Kevin Gates first began rapping in 2007, when he began making music with fellow Louisiana natives such as Webbie and Lil Boosie. Gates first received attention with his 2008 single "Get in the Way" featuring Lil Boosie. Soon after, he and Boosie would be incarcerated in separate cases. Gates would then be released in 2011 and immediately returned to recording music. He would soon earn the attention of Lil' Wayne. In early 2013, Gates released a mixtape, The Luca Brasi Story which was called "easily the best rap-related thing" in February 2013 by Spin Magazine. The Luca Brasi Story has been downloaded from popular mixtape sharing site, DatPiff, over 130,000 times.
On February 15, 2013, it was announced that Kevin Gates signed to Atlantic Records. Gates was also featured on Pusha T's 2013 mixtape as well as on Gudda Gudda's mixtape. On July 16, 2013 Gates released a street album titled Stranger Than Fiction, the street album was supported by the single "4:30".
He released his latest project By Any Means in 2014, and from there exploded in even more popularity. Mid-year made his way onto the cover of the 2014 XXL Freshman list.
Empire
Kevin Gates Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But dear god please, watch over my empire
Cold heart, live, bitch shit, spit fire
But dear god please, watch over my empire
Major deals on the table still I live violent
But dear god please, watch over my empire
Streets feel I'm finna be a foreign whip driver
Until then, god watch over my empire
Kept it gangster, never ratted I'm like why hate me?
Looking at my g-shot, it's only 9: 18
Probation officer stalking to violate me
I'ma duck them, get in trouble they gon' violate me
They tellin' me to squash the beef with the other side
Let me guards down, they a do me like them other guys
Catch me late night, flip me and my momma
Flip we again this momma
That's your thug there, you put him in a pamper
Innocent by standard gangsta, Mark Cancel
What you did to them? Send a hit and got them cancelled
I believe in god so to him you got to answer
Change on my brain, pussy come and get the rancer
And they tell you that they love you but they stealing out your house
Let em rock your change now they down you with they guns out
Lets see who stick around when the money runs out
Shot at 6 times in 09 and since it's started to heal
My brothers dead in a coffin no talking to him
Sweet lady, I love your momma
Every day I pray for god to protect your momma
If I kill you that really would upset your momma
Your children drop flowers, god bless your momma
No regrets for the dead still respect your momma
Travis in the feds bitch I still eat tilapia
Get shot in the head but I'm still with the mafia
Lying in your raps, you ain't gripping no steal
I know gorillas forreal, I'm a killer forreal
Pamps somethin, Up-town Beezy, my brother
Phone call, knock your dorm off, block hother
Block her a girl pregnant and her back against the wall
With kids, she don't live with her back against the wall
Put that on my first murder, that's all I got to say
Knock your arms out of place x4
Motherfucker
The song "Empire" by Kevin Gates captures the struggle of living in the ghetto and trying to achieve success through perseverance. Gates feels trapped in his environment, describing it as "grimey." He acknowledges that he lives a violent lifestyle, but still hopes that God will watch over his empire despite his questionable actions. Gates has faced opposition from authority figures, such as his probation officer who is trying to violate him. He also describes being shot at six times and losing his brother. Gates feels a sense of loyalty to his crew, even though he admits they engage in criminal activities. He warns about the deceitful nature of some individuals who will steal and betray you, but expects that his true friends will remain by his side even in difficult times.
Overall, "Empire" highlights the struggle to survive and succeed in a harsh environment. Gates seeks protection and guidance from a higher power, recognizing that he must navigate through his circumstances with a level head and a strong sense of loyalties.
Line by Line Meaning
Feel like I'm trapped in the ghetto where we live, grimey
I feel stuck and unable to escape the dangerous and unpleasant environment of the ghetto where I live
But dear god please, watch over my empire
Despite my difficult circumstances, I pray that God will protect my business and everything I have worked hard to achieve
Cold heart, live, bitch shit, spit fire
I am tough and hardened, with a fierce attitude and an ability to speak my mind and stand up for myself
Major deals on the table still I live violent
Even though I have the opportunity to make big business deals, I still live a life filled with violence and danger
Streets feel I'm finna be a foreign whip driver
I feel like I'm on the verge of success and wealth, and that I'll soon be driving luxury cars as a result of my hard work
Until then, god watch over my empire
Until I reach my goals and reach a place of financial stability, I continue to pray that God will keep me and my business safe
Kept it gangster, never ratted I'm like why hate me?
I have remained loyal to my gang and never snitched on anyone, so I wonder why others would dislike me for that reason
Looking at my g-shot, it's only 9: 18
I'm checking the time on my gun (g-shot) and it's only 9:18, meaning I have plenty of time to handle any business that may come up
Probation officer stalking to violate me
My probation officer is closely monitoring me, looking for any reason to violate the terms of my probation and send me back to jail
I'ma duck them, get in trouble they gon' violate me
I will avoid my probation officer and any trouble that may lead to a violation of my probation, as I know they will be strict with me
They tellin' me to squash the beef with the other side
Others are advising me to make peace with my enemies and end any violent conflict between us
Let me guards down, they a do me like them other guys
If I let my guard down and trust my enemies, they will betray me and harm me like they have done to others in the past
Catch me late night, flip me and my momma
If my enemies catch me and my mother at night, they will rob us and potentially do us harm
That's your thug there, you put him in a pamper
You may think you have a tough guy in your gang, but when faced with real danger, he will become helpless like a baby
Innocent by standard gangsta, Mark Cancel
I am an innocent bystander who got caught up in a gang lifestyle, and I'm now trying to cancel that part of my life
What you did to them? Send a hit and got them cancelled
If you harm my friends or family, I will retaliate by sending someone to take them out
I believe in god so to him you got to answer
I am a religious person and believe that ultimately, my enemies will have to answer to God for their actions
Change on my brain, pussy come and get the rancer
I am focused on changing my life and leaving behind my violent tendencies, so if anyone wants to start something with me, they can try but they will not succeed
And they tell you that they love you but they stealing out your house
People may say they care for you, but their actions show that they are not to be trusted and will steal from you when given the chance
Let em rock your change now they down you with they guns out
If you allow people to take advantage of you and steal from you, when they become violent and point guns at you, you will be defenseless
Lets see who stick around when the money runs out
I am aware that people may only be my friends or supporters because of my wealth or status, and I am curious to see who will stay loyal when I no longer have those things
Shot at 6 times in 09 and since it's started to heal
I was shot at six times in 2009 and, while the physical wounds have started to heal, the emotional scars and trauma remain with me
My brothers dead in a coffin no talking to him
My brother has passed away and I am unable to communicate with him anymore
Sweet lady, I love your momma
I have respect and affection for the mother of someone important to me
Every day I pray for god to protect your momma
I want to ensure that the mother of someone I care about is safe and free from harm, and I pray for her safety every day
If I kill you that really would upset your momma
If I were to harm or kill someone, it would cause immense pain and sadness to their mother
Your children drop flowers, god bless your momma
If you were to pass away, your children would mourn and leave flowers in your memory, and I pray that God would bless and protect your mother
No regrets for the dead still respect your momma
I have no ill will towards those who have passed away, and I continue to show respect and honor to the mothers of those individuals
Travis in the feds bitch I still eat tilapia
Even though someone close to me is in federal prison, I am still able to enjoy certain luxuries, such as eating tilapia (a type of fish)
Get shot in the head but I'm still with the mafia
Even if someone were to try and kill me, I would still remain loyal to my mafia associates and continue to live a life of crime
Lying in your raps, you ain't gripping no steal
Others may brag about their violent actions in their music, but in reality they are not actually carrying weapons
I know gorillas forreal, I'm a killer forreal
I am familiar with truly violent and dangerous individuals, and I consider myself to be someone who is capable of killing with ease
Pamps somethin, Up-town Beezy, my brother
I have close relationships with certain individuals who go by the names Pamps and Up-town Beezy, who I consider to be like family
Phone call, knock your dorm off, block hother
With a simple phone call, my associates can come and rob you of your possessions and harm you if necessary
Block her a girl pregnant and her back against the wall
A pregnant woman is in a vulnerable position and may feel like there is no way out of her current situation
With kids, she don't live with her back against the wall
If a woman has children, she will always find a way to overcome challenges and protect her family
Put that on my first murder, that's all I got to say
I am so confident in my ability to kill that I'm willing to bet everything on being successful in my first murder attempt
Knock your arms out of place x4
I am capable of causing immense physical harm to someone, to the point where their limbs may be dislocated or broken
Motherfucker
A vulgar and aggressive exclamation used to show anger or frustration towards someone
Writer(s): Gilyard Kevin, Guss Jeremy
Contributed by Daniel L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
VarSkiiii
on Fly Again
I'm laying here crying bc i fell for fatal attraction.