Born Dedrick D'Mon Rolison in 1971, Mack 10 perpetually represented Inglewood, California throughout his career, the Los Angeles neighborhood he called home. His professional rap career began in 1995 when he signed with Priority, the premier label for West Coast rap at the time, and released his self-titled album. The West Coast gangsta movement was peaking around this time, and Mack 10 capitalized on the trend with "Foe Life," a song he wrote with Ice Cube, one of the West Coast's reigning talents. The partnership struck gold, and the song became a coastal anthem, opening the door for a successive single, "On Them Thangs." Mack 10 then partnered with Ice Cube again a year later to form the West Coast supergroup Westside Connection along with another Los Angeles rapper, WC. The three had united for a standout song on Mack 10's debut album, "Westside Slaughterhouse," and hoped to reprise their camaraderie for the Westside Connection album. They certainly did so, recording the boastful lead single "Bow Down," which taunted the East Coast, along with several other songs discussing the East-West tension that dominated rap at the time.
Mack 10 followed the number two-charting Westside Connection album with his second album, Based on a True Story, and its lead single, "Backyard Boogie," in 1997. The album became his most successful, peaking at number 14 on the Billboard album chart, and confirmed his quick ascendance to fame. Moreover, the album is generally considered to be Mack 10's career highlight: it features a modest number of guests (Snoop Dogg, E-40, Ice Cube), top-notch G-funk-era producers (Ant Banks, Soopafly), and little of the filler that would begin to populate his successive releases. Mack 10 returned a year later with another Top 20 album, Recipe, which is notable for its abundance of guests. In fact, only one song featured Mack 10 alone; every other song featured at least one guest, if not more; everyone from Master P and Mystikal to Jermaine Dupri and Ol' Dirty Bastard. Following the extravagencies of Recipe in 1997, Mack 10's career began to slowly spiral downward, much like the West Coast gangsta rap scene he rode to fame. His only release in 1998 was Hoo Bangin': Mix Tape, more of a showcase for the many up-and-coming rappers on his Hoo Bangin' label than for himself, and listeners weren't very interested. When Mack 10 finally did return with another full-length of his own, The Paper Route, in 2000, three years after Recipe, listeners similarly weren't very interested.
The relative disappointment of The Paper Route brought Mack 10's souring relationship with Priority Records to an end, and along came Cash Money Records, who happily signed the rapper to a contract. The partnership seemed somewhat unlikely. Cash Money was a leading Dirty South label with a small roster of in-house rappers such as Juvenile and Lil Wayne; however, the label was looking to expand its roster as well as its reach, and Mack 10 offered it a great opportunity to unite the West Coast and Dirty South. The resulting album, Bang or Ball (2001), neither topped the charts nor garnered substantial attention despite boasting "Hate in Yo Eyes," a Dr. Dre production that interpolated the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive." The album nonetheless signaled a new direction for Mack 10, who sounded surprisingly comfortable working with one of the Dirty South's premier producers, Manny Fresh. Less than a year later in summer 2002 came Mack 10 Presents da Hood, a Hoo Bangin' release prominently featuring numerous up-and-coming West Coast rappers: K-Mac, Deviossi, Skoop, Cousteau, and Techniec. More importantly, though, the album featured "L.A. for Ya," an anthemic song that was customized for the West Coast's leading radio stations as well as for Lakers and Clippers home games. The customized versions worked, and the song garnered quite a bit of airplay on the West Coast, making it one of Mack 10's biggest hits in years. Ghetto, Gutter and Gangster appeared in 2003 followed by Hustla's Handbook two years later
Let The Thugs In The Club
Mack 10 Lyrics
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Squad up, squad up, fuck that nigga at the do`
Squad up, squad up, fuck that nigga at the back
Squad up, squad up, fuck y'all
[Lil Wayne]
Listen
Now when we slide up in the club, we come in and do things
We likely to have a few drinks, beat up a few lanes
Spitting game at a cute thing, make her get a crew brain
All the Heineken's in mo' if it ain't dro we don't want it
Cut my song on homie, yeah, that squad shit we own it
Droopy high come see the future, we livin' for the moment
Whole sucker on corners, the dance floor up pistols on it
And everybody know you fuck up, we killin' ya
The whole club familiar with my familia
Chicken heads Boriquas goin' follow where I go
I ain't got nothing for them but a dick and a taco skat
And everybody know right where the gat me when they dap
Fuck up I'll put yo eyes right when you lap me
And I ain't come to sign shit, unless it's a bar tappin'
I ain't taking no pictures unless I`m palming an ass
Where the fuck y'all?
[Chorus: Mack 10]
Let the thugs in the club, show us love
Show us love, let the thugs in the club
Let the thugs in the club, show us love
Show us love, let the thugs in the club
[Mack 10]
L.A. let the thugs in the club
A-T-L let the thugs in the club
Chi-town let the thugs in the club
Let the thugs in the club, show us love
[B.G.]
I like shinin' but dog I'm in love with thuggin'
I like clubbin' but I get off when I`m beefin' and bustin'
I got a Bentley, Beamer, Benz, Lex
Got a bullet proof Hummer for just creepin' on sess
I got a roley, matter fact bout three or four
Got a couple of neck pieces that I wear at the show
Niggas know all the trouble that come with me
Niggas know it ain't the bluffet that come from me
Me and my click draw party every week at them crib
For hustlers and convicts, they get it, how they live
I don't need to keep it real for the block and chill
Yeah I'm happy and what cause I got a few mill
Don't thank I won't steal, wrap the K and kill
Don't thank I won't say-uh a bird and crush the pills
When it's time to bling, nigga I bling
When it comes to do the damn thing, I do the damn thing!
[Chorus]
[Mack 10]
Yo, yo
Now it ain't no secret that I'm slangin' and bangin'
And like a sack of dope rocks, my nuts be hangin'
It's Inglewood and Q.S., is the hood I`m claimin'
And I'm in already, so my colors is flamin'
It's for the project bitches who be backin' it up
And all the hardcore hustlers that be stackin' it up
And no matter where you from, represent yo city
If you a ghetto get crunk, if you's a Diddy get chicky
Get yo walk on, rib-riders if you true blue
Get yo bang on, and throw yo hood up, die move
While I buy the whole bar cause you no one know
I got a spotter and a front and a rag top fo'
I keep it ghetto, gutter, gangsta like a West Coast G
The homies trust the dopeman so we got in free
Like a stampede rust through and or we sell
Was let a stoo' bitch and get shot in the head
Ba, ba, ba, ba!
[Chorus]
Miami let the thugs in the club
New Orleans let the thugs in the club
Texas let the thugs in the club
Let the thugs in the club, show us love
Milwauk' let the thugs in the club
The Bay let the thugs in the club
New York let the thugs in the club
Let the thugs in the club, show us love
Carolina let the thugs in the club
Ohio let the thugs in the club
Tennessee let the thugs in the club
Detroit let the thugs in the club
St. Louis let the thugs in the club
DC let the thugs in the club
The song "Let the Thugs in the Club" by Mack 10 featuring Lil Wayne and B.G. is a typical gangsta rap that celebrates the thug life and the rap culture. The lyrics explicitly call out for the thugs and the gangsters to be let into the club and granted access to the nightlife that is exclusive to the rich and the privileged. The themes revolve around violence, drugs, alcohol consumption, and sexual promiscuity that are prevalent in the ghetto and the hip-hop communities.
The verses by Lil Wayne describes how he and his squad party hard with their expensive cars, drinks, and guns. He brags about his fame and his power to intimidate people, and how he gets the girls to do whatever he wants. His references to killing and violence show how he is willing to do whatever it takes to protect his reputation from being tarnished. B.G. raps about his wealth and his jewelry, and how he has made it big despite his background. He also emphasizes the need to stay true to his roots and remain connected to the streets even when he is successful.
The chorus stresses the need for the club to let the thugs in and show them love. The various cities and states around America where the thugs and gangsters are present are mentioned, indicating the widespread influence of the culture.
Line by Line Meaning
Squad up, squad up, fuck that nigga at the do'
We are ready to roll into the club and take control, not caring about the people at the door who try to stop us.
Squad up, squad up, fuck that nigga at the back
We are not bothered about anyone who is trying to get in our way or stop us from enjoying our time in the club.
Squad up, squad up, fuck y'all
We don't care about anyone who tries to come in our way or mess with us, we are here for a good time.
Now when we slide up in the club, we come in and do things
When we enter the club, we make our presence known and enjoy ourselves to the fullest.
About every car that you name, on twenty-two things
We have high-end cars with luxury rims that make a statement and command respect.
We likely to have a few drinks, beat up a few lanes
We are going to have some drinks and dance with a few women, having a good time and living it up.
Spitting game at a cute thing, make her get a crew brain
We will try to impress and flirt with attractive women, hoping to get their attention and affection.
All the Heineken's in mo' if it ain't dro we don't want it
We prefer high-quality weed over cheap low-quality ones and have a preference for Heineken beer when we drink.
Cut my song on homie, yeah, that squad shit we own it
We have our own unique style and identity, and we don't shy away from showing it off, making sure everyone knows who we are.
Droopy high come see the future, we livin' for the moment
We are living our lives to the fullest and enjoying every moment without worrying about the future.
Whole sucker on corners, the dance floor up pistols on it
We are heavily armed and prepared to handle any situation that may arise, whether it's on the street, or the dance floor.
And everybody know you fuck up, we killin' ya
If someone tries to mess with us, we won't hesitate to retaliate and defend ourselves, even if it means killing them.
The whole club familiar with my familia
Everyone in the club knows who we are and what we stand for, especially because our reputation precedes us.
Chicken heads Boriquas goin' follow where I go
Women who are attracted to us and want to be with us will follow us wherever we go, like a flock of chickens.
I ain't got nothing for them but a dick and a taco skat
We don't have anything of value to offer these women except for sex, and even then, it's nothing special.
And everybody know right where the gat me when they dap
We are heavily armed, and everyone knows it, even when we greet them with a handshake.
Fuck up I'll put yo eyes right when you lap me
If someone messes with us, we will cause them serious harm, and they won't be able to do anything about it.
And I ain't come to sign shit, unless it's a bar tappin'
We are not interested in signing autographs unless someone is buying us drinks or paying for our expenses.
I ain't taking no pictures unless I'm palming an ass
We only take pictures with women who are attractive and allow us to touch them inappropriately.
Where the fuck y'all?
We are asking where the other people who are supposed to meet us are, and why they haven't arrived yet.
Let the thugs in the club, show us love
We want the club to welcome us with open arms and respect us for who we are, even though we are thugs.
L.A. let the thugs in the club
Los Angeles should open the club doors to us and respect us for who we are.
A-T-L let the thugs in the club
Atlanta should let us into the club and show us respect despite our thug status.
Chi-town let the thugs in the club
Chicago should welcome us into the club despite our reputation as thugs.
I like shinin' but dog I'm in love with thuggin'
We enjoy looking good and wearing expensive jewelry, but we prefer being thugs over anything else.
I like clubbin' but I get off when I'm beefin' and bustin'
We enjoy going to the club and partying, but we get more satisfaction from getting into fights or dealing with conflicts.
I got a Bentley, Beamer, Benz, Lex
We drive luxurious cars and have a lot of money to spend.
Got a bullet-proof Hummer for just creepin' on sess
We are heavily armed and have a bullet-proof Hummer to drive around in while we smoke weed.
I got a roley, matter fact bout three or four
We have several expensive Rolex watches and like to show them off.
Got a couple of neck pieces that I wear at the show
We have expensive jewelry, and we like to wear them when we are performing on stage.
Niggas know all the trouble that come with me
People are aware that being associated with us comes with a lot of trouble and danger.
Niggas know it ain't the bluffet that come from me
People know that we are not bluffing when we say we are going to cause trouble or get into a fight.
Me and my click draw party every week at them crib
We like to party with our group of friends and have a good time together at our homes.
For hustlers and convicts, they get it, how they live
Our parties are open to anyone who is living the same lifestyle as us, such as other criminals or drug dealers.
I don't need to keep it real for the block and chill
We don't care about impressing people from our neighborhood and prefer to do our own thing.
Yeah I'm happy and what cause I got a few mill
We are pleased with our lifestyle and money, despite the dangers that come with being a thug.
Don't thank I won't steal, wrap the K and kill
If we need to, we won't hesitate to rob, and we are not afraid to use our guns.
Don't thank I won't say-uh a bird and crush the pills
We are quick to anger and won't think twice before hurting or killing anyone who crosses us.
When it's time to bling, nigga I bling
We like to show off our wealth and jewelry when the time is right.
When it comes to do the damn thing, I do the damn thing!
We are not afraid to get our hands dirty, and we will handle anyone who gets in our way.
Miami let the thugs in the club
Miami should let us, as thugs, into the club and show us respect.
New Orleans let the thugs in the club
New Orleans should let us, as thugs, into the club and show us respect.
Texas let the thugs in the club
Texas should let us, as thugs, into the club and show us respect.
Milwauk' let the thugs in the club
Milwaukee should let us, as thugs, into the club and show us respect.
The Bay let the thugs in the club
San Francisco Bay should let us, as thugs, into the club and show us respect.
New York let the thugs in the club
New York should let us, as thugs, into the club and show us respect.
Carolina let the thugs in the club
The Carolinas should let us, as thugs, into the club and show us respect.
Ohio let the thugs in the club
Ohio should let us, as thugs, into the club and show us respect.
Tennessee let the thugs in the club
Tennessee should let us, as thugs, into the club and show us respect.
Detroit let the thugs in the club
Detroit should let us, as thugs, into the club and show us respect.
St. Louis let the thugs in the club
St. Louis should let us, as thugs, into the club and show us respect.
DC let the thugs in the club
Washington D.C. should let us, as thugs, into the club and show us respect.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: B. THOMAS, C. DORSEY, D. CARTER, DEDRICK D'MON ROLISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind