A native of Los Angeles, California's San Pedro community, Miguel Jontel Pimentel was involved at the age of 16 with the production company Drop Squad. Three years later, he was offered a slot in Fatty Koo, and appeared on the R&B group's BET reality show, but he turned the position down and eventually signed a solo deal with distribution from major-label Universal. In 2005, "Getcha Hands Up!" was issued as a promotional solo single, and its accompanying video -- showcasing Miguel's dancing skills -- aired on BET. An album, Young & Free, was planned for release, but it was never issued. By that point, Miguel was becoming increasingly known in the underground through his collaborative work with Blu, Exile, and Daz-I-Kue.
Miguel signed a solo deal with Jive in 2007 and continued to work with underground and major-label artists. By the end of the decade, he placed songs on albums by Musiq Soulchild and Asher Roth. He experienced major growth during 2010. Jaheim's "Finding My Way Back," a song he co-wrote, reached number 12 on Billboard's R&B/hip-hop hit (and was subsequently nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best R&B Song). Miguel also co-wrote a pair of the Jam & Lewis-produced songs that appeared on Usher's Raymond v. Raymond, which topped the Billboard 200 just before Miguel made his proper solo debut with the atmospheric hip-hop soul of "All I Want Is You," a Top Ten R&B/hip-hop hit. The parent album, All I Want Is You, followed that November and reached the Top Ten of the R&B/hip-hop albums chart, as well as the Top 40 of the Billboard 200, boosted by "Sure Thing" (number one R&B, number 36 Billboard 200) and "Quickie" (number three R&B). Once Wale's Miguel-assisted Top 40 pop hit "Lotus Flower Bomb" was well on its way to platinum certification, Miguel resumed his solo output in early 2012 with a trilogy of three-song EPs dubbed Art Dealer Chic.
The intermediate releases led to Kaleidoscope Dream, which entered the R&B/hip-hop chart at number one and crossed into the Billboard 200 Top Five in October 2012. The RCA-issued full-length was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Urban Contemporary Album, while "Adorn," Miguel's second number one R&B/hip-hop single, was nominated for three awards and won for Best R&B Song. The following year, the album's "How Many Drinks?" was nominated as well. Stardom notwithstanding, Miguel remained available for outside work. "#Beautiful," a collaboration with Mariah Carey, was issued in May 2013 and went platinum. Miguel also devoted time between albums to sessions for J. Cole, Janelle Monáe, Big Sean, Jessie Ware, A$AP Rocky (the gold "Everyday"), Mac Miller (the platinum "Weekend"), and Hudson Mohawke.
Miguel's third album, Wildheart, was released in June 2015. Like his previous full-length, it debuted within the Top Five of the Billboard 200, reaching number two and landing in the same spot on the R&B/hip-hop chart. Less melodic than what preceded it, Wildheart emphasized sensual slow jams and was acknowledged with a Grammy nomination in the Best Urban Contemporary Album category. Another round of collaborations, including a duet with Dua Lipa, and singles highlighted by "2 Lovin U" (produced by DJ Premier) and the platinum-certified "Sky Walker" (featuring Travis Scott), preceded the December 2017 release of the urgent War & Leisure. Another R&B/hip-hop chart topper, it also entered the Billboard 200 at number nine. Miguel continued his extracurricular activity through 2018 with Kygo's "Remind Me to Forget" among his most commercially successful featured appearances. His next solo release was the Spanish-language EP Te Lo Dije, which peaked at number 11 on Billboard's Top Latin Albums chart in 2019. Also that year, Alicia Keys' Miguel-assisted "Show Me Love" began its ascent to gold status.
A mix of smaller-scale solo output and featured appearances followed during the first few years of the 2020s. Early in the decade, Miguel was featured on tracks such as Jhené Aiko's platinum "Happiness Over Everything (H.O.E.)." The Art Dealer Chic series of EPs resumed in 2021 with a fourth volume containing the grinding "Funeral." After he was featured on Diplo's "Don't Forget My Love," Miguel saw "Sure Thing" become more popular than ever in 2023 -- thanks to TikTok -- and a re-release of the single consequently reached number 14 on the Hot 100, thereby surpassing "Adorn" as his highest-charting pop single. The singer responded that April with the smoldering slow jam "Give It to Me." ~ Andy Kellman & David Jeffries
Pay Me
Miguel Lyrics
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Gimme euro gimme yen
Gimme pound gimme pound
Gimme euro gimme yen
I'm international baby
I'm international baby
I'm international baby
I'm international pay me
Gimme pound gimme pound
Gimme euro gimme yen
Gimme pound gimme pound
Gimme euro gimme yen
I'm international baby
I'm international baby
I'm international baby
I'm international pay me, pay me
I bet you like to pretend
That you're just a tease
She said now and again,
But tonight I'm aiming to please
I could love you long long time
But my love is comin' with fees
I said come on girl quit playin'
I know you're comin' with me
And then the music matched
My heart beat-in' faster
Till' she turned,
Took off my shirt
So I followed
To her black room
Where she at
Oh shes there in a stance
Then she held out her hand
And said
Gimme pound gimme pound
Gimme euro gimme yen
Gimme pound gimme pound
Gimme euro gimme yen
I'm international baby
I'm international baby
I'm international baby
I'm international pay me
Gimme pound gimme pound
Gimme euro gimme yen
Gimme pound gimme pound
Gimme euro gimme yen
I'm international baby
I'm international baby
I'm international baby
I'm international pay me, pay me
Electric red leather boots
Worked up to her thighs
Undid a zipper or two
And then she gave me a smile
I ain't a feign or a fool
But I guess I'm caught in desire
Never did this before
But I'm ready to go
And then the music matched
My heart beat-in' faster
Till' she turned,
Took off my shirt
So I followed
To her red red room
Where she at
Oh shes there in a stance
Then she held out her hand
And said
Gimme pound gimme pound
Gimme euro gimme yen
Gimme pound gimme pound
Gimme euro gimme yen
I'm international baby
I'm international baby
I'm international baby
I'm international pay me
Gimme pound gimme pound
Gimme euro gimme yen
Gimme pound gimme pound
Gimme euro gimme yen
I'm international baby
I'm international baby
I'm international baby
I'm international pay me
Gimme pound gimme pound
Gimme euro gimme yen
Gimme pound gimme pound
Gimme euro gimme yen
I'm international baby
I'm international pay me
Um, do you take check?
The lyrics of Miguel's song Pay Me are about the singer's confident and unapologetic approach to getting paid for his services from his clients, regardless of where they come from or the currency they use. He asserts his international appeal and demands that he be paid in various currencies like pounds, euros, and yen as a symbol of his global dominance. The refrain "I'm international baby, I'm international pay me" is repeated several times in the song to emphasize the singer's message. The verses of the song switch between the singer's attitude towards getting paid and his attraction to a woman with whom he engages in a sensual encounter.
The singer's demand for payment captures his sense of worth and the value he places on his craft, which he wants to protect by getting paid what he's worth. Furthermore, his reference to different currencies indicates his desire to expand globally and highlights his success in achieving a global reach. The verses about his encounter with the woman are also essential in that they highlight the intimate nature of the experience and the power dynamic between the two. The woman holds the power in the relationship, and this is seen in her control of the encounter and the singer's submission to her.
Overall, Pay Me conveys a particular message about the singer's worth and the importance of getting paid what he's worth. It's a song that speaks to the universal human desire to be respected and valued in our chosen profession.
Line by Line Meaning
Gimme pound gimme pound
Give me British pounds, give me British pounds
Gimme euro gimme yen
Give me Euros, give me yen
I'm international baby
I have global reach and appeal
I'm international pay me
I deserve compensation for my international status
I bet you like to pretend
I think you enjoy acting coy
That you're just a tease
That you only give the appearance of showing interest
She said now and again,
She admitted to occasionally playing hard-to-get
But tonight I'm aiming to please
But tonight she intends to satisfy
I could love you long long time
I can provide long-lasting affection
But my love is comin' with fees
But it comes with a price tag
I said come on girl quit playin'
I urged her to stop pretending
I know you're comin' with me
I knew we would end up together
Electric red leather boots
Bright red boots made of leather
Worked up to her thighs
Reaching up to her thighs
Undid a zipper or two
She unfastened a few zippers
And then she gave me a smile
And then she smiled at me
I ain't a feign or a fool
I'm not pretending and I'm not foolish
But I guess I'm caught in desire
But I have a strong urge
Never did this before
I've never done this before
But I'm ready to go
But I'm prepared to proceed
To her black room
To a darkened place in her residence
To her red red room
To a brightly colored place in her residence
Then she held out her hand
Then she extended her hand
And said
And spoke the words
Um, do you take check?
Uh, do you accept payment by check?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRIAN WARFIELD, MAC ROBINSON, MIGUEL PIMENTEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind