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.
Do What Yo
Yo Gotti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What would you do?
Got that question so tight
What would you do?
What would you do?
What would you do?
If a nigger call yourself taken
Hey you really got me mistaken
What would you do?
If a nigger saw you rewriting
Then close the phone in yo block
Can you ever replace it?
What would you do?
What would you?
What would you do?
What would you do?
What would you do?
What would you do?
What would you do?
What would you do?
If a nigger took the stand
But he call yourself yo man
What would you do?
What would you do?
If he set you up
Would you let the shit slide
Would you wave here up
What would you do?
If you didn’t come back
And you breaking a sweat
Boy I’ll answer next
What would you do?
If your partner turned coward on
What would you do?
If your baby mama turned south
What would you do?
If that pill was right there in yo possession
Would you straight drop it or would you try to stretch it
I got niggers facing life like they ask yourself that question
They just put it on yo ass outside no second guessing
And where the psych is out cause home boy I’m so connected
Had a gift wrapped up right for the streets
What would you do?
If a nigger call yourself taken
A nigger play with yo paper
Hey you really got me mistaken
What would you do?
If a nigger saw you rewriting
Then close the phone in yo block
Can you ever replace it?
What would you do?
What would you?
What would you do?
What would you do?
What would you do?
What would you do?
What would you do?
What would you do?
If a nigger took the stand
But he call yourself yo man
What would you do?
What would you do?
If you was in my shoes
Just a ..trying to get yo 100
Your partner give me loose, loose
What would you do
If your partner bitch trying to fall
Your bitch is ready for
No tell your partner what’s up
What would you do?
With a mean cash
Or 100 babe
For they last days
And you can smell it through the dance
I hope I don’t play before I make it out
Cookie to a chill then you take it out
What would you do?
If a blunt nigger try to fake yo ass
By your own admission leave you unnamed and
And this family calling they asking questions
You ain’t got no words
Take kill in the moment yo baby gone
What would you do?
If a nigger call yourself taken
A nigger play with yo paper
Hey you really got me mistaken
What would you do?
If a nigger saw you rewriting
Then close the phone in yo block
Can you ever replace it?
What would you do?
What would you?
What would you do?
What would you do?
What would you do?
What would you do?
What would you do?
What would you do?
If a nigger took the stand
But he call yourself yo man
What would you do?
The lyrics to Yo Gotti's song "Do What Yo Want" are centered around the idea of what a person would do in various challenging situations. The chorus asks repeatedly, "What would you do?" and goes on to present hypothetical scenarios involving friends, partners, and circumstances that might test a person's values or loyalties. For example, if someone took something from you, or if someone you trusted turned against you, what would be your response? The song seems to address the idea of personal agency and the importance of staying true to oneself and one's principles, even in the face of adversity.
The language and style of the lyrics are typical of hip-hop, with strong rhythms and rhymes, and the use of slang and street language. There is a sense of urgency and intensity to the song, reflecting the idea that these are serious issues that demand attention and a strong response. Ultimately, the song is about survival and self-preservation, and the importance of staying strong and true to oneself in the face of challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, what would you do?
Have you ever thought about how you would react in certain situations?
What would you do?
How would you handle it?
Got that question so tight
This question is really important and deserves your attention.
What would you do?
Seriously, how would you react?
If a nigger call yourself taken
If someone claims to be your romantic partner.
A nigger play with yo paper
If someone messes with your money.
Hey you really got me mistaken
You have the wrong idea about me.
If a nigger saw you rewriting
If someone caught you editing your work.
Then close the phone in yo block
If they ended the call before you finished speaking.
Can you ever replace it?
Is there anything you can do to fix the situation?
If a nigger took the stand
If someone testified against you in court.
But he call yourself yo man
But claims to be your friend.
If he set you up
If someone framed you for a crime you didn't commit.
Would you let the shit slide
Would you just let it go and move on?
Would you wave here up
Would you confront them and demand an explanation?
If you didn’t come back
If you didn't return from a dangerous situation.
And you breaking a sweat
And you're extremely anxious about what might have happened.
Boy I’ll answer next
I'll let you know what I would do.
If your partner turned coward on
If your friend betrayed you when things got tough.
If your baby mama turned south
If your child's mother became difficult to deal with.
If that pill was right there in yo possession
If you had a pill that could get you high.
Would you straight drop it or would you try to stretch it
Would you use it all at once or make it last?
I got niggers facing life like they ask yourself that question
I know people who are in serious trouble and have had to ask themselves these same questions.
They just put it on yo ass outside no second guessing
These decisions have high stakes and can't be taken lightly.
And where the psych is out cause home boy I’m so connected
And because of my connections, I'm able to stay safe and make smart decisions.
Had a gift wrapped up right for the streets
I have the knowledge and experience to navigate dangerous situations.
If you was in my shoes
If you were in my position and had my responsibilities.
Just a ..trying to get yo 100
Just trying to make some money.
Your partner give me loose, loose
Your friend isn't as committed to the hustle as you are.
If your partner bitch trying to fall
If your friend's significant other is causing problems for the group.
Your bitch is ready for
Your significant other is willing to help you out.
No tell your partner what’s up
Don't let your friend know what you're up to, just handle it.
With a mean cash
With a lot of money.
Or 100 babe
Or a hundred other things that could go wrong.
For they last days
For the final countdown.
And you can smell it through the dance
You can sense that something bad is about to happen.
I hope I don’t play before I make it out
I hope I don't get caught before I can escape the danger.
Cookie to a chill then you take it out
Things can quickly turn sour and you need to be ready to bail out.
If a blunt nigger try to fake yo ass
If someone tries to deceive you.
By your own admission leave you unnamed and
They'll deny any responsibility or involvement.
And this family calling they asking questions
And now even your family is getting dragged into the situation.
You ain’t got no words
You're speechless because you know you've been played.
Take kill in the moment yo baby gone
You need to act quickly and decisively to save yourself and those you love.
Lyrics © THE ADMINISTRATION MP INC, BMG Rights Management
Written by: JOHNMICHAEL GIBSON, ANTWAUN ARNOLD, MARIO S GIDEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Derek Ross
The entire album is well put together. Stay safe and keep making hustler music for the masses.
Yo Gotti
Thanks bro
RASTA GOD
Weak af
Just My Perspective
Hell yeah! Love that boss rap! I’m not into the new “I’m so depressed” “let’s hurry up and die as quickly as possible” and “I’m a junky” new age rap. 🤦🏽♂️
alida flus
This one is a banger you never disappoint your fans with great music keep up the good work
Edward Fraire
😍😘💋
James Smith
Gotti, I still remember listening to you 15 years ago. The progress you have made in your life is amazing and you can hear it through your music G. Hip Hop Hall of fame, no cap
Cody Slentz
Frfr
Polar bear
RIP to the King of Memphis 🐬🐬🐬
Genie Da Don
Props to the producer for putting this beat together 🔥