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.”
Switching Gears
Gucci Mane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't pull up on me, partner, I'ma get to switchin' gears (don't pull up on me, holmes)
This gun for huntin' deers, this AK came with a spear (grrah)
This Glock it came from Smyrna it's plastic, not stainless steel (woah)
You be hatin', I can't hear it, first you boo it, then you cheer it (damn)
I can't take you serious, your kind, I can't even stand near it (no)
You niggas on your period, I just bought some new Amiris (Amiris)
Million after million, they think Gucci racketeerin' (wow)New Phantom, I'm the driver, I fucked up my power steerin' (go)
Sixties, they so big, it make my shit sit like a chariot (well damn)
I just bust a watch that bitch got so many karats (brr)
When they talkin' big money, the only time I'm wearin' it (woo)
Niggas be crabs with their money, Gucci Mane don't cherish it (racks)
But if I rocked jewelry they rock then that would be embarassin' (huh?)
Lames get a lil' bit of money, don't know how to handle it (lame)
I don't need help with this money, it's under good management (Gucci)
'Bout to start rappin', I got more money than your manager (well, damn)
Broke bitch said we fucked, it was in her dream, she just imagined it (woah)
Nigga, ride down his block, he gon' get more shots, he gon' think I'm a cameraman (grrah)
Nigga, come to my spot, you gonna see a lot of chops, look like Afghanistan (huh?)
I'm in the coupe with Lil' Meechie, he took my cup 'cause a nigga keep stabbin' it (Lil' Meechie)
I'm 'bout to still Wock' raw, yeah and stab in that bitch without readin' the manual (skrrt)
I thought he was runnin' it up, but I passed him up, he run out of stamina (go)
I know all my niggas is crazy, they ever go broke, they gon' act like some animals (grr)
I smoked a whole zip of exotic, my eyes real low, look like Linsanity (ah-hem)
He caught a domestic violence, he mad at his bitch just because she a fan of me (lame)
His lil' ho keep beggin' to fuck, by the time that I hit it she couldn't even handle it (ho)
I'm really a snake, when I get on a plane, in my mind I be thinkin' 'bout Samuel (slatt)
I really gon' teach you, put money on them, with dollar signs all on my calendar (racks)
These niggas sneak dissin', I hear it, I still ain't kill 'em, I just ain't get mad enough (woah)
I pulled on a scene, I was smellin' like weed, with a cup that was dirtier than Africa (huh?)
Before I would ever be caught with a thot, you would catch me swimmin' to Canada (huh?)
The lyrics of Gucci Mane's song Switching Gears are about the rapper's success and the haters who cannot accept it. In the first verse, Gucci Mane talks about his wealth and his ability to afford expensive cars, guns, and clothing. He also addresses the criticism he receives from his haters and how he disregards them because they are not worth his time. In the second verse, he talks about his status as a successful rapper and how he has surpassed other rappers in his industry.
The lyrics in this song illustrate Gucci Mane's pride in his success and ability to dismiss his haters. He talks about his luxury lifestyle and his confidence in his rapping career, which he believes is the reason for his wealth. When he mentions his haters, he is indicating that their opinions do not matter to him as he continues to rise in fame and fortune.
Overall, the lyrics of Gucci Mane's song Switching Gears serve as a testament to his success and ability to overcome those who do not believe in him. The song is about proving his worth to himself and to his fans.
Line by Line Meaning
Big ol' motor in my rear, and it gon' get me 'way from here (go, nyoom)
I got a big powerful engine in my car, and it's gonna make me go fast and leave this place behind.
Don't pull up on me, partner, I'ma get to switchin' gears (don't pull up on me, holmes)
Don't come up on me unexpectedly, I'm ready to take action and change the situation.
This gun for huntin' deers, this AK came with a spear (grrah)
I have different guns for different purposes, one for hunting deer and another more powerful gun that came with a spear attachment for attacking larger threats.
This Glock it came from Smyrna it's plastic, not stainless steel (woah)
This gun I have is made of plastic and not as durable as steel, and I got it in Smyrna.
You be hatin', I can't hear it, first you boo it, then you cheer it (damn)
I don't listen to the haters and their negativity, they flip-flop between hating and liking me.
I can't take you serious, your kind, I can't even stand near it (no)
I don't respect or trust people like you and don't even want to be close to you.
You niggas on your period, I just bought some new Amiris (Amiris)
You guys are acting irrationally and are jealous, while I just bought some new Amiri clothing.
Million after million, they think Gucci racketeerin' (wow)
I've made a lot of money and people think I'm involved in criminal activity to do so.
New Phantom, I'm the driver, I fucked up my power steerin' (go)
I have a new luxury car, but I messed up the power steering from always driving it.
Sixties, they so big, it make my shit sit like a chariot (well damn)
The 1960s (diamonds) on my jewelry are so big that it gives me a majestic and powerful appearance.
I just bust a watch that bitch got so many karats (brr)
I just bought a watch with a ton of diamonds on it.
When they talkin' big money, the only time I'm wearin' it (woo)
I only wear flashy things when there's big money involved.
Niggas be crabs with their money, Gucci Mane don't cherish it (racks)
Other people waste their money like crabs in a bucket, but I don't do that and just want to accumulate wealth.
But if I rocked jewelry they rock then that would be embarassin' (huh?)
If I wore the same jewelry as other people, it would be embarrassing because I need to stand out.
Lames get a lil' bit of money, don't know how to handle it (lame)
People who aren't cool like me get a little money and don't know how to use it.
I don't need help with this money, it's under good management (Gucci)
I don't need help managing my money, it's well taken care of.
'Bout to start rappin', I got more money than your manager (well, damn)
I'm about to start rapping now and I have more money than your manager.
Broke bitch said we fucked, it was in her dream, she just imagined it (woah)
A girl who is broke claimed we had sex, but it was just in her dreams and never happened.
Nigga, ride down his block, he gon' get more shots, he gon' think I'm a cameraman (grrah)
If someone rides down my block, they will get shot at a lot and think I'm a cameraman because there's so much action.
Nigga, come to my spot, you gonna see a lot of chops, look like Afghanistan (huh?)
If someone visits me, they'll see a lot of guns and it'll look like a war-torn country.
I'm in the coupe with Lil' Meechie, he took my cup 'cause a nigga keep stabbin' it (Lil' Meechie)
I'm in a car with Lil' Meechie and he took my cup because I keep spilling it from moving around too much.
I'm 'bout to still Wock' raw, yeah and stab in that bitch without readin' the manual (skrrt)
I'm going to take unprescribed cough syrup and mix it without proper instructions because I know what I'm doing.
I thought he was runnin' it up, but I passed him up, he run out of stamina (go)
I thought he was doing well, but I surpassed him because he didn't have the endurance to keep up.
I know all my niggas is crazy, they ever go broke, they gon' act like some animals (grr)
I know my friends are not stable and if they go broke, they will lose control and act like wild animals.
I smoked a whole zip of exotic, my eyes real low, look like Linsanity (ah-hem)
I smoked a lot of high-quality marijuana and my eyes are so low that I look like basketball player Jeremy Lin when he's playing well.
He caught a domestic violence, he mad at his bitch just because she a fan of me (lame)
He got in trouble for domestic violence and is angry at his girlfriend just because she's a fan of me.
His lil' ho keep beggin' to fuck, by the time that I hit it she couldn't even handle it (ho)
A girl he was with kept begging to have sex, but when I finally had sex with her, she couldn't handle it.
I'm really a snake, when I get on a plane, in my mind I be thinkin' 'bout Samuel (slatt)
I'm really sneaky, and when I get on a plane, I think about Samuel L. Jackson's character in the movie 'Snakes on a Plane'.
I really gon' teach you, put money on them, with dollar signs all on my calendar (racks)
I'm going to teach someone a lesson by putting a bounty on them, and mark the calendar with dollar signs indicating the reward money.
These niggas sneak dissin', I hear it, I still ain't kill 'em, I just ain't get mad enough (woah)
People are talking about me behind my back, and I'm aware of it, but I haven't gotten angry enough to kill them yet.
I pulled on a scene, I was smellin' like weed, with a cup that was dirtier than Africa (huh?)
I arrived on a scene smelling like marijuana and had a dirty cup with me.
Before I would ever be caught with a thot, you would catch me swimmin' to Canada (huh?)
I would rather attempt to swim to Canada than be seen in public with a promiscuous girl.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Karon Vantrees, Radric Davis, Ozro Graham
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@guccimane
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@tyrellwilliams3847
Fuckin 🐐
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fireee
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Burrr
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1017Dreamteam
@vershawnjenkins2934
Gucci check out my comment about me being at the Libra when you were trying to get noticed, my sisters and family were always there to support you! ☝️🙏🏾😍
@billiehayes7192
Veeze spazzed yo🤦🏾♂️🚫🧢
@nephviewtube7227
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@playoffperfect8162
Bodied it onfg
@DuryeaHozay
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