It’s said that art mirrors life. In hip-hop’s case, there’s always been a deliberate entanglement of perception and reality. Fans demand their MCs be real…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.
“I wish everybody well who’s making money in this rap game,” the Atlanta-raised rapper says, dismissing the controversy that followed him in the past. “My own rap game is going so good, I’ve got so many things on my plate at my label, that I don’t got time for other people’s business.” 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.
“I live my life with no regrets. I just wish that a lot of things never happened, but anybody can wish,” says Gucci. Sounds like a man with his eyes on the prize. And you’d 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 “Black Tee,” 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 “Icy” single, featuring Jeezy. Clamor over song rights sparked dispute, and the resulting rift grew.
Controversy notwithstanding, Mane’s independence was cemented: “I was on the independent scene for about two years,” he recalls. “It’s 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 it’s a gamble out there with the independent circuit. One thing you’d better have is good music because without that, you go downhill fast in the independent game.”
Good music firmly in hand, Gucci was fast approaching stardom when more tragedy befell him. But let’s backtrack; how did the man born Radric Davis in Bessemer, Alabama, become Gucci Mane, mouthpiece for Atlanta stuntin’? Mane remembers little from his time in Alabama, just that it was rural, and that it’s changed dramatically since he left at the age of nine. “I gotta shout out Alabama though, because they holdin’ it down,” he affirms. “Every time I go there to do a show, I’m impressed with how hip-hop culture has taken root.”
Mane’s identity coalesced when he moved with his mother to Atlanta. “I lived all of my adolescent and adult life in Atlanta,” he explains. “I’m from East Atlanta Zone Six; it was hard, man, it was real rough. I grew up in the Starter jacket era: they’d take your Starter jacket, your 8Ball jacket, they’d 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 you’d get jumped. It was wild when I came up.”
It’s 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. “I was just a young dude in a single parent house most of my life. I can’t complain that much. I would guess it’s like any black child growing up in a single parent household. There are a lot of people who know how that is. I didn’t 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; she’s been there through the whole struggle. There’s a lot that goes along with that; it made me who I am today.”
A stepfather would enter the picture during Mane’s adolescence, introducing not only a male figure, but also inspiration for Mane’s unusual moniker. “My father came in, the original Gucci Mane; that’s what people in the neighborhood called him, and that’s 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.” Drawing inspiration from a pantheon of rappers before him –Big Daddy Kane, LL Cool J, Ice Cube, the Beastie Boys, N.W.A—Mane went on to release Trap House, a lethal brew of his signature sound: “I call my music straight Gucci: going hard and whatever beats you make you for me, if I’m feeling it, if I’m rocking with it, I’m gonna crush it. When you hear me, you hear a lot of pain, a lot of hood; you hear what’s going on in the inner city in Atlanta.”
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. “I learned to keep better company, watch where I go, and be mindful of my surroundings at all times,” he reveals. “Watch what I say, watch what I do and how I do it, just keep myself out of the wrong crowd.”
“I always stand up man,” he continues. “I’m one of the toughest guys I know. It’ll take a lot more than that to break me down.” Undeterred, Mane was back in the studio, preparing 2006’s 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: “There was a bidding war going on, and I liked Atlantic’s approach. They made it known that they wanted me, they felt where I was going and that I could grow with them.”
Asylum/Atlantic Records welcomed Gucci Mane in early ’07, 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 –“I got them in training; they be in the weight room, pumping iron, doing pushups, shopping at the mall, buying ice”—Gucci is focused on his magnum opus, Back to the Trap House. “I started working on the album, and by the third song, I was like ‘This is going back to the Trap House.’ 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.”
“Since I went major, I want everybody to know I’m still keeping it street, keeping it hood,” Gucci maintains. “I’m trying to take it back to all my fans that I had when I first started my career. And at the same time, I’m trying to open up my new album to a new fan base. So it’s a mix for everybody coming together, like my first album was.” Gucci has always prided himself on his innate ability, and his refusal to let guest appearances dictate the tone of his records. “I just want people to know I’m a great songwriter, man,” he asserts. “I’m passionate about what I do, and it’s 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; it’s a God-given gift and I just get paid for it. It come from God, it’s like wondering what makes a bird fly. He made me a poet like the great poets of the past.”
But don’t mistake Gucci’s confidence for self-absorption. The vicissitudes of his career have dictated a longer view. Lyrics aside, he’s less preoccupied with visible means and more so with acting as an emissary from his under-repped block. “I’m not the one to glorify what goes on in the hood,” he insists. “We have everything there, the whole range from violence to people getting on the bus and going to work. There’s a lot more to the hood than just drugs. It’s a bigger story, there’s 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. I’m 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.”
And Gucci’s professional aims have matured as well. While other rappers stress platinum plaques, Gucci hasn’t forgotten the route he took to stardom. “I made a lot of CDs on my own. People fucked with me and supported me, and just made me the man I am today. That’s 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 job’s been done.”
Fortunately for Gucci, he should be prepared to welcome an army of new fans with Back to the Trap House. But longstanding fans shouldn’t fear; they’ll recognize “Freaky Gurl,” 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 Gucci’s 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 “Bird Flu,” the album’s number two single, laced by New-York based Supa Sonics. Elsewhere, firm guest verses from Rich Boy and Pimp C of UGK round out Gucci’s regional flavor, while Bay-area producer Zaytoven (of “Icy” renown) locks down Gucci’s 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. “I’m best known for controversy but I’m 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. I’ll be banging them out till I can’t bang no more.”
Can't Walk
Gucci Mane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I told you grind and go hard, don’t even play with the deal
The bitch so fine I stay away from the chick
Her ass so fat I gotta pay for the shit
No lies, she’s so bad you take a trip with the bitch
White girl in the bedroom pillow talk in this shit
Michael Jackson, chest of diamonds, moonwalk in this shit
She got some hips bigger than a hippopotamus ape
She second week, oh get some barbs, I said let’s eat on the way
I’m tryna leave a good impression, bitch you’re right on yo face
She told me Gucci you a dog, I told her give me a break
I’ll take you anywhere you want except take you on a date
[Hook:]
Damn, damn, I swear these niggas in trouble
Pockets so fat that I can’t walk, walk
I swear these bitches in trouble
So geek’d off that she can’t talk, talk
These diamonds got me so turnt up
Yo bitch choosin me so how it’s my fault, fault?
She feelin us so she think that she so turnt up
I told er get er shit and get out my house
[Verse:]
Gucci Gucci, that’s my motherfuckin dog
Bsn, going hard, we be putting on
Woo Da Kid thuggin like the ’94 Pac
100 round drum, bug got 94 shots
Diamonds got me turnt, yo bitch on my dick
Everything squad baby, everything brick
We be going hard nigga, we be on our shit
Brand new 40 with a stupid rubber grip
I be on my grind, swear you niggas over with
Brick Squad all foreign, we exposin shit
My pockets so dumb that I can’t walk
If we ain’t speakin money then it ain’t no need to talk, Squad!
[Hook:]
Damn, damn, I swear these niggas in trouble
Pockets so fat that I can’t walk, walk
I swear these bitches in trouble
So geek’d off that she can’t talk, talk
These diamonds got me so turnt up
Yo bitch choosin me so how it’s my fault, fault?
She feelin us so she think that she so turnt up
I told er get er shit and get out my house
The song "Can't Walk" by Gucci Mane is a celebration of wealth, power, and extravagance. The lyrics boast of the rapper's riches and the luxurious lifestyle that comes with it, from expensive cars to diamond-studded jewelry. The opening lines of the verse establish a no-nonsense attitude towards success, encouraging listeners to work hard and avoid wasting time. Throughout the song, Gucci Mane's braggadocious rhymes touch on various themes of sex, drugs, and violence, as he revels in his dominance.
In the first verse, the rapper details his attraction to a woman with a voluptuous figure, whom he deems worthy of paying for her company. He takes pride in his ability to provide for her and treat her to an extravagant lifestyle. In the second verse, Gucci Mane puts the spotlight on his entourage, who are just as committed to the pursuit of wealth and power as he is. The verse is a shoutout to his loyal followers, who he proudly proclaims "be putting on."
Overall, "Can't Walk" presents a celebration of materialism and indulgence, with a focus on the pleasures that come with being rich and famous. The lyrics are delivered with a confident flow and an unapologetically bold attitude, reflecting the rapper's belief in his own greatness.
Line by Line Meaning
I told you grind and go hard, don’t even play with the deal
I advised you to work hard and focus on the deal without getting distracted.
The bitch so fine I stay away from the chick
The woman is so attractive that I stay away from her to avoid getting involved.
Her ass so fat I gotta pay for the shit
Her buttocks are so large that I have to pay her to have sex.
No lies, she’s so bad you take a trip with the bitch
She is so beautiful that you would travel with her.
White girl in the bedroom pillow talk in this shit
Having intimate conversations with a white woman in the bedroom.
Michael Jackson, chest of diamonds, moonwalk in this shit
The chest full of diamonds emulates Michael Jackson's sparkling, gliding Moonwalk.
She got some hips bigger than a hippopotamus ape
Her hips are larger than a hippopotamus ape's body.
Tryna put the dick all in yo esophagus babe
Trying to insert the penis into your throat, babe.
She second week, oh get some barbs, I said let’s eat on the way
On the second week, let's get some barbecues and eat while commuting.
I’m tryna leave a good impression, bitch you’re right on yo face
I'm trying to make a good impression, but you are lying on your face.
She told me Gucci you a dog, I told her give me a break
She called me a dog, but I asked her to cut me some slack.
I’ll take you anywhere you want except take you on a date
I'll take you anywhere you want, but not on a date.
Damn, damn, I swear these niggas in trouble Pockets so fat that I can’t walk, walk
These guys are in trouble, my pockets are too full to even walk.
I swear these bitches in trouble So geek’d off that she can’t talk, talk
These women are in trouble because they are so overwhelmed with excitement that they cannot speak.
These diamonds got me so turnt up Yo bitch choosin me so how it’s my fault, fault?
These diamonds have me so excited that your woman is choosing me, but I'm not at fault.
She feelin us so she think that she so turnt up I told er get er shit and get out my house
She is so excited that she thinks we're both turned up, but I told her to leave.
Gucci Gucci, that’s my motherfuckin dog
I refer to myself as Gucci Gucci, and I am loyal to my crew.
Bsn, going hard, we be putting on
Brick Squad Nation works hard and shows off their success.
Woo Da Kid thuggin like the ’94 Pac
Woo Da Kid is a thug like Tupac was in 1994.
100 round drum, bug got 94 shots
The gun has a 100 round drum magazine and 94 shots, according to the bug.
Diamonds got me turnt, yo bitch on my dick
The diamonds have me excited, and your woman is attracted to me.
Everything squad baby, everything brick
Everything about Brick Squad Nation is great.
We be going hard nigga, we be on our shit
We work hard, and we are on top of our game.
Brand new 40 with a stupid rubber grip
My new weapon is a .40 caliber handgun with a ridiculous rubber grip.
I be on my grind, swear you niggas over with
I'm working hard, and I'm overtaking anyone who gets in my way.
Brick Squad all foreign, we exposin shit
Brick Squad Nation is international, and we are revealing things.
My pockets so dumb that I can’t walk
My pockets are so full that I cannot walk.
If we ain’t speakin money then it ain’t no need to talk, Squad!
If we are not talking about money, then there is no need to speak, Squad!
Contributed by Leah S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Hasan Sakaji
Shit hard af
Pro G
Whhaaattttt dat #3@$!D3 Atl like wit it #BigCat 🦁...