Notorious B.I.G. - Gimme The Loot
written by KT
“Gimme The Loot, Gimme The Loot!” I still laugh a little bit when I hear that hook from the song of the same name. Released on 1994’s Ready To Die, I hadn’t heard this song, in earnest, until high school. You may scoff; I got into hip-hop, really into it, pretty late. And I make no apologies for that. I was in a better position to really love what I was listening to at the point I got hooked on it, and “Gimme The Loot” is probably on top of my list as far as Biggie songs go.
There aren’t many songs that won’t hold my attention if they start with the words “Muthafuckas better know.” It served as a precursor to where the rest of the song was headed, and the ride there was a crazy one. Following the story of two friends, one of which is just released from prison. The whole of the rest of the song tracks their exploits as they rob and mug just about anyone they come across.
The great thing about this song is not the content, rather it’s the colorful way that Big weaves his words together like an ornate tapestry for some of the hardest, most lucid and, quite frankly, most hilarious hip-hop lyrics ever written (“you ain’t got to explain shit/I been robbin’ muthafu**as since the slave ships”). I won’t shy away from the fact the lyrics were violent and even a little offensive, but his talent was undeniable. Regardless of what he was saying, he had me stuck with the wordplay. I can vividly remember shouting out “goodness gracious the paper/where cash at?/where the stash at?....” randomly.
I had heard Life After Death and fell in love, but having never heard Ready to Die up to that point, my brain had no context to wrap my mind around the true depth of his ability. Hearing "RTD" was the point when I realized that there was still SO much that I didn’t know about this music. As it has evolved since those hard-hitting early 90’s, so has my infatuation with it, but I will never forget how that album made me feel about not only hip hop, but Biggie himself. It’s still crazy that he’s gone and it’s still crazy how many heads are still bumping his music like it just came out.
6 comments:
What was so incredible about BIG was his attention to detail and his imagery. You really felt like you were right next to him experiencing everything. And yes, he was hilarious on that, i loved how he robbed dudes since the "slave ships" with the "same clips" lol
and the thing about BIG was, he was so honest. And that's what critics of Hip-Hop don't get; these are real emotions. Rather than get caught up in "oh my god, did he just say that he's robbing a pregnant woman?" they should focus on why a young man feels that the only way to make a living is to turn to a life a crime.
I wish teachers, politicians and activists would finally listen to hip-hop and use it to help improve our people. Rappers like BIG are spittin' that real pain, real emotions and people need to start paying attention...
"cuz the streets are a short stop..."
oh and that pic is soooo New York. We the only motherf***as that's gonna wear shorts and Tim boots! lmao
And when I rock her and drop her I'm taking her door knockers, and if she's resistant...BLOCKA, BLOCKA, BLOCKA!
Only Biggie could say he would steal baby rings and a Number 1 Mom pendant and you not get mad at him. Yes the song is violent, but I think Talib Kweli put it best in his song Gun Muzik (Quality). "Fighting with brothers who pump Biggie like they live on the block." That's how listening to BIG makes you feel, NO MATTER WHERE YOU'RE FROM. You feel like you live on the block for the amount of time the song or album lasts. I guess maybe that's why so many kids in the burbs love rap music.
I'm trying to find a link to Bobby Simmons on Flava Videos doing "Gimme the Loot." It's funny. If I can find it I'll post it, and if anyone else can please post it. I haven't seen that since I was in high school.
Yoooooo JusHH you just made me guffaw at work. The shorts and Timbs oh my GOD!!!! I'm still laughing.
So go get your man bitch he can get robbed too
Tell him biggie took it, what the fuck he gonna do?
Big was at his very best when he was telling stories, man. Warning, Got a Story to Tell, it was just what he did.
And the shorts were so long I thought they were just jeans. Dude prolly wearing ankle socks to seal the deal.
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