Itβs said that art mirrors life. In hip-hopβs case, thereβs always been a deliberate entanglement of perception and reality. Fans demand their MCs be realβ¦but never too real. Successful hip-hop is about the hint of the danger, the tease of it, the mystique. Hip-hop is about balance.
Gucci Mane is an artist striving for that balance, volatility versus musicality. Controversy, including a feud with former collaborator Young Jeezy, has grabbed the headlines, with insufficient regard paid to his considerable mic skills, raw talent, and business acumen. Gucci is looking to wrest his name from public speculation and let his own words do the talking.
βI wish everybody well whoβs making money in this rap game,β the Atlanta-raised rapper says, dismissing the controversy that followed him in the past. βMy own rap game is going so good, Iβve got so many things on my plate at my label, that I donβt got time for other peopleβs business.β With a deal with Asylum Records as the boss of his own label, So Icey Entertainment, Gucci does indeed have a full schedule with no time to dwell on the past.
βI live my life with no regrets. I just wish that a lot of things never happened, but anybody can wish,β says Gucci. Sounds like a man with his eyes on the prize. And youβd expect nothing less from an artist who ground his way to the top via the hustle of independent records. Signing to Big Cat Records in the wake of his local single βBlack Tee,β he dropped his debut record, Trap House, in May 2005. The independent album moved an impressive 140,000 units, largely on the strength of the βIcyβ single, featuring Jeezy. Clamor over song rights sparked dispute, and the resulting rift grew.
Controversy notwithstanding, Maneβs independence was cemented: βI was on the independent scene for about two years,β he recalls. βItβs crazy! You gotta go into your own pocket to support your craft. You need other avenues to have money coming in, to support your stuff. You might win, you might lose, and itβs a gamble out there with the independent circuit. One thing youβd better have is good music because without that, you go downhill fast in the independent game.β
Good music firmly in hand, Gucci was fast approaching stardom when more tragedy befell him. But letβs backtrack; how did the man born Radric Davis in Bessemer, Alabama, become Gucci Mane, mouthpiece for Atlanta stuntinβ? Mane remembers little from his time in Alabama, just that it was rural, and that itβs changed dramatically since he left at the age of nine. βI gotta shout out Alabama though, because they holdinβ it down,β he affirms. βEvery time I go there to do a show, Iβm impressed with how hip-hop culture has taken root.β
Maneβs identity coalesced when he moved with his mother to Atlanta. βI lived all of my adolescent and adult life in Atlanta,β he explains. βIβm from East Atlanta Zone Six; it was hard, man, it was real rough. I grew up in the Starter jacket era: theyβd take your Starter jacket, your 8Ball jacket, theyβd take your hat, your shoes. It was just no holds barred on the streets, dog eat dog. If you missed the bus, you had to be crewed up or youβd get jumped. It was wild when I came up.β
Itβs a bleak portrait. When asked to describe his home life more vividly, Mane offers a look into his contemplative side, a side honed as a schoolyard poet. βI was just a young dude in a single parent house most of my life. I canβt complain that much. I would guess itβs like any black child growing up in a single parent household. There are a lot of people who know how that is. I didnβt have a lot coming up; but what I did have, I appreciated. I was blessed to have a caring mother to raise me right and to help me with my business ventures; sheβs been there through the whole struggle. Thereβs a lot that goes along with that; it made me who I am today.β
A stepfather would enter the picture during Maneβs adolescence, introducing not only a male figure, but also inspiration for Maneβs unusual moniker. βMy father came in, the original Gucci Mane; thatβs what people in the neighborhood called him, and thatβs where I get my name from. From then on, I grew up the son of a hustler and a schoolteacher; it was the best of both worlds because I was educated twice.β Drawing inspiration from a pantheon of rappers before him βBig Daddy Kane, LL Cool J, Ice Cube, the Beastie Boys, N.W.AβMane went on to release Trap House, a lethal brew of his signature sound: βI call my music straight Gucci: going hard and whatever beats you make you for me, if Iβm feeling it, if Iβm rocking with it, Iβm gonna crush it. When you hear me, you hear a lot of pain, a lot of hood; you hear whatβs going on in the inner city in Atlanta.β
Unfortunately, Trap House was ill timed; the month of its release, Gucci was accused of murder and jailed for two days. Eventually deemed to be acting in self-defense, and without sufficient evidence to hold him, Mane was exonerated. But the ordeal left an indelible imprint on the man. βI learned to keep better company, watch where I go, and be mindful of my surroundings at all times,β he reveals. βWatch what I say, watch what I do and how I do it, just keep myself out of the wrong crowd.β
βI always stand up man,β he continues. βIβm one of the toughest guys I know. Itβll take a lot more than that to break me down.β Undeterred, Mane was back in the studio, preparing 2006βs eerily apropos Hard To Kill. The buzz from Hard To Kill vaulted Gucci Mane from regional commodity to national treasure, and major labels responded accordingly: βThere was a bidding war going on, and I liked Atlanticβs approach. They made it known that they wanted me, they felt where I was going and that I could grow with them.β
Asylum/Atlantic Records welcomed Gucci Mane in early β07, granting him his own imprint, So Icey Entertainment. With it comes an entire stable of artists, the So Icey Boyz. As the Boyz ready for their own exposure ββI got them in training; they be in the weight room, pumping iron, doing pushups, shopping at the mall, buying iceββGucci is focused on his magnum opus, Back to the Trap House. βI started working on the album, and by the third song, I was like βThis is going back to the Trap House.β I started feeling the same way I did when I made my first album. It had the same feel to it, the same freshness. And I had the same hunger and desire I had when I first started rapping.β
βSince I went major, I want everybody to know Iβm still keeping it street, keeping it hood,β Gucci maintains. βIβm trying to take it back to all my fans that I had when I first started my career. And at the same time, Iβm trying to open up my new album to a new fan base. So itβs a mix for everybody coming together, like my first album was.β Gucci has always prided himself on his innate ability, and his refusal to let guest appearances dictate the tone of his records. βI just want people to know Iβm a great songwriter, man,β he asserts. βIβm passionate about what I do, and itβs choreographed strategically when I do it. I bring a lot of experience, creative wordplay, and a crazy style. And my albums, I record most of the songs without writing them down; itβs a God-given gift and I just get paid for it. It come from God, itβs like wondering what makes a bird fly. He made me a poet like the great poets of the past.β
But donβt mistake Gucciβs confidence for self-absorption. The vicissitudes of his career have dictated a longer view. Lyrics aside, heβs less preoccupied with visible means and more so with acting as an emissary from his under-repped block. βIβm not the one to glorify what goes on in the hood,β he insists. βWe have everything there, the whole range from violence to people getting on the bus and going to work. Thereβs a lot more to the hood than just drugs. Itβs a bigger story, thereβs a big picture. I went to school in that neighborhood, I worked there, I trapped there, I hustled there, and I got my name there. Iβm proud to be from East Atlanta Zone Six, and I claim there. I hold that on my back and carry that, to be the first one from there to really rock.β
And Gucciβs professional aims have matured as well. While other rappers stress platinum plaques, Gucci hasnβt forgotten the route he took to stardom. βI made a lot of CDs on my own. People fucked with me and supported me, and just made me the man I am today. Thatβs my blueprint right there, and I stay mindful of it. So now, my only concern is that people feel my music; at the end of the day, I do it for people to feel it. If one person feel it, two people feel it, I feel like my jobβs been done.β
Fortunately for Gucci, he should be prepared to welcome an army of new fans with Back to the Trap House. But longstanding fans shouldnβt fear; theyβll recognize βFreaky Gurl,β reprised from its previous appearance from Hard To Kill. Luda, upon hearing the joint, asked for a guest spot on the remix. Said remix now appears as the lead single on Back to the Trap House, following in Gucciβs theme of mating old and new. Over a bouncing, meandering beat from Cyber Sapp, the two cook up the requisite concoction of whips, chips, and chicks. Also look out for βBird Flu,β the albumβs number two single, laced by New-York based Supa Sonics. Elsewhere, firm guest verses from Rich Boy and Pimp C of UGK round out Gucciβs regional flavor, while Bay-area producer Zaytoven (of βIcyβ renown) locks down Gucciβs West Coast appeal.
Gucci Mane has something for everyone, and with the struggles of the past in his rearview, Gucci is settled in for his ride to the top. βIβm best known for controversy but Iβm trying to gain respect as a songwriter and entertainer. I plan to hit them so hard with this album; who knows what the future will bring. Iβll be banging them out till I canβt bang no more.β
Bust Down
Gucci Mane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Big Wop
Big Burr
Yeah
Burr
(MikeWillMadeIt)
I'm icy, bitch (burr), the reason that it's froze up (haan)
Wrist all rocked up, charm all chunked up (chunky)
Rin' so big, got my pinky fin'er swole up
Pull up to my club, red carpet roll-out
Feelin' like a star player, I might pull a whole lot
Bitch in a Lamborghini, she just did a donut (skrrt)
DropTop Wop, got more Glocks than a pawn shop
Hoes so fine, in the summer got the toes out
Niggas gettin' money, get drunk, they like to show out
Shout out to the landlord who know that's the old house
Put some diamonds in the golds like the old South
Asked me for a diamond in her nose, I said "Woah, now"
Pay attention, diamonds in the Rolls, we in the truck now
I just put some diamonds in the ceilin', what the fuck, now
Keisha got ice, got everybody bust down
Bust down, bust down, everybody bust down
I don't got much feelin' in my heart, who can I trust now? (No)
Bust down, bust down, everybody bust down (Wop)
Playin' with my money, lotta people gotta duck down (baow)
Bust down, bust down, everything bust down (bling)
Rollin' with some certified hitters in the truck, now (woah)
Bust down, bust down, everything bust down (haan)
Hit him in the gut, he ran, they shot him in the butt, wow (go)
(Yeah) it's Guwop
The iciest man alive (haan)
They askin' me how do I survive (haan)
Burr
I keep an assassin that's on payroll in the cut now
I got that hush money, say the word, your business shut down
I don't put my sniper in IG, he play the background
I can't take him every place I be, they check his background
Nigga tried provoke me, I done bust, so now it's that now
He used to be my dawg, but now he act just like a cat now (pussy)
Used to be stuck but now I'm up, I got a sack now
Treat me like a king, this Atlanta, this ain't Sac town (Atlanta)
Every time I cop a new piece, it's somethin' to chat about (chat)
He tried to play bully on the bunky then got scratched out (stretched)
Gucci Mane took all his juice, handcuffed him, and went cash cow (cash)
On jewelry I done spazzed out, my watch, it cost a stash house
Bust down, bust down, everybody bust down
I don't got much feelin' in my heart, who can I trust now? (No)
Bust down, bust down, everybody bust down (Wop)
Playin' with my money, lotta people gotta duck down (baow)
Bust down, bust down, everything bust down (bling)
Rollin' with some certified hitters in the truck, now (woah)
Bust down, bust down, everything bust down (huh)
Hit him in the gut, he ran, they shot him in the butt, wow
Yeah, the ice like Richie Rich (burr)
Icier than a bitch (bling, blaow)
Dig what I'm sayin'? (Diggin' it)
Big Guwop (Big Guwop)
So Icey, 1-0-1-7 (1-0-1-7)
It's Mr. So Icey (haan)
1-0-1-7 (haan)
It's Gucci (haan)
Wop
Haan (woah, woah)
Gucci (haan)
The lyrics of Gucci Mane's song "Down" describe his extravagant lifestyle and wealth as well as his distrust in people and the steps he takes to protect himself. Gucci begins by asserting his icy persona and the admiration he receives, with kids wanting to be like him when they grow up. He describes his jewelry, including his chunky charms, and his car (Lamborghini) while also mentioning his guns. The rapper also mentions the attractiveness of the women he's with and how everyone likes to show off their money.
In the second verse, Gucci talks about the different ways he protects himself, particularly with his tight circle of associates. He mentions the people he pays to do his dirty work, "an assassin that's on payroll," and the "hush money" he has available to keep people quiet. Gucci also mentions his decision to keep low-profile associates, particularly because they can be easily checked. He ends the verse on a more violent note, referring to a former friend who betrayed him by comparing him to a cat and saying he got "scratched out."
Overall the song is a celebration of Gucci's wealth and reputation while also acknowledging the dangers and challenges of maintaining that lifestyle.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm icy, bitch (burr), the reason that it's froze up (haan)
I am cold-hearted and money-oriented, the reason why everything around me is cold and frozen
Got lil' kids wanna be me when they growed up
I am a role model for young children who aspire to become like me in the future
Wrist all rocked up, charm all chunked up (chunky)
My wrist is adorned with expensive watches, and my charm bracelets have large and heavy pieces
Rin' so big, got my pinky fin'er swole up
My ring is so large that it has swollen my pinky finger
Pull up to my club, red carpet roll-out
I arrive at the club with a grand entrance, and the red carpet is rolled out for me
Feelin' like a star player, I might pull a whole lot
I feel like a famous athlete, and I might spend a lot of money
Bitch in a Lamborghini, she just did a donut (skrrt)
A woman drives a Lamborghini and performs a reckless driving maneuver
DropTop Wop, got more Glocks than a pawn shop
My nickname is DropTop Wop, and I have more guns than a pawn shop
Hoes so fine, in the summer got the toes out
Women are dressed attractively in the summertime, with their sandals or flip flops exposing their toes
Niggas gettin' money, get drunk, they like to show out
Wealthy men like to show their money off when they drink, and they become very ostentatious
Shout out to the landlord who know that's the old house
I want to give recognition to the landlord who is aware that they are renting me an old, outdated house
Put some diamonds in the golds like the old South
I have adorned my gold teeth with diamonds, like they did in the southern United States in the past
Asked me for a diamond in her nose, I said "Woah, now"
A woman asked me to put a diamond in her nose, and I refused saying that is too extravagant
Pay attention, diamonds in the Rolls, we in the truck now
Be mindful that there are diamonds in the Rolls Royce we are leaving, and now we are in a truck
I just put some diamonds in the ceilin', what the fuck, now
I have added diamonds to the ceiling of my location, and I can't believe how extravagant it is
Keisha got ice, got everybody bust down
A woman named Keisha has expensive jewelry, and everyone is envious
I don't got much feelin' in my heart, who can I trust now? (No)
I lack emotions and find it hard to trust anyone
Playin' with my money, lotta people gotta duck down (baow)
If someone messes with my finances, they should be careful to avoid getting hurt
Rollin' with some certified hitters in the truck, now (woah)
I am riding with some strong and violent people in my truck
Hit him in the gut, he ran, they shot him in the butt, wow (go)
We hit a man in the stomach, and he ran away, and my accomplices shot him in his buttocks thereafter
I keep an assassin that's on payroll in the cut now
I have hired an assassin on retainer who is always ready to be called into action
I got that hush money, say the word, your business shut down
I can keep someone quiet with money, and if I give the signal, I can end their business
I don't put my sniper in IG, he play the background
I don't post photos of my sniper on Instagram, as he prefers to remain unknown
I can't take him every place I be, they check his background
I cannot bring my sniper with me everywhere I go, as people will investigate his past
Nigga tried provoke me, I done bust, so now it's that now
Someone attempted to provoke me, and I decided to shoot them, so this is how it is now
He used to be my dawg, but now he act just like a cat now (pussy)
Someone whom I was once close to has become disloyal, and now he is acting like a coward
Used to be stuck but now I'm up, I got a sack now
I used to be broke, but now I am doing well, I have a lot of money
Treat me like a king, this Atlanta, this ain't Sac town (Atlanta)
I should be treated like royalty, as I reside in Atlanta, which is a more significant city than Sacramento
Every time I cop a new piece, it's somethin' to chat about (chat)
Every time I buy a new piece of jewelry, it becomes a popular topic of conversation
He tried to play bully on the bunky then got scratched out (stretched)
He attempted to bully someone in prison, and got seriously injured as a result
Gucci Mane took all his juice, handcuffed him, and went cash cow (cash)
I stole all of his money, tied him up in handcuffs, and made a lot of cash from him
On jewelry I done spazzed out, my watch, it cost a stash house
I went crazy spending money on jewelry, and my watch is worth as much as a large stash house
Yeah, the ice like Richie Rich (burr)
My jewelry is as extravagant as that of the comic book character Richie Rich
Icier than a bitch (bling, blaow)
My jewelry is colder and more expensive than a woman's heart
Dig what I'm sayin'? (Diggin' it)
Do you understand what I am saying?
Big Guwop (Big Guwop)
My nickname is Big Guwop
So Icey, 1-0-1-7 (1-0-1-7)
My label is So Icey and in 2005, we used to answer the phone with '1017'
It's Mr. So Icey (haan)
I am Mr. So Icey
It's Gucci (haan)
It's Gucci Mane
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Radric Davis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Domain901
THIS.THAT.CLASSIC.GUWOP....THIS BETTER BE THE NEXT SINGLE.
@_shotswithspeed
This Old Wop Fa Shoπ₯π₯π₯π₯π₯
@petersnyder5824
What we been waiting for!
@Mike-jx4ki
This the old Gucci flow π₯π₯π₯π₯
@hnic3718
Gucci adlib never gets old.. yeahhh
@Nick-lo8jh
π₯Ά BLING BLOAW BURRRRR!!
@tommym47
@Nick 1987 π€£ππ€£ππ
@tommym47
@Nick 1987 BLAMM
@corysaint7577
Well, damn!
@atameech8249
OLD GUCCI π₯π₯π₯π₯