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.”
Gingerbread Man
Gucci Mane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm a keep droppin' verses,
Hotta' den tha' hottest summa',
Eat rappers like Jeffrey Domer,
Dope color Shanay O Conner?,
Should I name another woman,
Russian like president Obama,
All my shoes are Fara Gomma?
Lightning actually hittin' thunda',
Even Stevie Wonder wonder,
Why yo girl get home on time so much I had to change my numba',
Sarcasm, these bitches need to ride 'em while I pass 'em,
I wouldn't even give that bitch a orgasm,
Miraculously my niggas stand beside, not in back of me,
So disrespect my faculty, how dare you have audacity,
The compact to capacity I cash out automatically,
I spit these rhymes so radically, sporadically, fatality.
[Chorus]
I got the green, drank, pills, blow,
Runnin' round the town gettin' money I suppose,
I'm the gingerbread man
I'm the gingerbread man
I'm the gingerbread man
I'm the gingerbread man
I got the green, drank, pills, blow,
I Cant get up, sleep, jus' keep knockin' on my door,
I'm the gingerbread man
I'm the gingerbread man
I'm the gingerbread man
I'm the gingerbread man
Gingerbread man, I got white, I got white,
Trap house bunkin' up all night, take flight,
Droppin' 10 bases? its jumpin' that white?
Trees to that paper so I'm something like a kite,
Loud stanky kush and it tellin' me to light,
Extra loud diamonds and its lookin' like a light,
Rolli'n stay money and my pockets just glide,
Everyday diamonds cause they don't like to hide,
V-V-S light yea so you block yo eyes,
Burnt color diamonds like a sweet potato pie,
Hit ya color diamonds and get ratchet like a fly?
The brick man, the bread man I don't tell no lies.
[Chorus]
Money Mane gettin' it in, I'm only in it to win
I ain't come to say I'm the champ, I get bored and do it again
If I ev'red across a tranny, I ain't asked her for a twin
cause its number time, done came to gather up all my inns
it's fifteen minutes to ten, eighth in and I'm drinkin' gin
I could act like we were fiends, but I dont like to pretend
I got 30 stacks new Ajax, it's the future price of my air max
I'm addicted to abllin' I hear Lennox Mall and I relapse
Your slimfast, little bankroll, my stash getting way to fat
No push-up, just cook-ups, I'm booked up, I don't wanna lapse
There's Money Mane, and Juice Mane, and Gucci Mane and ol' Brickman
I got juice all in my kitchen so my house smell like cocaine
[Chorus]
In the song Gingerbread Man, Gucci Mane starts off by boasting about his fame and riches, mentioning fellow rappers Money Mane and Juice Mane. He claims to be better than every rapper out there and that he keeps dropping verses that are hotter than the hottest summer. Gucci then uses many metaphors, saying he eats rappers like Jeffrey Dahmer, and referencing Shanay O'Connor and Russian President Obama. He talks about his shoes being Fara Gomma, a luxury brand of shoes, and his wealth by saying he wants two extra commas, referring to the millions of dollars in his bank account. Gucci makes bold statements about his talent by saying even Stevie Wonder would be amazed by his rhymes, and that he wouldn't even bother giving a woman an orgasm. He ends the verse with a warning to those who dare to disrespect him and his crew.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase, "I'm the gingerbread man," which refers to Gucci's power and control in the rap game. He then proceeds to talk about his drug use, partaking in green, pills, and blow, and how he's always getting money around town, but he can't sleep due to his addiction. The second verse sees Gucci Mane talking about his life as a drug dealer, mentioning his stash of drugs, including white powder and loud stanky kush. He talks about the pleasure he gets from smoking and the expensive diamonds he wears that can be blinding. Gucci also makes a play on words by saying he's the bread man, a slang term for a drug dealer, and mentions his stash of money.
Line by Line Meaning
Its money mane, n' juice man, n' Gucci mane, Gucci mane
I am surrounded by people who are all about making money and living it up. They are my crew and we are always together
I'm a keep droppin' verses, Hotta' den tha' hottest summa'
I'm one of the best in the rap game and I'm going to keep putting out amazing tracks that make people dance and go crazy
Eat rappers like Jeffrey Domer
I am so good that I could swallow up any competition that comes my way, just like Jeffrey Dahmer would eat his victims
Dope color Shanay O Conner?
My music is so great that it would even impress Shanay O'Connor, known for her unique and eclectic style
Should I name another woman
I have so many women in my life that I could list off another name without even thinking
Russian like president Obama
I have connections with people and things from all over the world, just like President Obama does
Wanna buy two extra commas
I make so much money that I could use an extra comma or two to separate my vast amounts
All my shoes are Fara Gomma?
I only wear the best shoes, and Fara Gomma is one of the few brands that I'll rock
Lightning actually hittin' thunda'
I'm so amazing that I could cause lightning to strike and thunder to rumble just by being around
Even Stevie Wonder wonder
Even someone as talented and legendary as Stevie Wonder would be amazed by my skills and success
Why yo girl get home on time so much I had to change my numba'
I have so many women in my life that I had to change my phone number because they were calling me constantly
Sarcasm, these bitches need to ride 'em while I pass 'em
I am so cool and successful that women should just flock to me and enjoy the ride while they can
I wouldn't even give that bitch a orgasm
I have so many women in my life that I don't even care if one of them doesn't get an orgasm, because there are plenty more where she came from
Miraculously my niggas stand beside, not in back of me
My crew is so loyal and supportive that they stand right by my side, instead of following behind me
So disrespect my faculty, how dare you have audacity
If anyone disrespects me or my crew, they must be very bold and have no sense of self-preservation
The compact to capacity I cash out automatically
I have so much money that I can fill a compact car all the way up, and I'm always cashing out and spending it
I spit these rhymes so radically, sporadically, fatality
My rhymes are so powerful and unpredictable that they could destroy any competition that tries to face me
I got the green, drank, pills, blow, Runnin' round the town gettin' money I suppose, I'm the gingerbread man
I have everything I need to party and make money, and I'm unstoppable, just like the Gingerbread Man in the fairytale
Gingerbread man, I got white, I got white, Trap house bunkin' up all night, take flight
I'm a hustler and I'll sell anything to make money, including drugs. My trap house is always busy, and we're always taking off to new heights
Droppin' 10 bases? its jumpin' that white?
I'm making so much money that dropping ten kilos of cocaine isn't even a big deal, and it sells like crazy
Trees to that paper so I'm something like a kite
I'm so high on the success and money that I'm making that I'm like a kite in the sky
Loud stanky kush and it tellin' me to light
I have the best weed, and it's so potent that it practically begs me to light it up and enjoy
Extra loud diamonds and its lookin' like a light
I have some amazing and flashy diamonds that are so bright, they look like they're emitting light
Rolli'n stay money and my pockets just glide
I have a Rolex and tons of money in my pockets, and they're so smooth that they just glide past each other
Everyday diamonds cause they don't like to hide
I wear diamonds every day because they're too amazing and valuable to hide away in a safe
V-V-S light yea so you block yo eyes
My diamonds are so bright and perfect that you have to shield your eyes from their beauty
Burnt color diamonds like a sweet potato pie
I even have diamonds that are a unique, burnt color that reminds me of a delicious sweet potato pie
Hit ya color diamonds and get ratchet like a fly?
If someone messes with my diamonds, they're going to get hit hard and fast, like a fly getting swatted
The brick man, the bread man I don't tell no lies
I deal with bricks of cocaine and make a lot of bread, but I never lie about it - it's just the way I make my money
Money Mane gettin' it in, I'm only in it to win
My ultimate goal is to make as much money as possible and come out on top in every situation
I ain't come to say I'm the champ, I get bored and do it again
I don't need to brag about being the best, because it's simply a fact. I keep doing it over and over again because it's what I love and it makes me money
If I ev'red across a tranny, I ain't asked her for a twin
Even if I was with a transgender person, I wouldn't ask them for a duplicate or twin, because I'm focused on other things
cause its number time, done came to gather up all my inns
It's time for me to make even more money, and I'm going to gather up all of my resources and connections to do so
it's fifteen minutes to ten, eighth in and I'm drinkin' gin
It's almost 10 PM, I've smoked an eighth of weed, and now I'm drinking gin to keep the party going
I could act like we were fiends, but I dont like to pretend
I could act like I'm close with someone, but I don't like to fake it and pretend that we're closer than we actually are
I got 30 stacks new Ajax, it's the future price of my air max
I have stacks of cash and I'm always spending it on whatever catches my eye, like a new car (Ajax), or expensive shoes (Air Max)
I'm addicted to abllin' I hear Lennox Mall and I relapse
I have a shopping addiction, and even just hearing about a fancy mall like Lennox is enough to make me want to go and spend money
Your slimfast, little bankroll, my stash getting way to fat
You might have a small amount of money, but my stash (of drugs and cash) is getting way too large and profitable to handle
No push-up, just cook-ups, I'm booked up, I don't wanna lapse
I'm not wasting time with push-ups or exercise - I'm too busy cooking up drugs and making money. I'm so booked and busy that I can't afford to take a break
There's Money Mane, and Juice Mane, and Gucci Mane and ol' Brickman
My crew consists of Money Mane, Juice Mane, myself (Gucci Mane), and an older member nicknamed Brickman
I got juice all in my kitchen so my house smell like cocaine
I have so much juice (slang for drugs), that my entire house smells like cocaine.
Lyrics © Ultra Tunes, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RADRIC DAVIS, OTIS WILLIAMS, BYRON THOMAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Eric Whitley (E-Whit)
I still bump anything that Gucci ever made. He got me through my trapping days. Listening to him and jeezy had me beyond reckless. Thank god I’ve done a 360. 💪🏿🙏🏿💪🏿🙏🏿
Brandon McGillis
You mean a 180? If not that would mean your back to trapping, and same here bro I used to chop and listen to him too lmao
TheAlex613
One of my fav Gucci tracks, lyrics are actually really good
Brandon McGillis
Still by far my favourite album he ever made
mangekiller167
This album is the shit. Bangs hard in the trunk.
Tyler Smith
any track mannie produces goes hard as fuck
alvinho s camara
the best album of Gucci mane
Dashaun Twyne
love this song all day!
oi5nbafl
gucci's final part was probably one of the best i've heard in the a while
IrieIceFizzle
Gucci is a Killer!! Great Album!!