Wall's first music industry exposure came as a street team member on the Northwest side of Houston, promoting southern artists such as T.I. and labels like Cash Money and The New No Limit. He is also an accomplished and proficient mixtape and party DJ, known for producing mixtapes in the now-well-known screwed & chopped style, which was invented by the late DJ Screw. While he has recently stated on record that South LE. (in Houston's southside) is his base of operations, it is not the neighborhood that Paul Wall is actually from. Paul Wall has claimed several such neighborhoods over his career, starting with De Soto in Acres Homes (his original home neighborhood), then switching to Gulf Bank (also in Acres Homes).
Paul Wall, Chamillionaire and Jon Higgins were originally affiliated with Swishahouse Records, but left for Paid in Full Records a short time later. After several mixtape and independent releases, including the critically acclaimed 'Get Ya Mind Correct', the two parted ways on bad terms. Chamillionaire continued to release independent records, while Paul Wall returned to the Swishahouse fold. This move allowed him to appear on Mike Jones' first commercially distributed single, "Still Tippin'", from his first major label album 'Who Is Mike Jones?'.
His major label debut, 'The People's Champ', has produced a lead single, "Sittin' Sidewayz", which is receiving national radio and television play. In August, 2005, rumors began to circulate that Paul Wall and Chamillionaire had settled any differences that remained between them, and are again on good terms with one another. Paul Wall also appeared with GLC on the song "Drive Slow" on Kanye West's second solo album, 'Late Registration'.
Paul Wall is the owner and proprietor of TV Jewelry in Houston. The store specializes in the production of grills, silver, gold, or platinum caps and diamond inlays (usually princess-cut diamonds). Grills have become a growing trend in rap culture and have even influenced its own song. "Grillz", by Nelly featuring Paul Wall along with other artists, where at one point Paul raps "Call me George Foreman 'cause I'm sellin' everybody grillz.)
On the Grind
Paul Wall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm on the grind all day until the sun go down,
Puttin' paper in my pockets grindin' all year round'
I'm on the block with the gangstas stayin' two toes down I'm on the grind.
I'm on the grind all night until the sun come up,
Countin' cash up in the cut tryin' to make me a buck,
I'm making moves stacking paper cause I'm handelin' ya, I'm on my grind.
I got money on my mind, big frank on my brain,
Intoxicated by visions of chains and diamond rings,
One thing here to obtain is fortune forget the fame
Been ballin' since back in the game been changin the strings,
These lames tend to complain its a goddamn shame
You think you flier than a plain but you washed up in the drain,
Baby paint the picture frame its all work no play,
My hustle schedule is simpley all night all day,
I'm snapping like paparazzi I'm plotting on Maserati
Been grinding since lotty dotty
Trying to earn that pay collecting that green paper
I'm scheming and pulling capers
I'm giving these brouds the vapers
From the fold to the tray.
I'm on the grind
[Chorus]
My hustle is Godzilla, my muscle is king kong,
My mind is Einstein, my flow is off the dome,
My grind is dope feen addicted to counting green,
My money is bill gates my ballin' is yow ming,
I'm not impressed with bling I'm more conserned with ching,
Grinding since I was a teen, money over everything,
See I'm all about that paper stacks and bank rolls
The lack on fo's with drank cold and dank roll.
Hustle is my hobby inspired by johnny gotti call me,
Give me the wallet because its time to collect,
V-S up in the johnny watch shining so clear
The face look like a mirror call it time to reflect.
I'm on the grind
[Chorus]
In the song "On the Grind" by Paul Wall, he talks about his desire to make money and how he works hard non-stop to achieve financial success. The chorus speaks about his hustle and determination to make it big in life, to the extent that he tirelessly works day and night to make as much money as possible. Paul Wall goes on to describe his mentality, stating how his focus is always on acquiring wealth and how he is not concerned with popularity or fame. In his view, fortune is more important than recognition, and he puts all his effort into constantly grinding on the streets to collect green paper.
Throughout the verses, the rapper eludes to his insatiable hunger for success, comparing himself to Godzilla and his muscle to King Kong. He acknowledges that his grind is a drug to him, and he is as addicted to counting greens as a dope-feen is to their substance of choice. To him, money is everything, and he has been focused on it since his teenage years. Rather than being interested in the materialism of flashy things, he deliberately concentrates on generating cash flow far into his future.
One can infer that Paul Wall's song "On the Grind" serves as a testament to the mantra that success is directly proportional to how much hard work and dedication one is willing to put in to achieve their goals. In Paul Wall's worldview, you have to be willing to give it your all, every day, to reap the rewards.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm on the grind all day until the sun go down,
I work hard all day, from sunrise to sunset.
Puttin' paper in my pockets grindin' all year round'
I am continuously working hard to earn money throughout the year.
I'm on the block with the gangstas stayin' two toes down I'm on the grind.
I am on the streets with my fellow gang members, always hustling to make money.
I'm on the grind all night until the sun come up,
I work tirelessly all night, until the sun rises the next morning.
Countin' cash up in the cut tryin' to make me a buck,
I am counting my earnings and trying to make more money while staying hidden and safe.
I'm making moves stacking paper cause I'm handelin' ya, I'm on my grind.
I am taking the necessary steps to accumulate wealth and power because that's how I make things happen. I work hard on my hustle.
I got money on my mind, big frank on my brain,
I am focused solely on earning money and big time success, and nothing else takes up my thoughts. My mind is always on my next business moves.
Intoxicated by visions of chains and diamond rings,
I daydream of luxury items and wealth, to the point where it feels like an addiction.
One thing here to obtain is fortune forget the fame
My main goal is to secure long term financial stability, I'm not motivated by fame.
Been ballin' since back in the game been changin the strings,
I have been successful and financially stable since I started hustling in this game, and I've made many changes to adapt and improve along the way.
These lames tend to complain its a goddamn shame
Other people who aren't as successful as me tend to complain instead of hustling harder to get ahead. It's sad to see.
You think you flier than a plain but you washed up in the drain,
You might think you're better than me or fly like a plane, but in reality, you're not successful and relevant anymore, you are in a pit of failure.
Baby paint the picture frame its all work no play,
I'm here to paint a realistic picture for you: I work nonstop and have no time for leisure.
My hustle schedule is simpley all night all day,
I have a simple and dedicated schedule: hustle and grind 24/7.
I'm snapping like paparazzi I'm plotting on Maserati
I am constantly strategizing and working hard to achieve the finer things in life, such as a Maserati.
Been grinding since lotty dotty
I have been hustling and working hard since a young age, and I've come a long way.
Trying to earn that pay collecting that green paper
I am trying to make proper earnings and bring in a lot of cash.
I'm scheming and pulling capers
I'm constantly forming new plans and making moves to succeed and gain wealth.
I'm giving these brouds the vapers
I am making things difficult for other people, especially women, who might try to get in my way or slow me down.
From the fold to the tray. I'm on the grind
I am hustling, grinding and stacking cash from the streets to the bank, no breaks or off-days ever.
My hustle is Godzilla, my muscle is king kong,
My ambition and hardworking nature is unstoppable and monstrous, just like Godzilla or King Kong.
My mind is Einstein, my flow is off the dome,
My creativity and genius level of hustle is up there with Einstein, and my ability to freestyle make any deal to get money work.
My grind is dope feen addicted to counting green,
My ability to make moves and generate cash is so good, it's like a drug or addiction.
My money is bill gates my ballin' is yow ming,
I make so much money and live such a luxurious lifestyle, similar to bill gates or Yao Ming.
I'm not impressed with bling I'm more conserned with ching,
I am not impressed with the flashy display of jewels or bling, I'm more interested in the sound of cash and the accumulation of wealth.
Grinding since I was a teen, money over everything,
I have been hustling and grinding on the streets since I was a teenager, with the main priority being money above all else.
See I'm all about that paper stacks and bank rolls
My primary focus is on earning a lot of money and accumulating huge amounts of cash through various means.
The lack on fo's with drank cold and dank roll.
I don't care about the ice and expensive drinks, but more about bringing heavy cash and earning more money on the move.
Hustle is my hobby inspired by johnny gotti call me,
Hustling is my passion and something that I consistently strive to do, similar to Johnny Gotti's style.
Give me the wallet because its time to collect,
Give me what I'm due, which is usually cold hard cash, because it's time to collect on my hard work.
V-S up in the johnny watch shining so clear
My luxury watch has V-S quality diamonds and is clean and clear, symbolizing my wealth and success.
The face look like a mirror call it time to reflect.
My watch face reflections make it an apt time to reflect on my hustle and grind, and the epic amount of wealth I have accumulated because of it.
I'm on the grind
Overall, I am forever and always grinding, no matter what. Making huge amounts of cash is life.
[Chorus]
This chorus repeats the sentiments of the song, that I am consistently working hard and hustling to make a lot of money all year round.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BURT F BACHARACH, HAL DAVID, LESLIE PRIDGEN, CRYSTAL SLAYTON, PAUL MICHAEL SLAYTON, LEROY WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind