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.”
Gucci Time
Gucci Mane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tha world is very different now,
You know why it's Gucci time
Big Gucci trap boys call me Brick Gucci
Dime piece time piece got my Swiss movin'
Swiss cheese out a hater if he act foolish
Swizz Beats Gucci Mane call it trap music
They try to Ron Artest me the gone have to arrest me
With a doubt I bring 'em out
The kid is all she think about
She cheated wit la flare
But he didn't spill a drink about her
Do you know what time it is
Gucci time
Fifteen for every diamond bitch
I'm hood rich wealthy and all that there
I own forty bars but I have no idea
Its Gucci time!
Cut the lights on, cut these fuckin' lights on
All this ice on ain't no need to cut the lights on
Cut the lights on, cut these fuckin' lights on
All this ice on ain't no need to cut the lights on
Its Gucci time!
Cut the lights on, cut these fuckin' lights on
All this ice on ain't no need to cut the lights on
Cut the lights on, cut these fuckin' lights on
All this ice on ain't no need to cut the lights on
Its Gucci time!
Came in drankin'
Rollin' up stanky
White boy wasted
Frat house wasted
Amazin'
Like my bracelet
I'm flossin'
R.i.p the mike the ice got my chest moon walkin'
Cabbage patchin'
Bouncin'
Like Bankhead'
Pull up in the drop top Ferrari on Bankhead
Colder than a polar bear sleepin' in the freezer
She wish she never met me, wanna catch amnesia
Gucci mane crazy I might pull up on a zebra
Land on top an eagle smoke a joint of reefa
Standin' on the sofa spillin' liquor on the speaker
Call the paralegal 'cause this shit should be illegal
Its Gucci time!
Cut the lights on, cut these fuckin' lights on
All this ice on ain't no need to cut the lights on
Cut the lights on, cut these fuckin' lights on
All this ice on ain't no need to cut the lights on
Its Gucci time!
Cut the lights on, cut these fuckin' lights on
All this ice on ain't no need to cut the lights on
Cut the lights on, cut these fuckin' lights on
All this ice on ain't no need to cut the lights on
Its Gucci time!
Keep tockin' a tockin' to keep tickin'
Ya Rollie ain't real if the bitch keep tickin'
A hundred thou' on the shoes and socks ain't nothin'
A hundred thou' on the wrist band aint nothin'
Keep tockin' a tockin' to keep tickin'
Ya Rollie ain't real if the bitch keep tickin'
A hundred thou' on the shoes and socks ain't nothin'
You ain't sayin' nothin', you ain't doin' nothin'
Cut the lights on, cut these fuckin' lights on
All this ice on ain't no need to cut the lights on
Cut the lights on, cut these fuckin' lights on
All this ice on ain't no need to cut the lights on
It's Gucci time!
Hands up!
Its Gucci time!
The lyrics to Gucci Mane Feat. Swizz Beatz's song "It's Gucci Time" are all about living large and celebrating wealth and success. The song opens with a call for everyone to hit the dance floor, and Gucci goes on to describe his own success and the trappings that come with it. He boasts about his jewelry, the girls he's with, and the fact that he's "hood rich wealthy and all that there." He also talks about partying hard, drinking, and smoking, and revels in his status as a wealthy and successful rapper. Throughout the song, Gucci emphasizes that it's his time to shine, and encourages his listeners to join him and enjoy the riches of success.
Overall, "It's Gucci Time" is an anthem for those who are making it big and enjoying all the perks that come with it. Gucci presents himself as a larger-than-life figure who is living the high life and wants others to join him in his celebration of success.
Line by Line Meaning
I need everybody to report to tha dance floor right now
I want everyone to come to the dance floor immediately
Tha world is very different now, You know why it's Gucci time
The world has changed and it's time for Gucci Mane's turn in the spotlight
Big Gucci trap boys call me Brick Gucci
Gucci Mane is a prominent figure in the trap music scene
Dime piece time piece got my Swiss movin'
Gucci Mane's watch is valuable and it's time to get to work
Swiss cheese out a hater if he act foolish
Gucci Mane will defeat any haters who try to challenge him
Swizz Beats Gucci Mane call it trap music
This song is a collaboration between Swizz Beatz and Gucci Mane, and is an example of trap music
I think I need an ESPY the rappers best respect me
Gucci Mane should receive an award for his talent and other rappers should acknowledge and respect him
They try to Ron Artest me the gone have to arrest me
People have tried to provoke Gucci Mane like former NBA player Ron Artest, but they won't be successful
With a doubt I bring 'em out
Gucci Mane is a crowd-pleaser and can get people excited without a doubt
The kid is all she think about, She cheated wit la flare, But he didn't spill a drink about her
A girl is thinking about Gucci Mane, although she cheated on him with another rapper, but Gucci Mane didn't react or cause any trouble
Do you know what time it is? Gucci time
It's time for Gucci Mane to shine
Fifteen for every diamond bitch, I'm hood rich wealthy and all that there
Gucci Mane is very wealthy and can afford expensive diamonds
I own forty bars but I have no idea
Gucci Mane owns many bars, but he may not be fully aware of their exact number
Cut the lights on, cut these fuckin' lights on, All this ice on ain't no need to cut the lights on
There's so much ice (jewelry) that it's not necessary to turn on the lights
Came in drankin', Rollin' up stanky, White boy wasted, Frat house wasted, Amazin', Like my bracelet, I'm flossin'
Gucci Mane is enjoying himself, drinking and smoking while showing off his expensive jewelry
R.i.p the mike the ice got my chest moon walkin'
Gucci Mane's diamond necklace is so heavy that it feels like he's doing the moonwalk
Cabbage patchin', Bouncin', Like Bankhead', Pull up in the drop top Ferrari on Bankhead
Gucci Mane is dancing and bouncing around, like he's from Bankhead (a neighborhood in Atlanta), and he arrived in a flashy car
Colder than a polar bear sleepin' in the freezer, She wish she never met me, wanna catch amnesia
Gucci Mane's personality is cold and someone regrets meeting him so much that they want to forget
Gucci mane crazy I might pull up on a zebra, Land on top an eagle smoke a joint of reefa
Gucci Mane is wild and unpredictable and might ride a zebra or smoke weed on top of an eagle
Standin' on the sofa spillin' liquor on the speaker, Call the paralegal 'cause this shit should be illegal
Gucci Mane is standing on the sofa and spilling liquor on the artist, which may be against the law
Keep tockin' a tockin' to keep tickin', Ya Rollie ain't real if the bitch keep tickin'
Gucci Mane is keeping his watch ticking, and if it stops ticking it may not be real
A hundred thou' on the shoes and socks ain't nothin', You ain't sayin' nothin', you ain't doin' nothin'
Gucci Mane doesn't think spending $100,000 on shoes and socks is a big deal, and if someone isn't saying or doing anything, they aren't worth his time
Hands up!
A command for the audience to raise their hands
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FABIO PIGNATELLI, CLAUDIO SIMONETTI, MASSIMO MORANTE, KASSEEM DEAN, RADRIC DAVIS, XAVIER DE ROSNAY, GASPARD AUGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Ruubinnn
his flow crazy on this one
@SucioRojo
Yes it is. #FreeGucci
@solarpanel8195
old gucci flow is legendary. especially that bop he had on his really old shit like "trap talk" "gucci stamp" etc
@580mafiarecords4
If Gucci dropped this today it would fire! It was ahead of its time!
@RsRj-qd2cg
God damn this is a throwback now. I remember when it came out.
@dtxspeaks268
Hell yeah. August 2010 vibes from this
@Ace_etereo
Gucci was in his prime 09-10. He was mainstream a'f. Made flocka and oj hot.
@oneveracity1417
Adam Johnson Wasn't this the real Gucci Mane before the clone?
@90Mrknowitall
Swizz beat KILLED iT!!
@doctajuice
Swizz beatz production always gets my neck snapping. This is a classic for sure