Plies was born Algernod Lanier Washington on July 1, 1976, in Fort Myers, Florida and grew up in Cape Coral, Florida. While at Fort Myers Senior High School, he played in the football team, was crowned Homecoming King, and was named the "Best Dressed" student of his class. He attended Miami University for a year and played in its basketball team, then transferred to the University of Central Florida for sophomore year and dropped out. In the late 1990s, Plies and his stepbrother Ronnell Lawrence Lavatte, also known as Big Gates, established an independent record label, Big Gates Records. Although Plies initially refused to rap, after a demonstration for one of his artists, Big Gates decided to keep Plies' verse on the track "Tell Dem Krackers Dat". Big Gates and Plies promoted the single and traveled many times to Miami, which eventually led to a deal for Plies on Slip-n-Slide Records. Plies's girlfriend Brandy Lacole Lyons gave birth to a son, Nijier Lanier Washington, at the University Community Hospital in Tampa, Florida on October 20, 2003. After signing to Slip-n-Slide in 2004, Plies released several mixtapes.
On July 2, 2006, after a shooting at a Gainesville, Florida nightclub, Plies was charged with illegal possession of a concealed weapon, and members of his entourage were charged with attempted murder. The shooting, in which 5 people were injured, started after Plies' microphone was cut off for Lil' Boosie to perform, after Plies' performance ran over time. According to the promoter Jonathan Smith, Plies became "enraged". A fight began with fists and shouting, and ended with at least six rounds of bullets being fired.
Gotta Be
Plies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That today they celebration
I might not know you
I wanna celebrate with you
Gotta be somebody the police chasin' that done got away
Gotta be somebody 'round the world today that'll beat they case
Gotta be somebody 'round the world, got off probation today
Gotta be somebody the police chasin' that done got away
Gotta be somebody 'round the world today that'll beat they case
Gotta be somebody 'round the world, got off probation today
Gotta be somebody 'round the world walkin' out them prison gates
I'm happy for that nigga, today, that they came home
And got that time behind 'em, now it's time to move on
I'm celebratin' with ya, the reason I wrote this song
Hope you done became a better person since you've been gone
I salute you, my nigga, dawg, for stayin' strong
Now, getcha feet up under ya, homie, keep it goin'
I hope you walk straight, don't make the wrong turn
Them cracks waitin' to send you off on another long run
Just enjoy yourself tonight and have fun
And don't go fuckin' wit them niggas who ain't send ya nothin'
And if ya got kids, go'n get 'em and catch up
I'm celebratin' with you tonight, I'm holdin' my cup up
Gotta be somebody the police chasin' that done got away
Gotta be somebody 'round the world today that'll beat they case
Gotta be somebody 'round the world, got off probation today
Gotta be somebody 'round the world walkin' out them prison gates
Gotta be somebody the police chasin' that done got away
Gotta be somebody 'round the world today that'll beat they case
Gotta be somebody 'round the world, got off probation today
Gotta be somebody 'round the world walkin' out them prison gates
He took them crackas to the do' and he beat 'em in trial
A lot of niggas thought you was gon' lose but you held it down
All I can tell you, homie, you made all the real niggas proud
They offered you a plea bargain, but you turned it down
Stood in the paint, what you believed in, you did it in style
I know your family, they was worried, but now they can smile
Should be happy 'cause ain't too many of us beat 'em in awhile
Just be careful in these streets 'cause this shit done got wild
A lot of niggas fucked up, so they playin' it foul
He was your homeboy, he your co-defendant now
If you gon' get money, get it, but lose the crowd
Niggas in prison 'cause they homeboys ran they mouth
Gotta be somebody the police chasin' that done got away
Gotta be somebody 'round the world today that'll beat they case
Gotta be somebody 'round the world, got off probation today
Gotta be somebody 'round the world walkin' out them prison gates
Gotta be somebody the police chasin' that done got away
Gotta be somebody 'round the world today that'll beat they case
Gotta be somebody 'round the world, got off probation today
Gotta be somebody 'round the world walkin' out them prison gates
To that young nigga who took 'em on a high speed chase
Ain't condonin' whatcha did, I'm just glad ya got away
I know ya heart beatin' fast, I'm just glad ya safe
Shit, you had to hit it, you couldn't afford another case
You tried to play cool, but you shoulda seen your face
Git a muthafucka, lost 'em in broad day
Doin' a hundred, dawg, goin' down a one way
Jumped out on 'em, turned into a foot race
Git know the streets, so they couldn't keep they pace
He had to throw his pistol, they find it, that's okay
You ain't gotta do it, but for you I'ma celebrate
Do me a favor, dawg, stay out them cracka face
Gotta be somebody the police chasin' that done got away
Gotta be somebody 'round the world today that'll beat they case
Gotta be somebody 'round the world, got off probation today
Gotta be somebody 'round the world walkin' out them prison gates
Gotta be somebody the police chasin' that done got away
Gotta be somebody 'round the world today that'll beat they case
Gotta be somebody 'round the world, got off probation today
Gotta be somebody 'round the world walkin' out them prison gates
Plies’ song “Gotta Be” is a celebratory track about individuals who have beaten the odds of the justice system, having outsmarted police chases, cleared their names or walked out of prison gates. The lyrics depict the singer identifying with, and congratulating, these individuals who have shown strength and resilience in the face of adversity. Plies starts by stating that he knows there is someone, somewhere celebrating, and while he may not know them personally, he wants to celebrate with them. He then goes on to describe common scenarios in which someone may have beaten the odds, such as escaping the police, beating a court case or being released from probation or prison. In each of these situations, Plies draws attention to the remarkable resilience displayed by the individual who has overcome the odds. He empathizes with them, and congratulates them for their ability to stay strong and emerge victorious. The rapper also advises these individuals to stay focused, avoid negative influences and leave criminal activity behind, highlighting the importance of making better choices.
The lyrics to “Gotta Be” reveal a sense of compassion and respect for individuals who face legal challenges and triumph over them. The song is reminiscent of similar tracks that celebrate resilience, such as Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” or Bruno Mars’ “Just the Way You Are” – all of which encourage empowerment and a sense of inspiration. The overarching message in “Gotta Be” is that no matter how difficult the situation, there is always a chance to emerge victorious through strength and perseverance. Additionally, this song highlights the harsh realities of the criminal justice system, particularly in relation to the disproportionate punishment and sentencing for People of Color, which is both interesting and socially relevant.
Line by Line Meaning
I know it's somebody, somewhere, homie
I'm aware that someone, somewhere is celebrating something today
That today they celebration
It's a day of celebration
I might not know you
I may not know you personally
I wanna celebrate with you
But I still want to celebrate with you
Gotta be somebody the police chasin' that done got away
There's definitely someone who has outrun the police today
Gotta be somebody 'round the world today that'll beat they case
Someone in the world has won their case today
Gotta be somebody 'round the world, got off probation today
Someone around the world has completed their probation today
Gotta be somebody 'round the world walkin' out them prison gates
Someone around the world is walking out of prison today
I'm happy for that nigga, today, that they came home
I am genuinely happy for the person who came home today
And got that time behind 'em, now it's time to move on
They have served their time, now it is time to start fresh
I'm celebratin' with ya, the reason I wrote this song
I wrote this song to celebrate with you
Hope you done became a better person since you've been gone
I hope that you have become a better person during your time away
I salute you, my nigga, dawg, for stayin' strong
I commend you for staying strong during your time away
Now, getcha feet up under ya, homie, keep it goin'
Get back on your feet and keep moving forward
I hope you walk straight, don't make the wrong turn
I hope that you stay on the right path
Them cracks waitin' to send you off on another long run
Don't fall back into old habits and end up back in trouble with the law
Just enjoy yourself tonight and have fun
Take some time to celebrate and have a good time tonight
And don't go fuckin' wit them niggas who ain't send ya nothin'
Don't associate with people who didn't provide any support for you while you were away
And if ya got kids, go'n get 'em and catch up
Spend some time with your children and catch up on what has been missed
He took them crackas to the do' and he beat 'em in trial
He successfully proved his innocence in court
A lot of niggas thought you was gon' lose but you held it down
Many people doubted you, but you persevered
All I can tell you, homie, you made all the real niggas proud
You should be proud of yourself, and you have the respect of those who matter
They offered you a plea bargain, but you turned it down
You refused a plea bargain and fought for your innocence
Stood in the paint, what you believed in, you did it in style
You stood up for what you believed in and did it with grace
I know your family, they was worried, but now they can smile
Your family was worried about you, but they are now relieved and happy
Should be happy 'cause ain't too many of us beat 'em in awhile
You should be proud because not many people have won a case like yours in a long time
Just be careful in these streets 'cause this shit done got wild
The world is a dangerous place, so be cautious
A lot of niggas fucked up, so they playin' it foul
Many people are making mistakes and playing dirty
He was your homeboy, he your co-defendant now
Your friend is now your co-defendant
If you gon' get money, get it, but lose the crowd
If you're going to make money, do it without involving any questionable people
Niggas in prison 'cause they homeboys ran they mouth
People are in prison because their friends talked too much
To that young nigga who took 'em on a high speed chase
Referring to a young man who led the police on a high-speed chase
Ain't condonin' whatcha did, I'm just glad ya got away
I am not condoning what you did, but I am relieved that you were not caught
I know ya heart beatin' fast, I'm just glad ya safe
I know you are scared, but I am happy that you are not in danger
Shit, you had to hit it, you couldn't afford another case
You had to escape because you couldn't afford to be arrested again
You tried to play cool, but you shoulda seen your face
You tried to act calm, but your face betrayed your fear
Git a muthafucka, lost 'em in broad day
You got away from the police during the day
Doin' a hundred, dawg, goin' down a one way
You were going one hundred miles per hour down a one-way street
Jumped out on 'em, turned into a foot race
You got out of your car and started running, turning it into a foot chase
Git know the streets, so they couldn't keep they pace
You know the streets well, so the police couldn't keep up with you
He had to throw his pistol, they find it, that's okay
You had to throw your gun away, and if the police find it, it's alright
You ain't gotta do it, but for you I'ma celebrate
I'm going to celebrate with you, even though I don't necessarily approve of what you did
Do me a favor, dawg, stay out them cracka face
Please stay out of trouble with the law in the future
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: BRANDON CREAR, RONELL LAWRENCE LEVATTE, ALEXANDER STEPHEN MARTIN, ALGERNOD LANIER WASHINGTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind