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.”
Dope Show
Gucci Mane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eating them Percocets like they was baked beans
I just gotta find out who got clean lean
And gas weed and Miley C
Peewee Longway with me that's my blood brother
Two pints of P's on us so we mud brothers
My life's a gangsta movie man I love colors
I'm in a red Bentley Brookland it's just me and Thugga
Ain't nuthin' skinny but them skinnies on my Bentley truck
This molly really got me thow'd up in a Mulsanne backseat
Pow'd up two three's of the codeine
And feel I'm bout to OD
I'm in a 'rari but I'm runnin' from the police
A carbon 15 on me and an ounce of OG
These niggas say they know Gu-wop but they don't know me
Ten G's of molly on me so i brought sand to the beach
I'm in a Ghost same color dope
Feel like I just came here on a banana boat
Come to my store, knock on my door
Soon as I get rid of them I got plenty more
Like Curtis Blow I got to blow
Like Bruce Leroy I got to glow
I do a show like I'm selling dope
I rep for the hood it's a dope show
Me and big Gu-wop servin' them bricks of du-wop
Them drummers south bricks to d-block
They bookin' those shows for re-rock
Money four door so now I'm re-routin
Looking at a real dope boy with cleeves out
Lebron James shooter trekkin' what the heat brought
Real dope boy finnessing with the sheet rock
Feeling like Wayne put it on mamacita
Hit the block break it down serve James Ether
Fuck a thought with drop with the egg beater
Pull up in a drop top with a damn nina
C-Note say we not done counting 20's
Me and Wop in a Bentley flying down 20
Pourin' mud so dark think we sippin' henny
Got a bitch so bad call her dream of Jeannie
I'm in a Ghost same color dope
Feel like I just came here on a banana boat
Come to my store, knock on my door
Soon as I get rid of them I got plenty more
Like Curtis Blow I got to blow
Like Bruce Leroy I got to glow
I do a show like I'm selling dope
I rep for the hood it's a dope show
Dope show doing shows like I'm sellin' dope
I'm counting 300,000 now while she snorting coke
She mix her coke with heroine then she call it speed ballin'
I mix my cookin' with OG I hear that weed callin'
I'm on the phone slurring my words because the lean talking
Sipping champagne shoppin' for jeans I'm at Neiman Marcus
Trying on Giuseppes with a FN with a beam on it
Smelling like I just smoked a half a pound of green homey
The Trus got me looking lean homey
They say the Robins looking mean homey
But I ain't sticky cut some lean on it
They say I'm picky bout' my weed homey
These niggas trick u with the lean I buy PT's only
These niggas killin' what they eat homey
They'll treat you like a piece of meat homey
So don't get butchered in the street homey
I ain't had no work in like 2 weeks homey
I gotta feed the streets plus Gu-wop gotta eat homey
I'm in a Ghost same color dope
Feel like I just came here on a banana boat
Come to my store, knock on my door
Soon as I get rid of them I got plenty more
Like Curtis Blow I got to blow
Like Bruce Leroy I got to glow
I do a show like I'm selling dope
I rep for the hood it's a dope show
In the song "Dope Show," Gucci Mane describes the lifestyle of a drug dealer and a rapper. The first verse starts with 1017 Dream team, the group consisting of Gucci Mane, Peewee Longway, and Young Thug. Gucci Mane talks about how they are consuming Percocets like baked beans and looking for the best sources for lean, weed, and Miley C (a reference to Miley Cyrus). He speaks of his close relationship with Peewee Longway, his mud brother, as they indulge in drinking two pints of Codeine cough syrup.
Gucci Mane compares his life to a gangsta movie as he drives around in his red Bentley Brookland with Thugga (Young Thug). Listening to the song, one can notice the drug-induced state that Gucci Mane is in as he raps. He fears overdosing as he consumes a large volume of drugs, but he cannot stop using them. He claims that he knows who he is and no one else knows him but himself. Even with ten G's of molly (slang for MDMA) with him, he feels like he is bringing sand to the beach.
The chorus of the song sets the tone for the lyrics’ theme, as Gucci Mane depicts his life as a dope show. The second verse has Gucci Mane collaborating with C-Note as they deal with drugs and spend money. Gucci Mane talks about his usual recreational activities, such as sipping lean and smoking weed, while enjoying the lifestyle that money brings. He even references designer clothes shopping and Dream of Jeannie, a 1960s American sitcom.
Line by Line Meaning
1017 Dream team
Referring to Gucci Mane's music label, 1017 Records, and the Dream Team of rappers associated with it.
Eating them Percocets like they was baked beans
Taking the painkiller Percocet frequently and without concern, as if they were an everyday, mundane item like baked beans.
I just gotta find out who got clean lean
And gas weed and Miley C
Seeking out someone who has high-quality codeine syrup (lean), marijuana (gas weed), and the party drug Miley Cyrus (Miley C).
Peewee Longway with me that's my blood brother
Two pints of P's on us so we mud brothers
Peewee Longway is Gucci Mane's close friend and collaborator, with whom he shares a bond similar to that of brothers. They have two pints of cough syrup mixed with codeine (P's) on them, which makes them 'mud brothers'.
My life's a gangsta movie man I love colors
Guwop's life resembles that of a gangsta movie, and he enjoys the flashy and colorful trappings of his lifestyle.
I'm in a red Bentley Brookland it's just me and Thugga
Driving a red Bentley Brooklands luxury car alongside fellow rapper Young Thug, who is one of his close collaborators.
They say I'm getting skinny but all of my blunts stuffed
Ain't nuthin' skinny but them skinnies on my Bentley truck
Despite rumors that he is losing weight, Gucci Mane's joints (blunts) are still packed full of marijuana. The only thing skinny about him is the tires on his Bentley truck.
This molly really got me thow'd up in a Mulsanne backseat
Pow'd up two three's of the codeine
And feel I'm bout to OD
Taking ecstasy (molly) has him feeling nauseous in the back seat of a Bentley Mulsanne car, and he has mixed two 3-ounce bottles of codeine syrup with a powdered drug to feel euphoric but fears overdosing.
I'm in a 'rari but I'm runnin' from the police
A carbon 15 on me and an ounce of OG
Driving a Ferrari car but evading the police due to his involvement with drugs. He has a Carbon 15 rifle with him and an ounce of high-quality marijuana (OG).
These niggas say they know Gu-wop but they don't know me
Ten G's of molly on me so i brought sand to the beach
People claim to know Gucci Mane, but they only know the persona he puts out to the public. He is carrying 10,000 dollars worth of ecstasy, but as he is in a location where the drug is easy to obtain he brings something that is already there (sand at the beach).
Dope show doing shows like I'm sellin' dope
I'm counting 300,000 now while she snorting coke
Gucci Mane's concerts resemble a drug deal, and he is making a large sum of money (300,000 dollars) while a woman in his company is snorting cocaine.
They bookin' those shows for re-rock
Money four door so now I'm re-routin
Gucci's record label is booking shows for re-engineered cocaine (re-rock), and due to the money he is making, he has changed his travel plans (re-routin) to stay safe.
Looking at a real dope boy with cleeves out
Lebron James shooter trekkin' what the heat brought
Observing a genuine drug dealer with his shirt sleeves rolled up, revealing his tattoos. They have a gun capable of shooting like basketball player LeBron James and are ready to use it if necessary.
Real dope boy finnessing with the sheet rock
Feeling like Wayne put it on mamacita
A real drug dealer is able to create imitation cocaine from plaster or drywall (sheet rock), and he feels confident in his ability to impress women like rapper Lil Wayne does.
Hit the block break it down serve James Ether
Fuck a thought with drop with the egg beater
On the street corner, breaking down the cocaine and serving it like the killing drug used in the James Bond movie 'Casino Royale' (James Ether). Not concerned with women who just want drugs, using a whisk-like tool called an egg beater to measure.
Pull up in a drop top with a damn nina
C-Note say we not done counting 20's
Arriving in a convertible with a powerful firearm (nina). His assistant (C-Note) reminds him that they still have plenty of 20-dollar notes left to count.
Me and Wop in a Bentley flying down 20
Pourin' mud so dark think we sippin' henny
Gucci Mane and his companion are cruising in a Bentley car down route 20, mixing cough syrup with codeine (mud) with a drinkable cognac brand (Henny), making it difficult to distinguish between the two liquids in the darkness.
Got a bitch so bad call her dream of Jeannie
Referring to an attractive woman as if she was from the TV show 'I Dream of Jeannie', probably because of her looks or the effect of their drug use.
Like Curtis Blow I got to blow
Like Bruce Leroy I got to glow
Similar to the rapper Curtis Blow, Gucci Mane needs to succeed, and just like the character Bruce Leroy from the movie 'The Last Dragon', he has to shine and stand out in his genre.
I do a show like I'm selling dope
I rep for the hood it's a dope show
Performing live shows with the same intensity and purpose as a drug dealer, representing the streets where he comes from.
Trying on Giuseppes with a FN with a beam on it
Smelling like I just smoked a half a pound of green homey
Trying on expensive Giuseppe Zanotti shoes while carrying a heavy firearm with a laser sight on it, inside a shopping area. Smelling strongly of marijuana, implying he has used a significant amount.
The Trus got me looking lean homey
They say the Robins looking mean homey
But I ain't sticky cut some lean on it
Having a thin and toned appearance due to taking codeine syrup- mixed drinks (lean), which dulls his appetite. People believe that his jewelry sponsored by jeweler Dave Truong and the diamond shaped emblem on it makes him appear more slender (The Trus). They also think that the symbol of a Robin on his clothes or jewelry represents violence or danger (mean), but he discredits these rumors by saying that he reduces the amount of syrup he takes to prevent getting too high(Sticky cut some lean on it).
They say I'm picky bout' my weed homey
These niggas trick u with the lean I buy PT's only
Some people believe that Gucci Mane is very particular about the marijuana he smokes, but that is not always true. He is careful about buying lean to avoid being tricked, often buying the four-ounce bottles of it, known as Pints (PT's), to ensure quality and less dilution.
These niggas killin' what they eat homey
They'll treat you like a piece of meat homey
So don't get butchered in the street homey
Some people in his circle are killing others or becoming more violent (killing what they eat). He is warning people to not end up like them or face brutality on the streets (Treat you like a piece of meat or Butchered in the street).
I ain't had no work in like 2 weeks homey
I gotta feed the streets plus Gu-wop gotta eat homey
Gucci Mane hasn't had enough drugs to sell in two weeks, but he has to continue to supply the demands of the streets (Feed the streets). At the same time, he himself needs to eat and survive (plus Gu-wop gotta eat).
Lyrics © Ultra Tunes
Written by: RADRIC DAVIS, CARLTON MAYS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Uzu_makiii
Still banging this today in 2021. Real Gucci fans know THIS is the real Gucci.
@ellisrobinson468
I.... jumped out my car threw my fire 🔥 police couldn't find me as I was getting away. This song was booming in my head thank you Gucci. This made me a real nigga.
@jukilllsss2854
Facts mane 2022 still bump
@RealKoolKid1
@@ellisrobinson468 bro
@childofgod4747
Fact..!!!
@nba2k11allstar
For sure mane🔥🔥
@moneybagshawty7086
Only real Gucci fans know how legendary this 3 tape mixtape was 🔥
@BeTheChange1
moneybag shawty I swear bruh
@brettquiz
facts‼️
@desmondhoward6253
Gas molly an lean epic tapes