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.”
Fly Sh*t
Gucci Mane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Castle on the hill (well damn), wake up in the sky
You can't tell me I ain′t fly (you can′t tell me I ain't fly)
I know I′m super fly (I know), I know I'm super fly (I know)
The ladies love the luxury (yeah)
That′s why they all fuck with me (woo)
Out here with the moves (yeesh) like I invented smooth
You can't tell me I ain′t fly (you can't tell me I ain't fly)
Huh, huh, huh
I stay fresh as hell, take a pic, I might as well, hell
Drop the top and take a selfie, my car drives itself
I got white girls blushin', homie, college girls rushin′ on me (woo)
All my diamonds custom so they clutchin' and they touchin′ on me
Ooh, pick his vegetables
Ooh, that kid's edible
Ooh, it′s incredible
Ooh, ooh, ooh
I smell like Bond Number 9, nine
Section full of foreign dimes
Bitch is starin' at me sayin', "Wow"
Unforgettable like Nat King Cole
Gucci Barry White, I′m singin′ to your hoe (well damn)
A one man show, a human bank roll (whoa)
She lost in the sauce 'cause Gucci got the glow (huh)
I drink ′til I'm drunk (brra), smoke ′til I'm high (it′s Guc')
Castle on the hill (heh), wake up in the sky (you won't)
You can′t tell me I ain′t fly (you can't tell me I ain′t fly)
I know I'm super fly (I know), I know I′m super fly (I know)
The ladies love the luxury, that's why they all fuck with me
Out here with the moves like I invented smooth
You can′t tell me I ain't fly (you can't tell me I ain′t fly)
I know I′m super fly (I know), I know I'm super fly (I know)
Now watch me fly, fly
Now watch me fly, fly
You can′t tell me I ain't fly
You can′t tell me I ain't fly
I know I′m super fly, I know I'm super fly (Kodak, Kodak)
I'm so fly, don′t need no flight attendant
Big Cuban link, don′t need no pendant
I ain't never had no pot to piss in, yeah
Now all my records trendin′
Oh my, I came from stealin' bikes to flying on a G5
I don′t know why I been smokin' this Cherry Pie so much
But this my life
I′m on adderall, I be smellin' Hi-Tec when I piss
Like it's basketball, I drop 50-pointer on my wrist
It′s Lil′ Kodak, take a pic
I came home to drop the heat
All these diamonds got me sick, I'm actin′ spoiled
Cutlass sittin' high, I feel like I can fly
So fresh to death it′s crazy, feel like I can die
I done finally got my wings, they make me wanna sing (glee)
I drink 'til I′m drunk ('til I'm drunk)
Smoke ′til I′m high ('til I′m high)
Castle on the hill (ayy), wake up in the sky
You can't tell me I ain′t fly (you can't tell me I ain′t fly, baby)
I know I'm super fly (I know it)
I know I'm super fly (I know it)
The ladies love luxury, that′s why they all fuck with me (ayy)
Out here with the moves like I invented smooth (yo, yo)
You can′t tell me I ain't fly (you can′t tell me I don't fly, baby)
I know I′m super fly (I know it)
I know I'm super fly (I know it)
Now, now watch me fly, fly
Now watch me fly, fly
You can′t tell me I ain't fly
I know I'm super fly, I know I′m super fly
The lyrics to Gucci Mane's "Fly Sh*t" portray the lavish lifestyle of the rapper, with lines like "I drink 'til I'm drunk, smoke 'til I'm high," and "The ladies love luxury, that's why they all f*ck with me." He proclaims that he is "super fly" and that no one can tell him otherwise. He talks about owning a castle on the hill, waking up in the sky, and having a car that drives itself. He brags about his custom diamond jewelry and how women of all ages rush to be in his presence. Kodak Black joins in towards the end of the song to talk about his own come up from stealing bikes to flying on a G5, and how his newfound wealth has allowed him to live a life of luxury he never thought possible.
The song is a perfect example of Gucci Mane's signature style, which often includes catchy hooks, unapologetic lyrics, and hard-hitting beats. The lyrics themselves paint a vivid picture of the rapper's lifestyle, which is largely centered around excess and indulgence. At the same time, they are also a testament to Gucci Mane's success and the fact that he has achieved his dreams of becoming a successful artist.
Line by Line Meaning
I drink ′til I'm drunk (yeah), smoke ′til I'm high (yeah)
I consume alcohol until I become intoxicated and consume marijuana until I become high
Castle on the hill (well damn), wake up in the sky
I have achieved great financial success and wake up feeling elated
You can't tell me I ain′t fly (you can′t tell me I ain't fly)
I know that I am cool and nothing can change that
I know I′m super fly (I know), I know I'm super fly (I know)
I have extraordinary style and confidence that sets me apart from others
The ladies love the luxury (yeah)
Women are attracted to me because of my opulence and lavish lifestyle
That′s why they all fuck with me (woo)
I have sexual relationships with many women because of my wealth and status
Out here with the moves (yeesh) like I invented smooth
I have exceptional rhythm and swagger that impresses others
Huh, huh, huh
Ad-lib filler
I stay fresh as hell, take a pic, I might as well, hell
I always dress fashionably and take pictures to show off my attire
Drop the top and take a selfie, my car drives itself
I take pictures in my expensive car which I do not have to drive myself
I got white girls blushin', homie, college girls rushin′ on me (woo)
Both white women and college girls are attracted to me and vie for my attention
All my diamonds custom so they clutchin' and they touchin′ on me
I have unique, custom-made diamonds that people admire and touch
Ooh, pick his vegetables
Ad-lib filler
Ooh, that kid's edible
Ad-lib filler
Ooh, it′s incredible
Ad-lib filler
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ad-lib filler
I smell like Bond Number 9, nine
I wear a very expensive cologne
Section full of foreign dimes
I am surrounded by beautiful, foreign women
Bitch is starin' at me sayin', "Wow"
Women look at me in awe and admiration
Unforgettable like Nat King Cole
I am unforgettable, like the famous musician Nat King Cole
Gucci Barry White, I′m singin′ to your hoe (well damn)
I am like famous musician Barry White and seduce other men's women
A one man show, a human bank roll (whoa)
I am my own boss and have a large amount of money
She lost in the sauce 'cause Gucci got the glow (huh)
Women become infatuated with me because of my charisma and confidence
Now watch me fly, fly
I am soaring high in life and accomplishing great things
You can't tell me I ain′t fly
I have so much confidence in myself that nobody can make me feel any less cool
I'm so fly, don′t need no flight attendant
I am so cool that I don't require any assistance
Big Cuban link, don′t need no pendant
I have a large, expensive chain that speaks for itself
I ain't never had no pot to piss in, yeah
I come from humble beginnings and did not have much money growing up
Now all my records trendin′
All of my music is highly popular and in-demand
Oh my, I came from stealin' bikes to flying on a G5
I have come a long way in life, from stealing bikes to flying on a private jet
I′m on adderall, I be smellin' Hi-Tec when I piss
I take the ADHD medication Adderall and my urine smells like the cough syrup Hi-Tec
Like it's basketball, I drop 50-pointer on my wrist
I have an expensive watch that I value as much as a basketball player scoring 50 points in a game
It′s Lil′ Kodak, take a pic
I am rapper Lil Kodak and people take pictures of me
I came home to drop the heat
I returned home to release new, amazing music
All these diamonds got me sick, I'm actin′ spoiled
My extreme wealth has made me feel sick and entitled
Cutlass sittin' high, I feel like I can fly
I am driving my high car and feel like I can soar through the air
So fresh to death it′s crazy, feel like I can die
I am incredibly fashionable and feel like I look amazing enough to die for
I done finally got my wings, they make me wanna sing (glee)
I have finally achieved success and it makes me feel like singing with joy
Contributed by Miles B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.