I'm A Rider
Kevin Gates Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Behold, I send you out as sheep amidst the wolves
Broken rib, I'm operational. Attention Operator
Laboratory is a kitchen stove, look who's operatin'
Oh, its for real though, Ill probably be this way for life
Oh, its for real though, Made a few nickels off the white
She like
I hold us down no matter what, cause Im a rider
I hold us down no matter what, cause Im a rider
You really miss someone you love, hold up a lighter
Muzzles black on the tip, runnin' back on a bitch
Put me in or I flip, grab rock and run an assist
Crossed without crossing lines, would suggest that I'm on my shit
Be not blinded, time allotted for grindin', that's all I get
All I give is maybe, simple solutions to those in debt
Tried to pimp me, simply broke out a Frisbee and told em fetch
I'm a dog, brain ain't on the same page that you lames on
Ate off the plate that the un-removable stains on
Speakin' of removable, send a few of my shooters through, maneuver through
Where your people kick it and remove a few
Say his girls a harlot, and he responded
"Gates Im through with you."
Back to removable, BLAOW had to remove a tooth
Broken rib, Im operational. Attention Operator
Laboratory is a kitchen stove, look who's operatin'
Oh, its for real though, Ill probably be this way for life
Oh, its for real though, Made a few nickels off the white
She like
I hold us down no matter what, cause Im a rider
I hold us down no matter what, cause Im a rider
I hold us down no matter what, cause Im a rider
You really miss someone you love, hold up a lighter
Inner city in which I grew up, no running from problems
The W, docker bottoms, rockin socks and the collar
On side of Roxy, actin lessons and a spiced tomato
Rocky touchin twelve ounces, chargin nothin to rob him
Im in Atlanta but my mind in Los Angeles
The 'rari reciprocates lost my mind in Los Angeles
Ferrari California
Ferrari California
Hit the weed, tat my neck
Then his sleeves, not a chest
Slingin D, You can't tell?
Lookin' mean, Ain't I fresh?
Free my nigga, Tedrick Shavers
Eric Banks, I love to death
Hourly consumption round you kifflin women got me vexed
CTC! What that mean?
Mean you need to cut the check
Broken rib, Im operational. Attention Operator
Laboratory is a kitchen stove, look who's operatin'
Oh, its for real though, Ill probably be this way for life
Oh, its for real though, Made a few nickels off the white
She like
I hold us down no matter what, cause Im a rider
I hold us down no matter what, cause Im a rider
I hold us down no matter what, cause Im a rider
You really miss someone you love, hold up a lighter
The lyrics of "I'm A Rider" by Kevin Gates are a mix of street wisdom and poetic introspection. The opening lines are a reference to Psalm 1:1, which preaches about avoiding the counsel of the ungodly. The lines "Behold, I send you out as sheep amidst the wolves" are a biblical verse from Matthew 10:16, which is about being vigilant and wise in the face of danger. These two references set the tone for the rest of the song, which is about Gates' life as a "rider" or someone who will hold down his people no matter what.
Gates' inner-city upbringing is a recurring theme throughout the song. He raps about his broken rib, which he says makes him "operational." He equates his laboratory to a kitchen stove, which is a reference to his drug dealing past. He talks about the dangers of the street life, and how it can turn even the most innocent-looking people into wolves. He also talks about his loyalty to his crew, and how he will hold them down no matter the circumstances.
The chorus of the song is a powerful declaration of loyalty and love. Gates repeats the lines "I hold us down no matter what, cause I'm a rider," to emphasize his commitment to his people. He also acknowledges the pain of missing someone you love, and suggests holding up a lighter as a way to honor their memory.
Overall, "I'm A Rider" is a testament to Kevin Gates' street smarts, loyalty, and resilience in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Blessed is the man that walks not in the council of the ungodly
It's good to be a good person and not hang out with bad influences
Behold, I send you out as sheep amidst the wolves
Life is tough and can be dangerous
Broken rib, I'm operational. Attention Operator
I may be hurt, but I'm still able to operate
Laboratory is a kitchen stove, look who's operatin'
Even though it's not a professional setup, I'm making things work
Oh, its for real though, Ill probably be this way for life
This is who I am and I don't see myself changing
Oh, its for real though, Made a few nickels off the white
I've made some money selling drugs
She like
She says
I hold us down no matter what, cause Im a rider
I'm always there for us, no matter what happens
You really miss someone you love, hold up a lighter
If you miss someone, light a lighter in their honor
Muzzles black on the tip, runnin' back on a bitch
I'm aggressive and not afraid to stand up for myself
Put me in or I flip, grab rock and run an assist
Let me be a part of things or there will be consequences
Crossed without crossing lines, would suggest that I'm on my shit
I know what I'm doing and I do it well
Be not blinded, time allotted for grindin', that's all I get
I know my time is limited and I need to make the most of it
All I give is maybe, simple solutions to those in debt
I can offer advice but I can't guarantee it will work
Tried to pimp me, simply broke out a Frisbee and told em fetch
I won't let anyone take advantage of me
I'm a dog, brain ain't on the same page that you lames on
I'm different from other people and I won't change for anyone
Ate off the plate that the un-removable stains on
I've been through tough times and still came out on top
Speakin' of removable, send a few of my shooters through, maneuver through
I have people who will do anything for me
Where your people kick it and remove a few
I'm not afraid to take out my enemies
Say his girls a harlot, and he responded 'Gates Im through with you.'
I won't stand for anyone talking about my girl
Back to removable, BLAOW had to remove a tooth
I had to take matters into my own hands and fight back
Inner city in which I grew up, no running from problems
I come from a rough area and can handle myself
The W, docker bottoms, rockin socks and the collar
I may not have much, but I make the most of what I have
On side of Roxy, actin lessons and a spiced tomato
I'm trying to better myself and learn new things
Rocky touchin twelve ounces, chargin nothin to rob him
I know how to hustle and make money
Im in Atlanta but my mind in Los Angeles
I may physically be somewhere, but mentally I'm somewhere else
The 'rari reciprocates lost my mind in Los Angeles
I'm doing well financially and enjoying my success
Ferrari California
I have a fancy car
Hit the weed, tat my neck
I smoke marijuana and have tattoos on my neck
Then his sleeves, not a chest
I have tattoos on my arms, not my chest
Slingin D, You can't tell?
I sell drugs, can't you see?
Lookin' mean, Ain't I fresh?
I look intimidating but also stylish
Free my nigga, Tedrick Shavers
I have a friend who's in jail
Eric Banks, I love to death
I have another friend who means a lot to me
Hourly consumption round you kifflin women got me vexed
I'm annoyed by women who only care about material things
CTC! What that mean?
What does CTC mean?
Mean you need to cut the check
It means you owe me money
Contributed by Luke W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
VarSkiiii
on Fly Again
I'm laying here crying bc i fell for fatal attraction.