Used To Be Broke

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of a rapper reveling in newfound success after a period of poverty. The opening lines immediately establish a sexually charged scene, juxtaposed with the narrator's hustle and ambition. He boasts about his financial turnaround, using vivid, if crude, metaphors like "givin' me cake like a funnel" and comparing his sexual prowess to a "shovel." This aggressive confidence is underscored by references to past struggles ("used to be broke") and a cutthroat mentality ("might rob my plug cause I'm cutthroat"). The narrator seems to be asserting dominance and enjoying the fruits of his labor, even if the methods are questionable. The central tension surfaces in the chorus, revealing a profound sense of isolation despite outward success and companionship. "I'm still with my bros but I still feel alone" is a stark contrast to the boastful verses. This loneliness seems to be a recurring state, triggered "when I'm in that mood." It suggests that material wealth and sexual encounters don't fill a deeper void, hinting at the emotional cost of his lifestyle or the lingering effects of his past. A striking element is the narrator's use of dark, often violent imagery to describe sexual encounters and his general demeanor. Comparing a woman to a "fucked up boat" sinking into her or a "bomb like a drone drop" is jarring. The line "Like my dead dad nigga, I'm never going home" is particularly bleak, linking his current state to a profound loss and a sense of rootlessness. This juxtaposition of bravado with underlying pain and a morbid outlook creates a complex, unsettling portrait. Ultimately, these lyrics resonate because they capture a specific kind of aspirational toxicity. The narrator is living out a fantasy of overcoming hardship through sheer will and a predatory approach to life, but the persistent feeling of being alone, even surrounded by friends, grounds the narrative in a relatable human experience. The writing effectively uses shock value and raw language to convey both the thrill of success and the hollow echo it can leave behind.