I think Nelly is the most misunderstood artist of the last 25 years. Yeah, he loves to party, yeah he likes having sex, but he's also a confused kid who is struggling with his new found fame and fortune just like the rest of us. In fact, he's written a cry for help that no one seems to have answered:
"Ride Wit Me"
If you wanna go and take a ride wit me
We three-wheelin in the fo' with the gold D's
Oh why do I live this way? (Hey, must be the money!)
If you wanna go and get high wit me
Smoke a L in the back of the Benz-y
Oh why must I feel this way? (Hey, must be the money!)
Poor Nelly. He doesn't want to be "3-wheelin' in the fo'" and he knows the "D's" don't have to be gold. And yet he does and they are. Why? Nelly doesn't want to be smoking an "L" in the back of his Benz(-y), and yet he does. But why? Why are all these people following him around in the "fo'" and smoking the "L's?" Why else? The only reason is his money (and fame).
In the club on the late night, feelin right
Lookin tryin to spot somethin real nice
Lookin for a little shorty hot and horny so that I can take home
She can be 18 wit an attitude
or 19 kinda snotty actin real rude
Boo, as long as you a thicky thicky thick girl you know that it's on
I peep something comin towards me up the dance floor
Sexy and real slow
Sayin she was peepin and I dig the last video
So when Nelly, can we go; how could I tell her no?
Her measurements were 36-25-34
Yellin I like the way you brush your hair
And I like those stylish clothes you wear
I like the way the light hit the ice and glare
And I can see you boo from way over there
Once again, we find Nelly out, forced in to the playa role. Yeah, he likes the sex, and he's not afraid to admit that. But he's searching for this attractive lady in the club to take home more because he wants to find her, but mostly because that is what the rich, new rapper on the scene is supposed to do. And even if he wasn't out looking, these women would find him. Nelly really has no options - he has no choice but to move into the role that has been created for him. His pain is so evident in these lyrics. And yet he delves deeper.
Face and body front and back, don't know how to act
Without no vouchers or boozers she's bringin nuttin back
You should feel the impact, shop on plastic
when the sky's the limit and them haters can't get past that
Watch me as I gas that, 4.6 Range
Watch the candy paint change, everytime I switch lanes
It feel strange now
Makin a livin off my brain, instead of 'caine now
I got the title from my momma put the whip in my own name now
Damn shit done changed now
Runnin credit checks with no shame now
I feel the fame now (come on), I can't complain now (no more)
Shit I'm the mayne now, in and out my own town
I'm gettin pages out of New Jersey, from Courtney B.
Tellin me about a party up in NYC
Can I make it? Damn right, I be on the next flight
Payin cash; first class - sittin next to Vanna White
He is saying so much there, it is really hard to take it all in. What is this man to do? He has good credit for the first time in his life, he owns a new Range Rover. And all this money is earned the right way - through his mind not selling drugs. He's "the mayne" and he knows it, and yet he still has to get used to this fame. But surely he knows how to enjoy it in the mean time.
And then finally we have the realization, an epiphany, if you will. Nelly learns from his experiences and comes to a few conclusions.
Check, check -- yo, I know somethin you don't know
And I got somethin to tell ya
You won't believe how many people, straight doubted the flow
Most said that I was a failure
But now the same motherfuckers askin me fo' dough
And I'm yellin, "I can't help ya"
"But Nelly can we get tickets to the next show?"
Hell no (what's witchu?!) you for real?!
All these people that are following him around now, taking advantage of his money and fame are the same people who doubted him when he was just getting started. So why should Nelly help them now that he proved them wrong? And that's just it - he doesn't have to and he won't! Sure, nobody's perfect - he's still going to make mistakes and he's still learning to deal with his fame and fortune, and he might still choose to bring the wrong people in to his posse from time to time. But finally Nelly realizes that he can say, "no." He doesn't have to smoke that "L" in the Benz with all these people if he doesn't want to. His "D's" don't have to be gold - they can be silver, titanium or plain chrome. All that matters really is that Nelly enjoys everything he has because Nelly has earned it.
[City Spud]
Hey yo, now that I'm a fly guy, and I fly high
Niggaz wanna know why, why I fly by
But yo it's all good, Range Rover all wood
Do me like you should - fuck me good, suck me good
We be no stud niggaz, wishin you was niggaz
Poppin like we drug dealers, sippin Crissy, bubb' mackin
Honey in the club, me in the Benz
Icy grip, tellin me to leave wit you and your friends
So if shorty wanna... knock, we knockin to this
And if shorty wanna... rock, we rockin to this
And if shorty wanna... pop, we poppin the Crist'
Shorty wanna see the ice, then I ice the wrist
City talk, Nelly listen; Nelly talk, city listen
When I fuck fly bitches; when I walk pay attention
See the ice and the glist'; niggaz starin or they diss
Honies lookin all they wish - come on boo, gimme kiss
So now that Nelly has finally reached this big conclusion that he is his own man, what does he want to do? Well, everything he was doing before, but this time on his own terms.
So deep, so passionate, and so personal. And yet this man has never gotten any 'spect for his lyrics. I think it's about time the world sees Nelly for more than just the current big rapper, but a masterful poet and lyricist as well.
"Ride Wit Me"
If you wanna go and take a ride wit me
We three-wheelin in the fo' with the gold D's
Oh why do I live this way? (Hey, must be the money!)
If you wanna go and get high wit me
Smoke a L in the back of the Benz-y
Oh why must I feel this way? (Hey, must be the money!)
Poor Nelly. He doesn't want to be "3-wheelin' in the fo'" and he knows the "D's" don't have to be gold. And yet he does and they are. Why? Nelly doesn't want to be smoking an "L" in the back of his Benz(-y), and yet he does. But why? Why are all these people following him around in the "fo'" and smoking the "L's?" Why else? The only reason is his money (and fame).
In the club on the late night, feelin right
Lookin tryin to spot somethin real nice
Lookin for a little shorty hot and horny so that I can take home
She can be 18 wit an attitude
or 19 kinda snotty actin real rude
Boo, as long as you a thicky thicky thick girl you know that it's on
I peep something comin towards me up the dance floor
Sexy and real slow
Sayin she was peepin and I dig the last video
So when Nelly, can we go; how could I tell her no?
Her measurements were 36-25-34
Yellin I like the way you brush your hair
And I like those stylish clothes you wear
I like the way the light hit the ice and glare
And I can see you boo from way over there
Once again, we find Nelly out, forced in to the playa role. Yeah, he likes the sex, and he's not afraid to admit that. But he's searching for this attractive lady in the club to take home more because he wants to find her, but mostly because that is what the rich, new rapper on the scene is supposed to do. And even if he wasn't out looking, these women would find him. Nelly really has no options - he has no choice but to move into the role that has been created for him. His pain is so evident in these lyrics. And yet he delves deeper.
Face and body front and back, don't know how to act
Without no vouchers or boozers she's bringin nuttin back
You should feel the impact, shop on plastic
when the sky's the limit and them haters can't get past that
Watch me as I gas that, 4.6 Range
Watch the candy paint change, everytime I switch lanes
It feel strange now
Makin a livin off my brain, instead of 'caine now
I got the title from my momma put the whip in my own name now
Damn shit done changed now
Runnin credit checks with no shame now
I feel the fame now (come on), I can't complain now (no more)
Shit I'm the mayne now, in and out my own town
I'm gettin pages out of New Jersey, from Courtney B.
Tellin me about a party up in NYC
Can I make it? Damn right, I be on the next flight
Payin cash; first class - sittin next to Vanna White
He is saying so much there, it is really hard to take it all in. What is this man to do? He has good credit for the first time in his life, he owns a new Range Rover. And all this money is earned the right way - through his mind not selling drugs. He's "the mayne" and he knows it, and yet he still has to get used to this fame. But surely he knows how to enjoy it in the mean time.
And then finally we have the realization, an epiphany, if you will. Nelly learns from his experiences and comes to a few conclusions.
Check, check -- yo, I know somethin you don't know
And I got somethin to tell ya
You won't believe how many people, straight doubted the flow
Most said that I was a failure
But now the same motherfuckers askin me fo' dough
And I'm yellin, "I can't help ya"
"But Nelly can we get tickets to the next show?"
Hell no (what's witchu?!) you for real?!
All these people that are following him around now, taking advantage of his money and fame are the same people who doubted him when he was just getting started. So why should Nelly help them now that he proved them wrong? And that's just it - he doesn't have to and he won't! Sure, nobody's perfect - he's still going to make mistakes and he's still learning to deal with his fame and fortune, and he might still choose to bring the wrong people in to his posse from time to time. But finally Nelly realizes that he can say, "no." He doesn't have to smoke that "L" in the Benz with all these people if he doesn't want to. His "D's" don't have to be gold - they can be silver, titanium or plain chrome. All that matters really is that Nelly enjoys everything he has because Nelly has earned it.
[City Spud]
Hey yo, now that I'm a fly guy, and I fly high
Niggaz wanna know why, why I fly by
But yo it's all good, Range Rover all wood
Do me like you should - fuck me good, suck me good
We be no stud niggaz, wishin you was niggaz
Poppin like we drug dealers, sippin Crissy, bubb' mackin
Honey in the club, me in the Benz
Icy grip, tellin me to leave wit you and your friends
So if shorty wanna... knock, we knockin to this
And if shorty wanna... rock, we rockin to this
And if shorty wanna... pop, we poppin the Crist'
Shorty wanna see the ice, then I ice the wrist
City talk, Nelly listen; Nelly talk, city listen
When I fuck fly bitches; when I walk pay attention
See the ice and the glist'; niggaz starin or they diss
Honies lookin all they wish - come on boo, gimme kiss
So now that Nelly has finally reached this big conclusion that he is his own man, what does he want to do? Well, everything he was doing before, but this time on his own terms.
So deep, so passionate, and so personal. And yet this man has never gotten any 'spect for his lyrics. I think it's about time the world sees Nelly for more than just the current big rapper, but a masterful poet and lyricist as well.
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