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.
Mr. Tell It
Yo Gotti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mr. Tell It gone do yo thang (do yo thang)
Mr. Tell It present yo game (sent yo game)
Mr. Tell It gone head and squeal (head and squeal)
Can you see that my hoe ain't going
I thought you was real
[Verse 1]
Disturbing peace inside my home
Tryna tell my biz and shit so he can get inside the throne
I guess the nigga like my song after I fucked a nigga's bitch
I'm fucking niggaz all daily baby ain't gotta snitch
Strong you'll never sell memoir salt don't kill a playa
Once a hoe forever hoes always been a tattle tell
Ever since the third grade still got the same waves
Ridin' and kickin' shit with you
And the hoe know every move I make
This nigga must think I'm dumb
Getting' the numbers out my phone
All around hoe navi - gaty (navigator) lickin' out his tongue
2 waying my bitch and shit he know something' what she don't know
Nigga what you think this a Jenny Jones or Springer show
Nigga I got hoes to give, hoe wit rides, and hoes wit cribs
Synonyms and antonyms, negatives and positives
Frankly what I'm trying to say you can tell the President
My hoe know numbers Gotti on tip she relevant
[Chorus]
[Verse 2]
Mr. Tell It tell the truth, is you jealous or you jes?
Overprotected don't fuck around and get no injection
Not bout the bitch but bout the principle
That you want to see me living life miserable
They say bullets ain't got no name money ain't got no rules
And a bitch gone do what she want to
My street literature spit at her so quick and smooth
She give a fuck about the hustling doubts that you went through
So get yourself together dawg and tune in tonight
She want to fuck with a thug Mr. Tell It you too nice
All you want to do is lick her pussy and hit her bare
She want to fuck with a nigga that don't really care
Yo gotti hit the bitch and I'll never call her again
Same room same hotel next week with her friend
So Mr. Tell It I hope you linen (listen)
Stay the fuck up out my business
[Chorus]
[Verse 3]
Mr. Tell It don't shoot me down to knock a bitch
Mr. Tell It don't use my name, remember you the shit
I can't help I fucked your hoe, and yo 'cause, and yo sissta
and yo ex-girl-lah
Mr. Tell It want to pay be back, ain't that a bitch
My name ain't Kurt so remember that
Mr. Tell It these hoes already know that I'm a dawg
Mr. Tell It can't say nuttin nice then don't speak at all
Mr. Tell It quit bothering me, watching me
Following like a private eye agency
Mr. Tell It just leave me alone
Cause on the real, I don't want to put one in your dome
So leave me alone
Mr. Tell It we tryin' to sleep
Quit leaving message bout where I was last week
It's understood, Mr. Tell It listen close
I ain't married and ya boy don't love the hoe
Mr. Tell It
[Chorus] - repeat until end
In "Mr. Tell It," Yo Gotti is addressing a person who he refers to as "Mr. Tell It." According to the chorus, Mr. Tell It is someone who spreads rumors and gossip about Yo Gotti's life. Gotti is aware of Mr. Tell It's actions and advises him to "do his thing" and "present his game" but not to interfere in Gotti's business.
The rapper describes Mr. Tell It's attempts to obtain information about Gotti, including talking to people close to him and even attempting to get into his phone. Gotti dismisses Mr. Tell It's questioning and tells him to stay out of his business. He makes it clear that he has relationships with multiple women and that he has no problem being a "dawg," which conflicts with Mr. Tell It's apparent desire for Gotti to settle down.
Ultimately, Gotti tells Mr. Tell It to leave him alone and stop following him, warning that he could get violent if Mr. Tell It continues to meddle in his life. The song's overall message is that people should focus on their own lives instead of getting involved in others' business.
Line by Line Meaning
Mr. Tell It gone do yo thang (do yo thang)
Mr. Tell It, go ahead and do what you do best which is gossiping and telling everyone my business
Mr. Tell It present yo game (sent yo game)
Mr. Tell It, tell everyone about the things I do, like how I messed with another guy's girl
Mr. Tell It gone head and squeal (head and squeal)
Mr. Tell It, go ahead and rat me out to everyone, tell them what I've been up to
Can you see that my hoe ain't going
Don't you see that my girl is still with me, even after you told her all my secrets
I thought you was real
I thought you were trustworthy and wouldn't betray my confidence
I got Mr. Tell It up on the phone
I'm on the phone with Mr. Tell It right now
Disturbing peace inside my home
He's disrupting my peace and quiet by calling and telling me things I don't want to hear
Tryna tell my biz and shit so he can get inside the throne
He's trying to get information about my life so he can use it for his own gain
I guess the nigga like my song after I fucked a nigga's bitch
He's only interested in my life because he heard about me sleeping with someone else's girlfriend
I'm fucking niggaz all daily baby ain't gotta snitch
I sleep with different people every day, I don't need someone like Mr. Tell It to tell everyone what I'm doing
Strong you'll never sell memoir salt don't kill a playa
I don't care how much he talks, I'll always be successful and he won't bring me down
Once a hoe forever hoes always been a tattle tell
People who are promiscuous always tend to be gossips and can't keep a secret
Ever since the third grade still got the same waves
Even since childhood, I've always had the same attitude and behavior
Ridin' and kickin' shit with you
We used to hang out and do fun things together
And the hoe know every move I make
Mr. Tell It is telling everyone what I'm up to, including my girlfriend
This nigga must think I'm dumb
Mr. Tell It probably thinks I'm naïve and won't find out what he's doing
Getting' the numbers out my phone
Mr. Tell It is going through my phone and copying down numbers
All around hoe navi - gaty (navigator) lickin' out his tongue
He's like a GPS for hoes, always telling everything he knows
2 waying my bitch and shit he know something' what she don't know
He's texting my girlfriend and revealing things to her that I haven't told her yet
Nigga what you think this a Jenny Jones or Springer show
He's acting like this is a TV talk show where he's revealing people's secrets for fun
Nigga I got hoes to give, hoe wit rides, and hoes wit cribs
I have different types of women in my life, some of whom I provide for
Synonyms and antonyms, negatives and positives
Regardless of whether I do good or bad things, Mr. Tell It will always have something to say
Frankly what I'm trying to say you can tell the President
I don't care who Mr. Tell It tells about my activities, even the President of the United States wouldn't care
My hoe know numbers Gotti on tip she relevant
My girlfriend knows how many people I've slept with, but it doesn't matter because I'm still important to her
Mr. Tell It tell the truth, is you jealous or you jes?
Mr. Tell It, are you jealous of my lifestyle or are you just naturally nosy?
Overprotected don't fuck around and get no injection
I'm a very guarded person and won't hesitate to harm someone who crosses me
Not bout the bitch but bout the principle
It's not about the women I sleep with, it's about the loyalty and trust that people should have with each other
That you want to see me living life miserable
Mr. Tell It wants to hurt me by revealing my personal information to everyone else
They say bullets ain't got no name money ain't got no rules
People say that when it comes to violence and money, anything goes and anyone could be a target
And a bitch gone do what she want to
Women will do whatever they want, regardless of what anyone else thinks or says
My street literature spit at her so quick and smooth
My rough lifestyle is attractive to my girlfriend and she appreciates me for it
She give a fuck about the hustling doubts that you went through
My girlfriend doesn't care about the struggles I've been through, only that I'm with her now
So get yourself together dawg and tune in tonight
Mr. Tell It needs to stop worrying about my life and focus on his own problems
She want to fuck with a thug Mr. Tell It you too nice
My girlfriend is attracted to my bad boy attitude, something that Mr. Tell It can never understand
All you want to do is lick her pussy and hit her bare
Mr. Tell It is only interested in sleeping with my girlfriend himself, rather than exposing my activities for any other reason
She want to fuck with a nigga that don't really care
My girlfriend wants someone who's unattached and doesn't care about what anyone else thinks
Yo gotti hit the bitch and I'll never call her again
I've slept with many women before and I don't care about them afterward
Same room same hotel next week with her friend
I'll be staying in the same hotel room next week with another woman
So Mr. Tell It I hope you linen (listen)
Mr. Tell It, I hope you're listening to what I'm saying, which is that you need to stop getting involved in my life
Stay the fuck up out my business
Just stay out of my life and stop trying to get involved in everything I do
Mr. Tell It don't shoot me down to knock a bitch
Mr. Tell It, don't try to hurt me by exposing something that would harm my girlfriend
Mr. Tell It don't use my name, remember you the shit
Mr. Tell It, don't use my name as a way to elevate your own status
I can't help I fucked your hoe, and yo 'cause, and yo sissta and yo ex-girl-lah
I'm not sorry for sleeping with people who are close to Mr. Tell It because they were all consenting adults
Mr. Tell It want to pay be back, ain't that a bitch
Mr. Tell It is trying to get revenge on me by exposing my secrets to other people, which is petty and childish
My name ain't Kurt so remember that
Mr. Tell It needs to remember not to cross me because I won't let him get away with it
Mr. Tell It these hoes already know that I'm a dawg
Mr. Tell It doesn't have to tell people about my promiscuous behavior because the women I sleep with already know what kind of person I am
Mr. Tell It can't say nuttin nice then don't speak at all
If Mr. Tell It doesn't have anything nice to say, he should just keep his mouth shut
Mr. Tell It quit bothering me, watching me
Mr. Tell It needs to stop bothering me and watching my every move
Following like a private eye agency
Mr. Tell It is acting like a private investigator, following me and gathering information
Mr. Tell It just leave me alone
I don't want to deal with Mr. Tell It anymore and just want him to leave me alone
Cause on the real, I don't want to put one in your dome
If Mr. Tell It doesn't stop bothering me, I may have to resort to violence to protect myself
Mr. Tell It we tryin' to sleep
My girlfriend and I are trying to sleep and don't want to be disturbed by Mr. Tell It's nonsense
Quit leaving message bout where I was last week
Mr. Tell It needs to stop calling and asking me about my whereabouts last week
It's understood, Mr. Tell It listen close
Mr. Tell It needs to understand that I don't want him in my life and should listen to what I'm saying
I ain't married and ya boy don't love the hoe
I'm not married to my girlfriend and I don't have any true feelings for her
Mr. Tell It
This is the end of the song and chorus
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ANDRE STEPHENS, MARIO MIMMS, NAKIA COLEMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind