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
Money
Mack 10 Lyrics
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[Mack 10]
This song is dedicated
Whatever you may be remember:
without no struggle you get no progress
So keep grindin keep on mashin get yours
Chorus: Gerald Levert
You're nothin far from comin up (keep on)
Money's just a touch away (keep on)
So keep on grindin don't give it up (keep on)
There'll always be another day (keep on)
[Mack 10]
And now I'm sittin at the pad, teary eyed and depressed
Starvin and sufferin from mental stress
Now a true center to the game of beginner
but hard to feel like a winner when you eat spreads for dinner
Hit the streets late night in the form of star mushin
On the 211 mission just to pay tuition
For my kids I got to grind and develop street saavy
Servin stress cause I just ain't got enough to cop cavi
But I can't stop, I won't stop, til I got it made
Either build my clientele, get a job or learn a trade
like hip-hop, and make enough to live good forever
So I learned to write the rhymes and get my metaphors together
Then I joined a rap crew, with the homies on my street
Sellin underground tapes out the local swap meet
Gettin tighter on the mic, as I worked day to day
So now I lay down at night, and I hear voices say, "Mack"
Chorus
[Mack 10]
Now I'm new to the scene, H as in Hard, N as in Nympho
So like EPMD, could you _Please Listen to My Demo?_
I left the local crew, felt like I was the man
In popular demand and now ready for SoundScan
So I searched for a deal with no luck I kept rappin
Felt like it would take a miracle to make it all happen
Marble said it was a test, "Mack don't do nuttin wrong!
Just have faith in God and keep your hustle goin strong
Stay hongry, keep writin, don't quit you're too close
Remember good things come to those who want it most"
So I never left the house, without my rap book
Thought I found a new crew but eventually got shook
First they said I was cool, but then started to doubt me
Put me on the backburner and just forgot all about me
Partna said I wasn't fresh, and sent me on my way, but you know what?
As I was leavin, I could hear voices say, "Mack"
Chorus
[Mack 10]
Now the tables turned, but I remember they used to clown me
The hard work paid off, and luck finally found me
So call every publication, Billboard and the editor
and tell em Mack's being signed by dude workin on _The Predator_
I got the Midas touch, now everything be the bomb
Hooked up with The Don, now made a few mill-ion
I don't bang I write the good rhymes, you know about mines
Man I'm the tightest MC, Ice Cube ever signed
Now if ain't the radio, it's a video shoot
Livin life in the limelight, with a bank full of loot
Now my crew is solid, shook the haters and the leeches
Runnin full court at my house with our girls on the beaches
Plus the violence is ceased, no more bi-coastal beef
Cause now I get down with the North South and the East
I reminisce on hard times, seem like yesterday, but now
Hoo Bangin' is official and I remember they used to say, "Mack"
Chorus
[Levert] Money's just a touch, just a simple touch
Money's just a touch away..
Money's just a touch, just a simple touch
Money's just a touch away..
[Mack 10] Man I knew I was gonna make it, but they didn't believe me
YaknowhatI'msayin? Clowned me -- gon' be a rapper, what?
Hahahaha
In Mack 10's song Money, the rapper reflects on his struggles and perseverance as he strives for success. He dedicates this song to all the upcoming rappers, singers, hustlers, and actors, inspiring them to keep grinding and persevering because without struggle, there can be no progress. In the first verse, Mack 10 looks back on his life when he was struggling and suffering from mental stress, eating spreads for dinner, and on 211 missions to pay tuition for his kids. He describes how he had to grind to develop the street savvy and serve stress because he couldn't afford caviar.
In the second verse, Mack 10 gets more attention, and his popularity increases but later gets disappointed as the group forgets him. He talks about the importance of faith in God and perseverance, staying hungry and writing, never quitting, and keeping it close. He expresses his joy and pride as his hard work finally pays off, and luck finds him. At the end of the song, he reflects on his journey, and now he's living life in the limelight with a bank full of loot.
Line by Line Meaning
This song is dedicated to all the up and coming rappers, singers, hustlers, actors
Mack 10 encourages all the up and comers in the entertainment industry to keep grinding and hustling.
Without no struggle, you get no progress, so keep grindin, keep on mashin, get yours
Mack 10 reminds everyone that struggle and hard work are necessary for progress and success.
You're nothin far from comin up (keep on), money's just a touch away (keep on), so keep on grindin' don't give it up (keep on), there'll always be another day (keep on)
Gerald Levert encourages everyone to keep grinding, as success is just around the corner, and tomorrow is another day to try again.
Now I'm sittin' at the pad, teary-eyed and depressed, starvin' and sufferin' from mental stress
Mack 10 laments on his past struggles, remembering the times when he had nothing and was struggling to make ends meet.
Now a true center to the game of beginner, but hard to feel like a winner when you eat spreads for dinner
Mack 10 acknowledges his status as a newcomer and how hard it can be to feel like a winner when you have nothing but spreads for dinner.
Hit the streets late night in the form of star mushin', on the 211 mission just to pay tuition
Mack 10 recalls taking to the streets late at night on a 211 mission (armed robbery) to make money to pay for tuition.
But I can't stop, I won't stop, till I got it made, either build my clientele, get a job, or learn a trade
Mack 10 remains focused on his goals and will do whatever it takes to make a living, even if it means building his own clientele or finding a regular job.
Now I'm new to the scene, H as in Hard, N as in Nympho, so like EPMD, could you Please Listen to My Demo?
Mack 10 reminisces on the time when he was new to the rap scene and trying to get his demo heard by influential people.
I reminisce on hard times, seem like yesterday, but now Hoo Bangin' is official and I remember they used to say, 'Mack'
Mack 10 looks back on his hard times, marvelling at how far he's come since then, and remembers the people who used to doubt him.
Money's just a touch, just a simple touch, Money's just a touch away
Gerald Levert reminds us that money is within our reach if we just keep striving.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BARRY JAMES EASTMOND, FREDDIE ANTHONY JACKSON, DEDRICK D'MON ROLISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alonzo Sanchez
"I LOVE THIS SONG" Brings tears to my eyes R.I.P Gerald Levert
Hero In U
After years of disappointments and failure, this song is uplifting.
Sam W.
Yes it is 💯💯💯💯💯
Dan Grennell
Peace to you
Hurricane Ronnie
yes sir
🕺HOLLA' @ A PLAyA' tho 😎
I swear
Cali Forvid
This is an inspirational song. I think that anyone can relate it to their own life regardless of goal(s) you may be chasing.
The ERNAL REAL ESTATE GROUP at KW Select Realtors
-Preach!
NavyCook08
Yep, Real rap music here Not the mumbling/trap, gangsta or braggadocius balla rap here. Too bad nobody wants to listen to real and lyrical rap.
🕺HOLLA' @ A PLAyA' tho 😎
I swear