I'm the fuckin' man, y'all don't get it, do ya?
Type of money, everybody acting like they knew ya
Go Uptown, New York City, bitch
Them Spanish girls love me like I'm Aventura
Tell Uncle Luke I'm out in Miami, too
Clubbing hard, fucking women, there ain't much to do
Wrist bling, got a condo up in Biscayne
Still getting brain from a thang, ain't shit changed
How you feel, how you feel, how you feel?
25, sitting on 25 mill, uh
I'm in the building and I'm feelin' myself
Rest in peace, Mac Dre, I'm-a do it for the Bay
Okay, getting paid, we'll holla whenever that stop
My team good, we don't really need a mascot
Tell Tune, "Light one, pass it like a relay"
YMCMB, you niggas more YMCA
Me, Franny, and Mally Mall at the crib-o
Shout goes out to Niko, J and Chubbs, shouts to Gibbo
We got Santa Margherita by the liter
She know even if I'm fucking with her, I don't really need her
Aww, that's how you feel, man, that's really how you feel?
'Cause the pimpin ice cold, all these bitches wanna chill
I mean maybe she won't but then again maybe she will
I can almost guarantee she know the deal, real nigga, what's up?
Now she want a photo, you already know, though
You only live once, that's the motto, nigga, YOLO
And we 'bout it every day, every day, every day
Like we sittin' on the bench, nigga, we don't really play
Every day, every day, fuck what anybody say
Can't see 'em cause the money in the way, real nigga, what's up?
One time, fuck one time
I'm calling niggas out like the umpire
Seven grams in the blunt
Almost drowned in her pussy so I swam to her butt
It's Eastside, we in this bitch
Wish a nigga would, like a tree in this bitch
And if a leaf fall, put some weed in that bitch
That's my MO, add a B to that shit
I'm fucked up, tore down
I'm twisted, door knob
Talk stupid, off with your head
Nigga, money talks, and Mr. Ed
Heh, I'm so Young Money
Got a drum on the gun, Energizer bunny
Funny how honey ain't sweet like sugar
Ain't shit sweet, niggas on the street like hookers
I tongue kiss her other tongue
Skeet skeet skeet, water gun
Oh my God, Becky, look at her butt, Tunechi
Now she want a photo, you already know, though (yeah)
You only live once, that's the motto, nigga, YOLO
And we 'bout it every day, every day, every day
Like we sittin' on the bench, nigga, we don't really play
Every day, every day, fuck what anybody say
Can't see 'em cause the money in the way, real nigga, what's up?
(What's up, what's up, what's up, what's up...)
Real nigga, what's up (what's up, what's up, what's up, what's up...)
Now she want a photo, you already know, though
You only live once, that's the motto, nigga, YOLO
And we 'bout it every day, every day, every day
Like we sittin' on the bench, nigga, we don't really play
Every day, every day, fuck what anybody say
Can't see 'em cause the money in the way, real nigga, what's up?
About This Song
"The Motto" is Drake's hedonistic celebration of newfound wealth and fame that captures the intoxicating rush of rapid success in the music industry. The song explores themes of material excess, sexual conquest, and the psychological transformation that occurs when an artist transitions from relative obscurity to superstardom. Drake's lyrics reveal both swagger and underlying insecurity, as he repeatedly asks "how you feel?" while boasting about his $25 million net worth and lavish lifestyle, suggesting a need for validation despite his success. The track's production features a hypnotic, minimalist beat with heavy bass and sparse instrumentation that allows Drake's melodic flow to take center stage, blending singing and rapping in his signature style. Lyrically, the song operates as a stream-of-consciousness tour through Drake's new reality of Miami clubs, expensive jewelry, and casual relationships, while name-dropping cultural figures like Uncle Luke and paying respect to deceased rapper Mac Dre. The emotional core reveals the emptiness beneath the glamour-despite having everything he thought he wanted, there's a sense of aimlessness in lines about "clubbing hard" with "ain't much to do." The song resonated with listeners because it captured the fantasy of sudden wealth while simultaneously exposing its hollow nature, reflecting broader cultural anxieties about materialism and authenticity in the social media age. "The Motto" became a defining track of early 2010s hip-hop, establishing Drake's persona as the introspective party rapper who could make hedonism sound melancholic.
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