McCoy was born and raised in Geneva, New York. In high school, he met Matt McGinley in his gym class, and the two bonded over their love of music. They decided to start a band, and played with other musicians until Gym Class Heroes was formed in 2001. Travis made his MTV debut in the summer of 2002, as he appeared on stage at the beach house on a standard nation-wide MC Battle that was held on the MTV show Direct Effect.
McCoy was arrested on July 1, 2008 after hitting a man on the head with his microphone. The man had been in the crowd at a concert in St. Louis when he shouted racial slurs at McCoy. McCoy asked the man, "What did you just call me?" As security was removing the man from the venue, McCoy brought the man on stage to call him out in front of the crowd. In a statement, McCoy's publicist said that the man hit McCoy in his knee, which was in a brace after he had suffered a recent strain
In early March 2008, McCoy opened up about his battles with opioids. He stated that he had been addicted to pharmaceuticals since he was 15 years old.
McCoy dated singer Katy Perry, who appeared as his girlfriend in the "Cupid's Chokehold" video and toured along with his band on the Warped Tour, on and off for several years. He had given a promise ring to Perry, and when asked if this was rehearsal for an actual proposal, McCoy shrugged with a grin. The two broke up in December 2008. They began dating again in April 2009. However, they broke up a few months later.
McCoy is a vegetarian.
The Manual
Travie McCoy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And life's just another obstacle
Well show me the manual
And the man responsible
I went lookin' for answers in the hospital
And came back wit a pocket full
When I stole the manual
And killed the man responsible
Now we all make mistakes
But those mistakes just make us who we are
And not who we choose to be (no)
My faith got misplaced
Somewhere between a superstar
And the boy that I used to be
Hey hey
I'm just tryin' to be who you say you are, but who are you
I'm just tryin' to be who you say are the stars and who is cool
But who am I
I'm the dude responsible, hey
But who am I hey
I'm the dude responsible
I'ma be in the hood sippin' yacht wit my boys
At the keg parties with the white boys
At the beach with the surfers in Beverly Hills
At an ex party with Vicks and light toys
I guess you can call me a chameleon
I adapt to any situation I'm in
And my momma ain't raise no fools
I'm just comfortable in the skin that I am in
Now we all make mistakes
Yeah I'm a walking contradiction
And plus I neva listen
And my faith got misplaced
Somewhere along the lines of
Tryna make my mind up yeah
Hey hey
I'm just tryin to be who you say you are, but who are you
I'm just tryin to be who you say are the stars and who is cool
But who am I
I'm the dude responsible, hey
But who am I hey
I'm the dude responsible
In Travie McCoy's song "The Manual", he is questioning the idea of anything being possible and life being just another obstacle. He wants to know who is responsible for giving us the manual to guide us through life. He went to the hospital searching for answers about life and came back with a stolen manual, which led him to the man responsible. McCoy recognizes that we all make mistakes and those mistakes help shape who we are becoming. His faith in himself and his understanding of who he is have been misplaced between the superstar he strives to be and the boy he used to be.
McCoy goes on to say that he wants to be who society says he should be, but he doesn't know who that is. He refers to himself as a chameleon who adapts to any situation he is in. He is comfortable in his skin, but he recognizes that he is a walking contradiction who never listens to others, as his faith in himself leads him to make his own decisions. McCoy is the dude responsible for his own life, but he questions who he is and who society wants him to be.
The song highlights the idea that we all struggle to define ourselves and our place in society. We look to others to define and guide us but ultimately we are the ones responsible for our own lives. The manual, therefore, represents the knowledge and guidance we need to navigate life, find our place in the world, and live up to our potential.
Line by Line Meaning
They say anything is possible
People believe that anything can be accomplished
And life's just another obstacle
Life presents challenges, which can be overcome
Well show me the manual
Provide me with a guide to life
And the man responsible
Identify the person who can offer guidance
I went lookin' for answers in the hospital
I sought answers and guidance in a place of healing
And came back wit a pocket full
I returned with knowledge and experience
When I stole the manual
I acquired guidance through questionable means
And killed the man responsible
I metaphorically defeated the person who was supposed to offer guidance
Now we all make mistakes
We all experience failures and missteps
But those mistakes just make us who we are
Our mistakes shape us into the individuals we become
And not who we choose to be (no)
Our true selves are not determined by our conscious decisions
My faith got misplaced
I lost my beliefs and values
Somewhere between a superstar
Perhaps as a result of my pursuit of success and status
And the boy that I used to be
Who I was when I was younger and less influenced by external factors
Hey hey
Expression of attention or greeting
I'm just tryin' to be who you say you are, but who are you
I am attempting to live up to a certain image or expectation, but I am uncertain of who sets those standards
I'm just tryin' to be who you say are the stars and who is cool
I am striving to emulate those who are considered successful or popular
But who am I
I am questioning my own identity
I'm the dude responsible, hey
I have control over my own life and choices
I'ma be in the hood sippin' yacht wit my boys
I will be spending time with close friends in a familiar and comfortable environment
At the keg parties with the white boys
I am capable of connecting with people from different backgrounds and cultures
At the beach with the surfers in Beverly Hills
I am adaptable and able to fit in with a diverse group of people
At an ex party with Vicks and light toys
I am comfortable attending unconventional events and trying new things
I guess you can call me a chameleon
I am versatile and able to blend into different situations
I adapt to any situation I'm in
I am able to adjust my behavior to fit the context of my surroundings
And my momma ain't raise no fools
I was raised with good judgment and awareness
I'm just comfortable in the skin that I am in
I am content with who I am and do not feel the need to conform to external standards
Yeah I'm a walking contradiction
I possess qualities or beliefs that seem to contradict each other
And plus I neva listen
I have a stubborn streak and do not always heed advice
Somewhere along the lines of
At some point during the course of my life
Tryna make my mind up yeah
I am struggling to make decisions or figure out my next steps
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: HANNON LANE, TRAVIS MCCOY, FAHEEM NAJM, JOSEPH WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@FiremanH16
this little chorus is actually one of T-Pain's best vocal works with Autotune. Great song and message all around
@ITS_QUIS
It’s the subtle harmonies and layers that I love.
@fueledbyramen
Gym Class Heroes' new album The Papercut Chronicles II is in stores today! Pick up a copy of it at Target for only $7.99 or download it instantly on iTunes!
@datboyhaze
Damn physical copy albums 😪 #TakeMeBack
@casiesilverman
I miss these times and good music!!
@missy6600
why is this so underrated
@ITS_QUIS
I was riding today and this popped up in my head. Played it on repeat to and from my destination!!
@terranceW234
Still one of my favorite songs
@dyzzifromdivsel7975
i fucking love Young Cash's verse.
@trollingontheriver8868
Omg, I'm so late but, Young Cash killed that verse!!!!!