Told You So
TI. Lyrics

Grand Hustle Pimp..
T.I. introduces himself with a nickname and refers to his record label Grand Hustle.

Hey, whats happenin shorty
T.I. greets his listener in a friendly way.

Me being a true player and all
T.I. claims that he is a real player and knows what he's talking about.

I mean you know as a stand up guy you know
T.I. wants to emphasize that he's a reliable and respectable person.

I really hate to say I told you so
T.I. doesn't want to sound arrogant or boastful for making correct predictions.

But, man I told you so
T.I. acknowledges that he had previously made predictions that came true.

Back when we said we were goin to run this s*** man
T.I. recalls his past declaration of success and dominance over the rap industry.

When we said Pimp Squad Click, Grand Hustle was the business
T.I. repeats the name of his clique and record label as a sign of pride and loyalty.

When we said their was a whole nother side of Atlanta
T.I. claims that he and his crew discovered a new trend in Atlanta's rap scene.

A nother bunch of motherf***ers in the trap, y'all didnt know
T.I. reveals that he and his peers had knowledge of other rappers and drug dealers in Atlanta's impoverished areas.

Man, I told you so
T.I. repeats his previous statement about his accurate predictions.

They thought a pimp wasn't s'posed to blow
T.I. refers to himself as a 'pimp' and believes that many people doubted his potential for success due to his background.

Because I was rappin about moving o's and blow
T.I. implies that his lyrics were controversial and discussed illegal activities like drug dealing and violence.

Pimp I told you so
T.I. reiterates his previous claim of predicting his own success.

They thought that Outkast closed the door
T.I. references Outkast, a legendary Atlanta-based hip hop duo, and suggests that people believed they were the only successful rappers from the city.

And Ludacris came in and sold his 4?
T.I. mentions Atlanta rapper Ludacris, who he believes had only one successful album.

Man, I told you so
T.I. repeats his previous claim once again.

The Mac, C-Rod, Kuntry and Dro
T.I. drops names of his friends and fellow rappers who he believes are talented and underrated.

And AK had the coldest flow
T.I. praises rapper AK's rapping style and abilities.

N****, I told you so
T.I. repeats his claim one more time with added emphasis.

I said the future was right up under your nose
T.I. suggests that people around him didn't see the potential for success in Atlanta's rap scene, but he knew it was there all along.

You thought the south wouldn't explode no more
T.I. implies that people in the music industry believed that southern rap had reached its peak and wouldn't grow anymore.

Remember, I told you so
T.I. reinforces his claim that he had predicted the growth and success of southern rap.

I remember the P$C, Killer Mike, David Banner and me and YoungBloodz
T.I. reminisces about his past collaborations with other rappers and his involvement in Atlanta's music scene.

Ran through Atlanta with heat, when even Atlanta was sleep
T.I. suggests that he and his crew were active and successful in Atlanta's rap scene when no one else was paying attention.

N****, back before you heard of me
T.I. alludes to his past and suggests he has been involved in rap for a long time.

I was middle man into serving keys when KC was serving 3
T.I. references a time when he worked as a drug dealer before pursuing a career in rap.

I'm on top because I deserved to be
T.I. believes that he has earned his success through hard work and skill.

So simmer down, calm your nerves at least
T.I. advises his listeners to remain calm and not get too excited or offended.

Speak your words with peace
T.I. suggests that people should communicate with each other in a respectful and peaceful manner.

Before you lay out on the curb deceased
T.I. warns his opponents to avoid violence and not to start a fight they can't finish.

Think about it, it's absurd to beef
T.I. questions the logic behind violent conflicts and suggests that they are pointless.

I took my songs to street
T.I. claims that he has been very successful with his music and it has resonated with a lot of people.

He told me dopeboy was the bomb in the street
T.I. describes a conversation with someone who praised his music and referred to him as a successful dealer in the streets.

Since then, my name rang like alarms in the street
T.I. suggests that his music has made him notorious and well-known throughout the streets of Atlanta.

Who knew how long it would be
T.I. acknowledges that he had no idea how far he would get and how successful he would become.

If only LA knew how wrong he could be
T.I. references someone named LA who doubted his ability to make it big.

I told you ain't nobody stronger than me
T.I. claims that he is the strongest rapper and nobody can compete with him.

This southern rap s*** of the day is something I helped design
T.I. suggests that he is a pioneer in the southern rap genre and has played a big role in its growth.

Puerto Rico of the mix show I'll let you know who the next in line
T.I. claims that he has been involved in identifying and promoting upcoming and talented artists in the rap industry.

the Snowman, Paul Wall, the Thug ?
T.I. lists several rappers who he believes are talented and deserve recognition.

Alot of other n****z shouldn't of even been signed
T.I. suggests that many rappers have been signed to record labels without deserving it.

Thats a opinion of mine
T.I. suggests that this is his personal view and not necessarily a fact.

Because these n****z be neglecting the grind
T.I. criticizes rappers who are not hard-working and do not put effort into their music.

Ain't waiting on nobody to let me shine, I'ma go get me mine
T.I. suggests that he is proactive and does not rely on anyone else to help him succeed.

And then they wonder why they checks behind
T.I. suggests that many rappers are unsuccessful and do not earn a lot of money.

Cuz TIP was 20k? back in the day, need me to press rewind
T.I. references a past incident where he was robbed of a large amount of money.

What be on these n****z mind, man don't get me to lyin
T.I. questions the behavior and motives of other rappers.

I seen ya kind, dopeboy, and that ain't even ya kind
T.I. suggests that he has seen many drug dealers but they are not all the same.

Ain't never sold a gram of crack, and ain't no need of ya tryin
T.I. suggests that the lifestyle of a drug dealer is not desirable or worth pursuing.

Back in the trap, pimp I don't see him survivin
T.I. implies that someone will not be able to survive or thrive in the drug-dealing world.