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.
General
Yo Gotti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm a general, little nigga I'm a general
I can fuck a sack up 'cause the money plentiful
I'm a general, little nigga I'm a general
I can fuck a sack up 'cause the money plentiful
I'm a general, little nigga I'm a general
I'm a general, little nigga I'm a general
I'm a general, little nigga I'm a general
Takin' care of the hood, you a general
I be talkin' real shit in general
Got a lot of keys like the janitor
Cleanin' out them keys got me an Aventador
Playin' with the keys like a piano
Shout out to my thick bitch in Atlanta
She a boss bitch, yeah she a boss bitch
I be downing pounds like I'm on Crossfit
Medusa heads, they're Versace
I'm rich from sellin' dope so I cannot be illuminati
My nigga 18 and he just caught him a body
First I made his bond then I bought him a Maserati
Congrats
I'm a general, little nigga I'm a general
I can fuck a sack up 'cause the money plentiful
I'm a general, little nigga I'm a general
I can fuck a sack up 'cause the money plentiful
I'm a general, little nigga I'm a general
I'm a general, little nigga I'm a general
I'm a general, little nigga I'm a general
I'm a general, little nigga I'm a general
Tat my name cross her hand and salute me
Got them mollys and them xans, that's a two piece
I got my main bitch ridin' like a Goonie
I got that duffle bag on me and it's Louie
I'm 'bout to do the whole dash out here grindin', grindin'
I got three mil all in jewelry, go ask Avianne
Ain't no brag in bossin', I caught the wave on 'em
You don't want no problems, we gon' lay on you
Step in the kitchen, it's woo
Strap with that carbine, it's woo
Sippin' that lean like Goose, I'm full of them drugs
I get dirty-dirty money, it's covered in blood
If you can't fuck no pop star you a scrub
Freebandz
I'm a general, little nigga I'm a general
I'm a general, little nigga I'm a general
I'm a general, little nigga I'm a general
I'm a general, little nigga I'm a general
Salute me or you shoot me when you see me 'cause
Purple Heart for all your soldiers, they know what it was
They know what it is, yeah they know what it is
They know chop-chop-chop-chop, they know this shit real
Takin' care of your kids, you a general
Fuck nigga, I don't do subliminals
Fuck nigga, I don't do no interviews
'Bout no beef, 'bout no issues
Catch you slippin', get up witcha
I'm a general, yeah I'm a general
Stars and stripes, you know how it go
You can't get no bricks from me 'less you want 10 or more
I'm a general, little nigga I'm a general
I can fuck a sack up 'cause the money plentiful
I'm a general, little nigga I'm a general
I can fuck a sack up 'cause the money plentiful
I'm a general, little nigga I'm a general
I'm a general, little nigga I'm a general
I'm a general, little nigga I'm a general
I'm a general, little nigga I'm a general
The song "General" by Yo Gotti and Future is an upbeat rap song that talks about their prowess as generals in the music industry. The song opens with the repeated phrase "I'm a general," which serves as the main hook that sticks in the listener's mind. Throughout the song, they talk about their ability to make money and how they are taking care of their hood by providing opportunities for others. The lyrics also include references to drugs, women, and violence, which are common themes in rap music.
The verse "Takin' care of the hood, you a general / I be talkin' real shit in general" suggests that the artists are not only successful in their music careers but are also giving back to their communities. The line "Got a lot of keys like the janitor / Cleanin' out them keys got me an Aventador" could be interpreted as a reference to both the drug trade and the artists' ability to turn their earnings into luxury items. The line "My nigga 18 and he just caught him a body / First I made his bond then I bought him a Maserati" is a disturbing reference to violence but also highlights the artists' loyalty to their friends and associates.
Line by Line Meaning
Woah, woah, woah, woah
Introduction/Ad-lib
I'm a general, little nigga I'm a general
I am a leader/Most important
I can fuck a sack up 'cause the money plentiful
I can make a lot of money
Takin' care of the hood, you a general
Taking care of your community makes you a leader
I be talkin' real shit in general
I speak the truth in general
Got a lot of keys like the janitor
I have a lot of keys to open locked doors like the janitor
Cleanin' out them keys got me an Aventador
Selling those keys allowed me to buy a luxury car
Playin' with the keys like a piano
I am good at managing drug sales like a pianist playing keys
Shout out to my thick bitch in Atlanta
I acknowledge my plus-size partner in Atlanta
She a boss bitch, yeah she a boss bitch
She is a strong and independent woman
I be downing pounds like I'm on Crossfit
I can handle a lot of weight (of drugs) like someone who does Crossfit
Medusa heads, they're Versace
I wear Versace clothing with Medusa heads as the brand's icon
I'm rich from sellin' dope so I cannot be illuminati
I am wealthy due to drug sales and not by belonging to a secret society like Illuminati
My nigga 18 and he just caught him a body
My friend, who is only 18, just committed a murder
First I made his bond then I bought him a Maserati
I paid for his release from jail and then bought him an expensive car as a reward for the crime he committed
Congrats
Congratulations/Note of approval
Tat my name cross her hand and salute me
My lover got a tattoo of my name and salutes me because I am a leader
Got them mollys and them xans, that's a two piece
I have both types of drugs (Mollies and Xanax) and that's a profitable combination
I got my main bitch ridin' like a Goonie
I have my main partner/friend riding with me like in the movie The Goonies
I got that duffle bag on me and it's Louie
I have a Louis Vuitton duffle bag with me
I'm 'bout to do the whole dash out here grindin', grindin'
I am going to leave quickly and work hard at making more money
I got three mil all in jewelry, go ask Avianne
I have three million dollars' worth of jewelry, you can ask the jeweler Avianne about it
Ain't no brag in bossin', I caught the wave on 'em
I am not bragging about being a boss, I simply caught the trend and capitalized on it
You don't want no problems, we gon' lay on you
You do not want any trouble with us, we will attack/lay on you
Step in the kitchen, it's woo
Entering the kitchen means cocaine is involved (woo is an onomatopoeic representation of the sound cocaine makes when chopped)
Strap with that carbine, it's woo
Having a carbine gun makes me feel secure (woo is an onomatopoeic representation of the sound the gun makes)
Sippin' that lean like Goose, I'm full of them drugs
Drinking lean (cough syrup mixed with soda) makes me feel high and I am full of drugs
I get dirty-dirty money, it's covered in blood
The money I make from selling drugs is dirty money and it is covered in the blood of those affected by the drug trade
If you can't fuck no pop star you a scrub
If you cannot have sex with a famous singer, you are a loser
Freebandz
Record label of the artist Future
Salute me or you shoot me when you see me 'cause
Either pay respect to me or you will shoot me on sight
Purple Heart for all your soldiers, they know what it was
Giving a Purple Heart to all your soldiers (after sustaining an injury in combat) shows recognition and appreciation for their sacrifice and efforts
They know what it is, yeah they know what it is
They know what the situation is and understand it completely
They know chop-chop-chop-chop, they know this shit real
They know that the sound of chopping something (like cocaine) signifies the realness of the situation
Takin' care of your kids, you a general
Taking care of your children and ensuring their wellbeing makes you a leader
Fuck nigga, I don't do subliminals
I do not speak in code or subtly, I speak directly
Fuck nigga, I don't do no interviews
I do not do any interviews, I keep to myself
'Bout no beef, 'bout no issues
We are not going to have any problems with each other
Catch you slippin', get up witcha
If I catch you off guard, I will attack you
Stars and stripes, you know how it go
Referring to the American flag and the power it represents
You can't get no bricks from me 'less you want 10 or more
You cannot buy a small amount of drugs (bricks) from me, you must purchase 10 or more at a time
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Benjamin Diehl, Khaled Khaled, Marco Rodriguez, Nayvadius Cash, Mario Sentell Giden
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind