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.
Turn On the Lights
Yo Gotti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Girl of my dreams, I'm looking forward
I'm looking forward, running ‘round the streets, I'm looking forward
They say she is cripple, she don't falls to be your be your girl
But if I really like her, ‘though who cares what she was?
I think it don't matter, she the girl of my dreams,
She a bad bitch and I just want her on my team.
Turn on the lights, I'm looking forward
Turn on the lights.
If you wanna meet the rich, you got to see the pitch
You can't get dollars forever, girl, you got to fuck a real nigger
Hope you see the shit that I see in my eyes when I see ‘em
Hope you think the shit that I think in my mind and be ‘em.
Turn on the lights, I'm looking forward
I'll eat that pussy good and they're tricking for
I heard she got a plane, she's a dancer on the south,
And when she get her money right she put me to the side.
Turn on the lights, I'm looking forward, I'm looking forward
I'm looking forward, turn on the lights
I'm looking forward, I'm looking forward.
Say hello to baby momma, she will never give me drama,
In my phone I found her number, I will fuck her number one
Say I'm sorry for this shit I put you through,
But I'm a street nigger, what the fuck I'm for to do?
And when I'm ‘bout that close side when they bought you want ‘em too
So you can kill them bitches every time you pull up to
Turn on the lights, that club bad, that bitch is back,
And I see some rear way in the back, back.
She say she a fannie, then she fuck me, she a groupie,
I say no you're not, girl, that shit sound stupid.
Turn on the lights, I'm looking forward,
I may be miles away, I send a ticket for
Sex on the beach, Miami full,
The way she make that noise I've got a Grammy for
Say she a down b, a homie down b,
Super fly chick, a rather die bitch,
And I just wanna say I'm happy that you are my bitch
I'll never be ashamed, so you can quit that shy shit.
And turn on the lights, I'm looking forward,
I'll eat that pussy good and they're dipping for
I heard she got a plane, she's a dancer on the south,
And when she get her money right she put me to the side.
Turn on the lights, I'm looking forward, I'm looking forward,
I'm looking forward,
Turn on the lights, I'm looking forward, I'm looking forward,
I'm looking forward.
In Yo Gotti’s song Turn On the Lights, he talks about looking for the girl of his dreams and not caring about her past or what other people think of her. He also touches on the idea of having to sleep with a wealthy man to gain riches and talks about his sexual desires. The chorus repeats the phrase “Turn on the lights, I’m looking forward” which can be interpreted as searching for clarity and truth in his quest for the perfect woman.
Through the lyrics of this song, Yo Gotti seems to be showing a glimpse of his ideal life where he’s in control of everything, even the women in his life. He boasts about having a beautiful woman by his side despite her past and the opinions of others. This could suggest that he values looks and sexual prowess over anything else. He also touches on the idea of having to sleep with wealthy men to gain riches, which could be seen as a commentary on the rampant materialism that exists in society.
Line by Line Meaning
Turn on the lights, I'm looking forward
I'm excited and eager for what's to come
Girl of my dreams, I'm looking forward
I've found someone I really like
I'm looking forward, running ‘round the streets, I'm looking forward
I'm restless and can't wait to see my girl
They say she is cripple, she don't falls to be your be your girl
People say she's not good enough for me, but I don't care
But if I really like her, ‘though who cares what she was?
If I have genuine feelings for her, her past doesn't matter
I think it don't matter, she the girl of my dreams,
To me, she's perfect
She a bad bitch and I just want her on my team.
She's strong and independent, and I want her to be with me
If you wanna meet the rich, you got to see the pitch
To become wealthy, you have to put yourself out there
You can't get dollars forever, girl, you got to fuck a real nigger
To make money, you have to be with a successful partner
Hope you see the shit that I see in my eyes when I see ‘em
I hope you see the same potential in me
Hope you think the shit that I think in my mind and be ‘em.
I hope you share my thoughts and dreams
I'll eat that pussy good and they're tricking for
I'll please my girl well and others will try to be with her because of it
I heard she got a plane, she's a dancer on the south,
I heard she's a stripper from the south who has money
And when she get her money right she put me to the side.
When she has money, she prioritizes me over others
Say hello to baby momma, she will never give me drama,
I have a child with someone else, but we don't have any issues
In my phone, I found her number, I will fuck her number one
I have another woman's number and will sleep with her first
Say I'm sorry for this shit I put you through,
I apologize for any problems that may have arisen
But I'm a street nigger, what the fuck I'm for to do?
I have to act the way I do because of my background
And when I'm ‘bout that close side when they bought you want ‘em too
When I'm close to my girl, others want to be with her as well
So you can kill them bitches every time you pull up to
Defend yourself against those who want to be with your girl
That club bad, that bitch is back,
The club is great and the girl is attractive
She say she a fannie, then she fuck me, she a groupie,
She says she's not a groupie, but she sleeps with me anyway
I say no you're not, girl, that shit sound stupid.
I don't believe her claim and think it's ridiculous
I'll never be ashamed, so you can quit that shy shit.
I'm not embarrassed to be with my girl, so she shouldn't be either
I may be miles away, I send a ticket for
Although I'm far away, I'll send her a plane ticket
Sex on the beach, Miami full,
We'll have sex on the beach in Miami
The way she make that noise I've got a Grammy for
She's so good in bed, I should win a Grammy for the sounds she makes
Say she a down b, a homie down b,
She's down for anything and is a loyal friend
Super fly chick, a rather die bitch,
She's fashionable and would die for me
And I just wanna say I'm happy that you are my bitch
I'm happy and lucky to be with her
Contributed by Joshua B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kel roberts
Was bumpin cm6 & cm7 back in high school and still bumpin this shit 5 yrs later in 2018.
Gotti will always be king 👑
Jake Anoa'i
This goes out to my wife
Emil Lulic
Lmfao
Nadia Johnson
Still love this song
King Taedo
still bump this shit in 2016
Laone Moswetsi
i'm only hearing this now... shit slaps🔥
Heidi Guillory
He did the dam thang!
Samantha Crudup
Yo gotti always go hard
mercedes jones
This Junt Go Hard ass Hell
dray Adams
love it