“If you’re good at something, never do it for free.”
“I fucked my money up.” These lyrics begin Waka Flocka Flame’s chaotic, post-crunk breakout single, “O Let’s Do It.” It’s a sentiment easily understood: funds are low and panic begins to set in. What follows the opening line is infectious anarchy — aggression and mayhem thumping from the song’s Southern heartbeat.
The former Gucci Mane protégé blew up without the polish of a seasoned artist. He was a rapper by circumstance who stumbled upon a formula that aimed to reach clubs by focusing on energy rather than technical ability. In the year 2009–36 years after hip-hop’s birth — making rap music intended for a specific audience wasn’t a new phenomenon, but admitting you don’t care about lyrics was and still is an act of taboo.
Waka made headlines after calling into DJ Whoo Kid’s radio show, stating, “The n — -as who they say is lyrical, they ain’t got no shows … that ain’t finnin’ to get you no money.” The statement was and still is inaccurate, and doesn’t fully represent the opportunities that are available to rappers operating in…
