Though his appearances on mixtapes announced his return on the street level, it was not until the release of "So Seductive" that his return received wide recognition. In August, Tony Yayo released his debut, Thoughts of a Predicate Felon
Tony Yayo has confirmed that work is in progress for his second studio album.The album was originally called Godfather of the Ghetto, then I Am 50's Tax Write-off, finally leaving Tony Yayo undecided on a title.
Tony Yayo is known to involve himself in the G-Unit and The Game feud. He has been known to denounce The Game's street credibility in various interviews and diss songs. On his mixtape G-Unit Radio Pt.23: Finally Off Papers, Tony Yayo made some hits towards The Game in the track Mo Money, Mo Problems by poking fun about his album sales being considerably less without the help of 50 Cent or G-Unit. In an interview with MTV, Tony Yayo aired his feeling towards many rappers who he "doesn’t believe".
Tony Yayo openly involves himself in 50 Cent's Feuds. The most recent example of this would be the 50 Cent vs Cam'ron Feud. Although he hasn’t released a direct diss track towards Cam’ron, he has voiced his opinion through interviews.
This feud took off when Tony Yayo yelled "boring" instead of "balling" (a reference to "We Fly High") backstage at a show where both G-Unit and Dipset were performing.
Tony Yayo took a shot at Jim Jones on Shade 45, claiming that Jim Jones was trash, and that he was disrespecting Haitians.Tony Yayo stated that Jim Jones tried to phone him, but Tony Yayo refused to take the call.
Tony Yayo later addressed Jim Jones on his mixtape Finally Off Papers (G-Unit Radio Pt. 23) on the track "Mo Money, Mo Problems". He yells "Boring!" in the background to mock Jim Jones as well as shouting other insults towards him at the end of the track.
Tony Yayo and Jim Jones have settled their feud[when?] and have even performed together. They also both appeared on BET's "Rap City" which 50 Cent was hosting
Along with 50 Cent, Yayo was arrested on December 31, 2002 for weapons possession. When police discovered that Yayo had an outstanding warrant for a previous such charge, Yayo was sentenced for bail jumping and spent all of 2003 in prison.Yayo served time in the Lakeview Shock Incarceration Correctional Facility and was paroled on January 8, 2004. The next day, he was arrested for possessing a forged passport and served time in federal prison until May 25, 2004. When Yayo was incarcerated, G-Unit began a campaign called "Free Yayo".
On March 24, 2007, Tony Yayo was arrested for allegedly assaulting the 14 year-old son of The Game's manager, Jimmy "Henchmen" Rosemond. Tony Yayo and 50 Cent were accused of approaching the child, with members of their entourage, and pushing him against a nearby wall. This was when Tony Yayo reportedly slapped the boy several times and said "Fuck Czar Entertainment". Tony Yayo has pleaded "not guilty" and 50 Cent has since proven his innocence with video footage showing him at his Connecticut mansion at the time of the alleged incident.
Tony Yayo made his first court appearance on the morning of April 25, 2007 in New York. The case was adjourned to July 24. Tony Yayo's Lawyer has expressed his belief that Yayo is innocent and commented on the situation in an interview with MTV.
After a thorough investigation, I steadfastly and adamantly state to you that Tony Yayo did not slap anyone," Leemon said. "I am hopeful that when [authorities] complete their investigation, they will come to the same conclusion. Yayo, as a father, understands the allegations and would never do anything to harm a child.
On April 18, 2007, the house of Tony Yayo’s mother was "sprayed with bullets". The attack is believed to be in connection with Tony Yayo’s recent arrest.
On July 24, Tony Yayo attended a court hearing regarding his alleged assault. The prosecution offered him a nine-month prison sentence if he pleaded guilty which he rejected.
One of the men from Tony Yayo's entourage, a co-defendant, admitted that it was him, not Yayo who slapped Rosemond, on January 10, 2008.
It's On
Tony Yayo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Uh huh
Comin' up I was confused, my mommy kissin' a girl
Confusion occurs comin' up in the cold world
Daddy ain't around, probably out commitin' felonies
My favorite rapper used to sing, "Check check out My Melody"
I wanna live good, so shit I sell dope
Nana told me if I passed I'd get a sheepskin coat
If I can move a few packs I'd get the hat, now that'd be dope
Tossed and turned in my sleep that night
Woke up the next mornin', niggas had stole my bike
Different day, same shit, ain't nothin' good in the hood
I'd run away from this bitch and never come back if I could
Hate it or love it, the underdog's on top
And I'm gon' shine homey until my heart stop
Go 'head envy me, I'm rap's MVP
And I ain't goin' nowhere, so you can get to know me
Hate it or love it, the underdog's on top
And I'm gon' shine homey until my heart stop
Go 'head envy me, I'm rap's MVP
And I ain't goin' nowhere, so you can get to know me
I told Dre from the gate "I'd carry the heat for ya"
First mixtape song I inherited beef for ya
Gritted my teeth for ya, G-G-G-G for ya
Put Compton on my back when you was in need of soldiers
At my last show I threw away my N.W.A. gold
I had the whole crowd yellin "Free Yayo!"
So niggas better get up outta mine
For I creep and turn your projects into Columbine
And I'm rap's MVP
Don't make me remind y'all what happened in D.C
This nigga ain't Gotti, he pretend
Mad at us 'cause Ashanti got a new boyfriend
And it seems your lil' rat turned out to be a mouse
This beef shit is for the birds and the birds fly South
Even Young Buck can vouch, when the doubts was out
Who gave the West coast mouth-to-mouth? (Hahaha)
Hate it or love it, the underdog's on top
And I'm gon' shine homey until my heart stop
Go 'head envy me, I'm rap's MVP
And I ain't goin' nowhere, so you can get to know me
Hate it or love it, the underdog's on top
And I'm gon' shine homey until my heart stop
Go 'head envy me, I'm rap's MVP
And I ain't goin' nowhere, so you can get to know me
From the beginnin' to the end, losers lose, winners win
This is real we ain't got to pretend
The cold world that we in, is full of pressure and pain
I thought it would change, it's stayin' the same
How many of them boys is witcha'
When you had that little TV you had to hit on to get a picture
I'm walking with a snub, 'cause niggas do a lot of slick talkin'
In the club 'til they coughin' on the rug
Ain't never had much but a Walkman and a bud
My role model is gone snortin' up his drug
Bad enough they want me to choke, my boy just got poked in the throat
Now it's an RIP shirt in my coat
Now I'm speedin', reminiscin'
Holdin' my weed in, never listen
If I see him I'ma lift 'em
And maybe that'll even the score
But if not, it'll be me on the floor
Hate it or love it, the underdog's on top
And I'm gon' shine homey until my heart stop
Go 'head envy me, I'm rap's MVP
And I ain't goin' nowhere, so you can get to know me
Hate it or love it, the underdog's on top
And I'm gon' shine homey until my heart stop
Go 'head envy me, I'm rap's MVP
And I ain't goin' nowhere, so you can get to know me
I started out at 15, scared as hell
I took 30 off a pack and I made them sales
As a youth, man I used to hustle for loot
With that lil' deuce-deuce and my triple fat goose
Sippin' Easy Jesus, rockin' a Alesis
My momma whipped me when she found my pieces
I look back on life and thank God I'm blessed
We the best on the planet so forget the rest
You know I'm still nice with my cook game
Look man, it's a hood thang; that's why I'm loved in Brook-lyn
I handle mine just like a real nigga should
If I do some time homey, I'm still all good
Let me show you what a thug 'bout, born to die
I took the bullets outta 50 put 'em in my fo'-five
And I ain't even got my feet wet yet
A seven figure nigga who ain't seen a worthy check
Hate it or love it, the underdog's on top
And I'm gon' shine homey until my heart stop
Go 'head envy me, I'm rap's MVP
And I ain't goin' nowhere, so you can get to know me
Hate it or love it, the underdog's on top
And I'm gon' shine homey until my heart stop
Go 'head envy me, I'm rap's MVP
And I ain't goin' nowhere, so you can get to know me
Tony Yayo’s song “Hate It Or Love It” starts off with the rapper reflecting on his rough upbringing in Queens where he was confused about his mother’s sexuality, his father absent due to felony charges, and his favorite rapper, Rakim, seemingly condoning crime. He details his decision to sell drugs to make money for material things like gold jewelry or a sheepskin coat, only to have his bike stolen soon after. He speaks on the constant negative experiences in his neighborhood and expresses his desire to leave. Yayo then transitions to the chorus, declaring that he is the underdog who has risen to the top of rap's game.
In the second verse, Yayo recounts his loyalty to Dr. Dre and the beef he inherited because of it. He mentions his support for his fellow G-Unit member, Young Buck, and how they helped bring West Coast rap back to life. He drags rapper Ja Rule, calling him out for being mad at Ashanti’s new boyfriend and calling him a phony Gotti. He ends the verse with a warning, reminding people of the DC incident where someone was shot at one of his shows.
The final verse finds Yayo contemplating his life and his experiences in the streets. He speaks on his journey and how grateful he is to be where he is. He details how he started out as a young drug dealer, and through hard work and devotion, he became one of the best rappers in the game. He ends the verse by taking credit for putting the bullets in 50 Cent’s gun.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, let's take 'em back
Let's go back to the past.
Comin' up I was confused, my mommy kissin' a girl
Growing up, I was confused when I saw my mother kissing another woman.
Confusion occurs comin' up in the cold world
When you grow up in a harsh world, it's easy to become confused about life.
Daddy ain't around, probably out commitin' felonies
My dad wasn't around because he was most likely committing crimes.
My favorite rapper used to sing, "Check check out My Melody"
My favorite rapper used to say "Check check out My Melody."
I wanna live good, so shit I sell dope
I want a good life, so I sell drugs.
For a four finger ring, one of them gold ropes
I sell drugs to buy jewelry like a four-finger ring or gold chain.
Nana told me if I passed I'd get a sheepskin coat
My grandma promised me a sheepskin coat if I passed a test.
If I can move a few packs I'd get the hat, now that'd be dope
If I can sell a few bags of drugs, I can buy a hat. That would make me feel cool.
Tossed and turned in my sleep that night
I had trouble sleeping that night.
Woke up the next mornin', niggas had stole my bike
The next morning when I woke up, someone had stolen my bike.
Different day, same shit, ain't nothin' good in the hood
Every day is the same with nothing good happening in the neighborhood.
I'd run away from this bitch and never come back if I could
If I could, I would leave this place and never come back.
Hate it or love it, the underdog's on top
Whether you like it or not, I am the underdog who has risen to the top.
And I'm gon' shine homey until my heart stop
I will continue to shine until I die.
Go 'head envy me, I'm rap's MVP
You can envy me because I am the most valuable rapper in the game.
And I told Dre from the gate "I'd carry the heat for ya"
I told Dr. Dre from the beginning that I would carry a gun to protect him.
First mixtape song I inherited beef for ya
On my first mixtape, I had beef with someone because of you.
Gritted my teeth for ya, G-G-G-G for ya
I was willing to fight for you, G-G-G-G.
Put Compton on my back when you was in need of soldiers
I took responsibility for my home city of Compton and became one of its soldiers when you needed me.
At my last show I threw away my N.W.A. gold
During my last show, I threw away my gold chain from N.W.A.
I had the whole crowd yellin "Free Yayo!"
I got the entire crowd to chant "Free Yayo!".
So niggas better get up outta mine
You better stay out of my business.
For I creep and turn your projects into Columbine
If you mess with me, I'll cause destruction like the Columbine school shooting.
This nigga ain't Gotti, he pretend
This guy isn't John Gotti, he's just pretending to be.
Mad at us 'cause Ashanti got a new boyfriend
This guy is mad at us because Ashanti has a new boyfriend.
And it seems your lil' rat turned out to be a mouse
It appears that your little rat has turned out to be weak.
This beef shit is for the birds and the birds fly South
This fighting is useless and for weaklings.
Even Young Buck can vouch, when the doubts was out
Even Young Buck can confirm this when there were rumors going around.
Who gave the West coast mouth-to-mouth? (Hahaha)
I revitalized the West Coast rap scene.
From the beginnin' to the end, losers lose, winners win
From the start to the finish, losers always lose and winners always win.
This is real we ain't got to pretend
This is real life, no need to pretend.
The cold world that we in, is full of pressure and pain
The world that we live in is harsh and full of suffering.
I thought it would change, it's stayin' the same
I used to think that things would get better, but they haven't.
How many of them boys is witcha'
How many of your friends are with you?
When you had that little TV you had to hit on to get a picture
Remember when you had to hit the TV to get a clear picture?
I'm walking with a snub, 'cause niggas do a lot of slick talkin'
I carry a gun because people talk a lot of trash.
In the club 'til they coughin' on the rug
People party so hard that they end up coughing on the rug.
Ain't never had much but a Walkman and a bud
I never had many possessions- just a Walkman and marijuana.
My role model is gone snortin' up his drug
My role model is gone because he was addicted to drugs.
Bad enough they want me to choke, my boy just got poked in the throat
People are already trying to hurt me, and now one of my friends got stabbed in the neck.
Now it's an RIP shirt in my coat
I now carry a shirt that says Rest in Peace (RIP) in my coat.
Now I'm speedin', reminiscin'
I'm now speeding and thinking about the past.
Holdin' my weed in, never listen
I'm holding my weed and not listening to anyone else.
If I see him I'ma lift 'em
If I see him, I'm going to shoot him.
And maybe that'll even the score
That might make things even between us.
But if not, it'll be me on the floor
If I don't win, I could end up dead.
I started out at 15, scared as hell
I began dealing drugs at 15 and was extremely frightened.
I took 30 off a pack and I made them sales
I would take 30 dollars off a packet of drugs and sell it for a profit.
As a youth, man I used to hustle for loot
When I was younger, I would hustle for money.
With that lil' deuce-deuce and my triple fat goose
I had a small .22 caliber gun and a triple fat goose jacket.
Sippin' Easy Jesus, rockin' a Alesis
I used to drink Easy Jesus and play an Alesis keyboard.
My momma whipped me when she found my pieces
My mom beat me when she found my stash of drugs.
I look back on life and thank God I'm blessed
When I reflect on my life, I am grateful for my blessings.
We the best on the planet so forget the rest
We are the best in the world, so don't worry about anyone else.
You know I'm still nice with my cook game
I am still good at cooking drugs.
Look man, it's a hood thang; that's why I'm loved in Brook-lyn
It's a common practice in my neighborhood, which is why people in Brooklyn like me.
I handle mine just like a real nigga should
I handle my business like a real man should.
If I do some time homey, I'm still all good
If I go to jail, I will still be okay.
Let me show you what a thug 'bout, born to die
Let me show you what a real thug is like, someone who is willing to die.
I took the bullets outta 50 put 'em in my fo'-five
I took the bullets out of 50's gun and put them into my .45 caliber pistol.
And I ain't even got my feet wet yet
I am just getting started and have barely even begun to experience this lifestyle.
A seven figure nigga who ain't seen a worthy check
I make millions of dollars but have never received a check that was worth it.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Curtis James Jackson, Allan Wayne Felder, Norman Ray Harris, David Darnell Brown, Christopher Charles Lloyd, Ronald Baker, Jayceon Terrell Taylor, Marvin Bernard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind