Raised in Gadsden, Alabama, Atha appeared on the reality series The Road to Stardom with Missy Elliott and released his independent debut album Creek Water in 2005. Two years later, Atha signed to Columbia Records and released the single "Kickin'" from his unreleased first studio album, before being released from the label later that same year. From 2008 to 2010, Atha released an extended play and four mixtapes with Ghet-O-Vision Entertainment. Trunk Muzik 0-60, Atha's fourth mixtape, was also released by Interscope Records. In 2011, Atha signed to Shady Records and his debut studio album Radioactive was released on November 21, 2011 to positive reviews. It entered the Billboard 200 at number 27. He spent much of his childhood in various locations around the southern United States, including Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Atlanta, Georgia, and Antioch, Tennessee.
Atha is half white and Cherokee, and the name Yelawolf is a reference to his Native American roots.
Yelawolf is an avid skateboarder and made attempts at a professional skateboarding career but was forced to abandon due to injuries. Yelawolf began releasing mixtapes independently in 2007. He was briefly signed to Columbia Records in 2007 and left the label the same year.
In 2009, Yelawolf was featured on the Slim Thug album Boss of All Bosses, and in the lead single Mixin' Up the Medicine from Juelz Santana's upcoming album Born to Lose, Built to Win. In 2010 he appeared in the track Down This Road from Bizarre's third studio album Friday Night at St. Andrews, in Big Boi's first solo album Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty track "You Ain't No DJ" which was produced by André 3000, and his most recent appareance is in Paul Wall's fifth studio album Heart of a Champion track "Live It" which also features Jay Electronica and Raekwon, produced by Travis Barker. In 2010, Atha confirmed he has signed with Interscope Records, he announced that he is working in his debut studio album with the label, and has a desire to work with Eminem.
In 2011 Yelawolf revealed that he went to visit Eminem in Detroit, Michigan and has subsequently been signed to Shady Records.
Gangster
Yelawolf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There must've been something about my careless upbringing
That got me into so much trouble at school and shit
Could've been the drugs at home, maybe I was just a foolish kid
I soaked up everything that I could from the people that stayed at my house
Biker gangs, waking up to people that I didn't know crashed out on my couch
Really didn't know at the time, that I didn't have a normal life
And when I took that attitude to a new neighborhood I had to learn to fight
I guess it must've been that "I don't give a fuck about none of y'all" shit that sorted me
Out from the rest of the haves, and the have-nots took me in as kin
Outcast, poor white trash, and that's where I learned to make my friends
But I've always been a weirdo to my homie 'cause I wanted to go be an entertainer
He was selling rock out his window
I was the rapper and my best friend was a...
(Hook: Yelawolf)
Gangster, gangster, gangster
Aye, what we gettin' into tonight?
Step into the ride, lookin' through the eyes of a motherfuckin'
Gangster, gangster
So, am I gonna risk my life, to ride?
You're motherfuckin' right
When your best friend is a gangster
(Verse 2: A$AP Rocky)
Danger, we pistol banging, another homicide
Rollin' in the Chevy, motherfucker, ride or die
Ridin' in the scraper low, it shake from side to side
If the paper low, his burner on his side, murder on his mind
Only 21 and still he strives to stay alive
Feelin' paranoia, too much pride to stay inside
Ain't no time to wait around, find the safest place to hide
Drop a chopper, lay you down, it's the fastest way to God
Grandmama tell him "Son, you gotta pray to God"
Gamble with your life and then you gotta pay the price
Place your bet and roll the die, thank the Lord and pray to Christ
'Cause you almost spent your life livin' as a young motherfuckin'...
(Verse 3: Big Henry)
Ever look in the eyes of a G?
Cold, cold world that's what you gon' see
When the cash slow up, masks go on
Chevy slow up, that's what it's gon' be
Game so hot that a nigga might melt
OG stripes up under my belt
Do it by myself, I don't need no help
5-9 Hoover, nigga, hat to the left
Big Henry, bitch - nobody else
Ten toes down, march nigga, step!
If I pop that trunk I'm a pop me a chump
Leave a nigga slumped with his chin in his chest
Bang, bang, bang, nigga, real G shit
Half of these rappers ain't live like this
On behalf of the streets I live like this
Nobody really knows why it is like this
When it comes to a buck, I'm a mathematician
Go and hit the block like a car collision
Niggas talkin' money, you ain't starvin', is ya?
You start to lose weight like they pausing in ya
So go and idle down, my nigga, pardon a nigga
Fuck around and I'm a put a part in a nigga
Fuck around, I'm a pull apart the nigga
Applaud a nigga, straight from the block
Lord, my nigga, you know the game don't stop, that's...
The lyrics to Yelawolf's song "Gangster" explore the theme of growing up in a tough environment and the struggles that come with it. Yelawolf reflects on his childhood, where he was exposed to biker gangs and drugs, and how this influenced his behavior as he grew older. He compares his upbringing to those in different neighborhoods and how he had to learn to fight to earn respect from the other kids. Yelawolf's best friend was a gangster, and he couldn't shake the feeling of being a "weirdo" for wanting to entertain rather than sell drugs like his friend.
The chorus of the song features A$AP Rocky, who adds his own perspective on the struggles of living a dangerous life. He describes living with constant paranoia and the need to always be on the lookout for danger. He acknowledges the risks involved in living like a gangster but also the potential rewards that come with it. The song ends with a verse from Big Henry, who talks about his experience growing up as a gangster and the violence that comes with it.
Overall, "Gangster" is a gritty and honest portrayal of life in rough neighborhoods and the challenges that come with it. It shows the dangers of falling into the trap of gangster culture and the importance of finding your own path in life.
Line by Line Meaning
There must've been something about my careless upbringing
I think my upbringing was the root cause of all the trouble I got into
That got me into so much trouble at school and shit
All that trouble at school might be due to my upbringing
Could've been the drugs at home, maybe I was just a foolish kid
I probably picked up lots of bad habits from the drugs at home and could have been just a foolish kid
I soaked up everything that I could from the people that stayed at my house
I absorbed every bit of knowledge I could from the people who lived with us
Biker gangs, waking up to people that I didn't know crashed out on my couch
I grew up around biker gangs and people who partied hard and frequently found strangers passed out on our couch
Really didn't know at the time, that I didn't have a normal life
I was too young to realize that my upbringing was not normal
And when I took that attitude to a new neighborhood I had to learn to fight
When I moved to a new neighborhood, my attitude caused me to get into fights and I had to learn to defend myself
And respect from the kids like me was immediately minority
Other kids who were similar to me didn't respect me because I didn't care about anything or anyone
Outcast, poor white trash, and that's where I learned to make my friends
I was an outcast and poor white trash, but that's where I learned to make friends
But I've always been a weirdo to my homie 'cause I wanted to go be an entertainer
My friend thought I was weird because unlike him, I wanted to become an entertainer
He was selling rock out his window
My friend was a drug dealer
I was the rapper and my best friend was a...
I was the rapper and my best friend was a gangster
Gangster, gangster, gangster
Referencing the title of the song
Aye, what we gettin' into tonight?
What are we doing tonight?
Step into the ride, lookin' through the eyes of a motherfuckin'
Get into the car and see things from a gangster's perspective
Gangster, gangster
Referencing the title of the song
So, am I gonna risk my life, to ride?
Is riding with the gangster worth risking my life?
You're motherfuckin' right
Of course it is
Danger, we pistol banging, another homicide
We're in danger, shooting our pistols and causing another homicide
Rollin' in the Chevy, motherfucker, ride or die
We're in a Chevy, and we're either going to ride or die
Ridin' in the scraper low, it shake from side to side
We're riding in a lowrider, and it's shaking from side to side
If the paper low, his burner on his side, murder on his mind
If he doesn't have enough money, he's carrying a gun and thinking about murder
Only 21 and still he strives to stay alive
Despite being only 21, he's still trying to stay alive
Feelin' paranoia, too much pride to stay inside
He's feeling paranoid but has too much pride to stay inside
Ain't no time to wait around, find the safest place to hide
He doesn't have time to wait, so he needs to find the safest place to hide
Drop a chopper, lay you down, it's the fastest way to God
He's so dangerous that he could shoot you and send you to heaven quickly
Grandmama tell him "Son, you gotta pray to God"
His grandmother is advising him to pray to God for safety
Gamble with your life and then you gotta pay the price
If you gamble with your life, you might have to pay the price
Place your bet and roll the die, thank the Lord and pray to Christ
Take a risk and hope for the best, but remember to pray to God for help
'Cause you almost spent your life livin' as a young motherfuckin'...
You almost spent your life living as a young motherfucking gangster
Ever look in the eyes of a G?
Have you ever looked into the eyes of a gangster?
Cold, cold world that's what you gon' see
You'll see a cold, harsh world
When the cash slow up, masks go on
When the money stops flowing, people put on masks to do crimes
Chevy slow up, that's what it's gon' be
If the Chevy slows down, that's what's going to happen
Game so hot that a nigga might melt
The gangster lifestyle is so intense that it might make someone break down emotionally
OG stripes up under my belt
Showing his status as an OG (Original Gangster) with his stripes under his belt
Do it by myself, I don't need no help
Doing it alone without anyone's help
5-9 Hoover, nigga, hat to the left
Referring to himself as part of the 5-9 Hoover gang in Los Angeles, with his hat tilted to the left
Big Henry, bitch - nobody else
Introducing himself as Big Henry with nobody else like him
Ten toes down, march nigga, step!
Being committed to his gangster lifestyle
If I pop that trunk I'm a pop me a chump
If he opens his trunk, he's going to shoot someone he doesn't like
Leave a nigga slumped with his chin in his chest
Emphasizing how deadly his shooting style is
Bang, bang, bang, nigga, real G shit
Referring to the violent nature of gang life
Half of these rappers ain't live like this
Suggesting that many rappers who rap about the gangster lifestyle haven't actually lived it
On behalf of the streets I live like this
Representing what life is really like on the streets
Nobody really knows why it is like this
Nobody really knows why the gangster lifestyle exists
When it comes to a buck, I'm a mathematician
When it comes to making money, he's a pro
Go and hit the block like a car collision
Going out to make money like a car slamming into another car
Niggas talkin' money, you ain't starvin', is ya?
Asking if other people who talk about money are really starving
You start to lose weight like they pausing in ya
Suggesting that people who pretend to be starving may actually be losing weight due to stress or illness
So go and idle down, my nigga, pardon a nigga
Take it easy and forgive me
Fuck around and I'm a put a part in a nigga
If you mess with him, he's going to hurt you
Fuck around, I'm a pull apart the nigga
If you mess with me, I'm going to destroy you
Applaud a nigga, straight from the block
Praising and appreciating him for being from the same block as him
Lord, my nigga, you know the game don't stop, that's...
Referring to the never-ending cycle of the gangster lifestyle
Contributed by Colton I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mary Willie Hartsell
on Tennessee Love
Who's the girl standing in the car
Yancy Tate
on Pop The Trunk
Telling a story that took place in life