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
Neva Had Shit
Gucci Mane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gucci Mane in this motherfucker (Gucci Gucci)
My nigga Zo' on the track (My nigga Zo')
That real shit, that real shit
I'm a hood rich nigga, I ain't never had shit
I really ain't shit niggaz talkin 'bout me
But they really ain't shit, they ain't said shit
I'm a hood rich nigga, I ain't never had shit
I really ain't shit; niggaz talkin 'bout me
But they really ain't shit, they ain't said shit
It don't make dollars, it don't make cents/sense
I ain't never had shit nigga that's the truth
Rich kids in the school used to draw on my shoes
Name stayed on the board, fo' checks in chalk
In detention cause the teacher say that we can't talk
Counselor raggin and my momma got that I just walk
I wish I had a nickel for every fight I fought
Stealin candy out the sto' like I can't get caught
Just a lil' bad black boy, it ain't my fault
After school snack syrup and fo' pieces of bread
Granddaddy why yo' eyes so God damn red?
"Got a real soft ass and a hard-ass head
Better mind your fuckin manners boy," that's what he said
I'm a hood rich nigga, I ain't never had shit
I really ain't shit; niggaz talkin 'bout me
But they really ain't shit, they ain't said shit
It don't make dollars, it don't make cents/sense
I moved to East Atlanta at the age of 9
Real cold winter, 1989
My brother good at ball, I can't play no sports
They won't let you pack a tool on the b-ball court
Cluster Ave, Monty Paul, where my daddy now?
Things goin alright, we a family now
Got the dopeman Nikes and the Starter coat
Only nigga in school with the dopeman rope
Pull the joint two times, man I'm high already
I like that girl with them braids and them high-top Chevys
Got that bump for stick-up, Starter and the big boy chest
Tried to take it on the train but I just couldn't let him
I'm a hood rich nigga, I ain't never had shit
I really ain't shit; niggaz talkin 'bout me
But they really ain't shit, they ain't said shit
It don't make dollars, it don't make cents/sense
Fourteen gettin' drunk at a house party
They locked me up, they must have hid a half a ounce on me
Momma mad as a mother', daddy let him be
Gucci Mane, raised me to be a straight up G
Now my daddy hustle hard, but he love sum liquor
And my momma wanna leave him but she love the nigga
Everything kinda changed when I turned 16
Got the old school Regal with the chrome back rings
Like a newborn baby, man that bitch clean
But the motor fucked up and the transmission
And it's knockin down the street with the 415's
In Mackmile parkin lot, stright whipping
And I'm Bankhead bouncin, fo' hoes want me
Hit the half and give me two dimes for 15
And my mind's on gettin' reach by all means
In the trap, cause this rap shit was just my dream
I'm a hood rich nigga, I ain't never had shit
I really ain't shit; niggaz talkin 'bout me
But they really ain't shit, they ain't said shit
It don't make dollars, it don't make cents/sense
In Gucci Mane's song "Neva Had Sh*t," the rapper reflects on his life growing up in poverty and the struggles he faced. He describes how he never had anything as a child and was constantly bullied and picked on by other kids. Despite this, Gucci never let it get in the way of his dreams and always knew that he would make it big one day. He also talks about his early experiences with drugs and how they led him down a dark path that ultimately ended in his incarceration.
Throughout the song, Gucci emphasizes the importance of making money and being successful. He repeats the line "It don't make dollars, it don't make cents/sense" to drive home this point. For Gucci, money is the key to success and the only way to truly rise above the struggles of poverty.
Overall, "Neva Had Sh*t" serves as a powerful reflection on the experiences of growing up in poverty and the challenges that come with it. It also highlights the determination and resilience of those who are able to overcome these challenges and achieve success in spite of them.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm a hood rich nigga, I ain't never had shit
Despite now being wealthy, Gucci Mane grew up poor and has never had anything until now
I really ain't shit niggaz talkin 'bout me
Despite others talking trash about Gucci Mane, he knows he is somebody and has worked to get where he is now
But they really ain't shit, they ain't said shit
The people talking trash about Gucci Mane have no real substance to their words and don't affect him
It don't make dollars, it don't make cents/sense
If something doesn't make money or sense, Gucci Mane has no interest in it
I ain't never had shit nigga that's the truth
Reiterating that he has come from poverty and worked hard to achieve success
Rich kids in the school used to draw on my shoes
As a child, Gucci Mane was unable to afford nice things and was often teased for his lack of wealth
Stealin candy out the sto' like I can't get caught
Growing up poor, Gucci Mane resorted to stealing small items like candy since he couldn't afford to buy them
Granddaddy why yo' eyes so God damn red?
Gucci Mane's grandfather was likely a frequent user of drugs or alcohol
Better mind your fuckin manners boy, that's what he said
Gucci Mane's grandfather was strict and believed in discipline and respect
Real cold winter, 1989
Gucci Mane was nine years old and living in East Atlanta during a particularly harsh winter
I'm Bankhead bouncin, fo' hoes want me
Gucci Mane is now successful and popular, attracting the attention of women
And my mind's on gettin' reach by all means
Gucci Mane is determined to become as successful as possible, no matter what it takes
In the trap, cause this rap shit was just my dream
Before achieving success as a rapper, Gucci Mane was involved in illegal activities in order to make ends meet
Lyrics Β© OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
H M
I play this shit everytime I get drunk and miss my grandparents and friends that passed away
Damaine Mitchell
Shout out to all the people that's going through the struggle don't give up keep hustle use your mindπ€¨π€π€π€
πΈAnaπΈ
Big up
Stone Tha Profit
Gucci couldn't have said it better
Trippy Prophesies
Trust the process
Mr.Loud007
Thanks ...dope advice
Anthony Torres
This comment be so helpful fr frπ―
Milwaukee Brewers
This shit takes me back to when i was 18 bumping this in my car in the back by the alley in winter me n cousins n friends close since kids.. now we all 28-30yrs old kids n some are dead... seems like yesterday, damn time flies..... nostalgia to sum it down.
Chavalier Sutton
Old Gucci was the truth π―
πΈAnaπΈ
Love him