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.
White World
Yo Gotti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[[Okay, See I just bought a White Bulldog,
All-White Fish, Ha..White Dishes]]
CHORUS 1
White Cutlass, White Lamb,
White Truck, White Porsche,
I be wit them White Boys.
(I'm Yo Gotti!)
White Couch in my White House,
Off of White Gurl,
All I kno is White Dawg,
I live in a White World.
White Cutlass, White Lamb,
White Truck, White Porsche,
I live on the Golf Course,
I be wit them White Boys.
White Couch in my White House,
Off of White Gurl,
All I kno is White Dawg,
I live in a White World.
(I'm Yo Gotti)
VERSE 1
All I want for Christmas
Is a package and my pistol,
If it is a Black Santa
Won't you free some of my Niggas.
Everytime I made a sale,
I made sure I used the scale,
If I ever got some money,
Imma give these niggas hell.
Vanilla-Colored Leather,
It looked perfect with the wood,
Park the Cutlass at the office,
Park my Lambo in the hood.
Gave the Lexus to the Goons,
Gave the Truck to Baby Momma,
Then took it from that Bitch
Cause she was actin' like I ain't want her.
Now she pissed off mad at me,
But I don't give a damn.
A bitch gon' do wat bitches do,
So she be goin' ham.
(Ha!)
My favorite color white,
You kno I'm cocaine down from head to toe.
I bought so much white shit,
Think I'm 'bout to cop some more.
(Gotti!)
CHORUS 2
White Cutlass, White Lamb,
White Truck, White Porsche,
(Ha)
I live on the Golf Course,
I be wit them White Boys.
(For Real Nigga)
White Couch in my White House,
Off of White Gurl,
(Ha)
All I kno is White Dawg,
I live in a White World.
(Chea!)
White Cutlass, White Lamb,
White Truck, White Porsche,
(Four-Door Porsche Nigga)
I live on the Golf Course,
I be wit them White Boys.
(Ha!)
White Couch in my White House,
(Special Order Shit)
Off of White Gurl,
All I kno is White Dawg,
(Chea)
I live in a White World.
(I'm Yo Gotti!)
VERSE 2
White my favorite color,
You can ask my Big Brother,
He said I'm goin' cocaine crazy,
But I do it for the struggle.
I do it for the Hustlas'
And I do it for the Trappas'
Like I do it for the Gangstas'
But I don't do it for no Rappas'.
I do it for the City,
Ain't shit that you can tell me.
Don't compare me to no Artist,
You camparin' me to Elvis.
A Chopper in my trunk,
I got a .40 by my pelvis.
And I want all the money
So I guess I'm kinda selfish.
Bitch [?]from Alabama/Atlanta[?]
She stay in Carolina,
She said the world's mine,
Like Tony Montana.
You workin' for the Feds,
I can see your antenna,
[?]
CHORUS 3
White Cutlass, White Lamb,
White Truck, White Porsche,
I live on the Golf Course,
(Hey Lil' Pussy)
I be wit them White Boys.
White Couch in my White House,
(Nigga, Everything I Talk About Is Real Nigga)
Off of White Gurl,
All I kno is White Dawg,
(What I got)
I live in a White World.
White Cutlass, White Lamb,
White Truck, White Porsche,
(What.. What.. Ha..)
I live on the Golf Course,
(You See That Shit Nigga)
I be wit them White Boys.
White Couch in my White House,
(You Kno What I'm Talkin' 'Bout)
Off of White Gurl,
All I kno is White Dawg,
I live in a White World.
OUTRO
[[You know what the fuck goin' on nigga,
Yo Gotti, Mr. One Time,
You kno wat I'm sayin'.
Cutlass like '90, or '80 somethin', '88-'89,
Rachs in this Bitch nigga.
You kno' the Lamb 252, like 250,
Hate to be exact,
Some shit like that,
You kno' wat I mean.
Porsche like 135,
2010..
Oh yea nigga,
[?]I could do[?] January 1st in that Bitch,
You kno' what I'm sayin',
I'll truck race that Bitch,
$450,000 shit,
It ain't nuthin'.]]
OUTRO
White Cutlass, White Lam,
White Truck, White Porshe,
(But Everything White, Pussy)
I live on the Golf Course,
I be wit them White Boys.
White Couch in my White House,
Off of White Gurl,
All I kno is White Dawg,
I live in a White World.
Nigga, My Mothafuckin' Livin' Room Set Cost More Than You Niggas Got
White Cutlass, White Lam,
White Truck, White Porshe,
I live on the Golf Course,
I be wit them White Boys.
Talkin' All That Money Shit,
White Couch in my White House,
Off of White Gurl,
Broke-Ass Niggas!
All I kno is White Dawg,
I live in a White World.
[[That's some real shit,
Imma fly your Bitch outta town nigga,
Take her on to Miami or somethin' nigga,
Make the Bitch's dream come true, pussy.
Yea, fuck up your household nigga.]]
The chorus of Yo Gotti's song "White World" introduces the theme of the song: Yo Gotti's love for everything white. He boasts of owning a white bulldog, white fish, white dishes, white cutlass, white lamb, white truck, white Porsche, and living in a white world. The lyrics also touch on drugs, guns, and money, where every time he makes a sale, he uses a scale, and prefers vanilla-colored leather, which looks perfect with the wood. Gotti also mentions giving away his vehicles to his goons and baby mamas and how he does not care about their reactions, as a woman will do what they do, and refers to his favorite color as white. He alludes to the struggles of the black community, where if it is a black santa, he should free some of his "niggas", and doing it all for the city.
The song is a testament to Yo Gotti's love for white everything, from pets to cars and furniture, which creates a sharp visual for his audience. The song also gives insight into the perspective of a person who has achieved financial success, but still remains rooted in their past and environments. Yo Gotti's emphasis on white, which is a color that is still associated with wealth, opulence and privilege, delivers a message to his audience about the way he views his success and his place in society.
Line by Line Meaning
(White.. White.. White.. White.. White.. White..)
Repeated use of the word "white" in the chorus signifies Yo Gotti's obsession with the color white and how it reflects his lifestyle.
Okay, See I just bought a White Bulldog,
All-White Fish, Ha..White Dishes
Yo Gotti is showing off his White Bulldog, All-White Fish, and White Dishes, indicating his love for everything white.
White Cutlass, White Lamb,
White Truck, White Porsche,
I live on the Golf Course,
I be wit them White Boys.
(I'm Yo Gotti!)
White Couch in my White House,
Off of White Gurl,
All I kno is White Dawg,
I live in a White World.
All I kno is White Dawg,
(I'm Yo Gotti)
Yo Gotti owns white cars (Cutlass, Lamborghini, Truck, and Porsche) and lives in a fancy White House on a Golf Course. He hangs out with White Boys and has a white dog. Yo Gotti views the world in the color white and considers himself a part of it.
All I want for Christmas
Is a package and my pistol,
If it is a Black Santa
Won't you free some of my Niggas.
Yo Gotti wants a package of drugs and a gun for Christmas. He hopes that if there is a Black Santa, he would free some of Yo Gotti's black friends who are in prison.
Everytime I made a sale,
I made sure I used the scale,
If I ever got some money,
Imma give these niggas hell.
Yo Gotti weighs his drug sales to make sure they are accurate. If he gets money, he will spend it on his pleasures instead of helping his friends.
Vanilla-Colored Leather,
It looked perfect with the wood,
Park the Cutlass at the office,
Park my Lambo in the hood.
Yo Gotti has a taste for vanilla-colored leather and likes how it matches with wood. He parks his Cutlass at his office and drives his Lamborghini in his neighborhood.
Gave the Lexus to the Goons,
Gave the Truck to Baby Momma,
Then took it from that Bitch
Cause she was actin' like I ain't want her.
Yo Gotti gave his Lexus to his gang and his truck to his ex-girlfriend, but took it back because she was acting as if Yo Gotti did not want her.
Now she pissed off mad at me,
But I don't give a damn.
A bitch gon' do wat bitches do,
So she be goin' ham.
(Ha!)
Yo Gotti does not care that his ex-girlfriend is upset with him, and thinks that women are unpredictable and usually overreact. He even mocks her with a laugh (Ha!).
My favorite color white,
You kno I'm cocaine down from head to toe.
I bought so much white shit,
Think I'm 'bout to cop some more.
(Gotti!)
Yo Gotti likes the color white, and since cocaine is also white, he jokingly says that he is covered in Cocaine from head to toe. He also plans to buy more white items.
White Truck, White Porsche,
(Ha)
I live on the Golf Course,
I be wit them White Boys.
(For Real Nigga)
Off of White Gurl,
(Chea!)
(Four-Door Porsche Nigga)
(Special Order Shit)
(Chea)
I live in a White World.
Yo Gotti repeats his love for white cars and golf courses. He hangs out with white boys and brags about his special-order four-door Porsche. He lives in a world where whiteness is the standard.
White my favorite color,
You can ask my Big Brother,
He said I'm goin' cocaine crazy,
But I do it for the struggle.
Yo Gotti's brother knows that white is his favorite color and comments on his obsession with cocaine. Yo Gotti says he uses cocaine to deal with the struggles he has to face.
I do it for the Hustlas'
And I do it for the Trappas'
Like I do it for the Gangstas'
But I don't do it for no Rappas'.
Yo Gotti relates to hustlers, trap artists, and gangsters since they all face struggles in life. However, he does not make music for other rappers.
I do it for the City,
Ain't shit that you can tell me.
Don't compare me to no Artist,
You camparin' me to Elvis.
Yo Gotti makes music for his city, and he thinks he is in a league of his own. He notes that people should not compare him to other artists and should compare him to Elvis.
A Chopper in my trunk,
I got a .40 by my pelvis.
And I want all the money,
So I guess I'm kinda selfish.
Yo Gotti keeps a gun in his car's trunk and another gun by his waist. He reveals his goal to get rich and accepts that he might be selfish in doing so.
Bitch [?]from Alabama/Atlanta[?]
She stay in Carolina,
She said the world's mine,
Like Tony Montana.
You workin' for the Feds,
I can see your antenna,
[?]
Yo Gotti talks about a woman who is from Alabama or Atlanta and lives in Carolina. She thinks the world belongs to her, similar to how Tony Montana thinks in the movie 'Scarface.' She also suspects that someone in Yo Gotti's crew is working for the government, and he tells them that they're exposed.
(Hey Lil' Pussy)
(Nigga, Everything I Talk About Is Real Nigga)
(What I got)
(What.. What.. Ha..)
(You See That Shit Nigga)
(You Kno What I'm Talkin' 'Bout)
Yo Gotti addresses someone with the nickname 'Lil' Pussy.' He tells everyone that what he raps about is based on reality and not fabricated. He points out his possessions, telling people that they should feel envious.
[[You know what the fuck goin' on nigga,
Yo Gotti, Mr. One Time,
You kno wat I'm sayin'.
Cutlass like '90, or '80 somethin', '88-'89,
Rachs in this Bitch nigga.
You kno' the Lamb 252, like 250,
Hate to be exact,
Some shit like that,
You kno' wat I mean.
Porsche like 135,
2010..
Oh yea nigga,
[?]I could do[?] January 1st in that Bitch,
You kno' what I'm sayin',
I'll truck race that Bitch,
$450,000 shit,
It ain't nuthin'.]]
In the outro, Yo Gotti brags about his possessions - his Cutlass is from the '80s or '90s, his Lamborghini has 252 or 250 horsepower, and his Porsche is from 2010. He also talks about racing his truck which costs $450,000.
Contributed by Aiden V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@MikeThurston
Still bangs 🔥
@tomm7232
Hell yeah! haha I had to check to see if it was you bruv. Im like surely its not THE Mike Thurston lol
@dylanlow1727
Yes brah , rocking with my og jams , standing in the kitchen etc
@dmoney2007
Hell yeah 🔥
@A-F93
@Tom M this is so random 😂
@A-F93
This is so random 😂
@brucefricke3160
This shit came to my head in bed last night and I just rolled me up something and the vibes are immaculate to say the least
@mastercrossoverreturns
Like you made it bro 😎
@DiGgYDfReSh
probably one of the best tunes ive ever herd along with standing in the kitchen. i pump this in my car and i live in the uk. gotti is ill
@BlondesOrNothing
can't beleive this song isn't over 100m+ views this will be in my playlist forever even in my white whellchair