Z-RO was born Joseph Wayne McVey IV in Houston's South Park neighborhood on January 19, 1977.[5] At age six his mother died, and he was shuttled from household to household in search of stability, eventually settling in the Ridgemont area, a middle-class suburb in Missouri City in Southwest Houston.[5] When Z-Ro reached his late teens he was unemployed and resorted to drug dealing and hustling on the streets.[5] According to Z-Ro, listening to the music of 2Pac, Geto Boys, Street Military, K-Rino and Klondike Kat inspired him to work harder for his goal of leaving the streets.[5] Z-Ro discovered his talent of freestyle rapping and after going through a couple of recording studios to make a demo,[5] the CEO of a local label discovered and signed him.
Z-Ro released his critically acclaimed Rap-a-Lot debut titled The Life of Joseph W. McVey.[5][6] The record was a huge success and helped expand Z-Ro's and Bobby Craig's fan base beyond the South.[5] In 2005, Z-Ro released Let the Truth Be Told, which was well received.[5] Z-Ro's 2006 album I'm Still Livin' was released while he was imprisoned for drug possession, to positive reviews.[7][8] It was called "a great album... powerful" but "relentlessly bleak" by The Village Voice[7] and "one of the best rap albums to come out of Houston" by the Houston Chronicle.[9] In 2010 he released the album titled Heroin, which was followed by an album titled Meth in 2011 and then Angel Dust in 2012.
Z-Ro released his first EP under The Mo City Don titled Tripolar on August 25, 2013 via One Deep Ent.[2] Z-Ro then followed up with The Crown in June 2014.[10] In February 2015, Z-Ro released his first proper studio album in three years, titled Melting the Crown.
In 2016, Z-Ro released Drankin & Drivin in August[11] and Legendary in November under his label One Deep Entertainment.
Remember Me
Z-Ro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[Z-Ro:]
Remember me, when I use to write my rhymes in class
At Dick Dall Middle School, all them niggaz would laugh
Telling me I would never make it, cause I rap too fast
I was desperately trying to find out, how to go from scraps to cash
Remember, how y'all use to chase me home from school
I use to have a lunch card, cause them times was hard
Since the seven people living in one house, with no cars in the yard
I remember stressing so hard, I couldn't keep my focus
My only love was for extras, and overs
Fuck all you niggaz, don't make me slap the fuck out all you niggaz
If it ain't related to making paper, I ain't calling you niggaz
I bet Mo City remember, when I took it over with rapping
51-11 Ridgevan, moving that crack bitch I was stacking
Residuals redeemingly, I was raw mayn raw caine
Rapidly running my neighborhood, I was the law mayn
'Member when I dropped my first album, in '98
Fucking with Herman Fisher, but now that nigga hate me he's a cake
Suppose to be mad at me, tal'n bout I owe him some change
Nigga just mad cause they can't eat with me, I eat with Lil' James
Rap-A-Lot Mafia my man, y'all remember the Maab
This isn't Den-Den and Z-Ro, y'all better remember the squad
Two different labels but the same cable, remember we connected
Woodfair to Missouri City, two block of Screwed Up Texas
[Hook: x2]
Remember me, I'm the one they laughed at in all my classes
They use to rank on my low budget clothes, and my glasses
Remember me, the same one they use to call egghead
Now I play with fed bread, and sleep on Gucci bed spreads
[P.O.P.:]
I remember the winters in the hood, no heat cold nights
No gas no lights, a ghetto low life
So my flow twice as strong, from the memories
I remember when my closest homies, turned to enemies
See niggaz tend to be, down when your bread up
But when you in the quicksand, they frown cause your legs stuck
Yeah I remember that, so you remember this
Hard times be my fuel, so I ain't finna quit
I vividly, R-E-M-E-M-B-E-R
Craig up in the E-R, bloody getting CPR
So before, the reaper come and turn me to a memory
I endlessly spit the heat, for the people to remember me
Me P.O.P., so many forgot bout
But not I, this for those who remember little Popeye
And I remember hot guys, ridiculed the flow
Now I'm front and center nigga, haters finna do me so
[Hook x2]
[Bun B:]
Shit I remember back in the game, it was tough
No matter what a nigga had, it was never enough
See if I had five I wanted ten, and if I had ten I wanted twenty
Fuck having some, shit I wanted plenty
Back in the gap, when I first hit the block
With my first 25, and a hand full of rocks
Posted up at Samantha house on the West, on the porch
Ready to give my nigga some work, or give him the torch
I remember telling my T, I wasn't going to college
And was headed to the streets, to get the rest of my knowledge
That broke her heart, and for that I had to go
So I went from the sidelines, to starring in the show
Everything came slow, and nothing came fast
Most times I was out of luck, and dead on my ass
But with the heart of a hustler, and the mind of a G
I came up, now I'm something to see Bun B
[Hook x2]
Z-Ro’s song Remember Me is a powerful reminder of the struggles and hardships that he and his fellow rappers faced while growing up in poverty. The song opens with Z-Ro reminiscing about his middle school days when he used to write rhymes in class. He talks about how kids used to laugh at him and tell him that he would never make it as a rapper because he was too fast. Z-Ro then goes on to describe the difficult circumstances that he grew up in. He describes how his family was so poor that they had to share a house with seven people, and nobody had a car. Despite the struggles, he never lost sight of his dream and kept pushing until he made it. Z-Ro is not shy about telling people what he thinks of them, and he addresses this several times throughout the song. He asserts that he won’t call people who don’t help him make money, and he isn't afraid to slap anyone who has wronged him.
P.O.P. and Bun B both contribute verses to the song. P.O.P. talks about the poverty and violence he saw growing up and how it motivated him to work hard in the music industry. Bun B reminisces about his early days as a drug dealer and how he always wanted more. They all remember the struggles they faced and the sacrifices they made to get to where they are today.
Remember Me is a powerful song that speaks to the human spirit's resilience and the value of persistent hard work. It is a reminder that no matter what obstacles lie in our way, we should never give up on our dreams. The song is not just about Z-Ro's struggles but the struggles of all people who have been told they are not good enough. This song is a testament to the power of determination and the human spirit's unbreakable will.
Line by Line Meaning
Remember me, when I use to write my rhymes in class
Think of me when I was still in school and writing rhymes while you laughed, doubting my potential.
Telling me I would never make it, cause I rap too fast
You thought I was too fast with my rhymes, making my success unlikely or impossible.
I was desperately trying to find out, how to go from scraps to cash
I was struggling and trying to figure out how to turn my passion for rap into a way to make a living.
Remember, how y'all use to chase me home from school
You used to bully me so bad that I couldn't even walk home from school without being chased.
Just cause I sported corduroy britches, and Pro Wing shoes
You teased and bullied me because of my clothing, even though it was all I could afford at the time.
I use to have a lunch card, cause them times was hard
I was so poor that I needed a free lunch card to eat at school.
Since the seven people living in one house, with no cars in the yard
My family was so poor that seven of us had to live in one house, and we couldn't afford a car.
I remember stressing so hard, I couldn't keep my focus
I was so worried about my situation that I struggled to focus on anything else.
My only love was for extras, and overs
All I cared about was getting extra things and having more than what I could afford, because I felt like I deserved more than what life gave me.
Fuck all you niggaz, don't make me slap the fuck out all you niggaz
I have no respect for any of you who doubted me or treated me poorly, and I won't hesitate to physically harm you if you cross me.
If it ain't related to making paper, I ain't calling you niggaz
I'm only interested in talking to people who can help me make money or advance my career, and I don't have time for anyone who can't.
I bet Mo City remember, when I took it over with rapping
The people in Mo City should remember how I became a prominent figure in the rap scene there, despite the challenges I faced.
51-11 Ridgevan, moving that crack bitch I was stacking
I was hustling hard, selling crack and making money despite the risks involved.
Residuals redeemingly, I was raw mayn raw caine
I was making money and living my life without any apologies or regrets, no matter how raw or dangerous it was.
Rapidly running my neighborhood, I was the law mayn
I was in control of my neighborhood, running it like the law and ensuring that people knew not to mess with me.
'Member when I dropped my first album, in '98
Do you remember back when I released my first album in 1998?
Fucking with Herman Fisher, but now that nigga hate me he's a cake
I used to associate with Herman Fisher, but now he hates me and is weak for it.
Suppose to be mad at me, tal'n bout I owe him some change
He's mad at me and claims I owe him money, but I know that he's really just jealous of my success.
Nigga just mad cause they can't eat with me, I eat with Lil' James
He's just angry because he can't benefit from being associated with me, while I'm still able to work with people like Lil' James.
Rap-A-Lot Mafia my man, y'all remember the Maab
The Rap-A-Lot Mafia was an important part of my life, and I hope you remember the Maab (short for Menace to the A.B.N.).
This isn't Den-Den and Z-Ro, y'all better remember the squad
It's not just me and Den-Den who make up my team, so you better recognize and pay respect to the entire squad.
Two different labels but the same cable, remember we connected
We may have been on two different labels, but we were still together and connected as a group.
Woodfair to Missouri City, two block of Screwed Up Texas
We represent the Screwed Up Texas scene, stretching from Woodfair to Missouri City.
Remember me, I'm the one they laughed at in all my classes
Remember how you treated me poorly, laughing at me in all my classes.
They use to rank on my low budget clothes, and my glasses
You made fun of me for my cheap clothes and glasses, even though I couldn't afford better.
Remember me, the same one they use to call egghead
Think of me, the same person who you used to call an egghead.
Now I play with fed bread, and sleep on Gucci bed spreads
Now I make a lot of money, and have the luxury of sleeping on expensive Gucci bed spreads.
I remember the winters in the hood, no heat cold nights
I remember the tough times of living in the hood during the winter without heat, enduring cold nights.
No gas no lights, a ghetto low life
We didn't have money to pay for gas or lights, so we lived in poverty in the ghetto.
So my flow twice as strong, from the memories
All of these hardships have made my flow twice as strong, due to the memories and lessons I've learned from them.
I remember when my closest homies, turned to enemies
I can never forget when my closest friends betrayed me and turned into enemies.
See niggaz tend to be, down when your bread up
People tend to want to be around you when you have money and success.
But when you in the quicksand, they frown cause your legs stuck
But when you're struggling and need help, they don't want to associate with you and will turn their backs on you instead of helping you out.
Yeah I remember that, so you remember this
I remember all that, and now I want you to remember this.
Hard times be my fuel, so I ain't finna quit
The tough times I've been through have only fueled me to keep going, and I have no intention of quitting.
I vividly, R-E-M-E-M-B-E-R
I remember everything so vividly, spelling out the word remember to emphasize it.
Craig up in the E-R, bloody getting CPR
I remember seeing my friend Craig in the emergency room, bloody and getting CPR.
So before, the reaper come and turn me to a memory
Before I die and become just a memory, I want to make an impact and leave a lasting impression on people.
I endlessly spit the heat, for the people to remember me
I will keep rapping and spitting my truth for as long as I can, so that people will always remember me.
Me P.O.P., so many forgot bout
People have forgotten about me, P.O.P., but I won't let that stop me.
But not I, this for those who remember little Popeye
But I haven't forgotten about myself, and this is for those who still remember me from when I was called little Popeye.
And I remember hot guys, ridiculed the flow
I remember when people doubted me and made fun of my flow, even though I knew I had talent.
Now I'm front and center nigga, haters finna do me so
Now I'm in the spotlight and getting attention, and the haters are going to try and bring me down.
Shit I remember back in the game, it was tough
I remember when I was first getting started in the rap game and it was really difficult.
No matter what a nigga had, it was never enough
No matter how much success a person had, it was never enough and they always wanted more.
See if I had five I wanted ten, and if I had ten I wanted twenty
I was always chasing after more money and success, even if it meant sacrificing other things or not appreciating what I already had.
Back in the gap, when I first hit the block
Back when I was first getting started and hustling on the streets.
With my first 25, and a hand full of rocks
I started off with just a little bit of money and some drugs, trying to make my way in the game.
Posted up at Samantha house on the West, on the porch
I used to hang out at Samantha's house on the West side, sitting on the front porch.
Ready to give my nigga some work, or give him the torch
I was always hustling and willing to give my friends work, or to take over if they couldn't handle it.
That broke her heart, and for that I had to go
When I decided not to go to college and instead focus on hustling, it broke my mother's heart and I had to leave home.
So I went from the sidelines, to starring in the show
But that decision allowed me to become successful and go from being on the sidelines to being in the spotlight.
Most times I was out of luck, and dead on my ass
Most of the time I was struggling and broke, and didn't have anything going for me.
But with the heart of a hustler, and the mind of a G
Even though I faced challenges, I was determined and had the mindset of a G (gangster) and a hustler to make it through.
I came up, now I'm something to see Bun B
Despite all the difficulties, I was able to become successful and now people recognize me as something impressive, like Bun B.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BOB MARLETTE, MARIE TERESA BURNS, SHEILA BURNS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind