half a brick, whole brick, ay nigga
Momma kick me out the house for servin' where she stay nigga
Nickel dimed and broke after I buy my brand new J's, nigga
Fuck this broke shit boy
Went straight to robbing, what's the play nigga
Ran off with this nigga
Work is crucial when you burn a nigga
He might want that back so bet you down to do a murder nigga
Used to keep that .45 on my front seat when I serve a nigga
Nigga hope this work
I hope you down to do a murder, nigga
Celly steady ringin' for Freddie but where the things at?
Drove a half a ton, dropped it off and I took a plane back
Gangsta shit in my DNA, I just can't explain that
Even if I die tell my enemies I remain that
Said bitch I'm straight balling
Fifty thousand dollars in a nigga couch
And never fucking up the count
Bitch I'm straight balling
Hunnid' thousand dollars in my momma house
And never fucking up the count
Bitch I'm straight balling
Tryna make a million before they take me out
And never fucking up the count
Bitch I'm straight balling
Fifty thousand dollars in a nigga couch
And never fucking up the count
You follow drugs
You get drug addicts and the drug dealers
But you start to follow the money and you don't know where the fuck it's gonna take you
In this song, Freddie Gibbs talks about his experience as a drug dealer, emphasizing the importance of never "fucking up the count," meaning never losing or mishandling the money he earns from selling drugs. He talks about the different drugs he sells, including weed, water, dope, and yay (possibly cocaine). Gibbs also mentions the luxurious items he has purchased with his earnings, such as a BMW and a diamond-encrusted watch. He hints at the danger that comes with his job, such as the need to protect himself with a gun and the possibility of having to commit murder. The last lines of the song are spoken by an unknown narrator and suggest that following the money can lead to an unpredictable and potentially dangerous situation.
The lyrics present a gritty and honest portrayal of the life of a drug dealer. Gibbs is open about the risks and rewards of his profession, painting a vivid picture of the lifestyle he leads. He shows pride in his financial success but also acknowledges the danger and violence that often accompanies it. The singer's final words serve as a warning about the dangers of getting too involved in the world of drug dealing.
Line by Line Meaning
Quarter brick, half a brick, whole brick, ay nigga
I have different sizes of drug packages to sell
Time to whip these zippers in the kitchen with the same nigga
It's time to cook crack with my partner
All I know is selling weed and water, dope and yay nigga
I only know how to sell different types of drugs
Money on my mind, don't do the crime unless it pay nigga
I only commit crimes that have a clear financial reward
New 650 Bimmer coupe, I'm fucking in a foreign car
I am driving a brand new BMW and having sex in it
Got diamonds in my Rollie face I'm 'bout to cop a Audemar
I have diamonds in my Rolex watch and planning to buy an Audemars Piguet watch as well
Top down on a bitch when I ride by, I feel like fuck the law
I am driving with the roof down and feel like breaking the law
My celly steady ringin'
My cell phone keeps ringing
Freddie where your bills at
Someone is asking me about money I owe them
Teacher told me go get a job, I said where the scale at?
When a teacher told me to get a job, I asked him where to find a scale for drug weighing
Told my Cali plug wrap the package up, we can mail that
I asked my California drug supplier to package the drugs and mail it to me
Bitch, I'm straight balling
I am very wealthy
Fifty thousand dollars in a nigga couch
I have 50,000 dollars hidden in a couch
And never fucking up the count
I always count my money correctly and never make mistakes
Momma kick me out the house for servin' where she stay nigga
My mother kicked me out of the house for selling drugs where she lived
Nickel dimed and broke after I buy my brand new J's, nigga
I am nearly broke after buying expensive Jordan shoes
Fuck this broke shit boy
I am tired of being broke
Went straight to robbing, what's the play nigga
I resorted to theft and want to know if anyone else is interested in joining me
Work is crucial when you burn a nigga
It's important to have good quality drugs when you sell them
He might want that back so bet you down to do a murder nigga
If someone finds out I cheated them, they might try to hurt me, so I'm ready to kill them
Used to keep that .45 on my front seat when I serve a nigga
I used to keep a gun on my front seat when selling drugs
Nigga hope this work
I hope this drug deal goes well
I hope you down to do a murder, nigga
I hope you're willing to kill someone if needed
Celly steady ringin' for Freddie but where the things at?
My phone keeps ringing with people asking for drugs, but I don't have any at the moment
Drove a half a ton, dropped it off and I took a plane back
I transported a large amount of drugs, then flew back home
Gangsta shit in my DNA, I just can't explain that
I have always been fascinated with gangster lifestyle
You start to follow the money and you don't know where the fuck it's gonna take you
If you follow the trail of money in the drug business, you never know where it will lead you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ADAM KING FEENEY, FREDDIE GIBBS, MATTHEW SAMUELS, SIDNEY MILLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MistahTok
Freddie Gibbs is the most underrated rapper in the game. Period.
@MrMlbfan6
Wat about ace hood
@cheeeebz
+carlos ortiz ace hood is straight garbage compared to gibbs r u kidding me?!
@ardien.535
+MistahTok i would say him and big krit
@fredof4413
+MistahTok which is why pinata is regarded as one of the best hip hop albums of 2014 and got an 8 from pitchfork?
@rac50172015
+Fredrick Fedoray™. 139 IQ. Pinata a masterpiece. Fuck the critics the streets don't lie
@SaintTvK
I love the fact that Freddie puts samples from ´The Wire´ in this track. One of the best tv shows i know
@untitled5887
That Wire sample tho
@mattl.7766
Rest in peace to Prop Joe!
@jkear2004
Money be green