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.
Get Money
Yo Gotti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Turn up, turn up, turn up on these niggas
I know you heard 'bout G
Last niggas played with me had two, three surgeries
The young gangstas can learn from me
The opps dream about burnin' me
Them blocks, they go for thirty-three
You single if I want you bae
Yo' nigga know what's up with me
Niggas get in they feelings over these women then try come for me
I'ma get it all in her, lean down whisper, "Is you gon' cum for me?"
She was faithful 'til she met a gangsta, I brought her habits back
Standin' over yo' lady lettin' it dangle, doin' the cabbage patch
Niggas know the city was gettin' soft, I brought the static back
If he say I snaked him, then I adapted to my habitat
If they say I'm gangsta and 'bout my paper then it's facts in that
I pray they don't check it when I mail it 'cause it's thrax in that
Action-packed, I think the whole city know that we on it
Hard for him to sleep, his pillow got a hunnid Gs on it
This that gangsta shit that you was missin', you was lovin'
I still think that I can make a million on Tubman
Ain't no halfway in it, if you with us, we thuggin'
I'ma drop the ticket, go and get 'em if you love me
We ride in them rentals when we spinnin' on yo' buddy (yeah)
I just wanna ball with my niggas where it's sunny (just ball)
Fifty-five hunnid boss niggas gettin' money (yeah)
Fifty-five hunnid boss niggas gettin' money (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
That's on gang, that's on me, that's on my name, what's up Gee?
I say 'Forty', I ain't talkin' bout a strap, but a key
Streets lucky, boy I just might send a hunnid through Kentucky, yeah
I'm the type of plug if you don't pay then shit get ugly, yeah
Hit his mama house, shoot up the car and hit his buddy, yeah
This that gangsta shit, we don't play no games about that money, yeah
Big Gotti, plug talk, CMG (plug)
Ten bricks for yo' advance, you signed to the streets
Urus, 'Rari, Cutlass, Forgi's
Kick that lil' bitch out, I caught that hoe tryin' to record me (outta here)
Buddy owe me for a half a brick and been avoidin' me (where he at?)
Drivin' off them Xans, fell asleep, damn near destroyed me
This that gangsta shit that you was missin', you was lovin'
I still think that I can make a million on Tubman
Ain't no halfway in it, if you with us, we thuggin'
I'ma drop the ticket, go and get 'em if you love me
We ride in them rentals when we spinnin' on yo' buddy
I just wanna ball with my niggas where it's sunny
Fifty-five hunnid boss niggas gettin' money
Fifty-five hunnid boss niggas gettin' money
In Yo Gotti's song "Get Money," he talks about his love for luxury and wealth by referencing designer brands such as Versace, and boasting about his recent experience in Dubai. He mentions his lavish lifestyle and the perks of being rich, such as traveling first class, owning expensive cars like a Maybach and a Wraith, and rocking designer clothes like Jordans and Loubs. He also talks about his entourage of shooters, and his disregard for snitches and gossip.
Throughout the song, Yo Gotti shows off his sinister and rebellious side, with lines like "I would rather sell dope forever niggas, Take my chances instead of rappin' with you peasant niggas" and "How much you think they would pay for your life? In the trap with the weed and the yay and the dice." He speaks on his willingness to do whatever it takes to maintain his status and keep the money flowing.
Overall, "Get Money" is a bold and braggadocious track that shows Yo Gotti's dedication to the hustle and his love for the finer things in life.
Line by Line Meaning
That boy Zay on the beats
Introducing Zay, the producer of the song
Aye, I'm talkin' everything Versace
I'm talking about everything being Versace, a luxury brand
These four got Versace soul (I want the gown and all that shit)
These four items have the soul of Versace, referring to a set of expensive objects. The singer also wants a gown and other accessories associated with the brand
Muthafuckin' tea cup, silverware (I'm rockin' them Js though up under it)
Even the teacup and silverware are expensive, but the artist is wearing Jordans underneath his fancy clothes
I just got back from Dubai (bai)
The artist recently returned from Dubai, a wealthy city in the United Arab Emirates
I'm on these Xans so high (high)
The singer is high on Xanax, a prescription drug known for its calming effects
I'm in first class with two-fifty (two-fifty)
The singer is on a flight in first class with $250,000
Fuck JFK airport, lost my nigga Grip at customs (Customs)
The artist dislikes JFK airport and lost his friend Grip at customs, possibly referring to an incident with law enforcement
Say he had a warrant in Georgia (what), he was sippin' on that oil (aye)
Grip had a warrant in Georgia and was drinking lean (also known as 'oil'), a mixture of cough syrup and soda
I been out in Abu Dhabi, this shit got me spoiled (spoiled)
The artist has been in Abu Dhabi and has become accustomed to a luxurious lifestyle
Wraith, Maybach (skrrt, skrrt), drophead (skrrt), all that (skrrt, skrrt)
The singer is listing expensive cars he owns or wants
Versace, palace, I hope your hoe don't post that
The artist is wearing Versace and is at a palace, and hopes no one takes pictures of his activities with someone else's partner
No more fun, that bitch boring, I may give your hoe back
The singer is tired of his current partner and may leave them for someone else's partner
This a Zay track and I talk nothin' but yay on it
The song was produced by Zay and the singer is only talking about drugs, specifically cocaine (slang term yay)
This that good music, fuck around and put 'Ye on it
The singer thinks the song is good enough to feature Kanye West on it
Dope boy, I rock designer with my Js on
The artist deals drugs and wears expensive designer clothes with Jordans
I'm always rockin' Loubs so I'm always on the red carpet
The artist frequently wears Louboutin shoes, which are often seen on the red carpet
I don't watch the news, don't do gossip, none of my dogs started
The singer avoids the news and gossip and has no affiliation with any violent incidents
Get money for a hobby, my living room a lobby
The singer makes money easily and quickly, and has a large living room to entertain guests
And all my niggas shooters, so honestly I don't know who shot him
The artist's friends are skilled with guns, and he doesn't know who was responsible for a shooting
You snitchin' and you rottin', I see these little rappers teamin' up
The artist knows some rappers are collaborating with each other and possibly snitching
Go get the money machine, Zay, go get the money machine, Zay
The artist asks Zay to bring a money counting machine to count their profits
How much you think they would pay for your life?
The singer is asking how much someone would be willing to pay for their life, implying they are valuable
Free Kaep, Big Meech, middle finger to them suckas
The artist supports Colin Kaepernick and Big Meech and doesn't care about the opinions of others
I would rather sell dope forever niggas (ever niggas)
The singer would rather sell drugs illegally for the rest of their life
Underwater bring it back like it's a treasure nigga (treasure nigga)
The singer can recover drug packages from underwater like they are hidden treasure
We need the money money machine, zay, we need the money machine, Zay
The singer reiterates the need for a money counting machine
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: George Stone III, Jeffrey Lynn Jones Jr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@connieharris2738
"She was faithful til she met a gangsta I brought her habits back standing over yo lady letting it dangle doing the cabbage patch". 🔥🔥🔥💯 I fuccs with bro forreal.
@OhDrewzy
The “listening while scrolling down the comments” crew.
@clouds5927
💯🔥🔥🔥
@louisvillePhil
Yes indeed I was one of the first few people who commented my 1 comment got 17 likes 🏆🎶🙏🏾
@audriennascott8531
Deep too but everybody wanna argue bout Gotti and Gucci 😂
@gel0121
Factssss
@Kato777God
https://youtu.be/_UqWPEtCg0s
@FloridaB7132
damn Gotti snapped on signing this cat.
EST GEE
@lebronnjamess4303
https://youtu.be/aLIRWKmDmcw
@NikkoMartinez-me9hs
Qq11