16 Shots by Stefflon Don Lyrics Meaning – Unveiling the Unyielding Bond of Family and Power
Lyrics
16 shot, we go longer than a ladder
Dem nuh fi talk ’bout the real don dada
Put body inna pot dem a bun like grabba
No boy can diss me or my mother
Round here ain’t safe, everybody need armour
16 shot, we go shotta any bluddah
Rah-ta, rah-ta
Ka-kah, ka-kah, ka-kah
Rah-ka-ka-ka-ka-rahh!
You couldn’t be badder than a King-stony
Diss my mother then your skin start bleed
So don’t bother mess with my mommy
With my mommy, with my mommy
Baby, tink you bad, say ya badder than she
If dog a-go bark, long time dem doh eat
Rap on, pop off, make you move like freak
They say dem a gangsta, but so is mommy
They gon’ put hands on a chick
They gon’ put hands on her
Eyes watchin’ when I comin’ through the door
What I’mma do, they ain’t prepared for
No gyal can tell me ’bout my mother
16 shot, we go longer than a ladder
Dem nuh fi talk ’bout the real don dada
Put body inna pot dem a bun like grabba
No boy can diss me or my mother
Round here ain’t safe, everybody need armour
16 shot, we go shotta any bluddah
Rah-ta, rah-ta
Ka-kah, ka-kah, ka-kah
Rah-ka-ka-ka-ka-rahh!
You couldn’t be madder than Bryant, Kobe
Diss my mother then your lip won’t speak
So don’t bother mess with my mommy
With my mommy, with my mommy
Jah really think you bad, say you badder than me
If things a-go start tonight, you won’t sleep
Pop on, cut off, make ya look like creep
Dem say dem a bad gyal, but gyal dem nuh be
They gon’ put hands on a chick
They gon’ put hands on her
Eyes watchin’ when I comin’ through the door
What I’mma do, they ain’t prepared for
No gyal can tell me ’bout my mother
16 shot, we go longer than a ladder
Dem nuh fi talk ’bout the real don dada
Put body inna pot dem a bun like grabba
No boy can diss me or my mother
Round here ain’t safe, everybody need armour
16 shot, we go shotta any bluddah
Rah-ta, rah-ta
Ka-kah, ka-kah, ka-kah
Rah-ka-ka-ka-ka-rahh!
Get 1 shot, if dem tink dem a man
Get 2 shot, if dem feel dem a don
Get 3 shot, if dem tek mi fi ediat
Get 4 shot, this a couple shot, know that
Get 5 shot, fi anybody what think dem hard
Straight, head tump, ya must drop
If you hit up the da-da-da-don
Bullets gon’ hit you wherever you are
No gyal can tell me ’bout my mother
16 shot, we go longer than a ladder
Dem nuh fi talk ’bout the real don dada
Put body inna pot dem a bun like grabba
No boy can diss me or my mother
Round here ain’t safe, everybody need armour
16 shot, we go shotta any bluddah
Rah-ta, ta-ta, ta-ta
Ta-ta, ta-tah-ta
No gyal can tell me ’bout my mother
16 shot, we go longer than a ladder
Dem nuh fi talk ’bout the real don dada
Put body inna pot dem a bun like grabba
No boy can diss me or my mother
Round here ain’t safe, everybody need armour
16 shot, we go shotta any bluddah
Rah-ta, rah-ta
Ka-kah, ka-kah, ka-kah
Rah-ka-ka-ka-ka-rahh!
Stefflon Don’s fierce track ’16 Shots’ serves as a siren call to anyone underestimating the power and sanctity of family, especially the bond between mother and child. In a world where women in music often have their stories told for them, Stefflon Don snatches the narrative with a lyrical barrage that’s both a protective incantation and a warning shot.
The song’s visceral depth and potent rhythms have been lighting up dance floors and sparking conversations. The raw energy and unapologetic delivery have made ’16 Shots’ an anthem of resilience and respect, underscoring the British-Jamaican rapper’s prowess and echoing through her listeners’ own experiences.
A Maternal Anthem: The Unbreakable Kinship
At the heart of ’16 Shots’ lies the veneration of motherhood, an aspect of life that’s both deeply personal and universally relatable. Stefflon Don crafts an homage to her own mother, illustrating the untouchable stature of the woman who shaped her. This isn’t just a tribute; it’s a battle cry against any who dare disrespect the sacred maternal figure.
The relentless energy and protective spirit echo a sentiment known across cultures: the bond between a mother and her offspring is sacrosanct. Through assertive delivery and a no-holds-barred attitude, Stefflon enshrines this bond in a thunderous, dancehall-infused beat that accentuates the song’s ferocity.
Beyond the Beat: Cultural Resonance and Identity
Stefflon Don doesn’t simply layer her verses over a beat; she intertwines her Jamaican heritage into the sonic fabric of ’16 Shots.’ The rhythmic cadences and patois-inflected delivery aren’t just stylistic choices; they’re affirmations of identity and nods to a lineage of musical rebels and outcasts who’ve used the artform as a tool for resistance and expression.
The use of dancehall elements exemplifies how musical genres are more than entertainment; they’re historical records and vessels of cultural commentary. ’16 Shots’ pulses with the vibrancy and resilience of a community that’s long celebrated strength and survival through music.
Lyrical Bullets: The Potent Bars You Can’t Ignore
From defiant declarations about outlasting foes ‘longer than a ladder’ to the percussive onomatopoeia of gunshots, ’16 Shots’ harnesses language for its evocative power. Stefflon Don’s lyrics ricochet with a mix of threat and boast, embodying the song’s warrior ethos.
This isn’t just about bravado; the artist crafts a narrative of self-defense and communal guardianship. When she riddles the track with ’16 shot, we go shotta any bluddah,’ it’s a stark reminder that any attack on her kin is met with a disproportionate response—a reflection of the instinctual need to protect one’s lineage.
The Hidden Meaning: Undermining Stereotypes and Empowering Women
Beneath the song’s aggressive exterior lies a critique of how society underestimates and pigeonholes women, particularly mothers. Stefflon Don dismantles the stereotype of the passive matriarch, instead showcasing a figure both loving and formidable.
The portrayal of her mother, and by extension all women, as capable of bearing the don dada mantle—a term typically reserved for men—is a subversion of expectations. This isn’t just a protection of her family’s dignity; it’s an empowerment of the feminine, a rallying cry for women to occupy spaces typically denied to them.
The Echo Across Continents: A Global Phenomenon
What started as a personal testament for Stefflon Don has transcended to a worldwide resonance. ’16 Shots’ taps into a universal language of strength in the face of adversity—something that cultures across the globe can understand and feel in their bones.
This track has been embraced not only for its compelling beat and Stefflon’s flow but for its broader themes of loyalty, resilience, and the depth of familial bonds. From London to Kingston and beyond, ’16 Shots’ continues to be a soundtrack to those standing tall through struggles, celebrating the unyielding support of the families we’re born into or choose for ourselves.
