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 cityβs underground rap scene before going on to become national superstars. Next up to bat is Yo Gotti, M-Townβs 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 Southβs 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. βBeing from the hood things like hustling will come your way,β says Yo Gotti. βEverybody in my family hustled in some kinda way.β 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 Gottiβs 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 cityβs 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 magazineβs 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. βIt sold about 40 or 50,000, with no promotions or video,β says Yo Gotti. βThat record did what it did on its own.β But as the old saying goes when one door is closed another opened. Gottiβs 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 didnβt do the type of big number heβd hope for youβd 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.
βThe 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. Thatβs why I call my record Back 2 Da Basics.β
Produced by DJ Thoomp, Mannie Fresh, Carlos Brody and newcomers Street Tunes, Back 2 Da Basics offers fans a gritty, insiderβs view into the real streets of Memphis as seen through the eyes of Yo Gotti. Nowhere is this viewpoint more intense than on βFull Time,β the amped up lead single βand featured in the MTV Filmsβ Hustle & Flow movie - with a thunderous bass and intoxicating beat that espouses Gottiβs formula to success βhustle full time.
βA lotta cats wanna be a rapper or a street hustler but they donβt wanna put in the time that it takes,β says Yo Gotti. βThey want the money and the cars and the girls, but they donβt wanna work hard for it. But to be successful at anything you gotta grind for it.β On the song βMama We Gone Be Alright,β 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. βMama We Gone Be Alrightβ along with the gripping tune βMy Storyβ emerges as two of the most interesting songs on Back 2 Da Basics. These three titles along with club banging songs like βShortyβ featuring Baby make Back 2 Da Basics one of the best albums of the year.
Cross Me
Yo Gotti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That money had you too too excited
Them cars had you way out your character
That jewelry got you way out your character
Them girls got you way out your character
This fame got you way out of character
This flow got you way out of character
I showed you love now you way out of character
I should've known you would cross me
I should've known you would cross me
I should've known you would cross me
I should've known you
I should've known you would cross me
Because I'm on and I'm saucy
And I'm gone and you salty
Steam coming from your head like a coffee
My reality is better than your dreams nigga
My hoe pussy hole is wetter than your dreams nigga
My hoe legs spread wider than your wings nigga
Put your head in a microwave think nigga
You out of character slime you out of character
And me I'm out of patience, sick and tired like Malaria
These hoes like mosquitoes these niggas trying to be hoes
What happened to that boy and I ain't Pusha T though
Supa where the cup at I'm working on my comeback
Girl I'm with got much class but she got a dumb ass
I keep a money bag, a drug bag, and a gun bag
These nigga ain't even shining making the sun mad
Rappers in my lunch bag
Me and Future have a food fight
Bedroom full of new dykes, old green, and new white
That's old money that's new coke
That's Young Money that's 24/7-365
That's Cash Money I'm like who hoe, who hoe, who hoe
I should've known you would cross me (Ya who hoe?)
I should've known you would cross me (I tell 'em kudos)
I should've known you would cross me (I tell 'em adios)
I should've known you would cross me (I'm on my patio)
I should've known you would cross me (Thinking about Hollygrove)
I should've known you would cross me (I tell 'em adios)
I should've known you would cross me (Yeah)
I should've known you would cross me
I was looking in your eyes you ain't built like that
You ain't built like that (I should've know)
I should've known you would cross me
I should've known you would cross me
They say I ain't a rapper I'm a trapper
I be with the robbers and the killers and the kidnappers
I'll fuck your bitch in your crib, watch the kids after
Still fuck a bitch, fuck the ring, motherfuck a pastor
I don't, I should've known she ain't really love
I should've know she just want to fuck me
I fucked up don't judge me
I got this money and I ain't turning down
This money'll turn your life up but bring your family down
Some of the closest niggas to me they don't come around
'Cause some of the closest niggas to me I'll gun 'em down
I should've known you wouldcross me
I'm from the hood and fuck that talk nigga
Go hard until they off me
I should've known you would cross me
I should've known you would cross me
I should've known you would cross me
I should've known you would cross me
I should've known you would cross me
I should've known you would cross me
I should've known you would cross me
I should've known you would cross me
I got some niggas that was there that ain't no longer there
I don't care
I don't cry about it
And I barely get sleep anyway
I should've known you would cross me
In Yo Gotti's song Cross Me, the first verse addresses someone who has changed for the worse due to fame, money, jewelry, and women. The singer had shown them love but they have now become out of character, leading the singer to say that he should have known they would cross him. In the second verse, Yo Gotti talks about his life being different from that of others, with a reality better than other people's dreams. He mentions that he is out of patience and tired, comparing it to the effects of Malaria. Gotti then talks about others trying to be like women and how people go against their character for money and fame. The song ends with Yo Gotti reflecting on people who were once around him but aren't anymore.
Line by Line Meaning
That girl got you too too excited
You were too excited by that girl
That money had you too too excited
You were too excited by that money
Them cars had you way out your character
You were behaving out of character because of those cars
That jewelry got you way out your character
You were behaving out of character because of that jewelry
Them girls got you way out your character
You were behaving out of character because of those girls
This fame got you way out of character
You were behaving out of character because of this fame
This flow got you way out your character
You were behaving out of character because of this flow
I showed you love now you way out of character
You're behaving in a way that's inconsistent with the love I showed you
I should've known you would cross me
I should've known you would betray me
Because I'm on and I'm saucy
You betrayed me because I'm popular and confident
And I'm gone and you salty
You're bitter because I've left you behind
Steam coming from your head like a coffee
You're angry and frustrated
My reality is better than your dreams nigga
My life is better than what you can imagine
My hoe pussy hole is wetter than your dreams nigga
My sex life is better than what you can imagine
My hoe legs spread wider than your wings nigga
I have more freedom than you can imagine
Put your head in a microwave think nigga
You should think things through before acting
You out of character slime you out of character
You're behaving out of character and it's not okay
And me I'm out of patience, sick and tired like Malaria
I'm fed up and exhausted
These hoes like mosquitoes these niggas trying to be hoes
There are women who are trying to take advantage of me and men who are acting like women
What happened to that boy and I ain't Pusha T though
I'm asking what happened to you and I'm not trying to start any beef like Pusha T
Supa where the cup at I'm working on my comeback
I'm focused on making a comeback and need a drink to keep me going
Girl I'm with got much class but she got a dumb ass
The girl I'm with is classy but not very intelligent
I keep a money bag, a drug bag, and a gun bag
I carry bags of money, drugs, and guns
These nigga ain't even shining making the sun mad
These guys aren't even impressive enough to make the sun jealous
Rappers in my lunch bag
I'm surrounded by rappers
Me and Future have a food fight
Future and I are throwing food at each other
Bedroom full of new dykes, old green, and new white
My bedroom is full of attractive women, drugs, and money
That's old money that's new coke
I have old money and I'm into new drugs
That's Young Money that's 24/7-365
That's Young Money, which is a constant source of wealth
That's Cash Money I'm like who hoe, who hoe, who hoe
That's Cash Money and I'm asking who's responsible for betraying me
I was looking in your eyes you ain't built like that
I realized you're not strong enough to handle this lifestyle
You ain't built like that (I should've know)
You don't have what it takes to be loyal (and I should've realized it sooner)
I got some niggas that was there that ain't no longer there
There are people who used to be close to me but aren't anymore
I don't care
I'm okay with that
I don't cry about it
I'm not upset
And I barely get sleep anyway
I'm too busy to worry about it
Lyrics Β© Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dwayne Carter, Mario Mims, Nayvadius Wilburn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@miamakaveli
Havenβt heard this song in over 5 years and it still goes off!!π₯
@mipwatts4460
π πΎββοΈπ§’π₯π₯2023 still here
@VVSZN24
Heard this again for the first time like last week I forgot about this heat π€¦πΎββοΈπ―
@DeePolar.
Factsz
@LeezLegit
Regardless of what people say, wayne changed the game. Whether for better or worse is for 2 different generations to argue but once he dies he will be remembered as a legend
@dexterslab319
W
@tunekahuna8146
Wel said
@anaarrachy7209
agreed!!! π
@anthonymccommons6271
I agree
@pbu7235
Facts. π π―