As one of the six epicenters of Southern hip hop, Memphis has always had a thriving underground capable of producing major platinum superstars such as Eightball & MJG, 3-6 Mafia and Project Pat,Skip a.k.a Gianni Booker. All of the above-mentioned artists at one point in time literally dominated the city’s underground rap scene before going on to become national superstars. Next up to bat is Yo Gotti, M-Town’s current underground rap kingpin. Like his namesake John Gotti, the Memphis based rapper has been running the Southern underground scene with an iron fist for the past. Known and respected throughout the South for his skill and finesse on the microphone, Yo Gotti is one the South’s most respected young rappers.
Born Mario Mims, Yo Gotti grew up in the infamous Ridge Crest Apartments in a North Memphis neighborhood called Frazier. His childhood was typical for a poor ghetto youth in the Deep South. Raised in a family of hustlers and exposed to hard times 24 hours a day the Tennessee rap titan soon turned to the only thing that he knew could get him paid, hustling. “Being from the hood things like hustling will come your way,” says Yo Gotti. “Everybody in my family hustled in some kinda way.” Ironically, hustling is what ultimately led Yo Gotti to rapping.
Taking his cue from Memphis rap legends such as Eightball & MJG, Al Kapone, Gangsta Black, Triple 6 Mafia and Kingpin Skinny Pimp, all of whom he lists as influences, Yo Gotti released his own underground tape entitled, Youngster on the Come Up and placed it on consignment at local mom & pop record stores as well as hustling it out the trunk. The tape sold like hotcakes on the street and made Yo Gotti the hottest rapper on the streets of Memphis. From the Dope Game to the Rap Game, Yo Gotti’s sophomore effort sold so well that Select-O-Hits, a local based independent distributor offered him a small deal and the Memphis rapper more than doubled his fan base with absolutely no marketing or promotions. Soon he found himself ranked among the city’s top rappers. In addition to being featured on the cover of Murderdog Magazine along side his idols Kingpin Skinny Pimp and Al Kapone his record From the Dope Game to the Rap Game made the list for the magazine’s top independent record for the year 2000.
Two years later he inked a distribution deal with TVT Records and released the critically acclaimed album Life, which did respectable numbers for an independent label. “It sold about 40 or 50,000, with no promotions or video,” says Yo Gotti. “That record did what it did on its own.” But as the old saying goes when one door is closed another opened. Gotti’s reputation as the king of Memphis continued to spread and that eventually led him to a production deal with Cash Money/Universal records for his group the Block Burnaz. With his TVT sophomore album entitled Back 2 Da Basics, Yo Gotti returns with the same hardcore street flavor that his die-hard fans have come to know and love, only this time around the true king of Memphis has elevated his game a bit. Given the fact that his last record didn’t do the type of big number he’d hope for you’d think that Yo Gotti would switch up his style to reach a larger audience. Right? Wrong! According to Gotti his street credibility with his underground fans means more to him than gold or platinum status.
“The one thing that you have to understand is that when you create a fan base off of street product the last thing you wanna do is disrespect them by changing because of the record companies and stuff like that. When you do that you change what created you. To me it is very important that I keep in tune with the people that helped to sell 40,000 records independently. That’s why I call my record Back 2 Da Basics.”
Produced by DJ Thoomp, Mannie Fresh, Carlos Brody and newcomers Street Tunes, Back 2 Da Basics offers fans a gritty, insider’s view into the real streets of Memphis as seen through the eyes of Yo Gotti. Nowhere is this viewpoint more intense than on “Full Time,” the amped up lead single –and featured in the MTV Films’ Hustle & Flow movie - with a thunderous bass and intoxicating beat that espouses Gotti’s formula to success –hustle full time.
“A lotta cats wanna be a rapper or a street hustler but they don’t wanna put in the time that it takes,” says Yo Gotti. “They want the money and the cars and the girls, but they don’t wanna work hard for it. But to be successful at anything you gotta grind for it.” On the song “Mama We Gone Be Alright,” he waxes introspective by reflecting on all of the hard times that he and his family have suffered through the years and offers her hope-filled words encouragement. “Mama We Gone Be Alright” along with the gripping tune “My Story” emerges as two of the most interesting songs on Back 2 Da Basics. These three titles along with club banging songs like “Shorty” featuring Baby make Back 2 Da Basics one of the best albums of the year.
Ain't No Turning Around
Yo Gotti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pop it with it at the phone when they’re getting that bad life,
Nigger goes like gospel, kills me in the chorus with the drop head after,
You’re a sleight master, you don’t care, barely in the blur,
And I’m enjoying team, ‘cause I have my own line.
Got my own man, saw my own math, fifty one hundred like a hundred’s on time.
Won’t you put your hand on that pot?
Won’t you bush your first glock?
Ain’t no turning around, ain’t no turning around.
Won’t you jump off that porch,
Ain’t no turning around, ain’t no turning around.
These streets hot like a torch, yeah, nigger,
Ain’t no turning around, ain’t no turning around.
I’m from the hard knock life, that all black lights,
It’s making sales on a mountain bike, yeah, that’s that crack life.
Bring the whole one down and sell ‘em on next,
Couple days later, four door six.
Lord, I love shimy spray every day’s a hiny day,
Fuck, you think we’ll charge you like you needed it anyway.
Yeah, just look at those that took a nap,
When you’re on the road to riches, nigger, ain’t no looking back.
Won’t you put your hand on that pot?
Ain’t no turning around, ain’t no turning around.
Won’t you bush your first glock?
Ain’t no turning around, ain’t no turning around.
Won’t you jump off that porch,
Ain’t no turning around, ain’t no turning around.
These streets hot like a torch, yeah, nigger,
Ain’t no turning around, ain’t no turning around.
Shots five men down, says he was hands down,
Pull the brutality, nigger, the reality.
Trade the money all in a black hoodie,
You nigger big and fat, waiting for a bully.
Big babies is the world on drugs,
What you’re seeing in, you see my god damn pearl.
Why you fit here you see my god damn self,
I have more love for these streets than my god damn self.
Won’t you put your hand on that pot?
Ain’t no turning around, ain’t no turning around.
Won’t you bush your first glock?
Ain’t no turning around, ain’t no turning around.
Won’t you jump off that porch,
Ain’t no turning around, ain’t no turning around.
These streets hot like a torch, yeah, nigger,
Ain’t no turning around, ain’t no turning around.
Young nigger’s wiing, shooting shit rapidly
To give him ten years, they do that happily.
They don’t understand, they bring him down the faculty
And wait about to front, is this the nigger’s that some back on me.
Grown man be at, that’s how you handle it,
Reputation is everything, it’s over when you’re damaging.
Money is easy to get, is just hard to manage it,
Always remember the rules before you get your hand in it.
Before you put your hand in it
You got to be the man in it,
Got to understand it, got to know the rules of the game,
Gotta sacrifice, gotta know to fight,
Give your sin as for it break away.
Is your record clean? Lord knows it’s a poor sight,
Caught up in the snitch-snatch, will you imagine that?
Remember what I told you, fuck you, you can turn your back now.
Once upon a time he a realy, he a redneck.
Never turn your back on niggers that you thug with,
Bitch that you really like never fall in love with
Never seen you plug with the money up front,
If you smoke get your own ‘cause don’t hit a nigger blunt.
Remember, dog, go sales and bitches gonna leave soon
Niggers go to jail, so that’s a day from hell.
You nigger all will think that he’ll pleel
Now he ain’t do these bitches on the wall and his male.
But he ain’t tell, so niggers got salute him
And when you hit the streets again, making sure he eat again
He won’t be a beast again, he don’t have to kill again
For eighteen five, you nigger go lie
The lyrics of Yo Gotti's "Ain't No Turning Around" paint the picture of life in the streets where young men are sucked into a life of crime and violence with no way out. The song is from the perspective of someone who has been entrenched in this life and recognizes that there is no escaping the danger and the allure of fast money. The opening lines, "I'm from the hard knock life, that all-white lie," set the tone for the lyrics that follow, speaking to the lies and false promises that entice young men into the streets. The use of "pop it with it at the phone when they're getting that bad life" refers to the violence that can erupt at any moment in the streets, with "pop it" meaning to shoot.
The chorus of the song repeats "Ain't no turning around," emphasizing the idea that once you enter into the life of the streets, there is no escape. The lines "Won't you put your hand on that pot? Ain't no turning around" reference the idea of getting involved in selling drugs, and once you get your hands dirty, there is no turning back. Similarly, "Won't you bush your first glock? Ain't no turning around" speaks to the idea that once you get a gun and commit an act of violence, there is no turning back. The line "These streets hot like a torch, yeah, nigga, Ain't no turning around" further emphasizes the danger of the streets and the idea that once you get involved, there is no escape.
Throughout the lyrics, Yo Gotti speaks to the harsh realities of this life, including the violence and the consequences of getting caught by the law. He also talks about how easy it is to get caught up in it all and how hard it is to get out. The song speaks to the hopelessness that many young men feel when they get involved in this life and the lack of options they have to escape it. Overall, the lyrics of "Ain't No Turning Around" provide a glimpse into the harsh realities of street life and the difficult choices that young men face when they are pulled into it.
Line by Line Meaning
I’m from the hard knock life, that all white lie,
I come from a tough upbringing, where lies were common
Pop it with it at the phone when they’re getting that bad life,
I use guns to protect myself and my business when things get rough
Nigger goes like gospel, kills me in the chorus with the drop head after,
My fellow gang members speak like gospel to me, and the chorus pumps me up to keep going
You’re a sleight master, you don’t care, barely in the blur,
I am a skilled hustler who doesn't let my emotions cloud my judgment
And I’m enjoying team, ‘cause I have my own line.
I love my team, but I also have my own personal business dealings
Got my own man, saw my own math, fifty one hundred like a hundred’s on time.
I have my own suppliers and do my own calculations, treating $5100 like it's $100 on time
Won’t you put your hand on that pot?
Are you willing to take a risk and put your hand in the pot to start selling drugs?
Ain’t no turning around, ain’t no turning around.
Once you start dealing drugs, there’s no turning back
Won’t you bush your first glock?
Are you bold enough to carry a gun for protection?
These streets hot like a torch, yeah, nigger,
The streets are dangerous and risky, filled with violence and tension
I’m from the hard knock life, that all black lights,
I grew up in a rough neighborhood, where darkness was prevalent
It’s making sales on a mountain bike, yeah, that’s that crack life.
Dealing drugs from a bicycle is a common way of doing business in my neighborhood
Bring the whole one down and sell ‘em on next,
I buy a large amount of drugs at once and sell them in smaller amounts over time
Lord, I love shifty spray every day’s a hiny day,
I love to use my car’s air freshener to mask the smell of drugs, and every day is a good day to make money
Fuck, you think we’ll charge you like you needed it anyway.
I will increase the price of drugs, knowing that people will still buy them out of desperation
Yeah, just look at those that took a nap,
If you stop hustling and get complacent, you’ll end up failing
When you’re on the road to riches, nigger, ain’t no looking back.
Once you start making money, you will be motivated to continue and never look back
Shots five men down, says he was hands down,
Someone got shot and killed, and the shooter claims it was in self-defense
Trade the money all in a black hoodie,
I keep all my drug money in a hooded sweatshirt to avoid suspicion
Big babies is the world on drugs,
People who use drugs are vulnerable and easily taken advantage of
What you’re seeing in, you see my god damn pearl,
What you are seeing is my expensive jewelry that I bought with drug money
Remember what I told you, fuck you, you can turn your back now.
I warned you about the risk of drug dealing, but you can leave if you want
Once upon a time he a realy, he a redneck.
At one time, this person considered themselves a real hustler, but now they are a nobody
Never turn your back on niggers that you thug with,
Don't betray the people you do business with, especially if they are dangerous
Bitch that you really like never fall in love with
Don't get too attached to anyone, especially romantic partners, as they may not be loyal
If you smoke get your own ‘cause don’t hit a nigger blunt.
If you want to smoke, bring your own weed and don't ask to share with others
Remember, dog, go sales and bitches gonna leave soon
Money and girlfriends come and go, so don't get too attached
Niggers go to jail, so that’s a day from hell.
Going to jail is a horrible experience and should be avoided at all costs
You nigger all will think that he’ll pleel
People think that they will snitch and avoid getting in trouble, but they often end up getting caught
Now he ain’t do these bitches on the wall and his male.
This man did not snitch on his associates, and should be respected for it
But he ain’t tell, so niggers got salute him
Since he didn't betray anyone, he deserves recognition and respect
If you smoke get your own ‘cause don’t hit a nigger blunt.
If you want to smoke, bring your own weed and don't ask to share with others
Remember, dog, go sales and bitches gonna leave soon
Money and girlfriends come and go, so don't get too attached
Niggers go to jail, so that’s a day from hell.
Going to jail is a horrible experience and should be avoided at all costs
You nigger all will think that he’ll pleel
People think that they will snitch and avoid getting in trouble, but they often end up getting caught
Now he ain’t do these bitches on the wall and his male.
This man did not snitch on his associates, and should be respected for it
But he ain’t tell, so niggers got salute him
Since he didn't betray anyone, he deserves recognition and respect
When you hit the streets again, making sure he eat again
When you're back on the streets, you should help out your associates again
He won’t be a beast again, he don’t have to kill again
Once he's back on his feet, he won't have to resort to violence or hustling as much
For eighteen five, you nigger go lie
For $18,500, you can easily lie and avoid getting in trouble for a crime
Before you put your hand in it
Before you start hustling or dealing drugs
You got to be the man in it,
You have to be confident and assertive to succeed
Got to understand it, got to know the rules of the game,
You have to fully comprehend the risks and regulations of the industry
Gotta sacrifice, gotta know to fight,
You have to be willing to make sacrifices and sometimes fight to succeed
Give your sin as for it break away.
Give it your all and be prepared to leave it all behind when you need to
Is your record clean? Lord knows it’s a poor sight,
Do you have a clean criminal record? If not, it's a poor reflection on you
Caught up in the snitch-snatch, will you imagine that?
If you get caught snitching, your reputation will be ruined
Contributed by Leah P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
blankscreen
We in 23 now n still bumping crazy how no new music can't compare
Kathy Hernandez
Foreals
Aj real lyfer
them boyz been making hits ..few rappers passed away recently over the years
so was good seeing these boys still going hard making hits
potheadcam
They both killed it!!!
Jonathan Huerta
yeah they did they killed it
Trippy Figueroa
Still banging this 2021,☝️💯🥃
YoBoy McLovin
2022
Coca-Cola Coca-Cola
Ain't no turning around
This far so far
No stop don't quite
Shooting for the top
From jump of top
What you missing I got
With a lot more not gonna write it all
Or spill everything
But this one
🔥
Angel Plaza
The first time I heard this track I said Yo Gotti was going to be a threat on this thing we call hip hop. 🔥🔥💯
TAKEYOUHIGHERENTERTAINMENT S.E.M.G
This some real ass sh***!!!! Yo Gotti much respect for going thru what you went thru to come out on top. Tilted hat Homie!!!! People can say what they want, Keep them business' coming into Memphis and clean up the hood!!! One Love!!!