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.”
I Got Em
Gucci Mane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I just keep countin' all this money and this shit
Shit keep just droppin' all on the floor and shit
No, no, no, yeah
Watch out, lil' bitch, yeah, I got it (I got it)
Watch out, lil' bitch, yeah, I got it (I got it, yeah)
Watch out, lil' bitch, yeah, I got it (what? I got it)
Huh? What? (What? Yeah)
Watch out, lil' bitch, yeah, I got it (yeah)
Watch out, lil' bitch, yeah, I got it (what? I got it)
Watch out, lil' bitch, yeah, I got it (huh? Yeah)
Yeah, wake up, yawn (yawn)
Yeah, got my cake up, torn (yeah)
Countin' money like a war (what?)
Fuck her so long 'til I'm bored (yeah)
Went to sleep with a black girl, yeah
Then I woke up to a foreign
Watch out, lil' bitch, yeah, I got it (I got it)
Watch out, lil' bitch, yeah, I got it (yeah, I got it)
Say you gettin' money, boy, stop it (huh?)
Yeah, chain on my neck is so tight and the pendant is set like a locket (blaow)
Spanish girl, she call me papi (bling)
She say my hair is so nappy (hey)
This that Dior, not Armani
Watch out, lil' bitch, yeah, I got it (I got it, huh)
Watch out, lil' bitch, yeah, I got it (I got it, woo)
Watch out, lil' bitch, yeah, I got it (I got it, huh)
Watch out, lil' bitch, yeah, I got it (yeah)
Huh? What? (What? Yeah)
Watch out, lil' bitch, yeah, I got it (yeah)
Watch out, lil' bitch, yeah, I got it (what? I got it)
Watch out, lil' bitch, yeah, I got it (huh? Yeah)
I had to curve bitches just to get to the top (yeah)
They don't deserve riches
These niggas ain't fuckin' with Wop (nope)
I run a Burr business
I sell more pests than the shop
I got that Daz and Kurupt, I put dog food on your block
Say somethin' I don't know
Name a watch I don't got (huh)
I bought a half a block then made myself hot (skrrt)
Name a place I can't go (huh?)
Name a stage I can't rock (wow)
Got so many knots in my pockets, think they got Botox (huh)
I'm in a fast car, I'm gettin' some slow top
I've been totin' this choppa so long that I think I'm shell shocked
I need a safe house (huh?), I need a stash spot (yeah)
It's Uzi Vert and Big Gucci, you hit the jackpot
It's Wop
Watch out, lil' bitch, yeah, I got it (I got it, huh)
Watch out, lil' bitch, yeah, I got it (I got it, woo)
Watch out, lil' bitch, yeah, I got it (I got it, huh)
Watch out, lil' bitch, yeah, I got it (yeah)
Huh? What? (What? Yeah)
Watch out, lil' bitch, yeah, I got it (yeah)
Watch out, lil' bitch, yeah, I got it (what? I got it)
Watch out, lil' bitch, yeah, I got it (yeah)
In Gucci Mane's song "I Got Em," the lyrics mainly focus on Gucci's success and the money he has accumulated. The start of the song describes how money just keeps dropping on the floor and how he can't keep count of it. In the chorus, Gucci confidently proclaims that he's got it all and warns people to watch out. The track has an upbeat and catchy tempo, making it perfect for partying and dancing.
The following lyrics describe Gucci's lifestyle and how he enjoys his wealth. He mentions how he went to bed with a black woman and woke up with a foreign woman. He also boasts about his jewelry and designer clothes while rapping in both Spanish and English. In the latter part of the song, he says he had to curve or reject women to reach his success. He sold more drugs than a shop and has a lot of money in his pockets, which he compares to Botox. The song features Lil Uzi Vert as well, who adds his own verse in between Gucci's rap, making the song more interesting.
Overall, Gucci Mane's "I Got Em" is a braggadocious song that mainly talks about his wealth, a typical theme for many rappers.
Line by Line Meaning
And I just keep countin' all this money and this shit
I'm counting a whole lot of money, and it just keeps accumulating.
Shit keep just droppin' all on the floor and shit
I have so much money that it's falling on the floor and I don't really care.
Watch out, lil' bitch, yeah, I got it (I got it)
Hey, be careful, I've got this handled.
Wake up, yawn (yawn)
I'm waking up from sleeping and yawning.
Got my cake up, torn (yeah)
I've worked really hard to earn a lot of money.
Countin' money like a war (what?)
Counting my money is like going to war, but I'm winning.
Fuck her so long 'til I'm bored (yeah)
I'm having sex with someone for so long that eventually it becomes boring.
Went to sleep with a black girl, yeah / Then I woke up to a foreign
I went to bed with a Black woman and then woke up to a woman from a different country.
Say you gettin' money, boy, stop it (huh?)
I don't believe that you're really making money, so stop lying.
Chain on my neck is so tight and the pendant is set like a locket (blaow)
My chain is heavy and valuable, and the pendant is securely attached.
Spanish girl, she call me papi (bling)
A Spanish woman calls me 'daddy' as a term of endearment.
She say my hair is so nappy (hey)
The woman says that my hair is curly and coiled, but she finds it attractive.
This that Dior, not Armani
I'm wearing a high-end designer brand, but it's Dior, not Armani.
I had to curve bitches just to get to the top (yeah)
I had to turn down women who weren't good enough for me to become successful.
They don't deserve riches / These niggas ain't fuckin' with Wop (nope)
Those people don't deserve wealth, and they're not on my level of fame and success.
I run a Burr business / I sell more pests than the shop
I have a successful drug business, and I sell more drugs than any shop or dealer.
I got that Daz and Kurupt, I put dog food on your block
I have connections with drug dealers Daz and Kurupt, and I'm selling drugs on your street.
Name a watch I don't got (huh)
I own almost every type of watch, there's none that I don't have.
I bought a half a block then made myself hot (skrrt)
I bought a significant portion of land in a desirable area, and made myself famous and successful.
Name a place I can't go (huh?) / Name a stage I can't rock (wow)
There's no place I can't go or stage I can't perform on, I'm successful and can go anywhere.
Got so many knots in my pockets, think they got Botox (huh)
I have a lot of money in my pockets, so much that they're bulging like they've been injected with Botox.
I'm in a fast car, I'm gettin' some slow top
I'm driving a fast sports car and receiving oral sex while I'm driving slowly.
I've been totin' this choppa so long that I think I'm shell shocked
I've been carrying a gun (choppa) for so long that it's affecting my mentally and emotionally.
I need a safe house (huh?), I need a stash spot (yeah)
I need a secure place to hide my money and drugs.
It's Uzi Vert and Big Gucci, you hit the jackpot / It's Wop
Uzi Vert and Gucci Mane are an incredible duo, and you've hit the jackpot with our music. It's Wop!
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Radric Davis, Symere Woods
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mike Mo
mannn i used ta beat the block down wit this one. ayeeeeaaaa boooiiiiiii. beat goes hard
Mr Curtis
Bass gives chills....
Terrell Boyd
Still bumping
Robert Smith
2020 still🔥🔥🔥🔥
Unbiased TV
Same
Dustin Dumont
@michigansucks 0111 slappedddd
michigansucks 0111
Shit used to absolutely bump
Indigo Bartender
CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN HOW GUCCI MANE GOT THIS FUTURIST-ARTISTIC FLOW BUT A SO TRAP LIFE ?!?!
This Man Is a Mistery..
eMANNzipiert
GOOD SONG/BEAT/CAR AND GUCCI
CLETIS CLETIS C
1000PERCENT ..DRUMMA BOY ..BIG UPPS