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.”
Everybody Know Me
Gucci Mane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cops and robbers I was never the cop
To be the cop was considered a joke
I'm the same little' nigga that taught your brother to smoke
But now-a-days man I stay on the news
My every move is up on the tube
Whoever said being a gangsta was easy
To be a gangsta is a full time job
A bad a boy but I ain't Black Rob
The pays good but the hours are crazy
You disrespect me I'm gonna see ya degraded
I'm never scared but I'm thinkin ahead
Because they don't bury the scared man they bury the dead
I'm ex-con but I'm out on bond
Wave bye to the bad guys, Teflon Dons
Got my name in the paper and my face in the news
Gucci Mane, Lil'flare
Everybody Everybody know me
Everybody know me nigga
Gucci mane, Lil'flare I'm a real OG (nigga) [2x]
Take it to the street nigga, lets go there
There ain't nothing 'tween us pussy nigga but air
But you better prepare 'fore you fuck with the flare
I'll have you role round, frickin up with the chair
See I don't fight fair na I don't fight fair
Gucci Mane'll put that ass in intensive care
Matter of fact if ya see me fight a grizzly bear, I suggest you help the fucking grizzly bear
Tha ain't no pussies ova here, na it's just Jeez
There ain't no time for no talk, nigga cock it and squeeze
Got these ho type ass niggas weak at the knees
Shoot two twenty-threes they'll chop down trees
Gucci Mane outta jail man, what I'm gonna do now
That Jeezy Little bitch ass thinkin out loud [2x]
Got my name in the paper and my face in the news
Gucci Mane, Lil'flare
Everybody Everybody know me
Everybody know me nigga
Gucci mane, Lil'flare I'm a real OG (nigga) [2x]
You mother fuckers must don't know who they mess wit
I'm that outlaw wild wild west shit
I'm on that two clipse AK and a vest shit
You motherfuckers must don't know who you fucking with
I'm not a kid, Gucci Mane full grown
So bring the choppers, leave the nines at home
And call the coppers cause I'm aiming for domes
I have ya call full backup on the phone
The franchise, but Gucci Mane ain't wearing no white tee
The niggas hate the fact that niggas so icy
But fuck that, niggas don't gotta like me
Cause seeing niggas shit'split in excite me
Picture me high off the weed like a kite be
I took ya bitch through my hood just to site see
I screen niggas so I stay on the skreet shit
And if there's drama then it's you I'm gonna deal with
Got my name in the paper and my face in the news
Gucci Mane, Lil'flare
Everybody Everybody know me
Everybody know me nigga
Gucci mane, Lil'flare I'm a real OG (nigga) [2x]
In Gucci Mane's song "Everybody Know Me," the rapper begins by reflecting on his tough upbringing in which being a cop was deemed a joke. He highlights the contrast between his past experiences and his present-day status as a gangster in the news. Gucci Mane conveys how he knows that being a gangster is a full-time job, and although the pay is good, the hours are insane, and there's always the risk of disrespect putting him in harm's way. He emphasizes his unwavering bravery, although he thinks ahead because they "don't bury the scared man; they bury the dead." Gucci Mane boasts about his resilience and how he's determined to stay out of prison, now that he's out on bond. Throughout the song, Gucci Mane draws attention to his notorious reputation and emphasizes how everybody knows him.
Line by Line Meaning
Growing up was real hard on my block
My childhood was challenging due to the presence of cops and robbers on the block.
Cops and robbers I was never the cop
I never wanted to be a cop because it was looked down upon in my community.
To be the cop was considered a joke
Being a cop was not a respected profession in my neighborhood.
I'm the same little' nigga that taught your brother to smoke
I'm the same person who introduced someone's brother to smoking when I was younger.
But now-a-days man I stay on the news
These days, I am always in the news.
My every move is up on the tube
Everything I do is being televised.
Whoever said being a gangsta was easy
Being a gangsta is not as easy as people make it out to be.
I got beef with BMF and I got problems with Jeezy
I have conflicts with BMF and Jeezy.
To be a gangsta is a full time job
Being a gangsta is a full-time commitment.
A bad a boy but I ain't Black Rob
I am a bad boy, but I am not like Black Rob.
The pays good but the hours are crazy
Being a gangsta may pay well, but it requires working long, erratic hours.
You disrespect me I'm gonna see ya degraded
If you disrespect me, I will degrade you.
I'm never scared but I'm thinkin ahead
I am not afraid, but I am always thinking ahead.
Because they don't bury the scared man they bury the dead
People who are afraid and do not take risks may end up worse off than those who do.
I'm ex-con but I'm out on bond
I am an ex-convict, but I am currently out on bail.
Wave bye to the bad guys, Teflon Dons
Say goodbye to the bad guys because I am untouchable like the Teflon Don.
Got my name in the paper and my face in the news
I am frequently mentioned in the media.
Gucci Mane, Lil'flare
This is a reference to myself and my nickname.
Everybody Everybody know me
Everyone knows who I am.
Everybody know me nigga
Everyone knows who I am, especially in my community.
Gucci mane, Lil'flare I'm a real OG (nigga) [2x]
I am a true original gangster, as evidenced by both my nickname and my actions.
Take it to the street nigga, lets go there
Let's take this conflict to the streets.
There ain't nothing 'tween us pussy nigga but air
There is nothing between us except empty space, and I am not intimidated by you.
But you better prepare 'fore you fuck with the flare
You better be ready before you try to mess with me, the Flare.
I'll have you role round, frickin up with the chair
I will make you roll on the ground and end up injured if you try to fight me.
See I don't fight fair na I don't fight fair
I do not fight fairly, and I am upfront about it.
Gucci Mane'll put that ass in intensive care
I will put someone in the hospital if they try to mess with me.
Matter of fact if ya see me fight a grizzly bear, I suggest you help the fucking grizzly bear
I am not afraid to take on any opponent, to the point where I could even fight a grizzly bear. If you see me doing so, I suggest you help the bear, because it will need it more than I will.
Tha ain't no pussies ova here, na it's just Jeez
There are no weaklings on my side - just Jeez, another gangster who is with me.
There ain't no time for no talk, nigga cock it and squeeze
We do not have time for discussion - just pull your gun and fire.
Got these ho type ass niggas weak at the knees
My enemies are intimidated by me, to the point where they are weak at the knees.
Shoot two twenty-threes they'll chop down trees
My weapons are so powerful that they can take down trees with ease.
Gucci Mane outta jail man, what I'm gonna do now
I am out of jail and trying to figure out what my next move should be.
That Jeezy Little bitch ass thinkin out loud [2x]
Jeezy, who I have conflicts with, is making himself heard in the media.
You mother fuckers must don't know who they mess wit
People who try to mess with me do not understand who they are dealing with.
I'm that outlaw wild wild west shit
I am like a Wild West outlaw, known for my dangerous actions.
I'm on that two clipse AK and a vest shit
I am carrying a powerful weapon and wearing a protective vest.
You motherfuckers must don't know who you fucking with
People who mess with me do not understand the severity of their actions.
I'm not a kid, Gucci Mane full grown
I am not a child - I am a grown man.
So bring the choppers, leave the nines at home
Bring your most powerful weapons to try and defeat me, because lesser weapons will not work.
And call the coppers cause I'm aiming for domes
If you call the police, it will not matter, because I am going to aim for your head.
I have ya call full backup on the phone
You will need to call for help because I will be too powerful to defeat alone.
The franchise, but Gucci Mane ain't wearing no white tee
I am a franchise in the gangster community, but I do not adhere to the typical dress code of wearing a white t-shirt.
The niggas hate the fact that niggas so icy
People are jealous of my success and power.
But fuck that, niggas don't gotta like me
I do not care if people like me or not.
Cause seeing niggas shit'split in excite me
I find pleasure in seeing my enemies defeated and humiliated.
Picture me high off the weed like a kite be
I imagine myself getting high off of weed and feeling the rush like someone flying a kite.
I took ya bitch through my hood just to site see
I took someone's girlfriend to my neighborhood just to show her around.
I screen niggas so I stay on the skreet shit
I am careful about who I associate with in order to stay on top of the gangster scene.
And if there's drama then it's you I'm gonna deal with
If there is any conflict, I will take care of it myself.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: RADRIC DELANTIC DAVIS, XAVIER DOTSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Porsha folks
This hard know every word still listening to it 2019💯
Zion's Serenity
2021
LEFTY_ 2GUNZ
This shit bring me back to riding in the 87 regal with my lil bro before he died 06/07 shit
Isiah Henderson
Hell yeah!
terrell stahl
Same.
Corammong
this was my song in high school. bumping this everyday on our way to school smoking Ls in my boys civic
Kartington Hooker
A Dutch!! ⛽️
Dawson Hebard
Same shit! Riddin on 4’s in a clapped out square body Chevy, throwin roaches out the window
We live in a Society
Lol, same but we were skipping
Smooth Chazzz
Broke ass