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.
Weatherman
Yo Gotti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We just hit a lick for 10 bands
But now I need 100 grand
Got cookies like the gingerbread man
All these 100's pop my rubber-band
Shut up, your irrelevant ass
Make it rain call me thunder-man
Dammit where the weatherman at?
Trap money, Neiman Marcus
250 in my pocket, I can buy a 'Rari
I'm young, black and rich, I know I'm a target
If I put my hands up, they gon' shoot regardless
I just bought my sister that new Benz
This money turn your enemies to friends
Lil bitch tryna chop me for the pussy
So I would never fuck that hoe again
Audemaur, nig, been a star, just bought another car
I been sellin' bricks, so white sour diesel out the jar
Cocaine had a nigga far, all my dogs know who they are
All my plugs gon' bring they pack, all my hoes gon' play they part
I'm the weather man, whatever man
Make it rain, make it snow, tell a hoe
I'mma change her life
Fuck her then tell her she gotta go
They like "Gotti, what's the forecast say?"
I predict a lot of snow coming in (With little Kodak)
So much cheese no not government
We just hit a lick for 10 bands
But now I need 100 grand
Got cookies like the gingerbread man
All these 100's pop my rubber-band
Shut up, your irrelevant ass
Make it rain call me thunder-man
Dammit where the weatherman at?
You run up, I'm gon' bust you then ask
That Kodak, he got so much damn swag
You always out your lane, your pants sag
Lil boy, you need to go to damn class
I just bought my mom a Louis handbag
I just run a target for 10 bands
Lil niggas gettin' all the damn cash
So that why all you niggas gettin' mad
No government a nigga can't cheat
I was in the trap since elementary
20 caps, can call me Ali
Might take another trip to Larry
Filthy bitch, look at your damn feet
He come behind me on the Banshee
Did I tell you what I hit for 10 G?
Me and Jackboy like Ed and Eddy
So much cheese no not government
We just hit a lick for 10 bands
But now I need 100 grand
Got cookies like the gingerbread man
All these 100's pop my rubber-band
Shut up, your irrelevant ass
Make it rain call me thunder-man
Dammit where the weatherman at?
The lyrics in Yo Gotti's song Weatherman narrate his rise to success through entrepreneurship in the trap game. The song opens with Yo Gotti boasting about how much money he has made, and comparing it to actual cheese rather than the government-issued currency. He mentions how he and his team recently hit a lick (robbery) and made a profit of 10 grand, but he now needs 100 grand to further build on his success. The lyric "Got cookies like the gingerbread man" refers to him having a lot of drugs as "cookies" which is a commonly used slang. Yo Gotti brags about the stacks of hundreds popping his rubber band, indicating he has a large sum of money. He also tells someone who he considers irrelevant to βshut upβ indicating he doesn't care for any negativity in his life. The line "Make it rain call me thunder-man" links his success to him being a weatherman and producing money rain. Yo Gotti wonders where the real weatherman is as he then proceeds to describe his success in the next verse.
In the second verse, Yo Gotti continues to flaunt his wealth. He mentions that he has $250 in his pocket and he can buy a Ferrari with it. He admits that being young, black, and rich attracts a lot of attention and makes him a target. He is aware that even when complying with orders, he is at risk of being shot. He describes his generosity by buying his sister a new Benz, acknowledging that money changes enemies to friends. However, he avoids women who try to trap him through sex, warning them that they will not be able to fool him twice. As a weatherman, he controls his own fate and those of those around him. He predicts that there is going to be a lot of snow (cocaine reference) incoming. Yo Gotti is joined by Kodak Black in the final verse. They both express their willingness to shoot anyone who threatens them. Yo Gotti mentions how disorganized his competition is (lil boys) and how he easily took advantage of their mistakes to make 10,000 dollars for himself.
Line by Line Meaning
So much cheese no not government
We have plenty of money but it's not from the government
We just hit a lick for 10 bands
We just got a large sum of money from a robbery
But now I need 100 grand
We need more money to satisfy our needs
Got cookies like the gingerbread man
We have a lot of drugs to sell
All these 100's pop my rubber-band
We have so much cash it's making the rubber bands break
Shut up, your irrelevant ass
Stop talking because you're not important or relevant to us
Make it rain call me thunder-man
I will spend a lot of money and make it pour like thunder
Dammit where the weatherman at?
I need to know the weather forecast so I can plan my actions accordingly
Trap money, Neiman Marcus
I have made a lot of illegal money and now I'm buying expensive things
250 in my pocket, I can buy a 'Rari
I have $250,000 in my pocket, enough to buy a Ferrari
I'm young, black and rich, I know I'm a target
As a young, wealthy black man, I am aware that I am at risk of being targeted by others
If I put my hands up, they gon' shoot regardless
Even if I surrender, I am still at risk of being shot by the police or others
I just bought my sister that new Benz
I recently purchased a brand new Mercedes-Benz for my sister
This money turn your enemies to friends
Having money can make enemies become friendly to you
Lil bitch tryna chop me for the pussy
A woman is trying to use sex to extract something from me
So I would never fuck that hoe again
I will not have sex with her again because she is trying to exploit me
Audemaur, nig, been a star, just bought another car
I am famous and I just bought another luxury car made by Audemars Piguet
I been sellin' bricks, so white sour diesel out the jar
I have been selling drugs and one type is white sour diesel
Cocaine had a nigga far, all my dogs know who they are
Cocaine helped me get wealthy and my friends know they are loyal to me
All my plugs gon' bring they pack, all my hoes gon' play they part
All my drug suppliers will bring their products and my women will do their job
I'm the weather man, whatever man
I am powerful and can control things like the weather
Make it rain, make it snow, tell a hoe
I will spend a lot of money and attract women
I'mma change her life
I will have a positive impact on her life and change it for the better
Fuck her then tell her she gotta go
I will have sex with her then end the interaction
They like "Gotti, what's the forecast say?"
Others are curious about what I predict or am planning to do
I predict a lot of snow coming in (With little Kodak)
I predict that a lot of drugs will be sold soon and Little Kodak is with me
You run up, I'm gon' bust you then ask
If you approach me aggressively, I will shoot you before asking questions
That Kodak, he got so much damn swag
Little Kodak has a lot of style and confidence
You always out your lane, your pants sag
You are acting inappropriately and your pants are too low
Lil boy, you need to go to damn class
You are young and need to focus on your education
I just bought my mom a Louis handbag
I recently bought my mother an expensive Louis Vuitton handbag
I just run a target for 10 bands
I just robbed a store and got away with $10,000
Lil niggas gettin' all the damn cash
Young people are making a lot of money illegally
So that why all you niggas gettin' mad
Others are upset because they are not making as much money as us
No government a nigga can't cheat
Because there is no government involved, there is less risk of getting caught
I was in the trap since elementary
I have been involved in selling drugs since I was a child
20 caps, can call me Ali
I have sold 20 capsules of drugs and consider myself a champion like Muhammad Ali
Might take another trip to Larry
I might buy more jewelry from Larry the Jeweler
Filthy bitch, look at your damn feet
You are dirty and your feet are disgusting
He come behind me on the Banshee
Someone is chasing me on a motorcycle
Did I tell you what I hit for 10 G?
Did I mention that I recently made $10,000?
Me and Jackboy like Ed and Eddy
My friend Jackboy and I have a close friendship like Ed and Eddy from the cartoon
Lyrics Β© Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Mario Mims, Benjamin Diehl, Dieuson Octave, Khaled Khaled
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Franklin Briones
Still goes hard TO THIS DAY
Qban_gamerr
Ong
grimm1kwest
till this day
Jblack
Ong
Peanut Nitti
bronze bomber voice
AlexFX
TO THIS DAY
purpose and goals
This a hit.. π₯π₯ I can see this playing all over the radio. Even though I don't listen to the radio π
msftvsn
Yo Gotti's flow was on fucking point π₯π₯π₯
Ralph
Simon Thg He rode the fuck out the beat
Stephan Official
Simon Thg that roc nation flow