At the age of two he moved with his mother to Atlanta, Georgia where she raised him until her sudden death at the age of thirty-five. Afterwards, he was taken in by his grandfather, who was an avid music fan. It was through this relationship that he was introduced to many legendary artists that made up his grandfather's record collection. As soon as he heard the soulful sounds of Sam Cooke and Al Green, The-Dream was hooked. In the third grade he began his musical venture by enrolling in introductory trumpet classes at Grove Park Elementary School. He continued playing the trumpet through high school and later learned to play the drums and guitar.
In junior high and high school his musical influences extended toward such artists such as Timbaland , Missy Elliott, Aaliyah and Tupac Shakur. His talents continued to naturally develop and eventually lead The-Dream to begin singing, rapping and song writing.
In addition, he is an accomplished artist and has created many paintings and sculptures, some of which have been shown at various art galleries throughout Atlanta.
In 2001, The-Dream was introduced to Laney Stewart of Redzone Entertainment. Although their first meeting wasn't very successful, things fared better the second time around and Laney pulled him into his camp. The two immediately collaborated to write for the multi-platinum group B2K.
In early 2003, The-Dream was signed by Laney Stewart to a new publishing deal with Morningside Trail through a joint venture with peer music. Since then he has continued writing for other artists including the newest single "Me Against The Music" for Britney Spears. The-Dream recently worked on Jive artist Nivea's forthcoming sophomore effort (April 2005) including the hit single "Okay" featuring Lil' Jon and Youngbloodz.
In 2006, The-Dream was brought in by Tricky Stewart of Redzone to collaborate with various artists including Bayje (Atlantic), Dear Jane & J.Holiday (Capitol), and Brit & Alex (Interscope).
To kick off the New Year, The-Dream began 2007 with major success. With the help of Tricky Stewart, " umbrella" was created and taken to several different labels with artists ranging from Britney Spears at Jive to Mary J. Blige and Akon. Yet, it was the genius of Karen Kwak that got the record into the hands of Def Jam Record's CEO, LA Reid. Def Jam flew The-Dream and Tricky to LA to record with Rihanna, where they also wrote "Breakin' Dishes," a song off Rihanna's latest release, Good Girl Gone Bad.
Despite his current success, The-Dream never stops dreaming. Look out for The-Dream's future collaborations with hot artists such as Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Karina Pasian, Young Joc, Rihanna, Jay-Z, Jazzy Phae, Keke Palmer, Gia, Tricky Stewart, Don Vito, Wynter Gordon, Shontelle, and Lucy Walsh.
Ghetto
The-Dream Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Jesus on my charm: "Amen to that"
Laid back in the Maybach 57 or 62
Floating down the coast in the heli-
Shawty, that's what I do, I'm gettin stacks of this on accident
My daughter's 5 what's that mean?
My daughter's daughter is already rich
I'm gettin involved, quit playing simp
She says she miss riding it
I say I miss her on me, holdin' it down
I certainly miss how she grinds it
And she says she miss havin' me around
She all up on me singin' my songs
And it feels like I'm fuckin' my fan
Screamin' all night goin' "Baby you already know"
Climaxing on my hand, she runnin it back, workin it
Like you don't understand
She wants that old thing back
That ride it like a pony
That "get up in the morning and put it on me"
She's so horny, she wants that old thing back
That "mm-hmm, gimme some"
Rocket shit, that rocket ship don't stop til I'm done
[Chorus]
She want that ghetto, ghetto, and I got that ghetto
Ghetto, ghetto, and I got that ghetto
Ghetto, ghetto, and I got that ghetto
She want that ghetto, she need that ghetto
Like ghetto, ghetto, and I got that ghetto
Ghetto, ghetto, she want that ghetto
She need that ghetto, she want that ghetto
That ghetto, ghetto, that um-hum ghetto
She said "Dream do it to me like this
Why can't you do it to me like that?"
For the last forty eight months, you can't front
I put that ass on the map
See I created this sound, yes sir I shut it down
There's only one #1
There other niggas my sons
And you can never be, be like me
And you can never do it, do it like me
Ain't none of these niggas seeing me
Ain't none of these niggas repeating me
Ain't none of these niggas defeating me
Unless they get me to murk myself
I just murked myself
She wants that old thing back
That ride it like a pony
That "get up in the morning and put it on me"
She's so horny, she wants that old thing back
That "mm-hmm, gimme some"
Rocket shit, that rocket ship don't stop til I'm done
[Chorus]
She want that
Real nigga on the wishlist, used to blow me off
Now she tryna blow me kisses
Walk into the room, tell me how could I miss it?
Girl, you working like you need assistance, tipping
Girl you workin' like you need a pension
Bent that thang over, let a nigga pinch it
Rich nigga shit: I could put you on a boat
Popping champagne, now you look like its Big Pimpin
I work all day, fuck all night, finna to make you cuss all night
"Shit fuck damn!" lemme know I do it right
Pussy so good I'mma have to do it twice
Bend over let a real nigga taste that
Fuck around, need a placemat
See my call log - a nigga has to erase that
Send me a text, smiley face chat saying:
Wanna to show you how much I appreciate you
Wanna show you how much how much I'm dedicated to you
Wanna show you how much I will forever be true
Wanna show you how much you have a nigga feeling good
Wanna show you how much, how much you're understood
Wanna show you how much I value what you say
Not only are you loyal, but you're patient with me, babe
Wanna to show you how much I care about your heart
Show you how much I don't like (like) being apart
Wanna show you, show you, show you 'til you're hearin' me
Keep it how it is, so we can never say how it used to be
I'll be you, so that time will by
And I can't help but to think about you day and night boo
After the snow boo, it's me and you boo
Baby dance for me, baby dance for me
And baby put that body on my body
Work that shit like my Ferrari
Tonight it's goin' down
In The-Dream's song "Ghetto", the artist describes his luxurious lifestyle, which includes driving a Maybach and flying in a helicopter. Despite his wealth, he is still attracted to women who appreciate his "ghetto" lifestyle, describing a woman who wants him to ride her like a pony and have a rocket ship experience. The song also touches on his confidence and ego, as he claims to be the creator of a sound that can't be duplicated.
In the first verse, The-Dream boasts about his journey from losing his swagger to getting it back by wearing a watch and a chain with a charm of Jesus on it. He also mentions his wealth, including getting stacks of money by accident and his daughter already being rich. The woman he is describing is attracted to his fame and the lifestyle that comes with it, singing his songs and climaxing on his hand. He then has a realization that he has to continue pimping record labels, putting them in their place.
In the second verse, he describes his dominance and creativity in the music industry, and how he is responsible for other artists' success. He concludes the song by describing a woman expressing her appreciation for him and wanting to show him how much she cares.
Line by Line Meaning
Rolly on my arm let me get my swagger back
I feel confident and cool with a fancy watch on my wrist
Jesus on my charm: "Amen to that"
My religious beliefs are always with me and I acknowledge them
Laid back in the Maybach 57 or 62
I relax and enjoy the luxury of my Maybach car
Floating down the coast in the heli-
I enjoy a leisurely helicopter ride along the coast
Shawty, that's what I do, I'm gettin stacks of this on accident
I make so much money effortlessly that it seems like an accident
My daughter's 5 what's that mean?
My daughter is still young and has a lot of potential
My daughter's daughter is already rich
My future granddaughter will inherit my wealth and legacy
I'm gettin involved, quit playing simp
I'm becoming more engaged and assertive, not passive
I'm simply pimping record labels - nigga look at my limp
I'm very successful in making money off record labels and I'm proud of it
She says she miss riding it
She says she misses having sex with me
I say I miss her on me, holdin' it down
I say I miss her on top of me, holding me down during sex
I certainly miss how she grinds it
I definitely miss the way she moves her body during sex
And she says she miss havin' me around
And she says she misses having me near her
She all up on me singin' my songs
She's very into me and my music
And it feels like I'm fuckin' my fan
It feels like I'm having sex with a really passionate fan
Screamin' all night goin' "Baby you already know"
We scream all night while having sex and she says 'baby you already know' a lot
Climaxing on my hand, she runnin it back, workin it
She orgasms and then we start over again, she keeps working it
Like you don't understand
It's like you can't comprehend how good it is
She wants that old thing back
She wants to have sex with me like we used to
That ride it like a pony
She wants to ride me hard like a pony
That "get up in the morning and put it on me"
She wants me to wake up and have sex with her in the morning
She's so horny, she wants that old thing back
She's very sexually aroused and wants to have sex with me like before
That "mm-hmm, gimme some"
She wants me to give her sex and pleasure
Rocket shit, that rocket ship don't stop til I'm done
Our sexual experience will be explosive and non-stop until I'm satisfied
[Chorus]
The repetition of 'ghetto' emphasizes that she wants that raw and passionate sexual experience
She said "Dream do it to me like this
She says to me 'Dream, have sex with me this way'
Why can't you do it to me like that?"
She wonders why I can't have sex with her like she desires
For the last forty eight months, you can't front
For the past four years, we've had amazing sex and you can't deny it
I put that ass on the map
I made her famous for her sex appeal
See I created this sound, yes sir I shut it down
I invented this style of music and I'm the best at it
There's only one #1
There can only be one person who is the best
There other niggas my sons
Other musicians are like my children in comparison to my talent
And you can never be, be like me
You can never succeed or be as great as me
And you can never do it, do it like me
You can never match my skills or talent
Ain't none of these niggas seeing me
No other musician can compete with me
Ain't none of these niggas repeating me
No one can copy my unique style or sound
Ain't none of these niggas defeating me
No one can surpass or overcome me
Unless they get me to murk myself
Unless they somehow trick or manipulate me into self-destruction
I just murked myself
I just caused my own downfall or ruin
Real nigga on the wishlist, used to blow me off
She used to overlook me but now she wants to be with a 'real' man like me
Now she tryna blow me kisses
Now she's flirting and trying to show affection
Walk into the room, tell me how could I miss it?
When I see her, it's impossible for me to not notice her
Girl, you working like you need assistance, tipping
She's working hard like she needs help and making me excited
Girl you workin' like you need a pension
She works hard like she needs a pension and enticing me
Bent that thang over, let a nigga pinch it
She bends over and lets me touch her, getting me even more excited
Rich nigga shit: I could put you on a boat
As a rich person, I have the ability to give her a luxurious experience like being on a boat
Popping champagne, now you look like its Big Pimpin
Drinking expensive champagne makes her look cool and part of an extravagant lifestyle
I work all day, fuck all night, finna to make you cuss all night
I work hard during the day and have sex all night, hoping to make her enjoy herself and swear a lot
"Shit fuck damn!" lemme know I do it right
When she swears during sex, it means she's feeling good and I'm doing a good job
Pussy so good I'mma have to do it twice
Her vagina feels so good that I want to have sex with her again
Bend over let a real nigga taste that
She bends over to let me perform oral sex on her
Fuck around, need a placemat
It's so wet down there that I need something to wipe and catch it
See my call log - a nigga has to erase that
People call me a lot so I have to delete my call history for privacy
Send me a text, smiley face chat saying:
She sends me a text message with a smiley face chat to express her affection and appreciation
Wanna to show you how much I appreciate you
She wants to express her gratitude and love for me
Wanna show you how much, how much I'm dedicated to you
She wants to show how devoted and committed she is to me
Wanna show you how much I will forever be true
She wants to assure me that she will always be loyal and honest
Wanna show you how much you have a nigga feeling good
She wants to make me feel happy and satisfied
Wanna show you how much, how much you're understood
She wants to show that she understands and empathizes with me
Wanna show you how much I value what you say
She wants to show that she values my opinions and thoughts
Not only are you loyal, but you're patient with me, babe
She appreciates my faithfulness and understanding in our relationship
Wanna to show you how much I care about your heart
She wants to show how much she loves and cares for me emotionally
Show you how much I don't like (like) being apart
She wants to express how much she hates being away from me
Wanna show you, show you, show you 'til you're hearin' me
She wants to keep showing and telling me how much she loves me until I understand fully
Keep it how it is, so we can never say how it used to be
She wants to maintain our current relationship so that it doesn't change and we won't have regrets
I'll be you, so that time will by
She will be with me to pass the time until we're together again
And I can't help but to think about you day and night boo
She thinks about me all the time and can't stop loving me
After the snow boo, it's me and you boo
After any hardships, it's just me and her together
Baby dance for me, baby dance for me
She wants to show off her seductive dance moves to me
And baby put that body on my body
She wants to put her body on top of mine
Work that shit like my Ferrari
She wants to work her body like she's driving a Ferrari
Tonight it's goin' down
We're going to have sex tonight and it's going to be amazing
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TERIUS NASH, SEAN MICHAEL ANDERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Juan Carlos Schlinger
most of y'all wouldn't understand. dream is a master artist.
Ronald Penn
My guy is underrated
Drew Forrester
You would be surprised how many people feel the same way & even more suprize those who don’t 👀
Phillyrider807
5 years later this is still one of Sean's best verses
Xemáya Oxumarê
Phillyrider807 💯Facts, spoken from a philly native as well 💜✨
Centelred
I need a placemat too tho.
Xyzman123
That's not a high bar to top. 😂
CLtotheTL32
LOVE this song and the rest of the 1977 album. I'm a bit disappointed that they left out the last part of the song but it's still good. For all of you haters, you need to realize that The-Dream has produced probably half of the songs that you love. He's incredibly talented.
PhrAntoine
He finished it and gave it to Bey. Threw me the first time I heard Dance for You and knew the words
Dori Dias
Nunca me canso de ouvir essa música