Itβs said that art mirrors life. In hip-hopβs case, thereβs always been a deliberate entanglement of perception and reality. Fans demand their MCs be realβ¦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.
βI wish everybody well whoβs making money in this rap game,β the Atlanta-raised rapper says, dismissing the controversy that followed him in the past. βMy own rap game is going so good, Iβve got so many things on my plate at my label, that I donβt got time for other peopleβs business.β 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.
βI live my life with no regrets. I just wish that a lot of things never happened, but anybody can wish,β says Gucci. Sounds like a man with his eyes on the prize. And youβd 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 βBlack Tee,β 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 βIcyβ single, featuring Jeezy. Clamor over song rights sparked dispute, and the resulting rift grew.
Controversy notwithstanding, Maneβs independence was cemented: βI was on the independent scene for about two years,β he recalls. βItβs 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 itβs a gamble out there with the independent circuit. One thing youβd better have is good music because without that, you go downhill fast in the independent game.β
Good music firmly in hand, Gucci was fast approaching stardom when more tragedy befell him. But letβs backtrack; how did the man born Radric Davis in Bessemer, Alabama, become Gucci Mane, mouthpiece for Atlanta stuntinβ? Mane remembers little from his time in Alabama, just that it was rural, and that itβs changed dramatically since he left at the age of nine. βI gotta shout out Alabama though, because they holdinβ it down,β he affirms. βEvery time I go there to do a show, Iβm impressed with how hip-hop culture has taken root.β
Maneβs identity coalesced when he moved with his mother to Atlanta. βI lived all of my adolescent and adult life in Atlanta,β he explains. βIβm from East Atlanta Zone Six; it was hard, man, it was real rough. I grew up in the Starter jacket era: theyβd take your Starter jacket, your 8Ball jacket, theyβd 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 youβd get jumped. It was wild when I came up.β
Itβs 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. βI was just a young dude in a single parent house most of my life. I canβt complain that much. I would guess itβs like any black child growing up in a single parent household. There are a lot of people who know how that is. I didnβt 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; sheβs been there through the whole struggle. Thereβs a lot that goes along with that; it made me who I am today.β
A stepfather would enter the picture during Maneβs adolescence, introducing not only a male figure, but also inspiration for Maneβs unusual moniker. βMy father came in, the original Gucci Mane; thatβs what people in the neighborhood called him, and thatβs 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.β Drawing inspiration from a pantheon of rappers before him βBig Daddy Kane, LL Cool J, Ice Cube, the Beastie Boys, N.W.AβMane went on to release Trap House, a lethal brew of his signature sound: βI call my music straight Gucci: going hard and whatever beats you make you for me, if Iβm feeling it, if Iβm rocking with it, Iβm gonna crush it. When you hear me, you hear a lot of pain, a lot of hood; you hear whatβs going on in the inner city in Atlanta.β
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. βI learned to keep better company, watch where I go, and be mindful of my surroundings at all times,β he reveals. βWatch what I say, watch what I do and how I do it, just keep myself out of the wrong crowd.β
βI always stand up man,β he continues. βIβm one of the toughest guys I know. Itβll take a lot more than that to break me down.β Undeterred, Mane was back in the studio, preparing 2006βs 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: βThere was a bidding war going on, and I liked Atlanticβs approach. They made it known that they wanted me, they felt where I was going and that I could grow with them.β
Asylum/Atlantic Records welcomed Gucci Mane in early β07, 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 ββI got them in training; they be in the weight room, pumping iron, doing pushups, shopping at the mall, buying iceββGucci is focused on his magnum opus, Back to the Trap House. βI started working on the album, and by the third song, I was like βThis is going back to the Trap House.β 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.β
βSince I went major, I want everybody to know Iβm still keeping it street, keeping it hood,β Gucci maintains. βIβm trying to take it back to all my fans that I had when I first started my career. And at the same time, Iβm trying to open up my new album to a new fan base. So itβs a mix for everybody coming together, like my first album was.β Gucci has always prided himself on his innate ability, and his refusal to let guest appearances dictate the tone of his records. βI just want people to know Iβm a great songwriter, man,β he asserts. βIβm passionate about what I do, and itβs 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; itβs a God-given gift and I just get paid for it. It come from God, itβs like wondering what makes a bird fly. He made me a poet like the great poets of the past.β
But donβt mistake Gucciβs confidence for self-absorption. The vicissitudes of his career have dictated a longer view. Lyrics aside, heβs less preoccupied with visible means and more so with acting as an emissary from his under-repped block. βIβm not the one to glorify what goes on in the hood,β he insists. βWe have everything there, the whole range from violence to people getting on the bus and going to work. Thereβs a lot more to the hood than just drugs. Itβs a bigger story, thereβs 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. Iβm 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.β
And Gucciβs professional aims have matured as well. While other rappers stress platinum plaques, Gucci hasnβt forgotten the route he took to stardom. βI made a lot of CDs on my own. People fucked with me and supported me, and just made me the man I am today. Thatβs 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 jobβs been done.β
Fortunately for Gucci, he should be prepared to welcome an army of new fans with Back to the Trap House. But longstanding fans shouldnβt fear; theyβll recognize βFreaky Gurl,β 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 Gucciβs 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 βBird Flu,β the albumβs number two single, laced by New-York based Supa Sonics. Elsewhere, firm guest verses from Rich Boy and Pimp C of UGK round out Gucciβs regional flavor, while Bay-area producer Zaytoven (of βIcyβ renown) locks down Gucciβs 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. βIβm best known for controversy but Iβm 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. Iβll be banging them out till I canβt bang no more.β
Ice Cream
Gucci Mane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pull up, on gang (Oh woah)
Mr ice Cream man (Ice)
Mr ice Cream man (Cream)
Mr ice Cream man (Ice)
Mr ice Cream man (Cream)
I'm sellin' ice cream i'm sellin' ice cream
Mr ice Cream man (Cream)
Mr ice Cream man (Ice)
Mr ice Cream man (Cream)
I'm sellin' ice cream i'm sellin' ice cream
I'm sellin' ice cream and popsicles
(Ice cream, ayy)
I'm sellin' out, ladies and Skittles
(Skittles) 24's on the ice cream truck
(Ayy) , got the pots and the pans
Yeah I'm bout to cook it up (Whip, whip)
Sippin' on lean like slushy (Lean)
Got a foreign bad bitch, she Russian (Bad)
Smoking on gas and musty (Gas)
Got molly, got xans, got cookies (Xan)
Got coke, got dope and I get 'em out the boat
Kids on the block kill for the ice cream cone
(Oh no) xanax bar where the Klondike bar
Ice cream man I'm a real trap star (Oh yeah)
Pull up on your block (Skrrt)
Like Gucci break the whole block
Remixing, nigga rerock (Renix)
Them birds come in by the flock (Brrr)
Mr ice Cream man (Ice)
Mr ice Cream man (Cream)
Mr ice Cream man (Ice)
Mr ice Cream man (Cream)
I'm sellin' ice cream i'm sellin' ice cream
Mr ice Cream man (Ice)
Mr ice Cream man (Cream)
Mr ice Cream man (Ice)
Mr ice Cream man (Cream)
I'm sellin' ice cream (Migos)
I'm sellin' ice cream (Guwop)
House full of Mexican (QuΓ© pΓ‘sa)
Cook the dope one time again (Muy bien)
Shooting dice cause I'm a gambling man
(Eres muy guapo) heroin from Afghanistan
El holmes I can't understand that
What you mean? I don't talk
English I can't comprehende
Fuck you mean? Got this
F&N can you comprehende fuck them bricks
You said there where coming Wednesday
(Skrrt)
Mr ice Cream man (Ice)
Mr ice Cream man (Cream)
Mr ice Cream man (Ice)
Mr ice Cream man (Cream)
I'm sellin' ice cream i'm sellin' ice cream
Mr ice Cream man (Ice)
Mr ice Cream man (Cream)
Mr ice Cream man (Ice)
Mr ice Cream man (Cream)
I'm sellin' ice cream i'm sellin' ice cream
The song "Ice Cream" by Gucci Mane feat. Migos is all about being the ice cream man and selling sweet treats. The lyrics depict a life of selling ice cream and other drugs on the streets, living the luxurious life that comes with being a trap star. The chorus repeats the lines "Mr Ice Cream man" and "I'm selling ice cream", driving home the idea of the ice cream man as a metaphor for a drug dealer. The verses tell tales of cooking up cocaine in pots and pans, sipping on lean, and selling a variety of drugs from Xanax to heroin.
The lyrics also touch upon the dangers of the lifestyle, with lines like "Kids on the block kill for the ice cream cone" and "Got coke, got dope and I get 'em out the boat," which refers to smuggling drugs across the ocean. The song also has a bilingual element to it, with Gucci Mane mixing in Spanish phrases like "QuΓ© pΓ‘sa" and "Muy bien" into his verse, and Migos shouting out "El holmes" in reference to the Spanish word for friend. Overall, "Ice Cream" is a wild ride through the life of a drug dealer and the dangers that come with it, all portrayed through the metaphor of an ice cream man.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh yeah, oh yeah (yeah) pull up, pull up
Excitement and anticipation as the ice cream truck pulls up to the block.
Pull up, on gang (Oh woah)
The ice cream truck arrives and attracts a crowd.
Mr ice Cream man (Ice)
The ice cream truck is being run by a person known to the neighborhood as 'Mr. Ice Cream Man.'
Mr ice Cream man (Cream)
The ice cream truck is known for selling a variety of treats, including ice cream and creamy popsicles.
I'm sellin' ice cream i'm sellin' ice cream
The ice cream truck driver is advertising the various treats they have for sale.
I'm sellin' ice cream and popsicles
In addition to ice cream, popsicles are also being sold from the truck.
(Ice cream, ayy) I'm sellin' out, ladies and Skittles
The driver is selling treats to a diverse audience, including women and those who enjoy Skittles candy.
(Skittles) 24's on the ice cream truck
The truck's wheels are decorated with 24-inch rims, making it a flashy sight on the block.
Got the pots and the pans, Yeah I'm bout to cook it up (Whip, whip)
The driver is prepared to make fresh treats on the spot, whipping up a batch of ice cream.
Sippin' on lean like slushy (Lean)
The driver is sipping on a cough syrup concoction that is popularly mixed with soft drinks and known as 'lean.'
Got a foreign bad bitch, she Russian (Bad)
The driver has a Russian girlfriend who is attractive and part of the local nightlife scene.
Smoking on gas and musty (Gas)
The driver is smoking on high-grade marijuana that has a pungent smell, known as 'gas.'
Got molly, got xans, got cookies (Xan)
The driver has a variety of drugs available for those who are interested, including the party drug known as Molly, Xanax pills, and THC-laced cookies.
Got coke, got dope and I get 'em out the boat
The driver is also involved in selling cocaine and heroin, which are originally imported by boat.
Kids on the block kill for the ice cream cone (Oh no)
The ice cream truck is popular with children, but the competition for treats can sometimes become violent.
Xanax bar where the Klondike bar
A humorous comparison between Xanax bars and Klondike bars, both of which are 'cool' commodities.
Ice cream man I'm a real trap star (Oh yeah)
The driver sees himself as a trap star, a person who has gained success through the drug trade.
Remixing, nigga rerock (Renix)
The driver is referring to a process of refashioning drugs for resale, known as 'rerocking.'
Them birds come in by the flock (Brrr)
Young women are attracted to the driver's flashy lifestyle and flock to him.
House full of Mexican (QuΓ© pΓ‘sa)
The driver has Mexican associates who help him with the drug trade, and his home is sometimes full of them.
Cook the dope one time again (Muy bien)
The driver is planning to manufacture drugs again and is affirming his success at doing so.
Shooting dice cause I'm a gambling man (Eres muy guapo)
The driver enjoys gambling, and is proud of his Mexican heritage and good looks.
Heroin from Afghanistan
The driver is involved in drug importation from countries such as Afghanistan.
El holmes I can't understand that
The driver doesn't understand a certain phrase or way of speaking, which is expressed in Spanish.
What you mean? I don't talk English I can't comprehende
The driver is confused by English-speaking people who he cannot understand, and is skeptical that they would be able to understand him if he spoke Spanish.
Fuck you mean? Got this F&N can you comprehende fuck them bricks
The driver has a firearm and isn't afraid to use it against anyone who threatens his business, particularly those who are trying to steal or damage his drugs 'bricks.'
You said there where coming Wednesday (Skrrt)
The driver is abruptly ending a conversation with someone who has made an unfulfilled promise, indicating he is not to be messed with.
Lyrics Β© Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FENUCCI, PITAWAT PRUKSAKIT, FEDERICO VASSALLO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ultraego111
NΓ£o sei porque mas me sinto muito bem ouvindo essa mΓΊsica.
O beat traz uma vibe muito positiva (pode ser algo pessoal, mas eu realmente me sinto assim).
Muito bom ouvir esse tipo de mΓΊsica, ainda mais hoje em dia onde a moda Γ© parecer/estar triste.
@randomdudewholikesmusic1640
Was 14, soon to be 15, just bumping Gucci on either a road trip or walk home from school. Now I'm 21.
Time flies.
@StarKushExoticGalaxy
I remember hearing this in summer school in 2015ππ
@beery957
2020 and still sounding π₯π₯π₯
@louielongbread4237
WHO BUMPING IN 2019 LETS GO π€π½πΊπΊπΊ
@tamyranettles9518
love this song
@juwandaniels9404
This song still π₯
@damiandiaz4818
man this is dope the chorus and the beat its all good
@c-losoicey6680
Classic Gucci. Gansta Verses And Hook On A Almost Kid Friendly Zaytoven Beat. I'll Never Get Tired Of It. #Free Gucci aka #Gucci Mane LaFlare aka #Gucci Montana aka #Big Gucci aka #Gucci 2 Tymes aka #Trap God aka #Big Guwap aka #The Machine
@imaniwade8173
This song go hard