Terrence LeVarr Thornton, better known by his stage name Pusha T, is an Ame… Read Full Bio ↴Terrence LeVarr Thornton, better known by his stage name Pusha T, is an American rapper, songwriter and record executive. He rose to prominence as one-half of the hip hop duo Clipse, which was mainly active from 1994 to 2010, alongside his older brother No Malice. As Clipse, the two released three studio albums and a number of mixtapes, and had hit singles including "Grindin'" and "When the Last Time" (both 2002).

In September 2010, Pusha T signed to Kanye West's GOOD Music imprint, under the aegis of Def Jam Recordings. Later that year, he was featured on West's single "Runaway," which peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2011, he released his first solo project, the mixtape Fear of God, which was followed up with his debut solo album, My Name Is My Name, released in 2013. In November 2015, West appointed Pusha T to take over his role as president of GOOD Music. Pusha T remained a flagship artist for the label until ending his tenure with the company in 2022.

Pusha T has since then released three solo albums: King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude (2015), Daytona (2018), and It's Almost Dry (2022), all receiving widespread critical acclaim; the latter was Pusha T's first number one debut on the Billboard 200.

Road Runner
Pusha T Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

[Intro: Troy Ave]
Ay yo, they said it’s 10 points higher up there;
We got to go get that

[Hook: Troy Ave]
Lord Father, I don’t mean to be a bother
I’m just prayin’ you’ll protect me on this road
From the rats wherever I’ve been niggas draggin’

Trappers in the highway patrol
It ain’t right, but it’s white, ain’t it right and I know
Once I get there that it’s over
Lord Father, I don’t mean to be a bother
I’m just prayin’ you’ll protect me on this road while I get this dough

[Verse 1: Pusha T]
One man cowboy, speed limit timid
Chevy Malibu; we graduated from them renteds
Lost 100 large on the last time we sent it
It’s only four letters, I ain’t worried ’bout a sentence
Travelin’ the distance, stayin’ off the white line
Alphabet boys out prayin’ what they might find
I hate the Carolinas
Racial profilers say you smokin’ marijuanas
Fuck you talkin ’bout; my piss is clearer than my mama’s
With her church wig on
996 before I get my big on
Thousand grams, thousand hands,
Thousand furs, thousand bands
$100, 000 horse all-star; we stylin’ in

[Hook: Troy Ave]

[Verse 2: Pusha T]
You niggas ain’t takin’ road trips for real
Route 13 with the vacuum seal
Pre-paid eagle on my window shield
The ice cream man’s on his jack & jill
Weight state to state; Mack trucks I deal, Mack trucks I fill
I feel better knowin’ that the donor is anonymous
See, my diamond is growin’
Tugboat or car tow, we summertime snowin’
Reasonable Doubt, flowin’ on your niggas
Been gettin’ it since ’96 in black Ac Vigors
Snub. 38 with the Mat black trigger
When How Can I Be Down was filled with crack niggas

[Hook: Troy Ave]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Pusha T's song "Road Runner" tell the story of a drug dealer making his way down the highway, trying to avoid trouble with law enforcement and rival dealers, all while trying to make a profit. The song opens with an intro from Troy Ave, who speaks on the importance of the mission and how high the stakes are. The chorus speaks to the singer's reliance on God for protection on the dangerous road, full of rats and police officers.

Pusha T's verse begins with an image of him driving a Chevy Malibu down the highway, trying to avoid police scrutiny. He mentions a previous loss of $100,000, but that doesn't worry him because he's only concerned with moving forward. He hates the Carolinas, where racial profiling is likely to label him as a marijuana smoker. He pushes back on this claim, stating that his urine is even clearer than his mother's with her church wig on.

In the second verse, Pusha T boasts about his experience and the lengths he goes to protect his drug empire. He talks about road trips with vacuum-sealed drugs and pre-paid eagle window shields to avoid detection by police. He declares that he's been in the game since 1996 and is still going strong. Finally, he notes that he has a snub .38 with a matte black trigger, a symbol of how he must always stay prepared for danger.

Overall, "Road Runner" paints a picture of a desperate and dangerous lifestyle, where success is determined by one's wits and ability to avoid trouble. The lyrics reveal the heavy cost of living this kind of life, both financially and emotionally.

Line by Line Meaning

Ay yo, they said it’s 10 points higher up there;
Someone told us that there's an opportunity for us to make a lot of money if we go there.

Lord Father, I don’t mean to be a bother I’m just prayin’ you’ll protect me on this road From the rats wherever I’ve been niggas draggin’ Trappers in the highway patrol
I'm asking God for protection on this journey because I've encountered dangerous people on this route, including drug dealers and police officers.

It ain’t right, but it’s white, ain’t it right and I know Once I get there that it’s over
I know that what I'm doing is illegal, but the profit is worth the risk. Once I make the delivery, my job is done.

One man cowboy, speed limit timid Chevy Malibu; we graduated from them renteds Lost 100 large on the last time we sent it It’s only four letters, I ain’t worried ’bout a sentence
I'm delivering drugs alone and driving cautiously in a Chevy Malibu that I bought instead of renting. I lost $100,000 on my last delivery, but I'm not afraid of getting caught because the word 'jail' only has four letters.

Travelin’ the distance, stayin’ off the white line Alphabet boys out prayin’ what they might find I hate the Carolinas Racial profilers say you smokin’ marijuanas
I'm driving carefully and avoiding suspicion from the police who are looking for drugs. I dislike going through the Carolinas because they racially profile me and assume that I'm carrying marijuana.

Fuck you talkin ’bout; my piss is clearer than my mama’s With her church wig on 996 before I get my big on Thousand grams, thousand hands, Thousand furs, thousand bands $100, 000 horse all-star; we stylin’ in
I'm insulted that the police would suspect me of using drugs because my urine is cleaner than my mother's. I'm always dressed well, even if it's just to go to the store. I'm making a lot of money from my illegal activities and ready to invest in my future.

You niggas ain’t takin’ road trips for real Route 13 with the vacuum seal Pre-paid eagle on my window shield The ice cream man’s on his jack & jill
Most people aren't taking a risk like I am by traveling long distances to deliver drugs. I use a vacuum-sealing method to keep my product fresh and hidden. I have prepaid legal representation in case I get in trouble. People are calling me the 'ice cream man' because of my deliveries.

Weight state to state; Mack trucks I deal, Mack trucks I fill I feel better knowin’ that the donor is anonymous See, my diamond is growin’ Tugboat or car tow, we summertime snowin’
I transport drugs from state to state using Mack Trucks. I use an anonymous donor to provide me with money so that I'm not directly linked to any large cash transactions. I'm proud of my success and the size of my diamond. I can transport drugs by land or water, depending on the season.

Reasonable Doubt, flowin’ on your niggas Been gettin’ it since ’96 in black Ac Vigors Snub. 38 with the Mat black trigger When How Can I Be Down was filled with crack niggas
I've been making money illegally since the mid-90s and have always had expensive cars. I always carry a gun in case of danger. My fame as a drug dealer goes back to the days of the How Can I Be Down convention, when the industry was filled with drug dealers.

Contributed by Savannah J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS