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
Mathematics )
Mack 10 Lyrics
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Every time I get my hands on
I try to make you dub, with my chips wouldn't stack
Than man I wouldn't hustle
I'm legal dog - I got the same desert eagle dog
When birds fly out of my hands
And to my people dog - Ya understand
The white man can't fuck with me
Papered up beyond mother fucker's belief
A millionaire patrolling the city streets
See the flames burning in my eyes mother fucker?
Cause if you sleep on it you get these dreams mother fucker
I ain't the one like I said, "I want it all"
And like my Conrads, time to wake up and ball
Call shots, have it ready - soft and rocked
Let all my neighbor hood fiends
Come to scrap all the pots
Let my little B.G.'s run the hood spots
And if it's funked than my killers come to shut down the block
[Mack 10 (Chorus)]
If I throw a chicken up and that bitch start flipping
Nigga that's mathematics
Over here we bloodin' and crippin' - Hoo banging and dippin'
Nigga that's mathematics
I got legal money in my account and dirty money under my mattress
Nigga that's mathematics
With my super bad bitch and my house on the hill
I can add it up for real all because of mathematics
[Mack 10]
I work for mines - let my work, work for me
I make my ends - my friends buy their work from me
Money is me - that folding on those switches is me
Went out on the seat and out with all those bitches is me
I make money while I'm sleeping
Cause money don't sleep - money is up seven days of the week
Three-sixty-five if you grind than it pays
I don't mind as long as your one-o is straight
Put some bread on this plate plus a little rate
That I give mines with a tape how to grind
I'ma leave my dent in the game like ripples
As a kid, even tried to make my lunch my triples
Stack it up, how do you think I bought that first double up?
The (?) and that other shit I hustled up - mathematics
That's just how I look at it
With enough carrots to feed a whole hood of rabbits
[Mack 10 (Chorus)]
If I throw a chicken up and that bitch start flipping
Nigga that's mathematics
Over here we bloodin' and crippin' - Hoo banging and dippin'
Nigga that's mathematics
I got legal money in my account and dirty money under my mattress
Nigga that's mathematics
With my super bad bitch and my house on the hill
I can add it up for real all because of mathematics
[Mack 10]
Everything is to the good now I'm living how I want to
I got dope around the world and got some still on the corner
If you broke come and see me, I got shit for you to do
I got a class on how to make one bird turn in two
I'm a connected shot caller - pure bread baller
All I do is try to make my money flip like quota quarters
If money is the root to all evil than I'm (?)
And money is a race on mind so I'm cheating
I don't want shit subtracted - everything added
I didn't look back for shit since I hit bird status
And now I pack clips like Glaydis with no tips
Just a whole bunch of bloods and a whole bunch of crips
And a whole bunch of bitches when I rock the microphone
And my key to success is thirty-six hard zones
With my mind on a dub, re-up and stack cabbage
And I'm a walking proof of the signs of mathematics
[Mack 10 (Chorus)]
If I throw a chicken up and that bitch start flipping
Nigga that's mathematics
Over here we bloodin' and crippin' - Hoo banging and dippin'
Nigga that's mathematics
I got legal money in my account and dirty money under my mattress
Nigga that's mathematics
With my super bad bitch and my house on the hill
I can add it up for real all because of mathematics
[Mack 10 talking]
Yeah nigga this CMR and Hoo-Bangin' for life
Nigga don't get it fucked up and its straight nothing but mathematics
Around here and incase you didn't know nigga that's money
All this mother fucking ice and chrome wheels everywhere
And if you ain't bout' that then fuck you in your ass you
Hating ass nigga, hey Fresh let this shit bump homie
In the lyrics of Mack 10's Mathematics, the rapper talks about his hustle and how every move he makes is all about making money. He mentions that he has a legal business and a desert eagle gun that is for his protection. He is proud of his success and calls himself a millionaire patrolling the city streets. Mack 10 also talks about his street gang Hoo-bangin that he formed and how his team helps him. He describes his life as a hustler, and how he's always trying to flip his money, making it work for him while he sleeps. He believes that money is not only the root to all evil, but it's also a mindset that one must cheat to win at. The chorus emphasizes the importance of mathematics in his life as he cites his being able to add up his material success, including his house on the hill, his bad bitch, and his money, both legal and dirty.
Line by Line Meaning
Every time I get my hands on
Whenever I come across something valuable
I try to make you dub, with my chips wouldn't stack
I try and persuade others to invest with me and I wouldn't waste my resources on a gamble
Than man I wouldn't hustle
Because of that attitude, I wouldn't be able to make my living as a successful hustler
I'm legal dog - I got the same desert eagle dog
I am now operating within the bounds of the law but still have the same weaponry and level of protection
When birds fly out of my hands
When I have successfully sold drugs to my clients
And to my people dog - Ya understand
To my associates, you know what I'm talking about
The white man can't fuck with me
I am too smart and have too much power and control to be defeated or manipulated by the authorities
I Hoo-Bang in the streets Hoo my company
I represent my gang and my company in the streets
Papered up beyond mother fucker's belief
I have so much money that people can't even comprehend it
A millionaire patrolling the city streets
I am so wealthy that I am able to show off my riches while also keeping an eye on my territory
See the flames burning in my eyes mother fucker?
I am fiercely passionate and driven to succeed
Cause if you sleep on it you get these dreams mother fucker
If you aren't actively working to achieve success, you will only have dreams and not reality
I ain't the one like I said, "I want it all"
I am not content with mediocrity, I want to achieve everything I can
And like my Conrads, time to wake up and ball
Like my close associates, it's time to wake up, get to work, and succeed
Call shots, have it ready - soft and rocked
I am calling the shots and need everything, including my stash, to be prepared and ready for sale
Let all my neighbor hood fiends
Allowing all of my local drug addicts
Come to scrap all the pots
To come by and buy my drugs
Let my little B.G.'s run the hood spots
Allowing my little gang members to control the neighborhood
And if it's funked than my killers come to shut down the block
If there is a problem or someone stands in my way, my hitmen will take care of it and eliminate the issue
If I throw a chicken up and that bitch start flipping
If I take a chance on something risky and it pays off
Nigga that's mathematics
That's just how the numbers work out
Over here we bloodin' and crippin' - Hoo banging and dippin'
In my neighborhood, we represent our gangs and roam around in our cars
I got legal money in my account and dirty money under my mattress
I have some money from legitimate sources, but also have a stash of illegal money hidden away
With my super bad bitch and my house on the hill
With my attractive female partner and my mansion in the hills
I can add it up for real all because of mathematics
I am successful because I know how to work the numbers and make it all add up
I work for mines - let my work, work for me
I put in the work to make a living, but now the money I earn works for me and continues to grow
I make my ends - my friends buy their work from me
I make a lot of money and my associates rely on me for their own drug supply
Money is me - that folding on those switches is me
Money is what defines me and the cash that I earn from dealing drugs is all I care about
Went out on the seat and out with all those bitches is me
I flaunt my wealth, cars, and women wherever I go
I make money while I'm sleeping
My investments and business deals continue to make me money even when I am not actively working
Cause money don't sleep - money is up seven days of the week
Money never stops working and earning more money, always available and always growing
Three-sixty-five if you grind than it pays
If you work hard every single day, you will be rewarded with financial success
I don't mind as long as your one-o is straight
I don't care what people do as long as they are successful and making money
Put some bread on this plate plus a little rate
Give me some money upfront and then pay me back with interest
That I give mines with a tape how to grind
I provide my associates with instructions and tips for how to make money through drug deals
I'ma leave my dent in the game like ripples
I will leave a long-lasting impact on the drug dealing world
As a kid, even tried to make my lunch my triples
Even as a child, I was always looking for ways to make more money and profit off simple things
Stack it up, how do you think I bought that first double up?
By saving all my money and continuously making smart investments, I was able to eventually double my initial profits
The (?) and that other shit I hustled up - mathematics
All the products I sold and deals that I made added up to my financial success
With enough carrots to feed a whole hood of rabbits
With enough profits to support an entire neighborhood of people
Everything is to the good now I'm living how I want to
Everything is good now that I'm rich and living my ideal life
I got dope around the world and got some still on the corner
I have drug connections all over the world, but still keep some drugs for sale locally
If you broke come and see me, I got shit for you to do
If you need money and are willing to work for me, I have work available
I got a class on how to make one bird turn in two
I can teach you how to make a large profit from a small investment
I'm a connected shot caller - pure bread baller
I have high-level connections and control the drug trade in my area
All I do is try to make my money flip like quota quarters
I constantly strive to make my profits grow and multiply
If money is the root to all evil than I'm (?)
If money is at the root of all evil, then I must be the devil himself because of my wealth and success
And money is a race on mind so I'm cheating
The pursuit of money is a competition and I am willing to cheat to win
I don't want shit subtracted - everything added
I don't want to lose anything, only gain more money and power
I didn't look back for shit since I hit bird status
I haven't slowed down or stopped hustling since I reached a high level of success
And now I pack clips like Glaydis with no tips
I carry weapons with the intention to use them and have no qualms about hurting others
Just a whole bunch of bloods and a whole bunch of crips
I have a large number of gang members and associates who work with me
And a whole bunch of bitches when I rock the microphone
I attract a lot of female attention and admiration when I perform or speak publicly
And my key to success is thirty-six hard zones
My secret to success is the areas I control and operate in
With my mind on a dub, re-up and stack cabbage
I am always working to make my profits multiply, whether through reselling or saving
And I'm a walking proof of the signs of mathematics
My success is proof that the numbers and calculations behind drug dealing work in reality
Yeah nigga this CMR and Hoo-Bangin' for life
I am part of the rap group 'CMR' and represent the gang 'Hoo-Bangin' for life'
Nigga don't get it fucked up and its straight nothing but mathematics
Don't misunderstand, my success is all due to my knowledge of numbers and calculations
Around here and incase you didn't know nigga that's money
In this area, the only thing that matters is money
All this mother fucking ice and chrome wheels everywhere
I have a lot of expensive jewelry and cars in my possession
And if you ain't bout' that then fuck you in your ass you
If you aren't interested in making money and being successful, then I have no time for you
Hating ass nigga, hey Fresh let this shit bump homie
To all those who hate on me, listen to this music and admire my success
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: B. THOMAS, DEDRICK D'MON ROLISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind