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.
Breakaman
Yo Gotti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nope, It ain't happening, not over here. You ain't finna get a fast
motherfucking come up over here shawty. HELL NAW!!
(Verse 1:)
Shawty was so real back in '96
Before the big life all the ice and all the bricks
Was small time grindin', high school rhymin'
She wouldn't a dime piece, she wouldn't a nine piece
But bout a six or a seven but was real sweet
But she was gangsta in other words thugged-out
But she was trafficing and manufacturin' drugs out
She was a little older she was a little bolder
Than all my other hoes, she drove a blue Corolla
We used to walk to class, I used to hold her folder
You know that in-between green shit to win her over
But fuck it, I'm a soldier, by now she should've noticed
That ya boy gone spit vocals or gone sell yola
She had nice goals future thought-out with a plan
But let me tell you how this bitch was trying to break a man
(Chorus)
Tryin', tryin', to break a man
I don't understand
(Verse 2:)
I told you she was real, at least I thought she was
I fucked with her for years, but that was just because
The situation seemed like it was meant to be
Until the money came I thought we was the perfect team
I worked a little harder, yes, i was like my father
All through the rain, sleet, and snow like it was no tomorrow
I had to stack my dollars, real niggaz do real things like the lifetime in
volume 1 of Sean Carter
I started flippin' cars, she started flippin' out
I tried to figure out what the fuck she bitchin' bout
She go a little crazy, she got a little lazy
No more with future plans and goals she only talkin babies
Im only talkin maybe
She constantly talkin' give me
Don't wanna hustle don't wanna work, I guess she out to get me
My money won't decrease by any circumstance
I ain't gone give you shit, you ain't gone break a man
(Chorus)
(Verse 3:)
Now we didn't have a pot to piss in
Shawty that's when you would listen
My down ass Memphis bitch, just playin yo postion
This before you had my son, this before I had a name
This before i copped the deal, this before I let it WANG
Told you was my plan was to try to come up on some change
Do my music out of town, i got to hoppin' on the planes
All the time away from home, shit you wasn't in my trust
While I'm out of town Rap Hustlin', doing this shit for us
All of a sudden you need some space, so I let you breathe
Went and got yo own place, and I was wrong for lettin' you leave?
Now I'm back to fuckin' niggaz hoes, back to fuckin' bitched friends
Seen the spot I'm livin' in, got mad when I went and got the Benz
Now you want some dividends, now you wanna go to court
I give Nick everything he need, why you filing child support?
Left me, and now you hurt cause you ain't in my plans
You got me fucked up shawty and you tryin' to Break a man (DAMN)
(Chorus til end)
In “Breakaman,” Yo Gotti tells the story of a girl he knew way back in 1996, when they were both in high school. The song opens with Yo Gotti saying he doesn't want to get taken advantage of by anyone. The girl he's talking about was his girlfriend back in the day, and they had a real connection. However, their relationship soured when Yo Gotti started making money. He started flipping cars and hustling, while she got lazy and stopped doing anything productive. She became desperate for money and tried to break Yo Gotti's will with nagging, complaints and even taking him to court for child support.
Through the lyrics, Yo Gotti expresses his frustration with her, her lack of ambition and how she is trying to bring him down. It's a story of someone who was "riding with him" before and being there before the fame and success but quickly abandoned him once things started moving forward. Ultimately, he is determined to keep his money and not let her break him.
Overall, the song is a message to anyone who's ever had to deal with someone trying to bring them down because of their own insecurities. It's a story of betrayal, disappointment, and resilience.
Line by Line Meaning
Shawty was so real back in '96
The girl he knew in 1996 was genuine and sincere
Before the big life all the ice and all the bricks
Before they both became rich and started dealing drugs
Was small time grindin', high school rhymin'
They were struggling to make a living and trying to make it big in music
Just broke up with my bitch so it was like perfect timing
He had just broken up with his girlfriend, so he was free to pursue a new relationship
She wouldn't a dime piece, she wouldn't a nine piece
She wasn't a perfect '10', but was still attractive
But bout a six or a seven but was real sweet
She was a 6 or 7 out of 10 in terms of looks but had a great personality
But she was gangsta in other words thugged-out
She was involved in illegal activities and was rough around the edges
But she was trafficing and manufacturin' drugs out
She was involved in drug trafficking and manufacturing
She was a little older she was a little bolder
She was older and more experienced than him
Than all my other hoes, she drove a blue Corolla
Compared to his other girlfriends, she drove a modest car
We used to walk to class, I used to hold her folder
They used to walk to school together, and he would carry her books for her
But fuck it, I'm a soldier, by now she should've noticed
He's a tough guy and can handle himself, she should have known that by now
That ya boy gone spit vocals or gone sell yola
He's going to make it big in music or sell drugs to become successful
She had nice goals future thought-out with a plan
She had positive aspirations and a plan for her future
But let me tell you how this bitch was trying to break a man
He's about to describe how she tried to ruin his life
I told you she was real, at least I thought she was
He thought that she was genuine and loyal but he soon realized she wasn't
I fucked with her for years, but that was just because
He was with her for a long time, but only because it was convenient
Until the money came I thought we was the perfect team
They were a great couple until they got involved in drug dealing and making money
I worked a little harder, yes, i was like my father
He worked harder to provide for his family, just like his father did
All through the rain, sleet, and snow like it was no tomorrow
He worked hard despite the harsh weather conditions
I had to stack my dollars, real niggaz do real things like the lifetime in volume 1 of Sean Carter
He had to save money, and he believes that real men do real things like Jay-Z describes in his music
I started flippin' cars, she started flippin' out
He started selling cars and making money, but she didn't like it
No more with future plans and goals she only talkin babies
She stopped planning for her future and only wanted to have children
She constantly talkin' give me
She kept asking for money
Don't wanna hustle don't wanna work, I guess she out to get me
She didn't want to work hard, and he thinks she's only after his money
My money won't decrease by any circumstance
He's not going to give her any money, no matter what
I ain't gone give you shit, you ain't gone break a man
He's not going to give her anything, and she's not going to ruin his life
Now we didn't have a pot to piss in
They were poor and struggling to make ends meet
Shawty that's when you would listen
She used to listen to him when they were poor
My down ass Memphis bitch, just playin yo postion
She was loyal and supportive, but she started to overstep her boundaries
This before you had my son, this before I had a name
This was before they had a child and before he became famous
This before i copped the deal, this before I let it WANG
This was before he signed a record deal and became successful
Told you was my plan was to try to come up on some change
He told her that he was going to try and make some money
Do my music out of town, i got to hoppin' on the planes
He traveled out of town to perform and promote his music
All the time away from home, shit you wasn't in my trust
She wasn't trustworthy while he was away from home
While I'm out of town Rap Hustlin', doing this shit for us
He was working hard to provide for both of them
All of a sudden you need some space, so I let you breathe
She suddenly wanted space and he respected that
Went and got yo own place, and I was wrong for lettin' you leave?
She moved out, and he questioned if he should have let her go
Now I'm back to fuckin' niggaz hoes, back to fuckin' bitched friends
He's sleeping with other women again
Seen the spot I'm livin' in, got mad when I went and got the Benz
She's upset that he's living in a nice house and driving an expensive car
Now you want some dividends, now you wanna go to court
She only wants money now and is taking him to court
I give Nick everything he need, why you filing child support?
He is already providing for their child, so he doesn't understand why she's suing for child support
Left me, and now you hurt cause you ain't in my plans
She left him, and now she's hurt because he doesn't want her in his life anymore
You got me fucked up shawty and you tryin' to Break a man (DAMN)
She's trying to ruin his life, but he won't let her
Contributed by Miles Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.