Everlasting
OutKast Lyrics

Now sittin' in the bathtub listening to the Isley
I am currently in the bath listening to music by the Isley Brothers, but outside people are jealous and trying to anger me.

Brothers and others outside my door want to despise me
People outside my door, whether they be friends or strangers, are showing envious and hateful behavior towards me.

Reminds me that everyone ain't cool the world is jealous
This situation is a reminder that not everyone in the world is kind and accepting, and many will feel jealous or resentful towards those who succeed or have something they don't.

Never could understand when my momma use to tell us
I never fully grasped why my mother would tell us not to take food outside unless we had enough to share with everyone in the neighborhood.

"Don't take your food outside around your friends
My mother warned us against bringing food outside to share with only our friends, as we should be prepared to provide for the whole community.

Unless you got enough to feed the neighborhood"
She emphasized that we should be considerate of others and not just our immediate circle of friends or family when it comes to sharing resources.

The play has just began follow me now
This is just the beginning of the story or event, and I invite you to come along with me.

Act 1 scene 2 the date 1/1/96 the time I don't know
This is the second scene of the first act, on the date of New Year's Day in 1996. I do not know the exact time of day.

Mood disturbed, Ray goes on to say they trying to get over
I am feeling uneasy or upset, and Ray (presumably a character in the story) continues to say that others are trying to take advantage or deceive us.

Like them niggas with the blinker on, I got my thinker on
I am being wary and cautious, like someone using their blinker on the road to indicate a turn. I am keeping my mind active and alert.

So I'm like word, How every you want to act is fine
I respond with agreement or affirmation, telling others that they can act however they choose around me.

That is real as fishin' raw I might be kissing God
My agreement is genuine and authentic, like the taste of freshly caught fish. I may even feel a spiritual connection in this moment.

But I'm still in the bathtub so if you got cattle just be fasting
Despite the seriousness of the situation, I am still relaxing in the bath. If someone has cattle, they should fast for seven days and seven nights to cleanse themselves.

For 7 days and 7 nights we everlasting
We will endure for a long time, perhaps even eternally, as a result of our trials and hardships.

? on a quest to get my class ring just from them fhite wolks
I am on a mission to retrieve my class ring from some white people.

I will if it's the last thing I do
I am determined to complete this quest, even if it is the last thing I do in my life.

Everlasting
The word repeats, emphasizing the idea of endurance, timelessness, and resilience.

Hey y'all hey y'all hey y'all hoes
Big Boi enters, greeting everyone in the room but insulting them at the same time by calling them "hoes".

Back up in this bitch rippin' tracks like I'm suppose
He is back in the recording studio, making music and performing to the best of his ability.

Tommy and Ralph Lauren don't like niggas to wear they clothes
The fashion brands Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren are intolerant of Black people wearing their clothing, perhaps due to racial prejudice or bias.

Where your proof at? Who's that? Talking shit like those
He demands evidence to support claims made by others against him, and challenges their identity and motives for speaking poorly about him.

Keepin' the rumors up, I wish I lived in a fuckin' cage
The rumors and negative talk about him persist, and he wishes he could seclude himself from it all in a cage or confined space.

I ride the streets in Lexus all these hoes want to be saved
He rides around in a luxury car, and despite being called "hoes" earlier, women are attracted to him and seek his help or affection.

Go to college get a job because all you want to do is shake
He advises others to go to college and get a job, as shaking (dancing suggestively) will not lead to success or financial stability.

I use to hit club niggas but I gave that shit a break
He used to get into fights at nightclubs, but he has since stopped and is trying to avoid such conflicts.

Just like Maaco, Waco, burn it to the ground
He references the auto painting company Maaco and the location Waco, possibly suggesting destruction or a lack of care in his life or community.

I bet you eatin' pork when your partners ain't around
He challenges someone else's actions, suggesting they eat pork (which is prohibited in some religions) when alone or away from others.

Backdraft things are Shaft slapping these hoes
He references the film Backdraft and the fictional character Shaft, potentially implying violent or aggressive behavior towards women.

Just like he's supposed to, quote you
He is fulfilling the role or expectations of Shaft, and he quotes someone else who agrees or supports him.

"Big Boi is the pimp ass nigga that formed you"
The quote praises Big Boi as a confident and influential figure who helped inspire or shape the person being referred to.

Like pottery, sloppily playin' hoes the lotteries
He compares his actions to the process of pottery-making, and also suggests that he is carelessly or roughly treating women like they are objects or prizes in a lottery.

OutKast did the dirt and now you swear your shit is poppin' see You bit
He claims that OutKast (including himself and Andre) did the hard work and paved the way for others to claim success, and anyone who copies their style or sound is merely copying and not original.

beats, we makin' hits so give me your flag back
They are creating popular music and earning recognition, and he demands that someone who is copying them return their own "flag" or image to them.

I'm living in the SWATS so you may call me Daddy Fatsack
He lives in the southwest Atlanta neighborhood known as "the SWATS", and refers to himself in a self-deprecating but humorous way as "Daddy Fatsack".

One in a million men passing the J off in the culture
He is one of the rare few men who are passing a joint (of marijuana) in the cultural or societal context in which he lives or works.

Don't y'all smoke a couple of pounds and get tore up y'all
He advises his peers not to smoke too much marijuana and become excessively intoxicated or high.

And tear the devil headquarter down to the grizzound
He calls for others to rebel against evil or corrupt forces, and to destroy or dismantle them completely.

Is how we hti house and puff a couple of good pounds
This is how they have fun and relax, by being in the house and smoking large amounts of marijuana.

Of good weed, PeeWee, my nigga Little Beewee
They are smoking marijuana that is of high quality, and they refer to each other using nicknames like PeeWee and Little Beewee.

We need a 50 box of Phillies and some bouncin' titties
He lists some of the things they desire or want, such as a 50-pack of cigar wraps and women with large, bouncing breasts.

From the magic the flame niggas too is sharin' sequals
He suggests that other people are also experiencing the same pleasures or effects of smoking marijuana, as if they are all connected by a "magical" flame.

Never payin' for no pussy
He declares that he does not pay money for sex or sexual favors.

You can shake it you can keep it to your self hoe
He is telling a woman that she can dance or be sexual on her own terms, but he will not pay for it or otherwise interfere.

You left your morals at the door when you steeped in crept in
He accuses someone else of being immoral or unethical in their behavior or actions, particularly when they entered a certain space or scenario.

Nigga this baby is at the beach so now you wondering
He references a baby being at the beach, possibly implying a sense of innocence or vulnerability that is now in a potentially dangerous situation.

Why your nigga done bust you in the fore, head
He suggests that someone else's boyfriend or male partner hit them in the forehead or face, perhaps due to tension or disagreement.

Ain't no respect there so you just assed out like breech
There is no respect or dignity in this situation, and the person in question is left feeling helpless or alone (like a breech birth).

Delivery slivery got you swung on these types of things
He observes that the way someone speaks or delivers words has caused others to become violent or aggressive against them.

Go on from here to Bornhome to London
He suggests that this type of problem or conflict is not unique to their local area, but can be found in other places like Birmingham or London.

England, Wall Street to y'all street
There are people and issues related to power, wealth, or status that can be found in places like England or Wall Street, as well as in everyday neighborhoods.

Sometime I get bewildered and it throws a nigga like me off beat
He becomes confused or disoriented by these types of problems or conflicts, and it disrupts his ability to stay focused or on track.

But I'm back on it
Despite the confusion or distraction, he is able to regain his focus and continue moving forward.

Because we last forever sound good don't it?
He repeats the concept of being everlasting or enduring, and asks if it sounds appealing or positive.

Rattling in your trunks like Fambu and the component
He relates this concept of endurance to the literal sound of a car's bass or subwoofer being loud enough to shake objects around it, like the car brand Fambu and its components.

Said that's it, man fuck that shit
He ends the song abruptly, possibly signaling his frustration or annoyance with the issues he has been discussing.

On and on and on and I'm out
He repeats the phrase multiple times, emphasizing that he has finished talking and is leaving or ending the song.