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.
How To Do It
Yo Gotti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your girl got a instagram clip
15 seconds ain't enough
We talkin' bout a mothafuckin' feature film
And I heard you was mad at us
Well, wait until you get a load of this
Rally stripes center one
Yeah me and your bitch
Marijuana and liquor
Her favorite
Mama got good sense but her head game crazy
She on the bed like a stripper stage goin' in
She bust it open like a SLS Mercedes
Do it for a G
Do it for a G
Do it for a G
Do it for a G
All I wanna be, is all that I could be
All that I could be, that's why they fuck with me
Do it for a 'G' or B-A-N-D-Z
Got an AK watchin' out for the FBI
Try'na be F-R-E-E
Do it for the OG niggas in the cutlasses
Old school Chevy and the hustlin'
AR-15, FN, SK bustin' it (Bang)
Got them hoes on deck, got them hoes on deck
Got the Benz and Porsche got the white Rolls Royce
And the doors on that, go
Opposite, I'm the opposite
I'm type of G nigga, ain't no stoppin' it
Do it for a G
Do it for a G
Do it for a G
Do it for a G
All I wanna be, is all that I could be
All that I could be, that's why they fuck with me
Comin' down, papered up
They makin' way for us, they know we holdin' now
I made a plan to be the man
Go and get it, that money ain't gon' wait around
Comin' down, papered up
They makin' way for us, they know we holdin' now
Made a plan to be the man
Real money only bosses in my circle when you look around
Do it for a G
Do it for a G
Do it for a G
Do it for a G
All I wanna be, is all that I could be
All that I could be, that's why they fuck with me
The lyrics to Yo Gotti's "How To Do It" paints the picture of a flashy individual living his best life with no care in the world. The song focuses on doing things for the sole purpose of achieving the highest level of success by living the life of a gangster (a G). At the beginning of the song, Yo Gotti brags about his flashy intro where he sees his girl on Instagram for 15 seconds, which isn't enough for him, and he is talking about making a feature film instead.
Later in the song, Gotti talks about his sexual escapades with a girl who is into smoking marijuana and liquor. Despite the fact that the girl has good sense and comes from a respectable background, she lets loose like a stripper on a stage, expressing her sexuality without any inhibitions. Yo Gotti talks about having everything he wants, including a car with rally stripes and a gun to protect himself from the FBI. He brags about having multiple girls, expensive cars, old school Chevy and busting AR-15 FN SK, and the hustle. He then states that he is living his life on his terms and not stopping no matter what.
Overall, the song is about living the gangster lifestyle, with all the luxuries, material possessions, and the security that comes with it. It's about the pursuit of success, living without any care in the world, and doing whatever it takes to achieve the highest level of success.
Line by Line Meaning
You shoulda seen how I pulled up (Pulled up)
I arrived in style and caught people's attention
Your girl got a instagram clip
Your girl is featured on my social media
15 seconds ain't enough
I needed more time to show off your girl
We talkin' bout a mothafuckin' feature film
Your girl deserves a full-length movie instead of a mere Instagram clip
And I heard you was mad at us
I heard you were upset with me
Well, wait until you get a load of this
You won't be happy with what I have in store for you
Rally stripes center one
My car has a unique racing stripe down the middle
Scratched off like a lottery ticket
It looks like the stripe was scratched off with a coin, like a lottery ticket
Yeah me and your bitch
Your girl and I
Marijuana and liquor
We're smoking weed and drinking alcohol
Her favorite
This is what she likes
Mama got good sense but her head game crazy
Your girl's mother raised her well, but she excels in other areas too
She on the bed like a stripper stage goin' in
She's putting in work in bed, like a stripper performing on stage
She bust it open like a SLS Mercedes
She's opening up sexually like the doors on a fancy car
Do it for a 'G' or B-A-N-D-Z
I'm hustling for money and respect
Got an AK watchin' out for the FBI
I'm carrying heavy firepower and keeping an eye out for the authorities
Try'na be F-R-E-E
I'm trying to be free of financial struggles
Do it for the OG niggas in the cutlasses
I'm doing this for the older, respected people in the community
Old school Chevy and the hustlin'
I'm representing the old-school values of hard work and a classic Chevy car
AR-15, FN, SK bustin' it (Bang)
I'm using powerful firearms to defend myself and my business
Got them hoes on deck, got them hoes on deck
I have a group of women readily available for my pleasure
Got the Benz and Porsche got the white Rolls Royce
I own multiple high-end luxury cars
And the doors on that, go
The doors on my cars go up, which is rare and eye-catching
Opposite, I'm the opposite
I'm different from others, I stand out
I'm type of G nigga, ain't no stoppin' it
I'm a gangster and nothing can get in my way
Comin' down, papered up
I'm coming down the street with a lot of cash in my pocket
They makin' way for us, they know we holdin' now
People know that I'm wealthy and respect me for it
I made a plan to be the man
I had a plan to become successful and followed through with it
Go and get it, that money ain't gon' wait around
I'm working hard to make money because opportunities won't wait for me
Real money only bosses in my circle when you look around
I surround myself with other successful and wealthy people
Lyrics Β© Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Mario Mims, Shante Franklin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MoniqueShontell-qu4yp
God's conqueror ,
my strength is so fierce I,
know that I can stand,
as The Lords Prayer outrageously maintains my firmest repents . FORGIVE FORGIVENESS. FORGIVING FORGIVERS FOUND FEARLESS FAILURE. . FAITHFULLY FIGHTING FOR FUTURES FUNDAMENTS FREELY ...FATHER FAILS NOT!
FINDING FAMILY FEELS/FILLS FORTUNATE, FOREVER, FAVOR FADES NOT
I pray for the wishes of gaining family involvement and the abilities to meet my grandkids
NO EXCUSES ON MY TYPOS.
I DO NEED MY GLASSES.
I CORRECT MY GRAMMAR , AND ACCEPT MY REDEVELOPMENTS OF OLD BRAIN DAMAGE.
I BELIEVE IN BETTER DAYS , STRIVING SUCCESS , EXPERIENCING ENTREPPENURIAL
@Prettyrissa
I appreciate Gotti (staff) for giving me my first job when I move to memphis.. That's real shit and love ...
@marcotaylor3953
YepPππ€«π·
@lessleyvicks4747
Hey luv morning
@leslieheald7241
π
@koronbracey1054
02:32 GOT A PRESENT & I KNOW IT AIN'T YOUR BIRTHDAY
@xoangelicaf0523
Keyshia Kaoir pretty then & now π
@rickstar101
It's just amazing how far Yo Gotti has developed as an artist, today's sound in 2022 suits him
@nazirnazir7402
When men wore jeans RIGHT and NOT TIGHT
@kimberlywalker3683
Yes he need to pull em up a lil bit....
@malikjones3293
This song came out many years ago and its one of his best but it's sad people never heard this song some people have no taste in music