Bubblin by Anderson .Paak Lyrics Meaning – Peeling Back The Layers of Prosperity and Hustle
Lyrics
Okay you bubblin’
Look at you go
Okay you bubblin’
One in the hand
One in the bag
Bubblin’
Look at the cash
Look at the cash
Comin’ in
Come get your man
This lil’ nigga buggin’ me
Just need a bag
Quit all that jaw-jackery
Don’t need to pass me that
I don’t want none of it (yeah)
These niggas mad about it
Had enough of it, whoa
Watch what you’re sayin’
All that poppin’ ‘n shakin’
Got me hot as a laser
My posse deep in our rating
We act a fool for the paper
Had a dream and I made it
El Camino on Dayton’s
Bitch it’s Guess over Bape
Put the bread on me bitch
Bitch you bet I’mma bake it
Think you flatter than bacon
I might just roll out today
I might just roll out to Vegas
Head back to my old ways
Pop the roof from the Asia
Hoes and do blow all day
Look at me baby
Look at me baby
Don’t I look like a million
I’m ’bout to clean out the safe
Dont I look like somebody that just be bodyin’ everything
All that talkin’ is great but now don’t be talkin’ now air it out
All the problems have gotten easy to bury
I’d rather drown in them in Hendrick’s
I’d rather kiss all my mary
I been broker way longer than I been rich so until it levels out
I’mma take your mama to the Marriott and wear it out
Took me so long to get it
Gonna spread it out
Let ’em know all about it when I’m dead and gone
One in the hand
One in the bag
Bubblin’ (look at you go)
One in the hand
One in the bag
Bubblin’ (look at you go)
Look at the cash
Look at the cash
Bubblin’ (okay you bubblin’)
Look at the cash (look)
Bubblin’ (go)
One in the hand (look)
One in the hand (go)
One in the hand
One in the bag
Bubblin’ (look at you go)
Look at the cash
Look at the cash
Bubblin’ (okay you bubblin’)
Look at the cash (look)
Bubblin’
I’mma need all the fries you can give me
All the hot sauce, all the pie you can give me
Better be all in that, you don’t have me in the middle
You better be all you can, get high in a minute
Superfly for the Dumbos
Plenty slides like a shuffle
Hit the cadence with my young bitch
Isaac Hayes, Billy Ocean
But the ol’ hoe with the cane stick
Left my slippers at the function
It’s hard to run in Gucci slides
She got that she say you didn’t have a husband
I’mma stand no cuckold
Jackie Chan no travel
Can’t kill me with a beat
Blood drippin’ from the cutthroats
No Lord, not me, I can never be the one you wanna stunt for
Money money that machine
Guns spray the Ferragamo store
R.I.P. the times that I was broke
Actin’ like the 9-11 folks
Mad back, lick it clean
Dead prisoners in an envelope
Cookin’ up can I, waitin’ for the antidote
Runnin’ outta town
Patience thinner than a pantyhose
One in the hand
One in the bag
Bubblin’ (look at you go)
One in the hand
One in the bag
Bubblin’ (look at you go)
Look at the cash
Look at the cash
Bubblin’ (okay you bubblin’)
Look at the cash (look)
Bubblin’ (go)
One in the hand (look)
One in the hand (go)
One in the hand
One in the bag
Bubblin’ (look at you go)
Look at the cash
Look at the cash
Bubblin’ (okay you bubblin’)
Look at the cash (look)
Bubblin’
In a culture awash with rags-to-riches stories, Anderson .Paak throws his hat into the ring with ‘Bubblin’ – a track that’s as infectious in its beat as it is intricate in its storytelling. With a soundscape reminiscent of blaxploitation film soundtracks and a narrative rich with the triumphs and tribulations of the come-up, .Paak positions ‘Bubblin’ as an anthem of ostentatious living borne from the grind of the underprivileged.
Beyond the surface-level braggadocio and the melodic hooks that enrapture the listener, ‘Bubblin’ lays out a deeper commentary on the societal chase for wealth, the banality of materialism, and the intoxicating effect of newfound affluence. In the following analysis, we’ll dive into the core of .Paak’s message, exploring the enigmatic lines and exposing the raw truth behind the vibrant front of ‘Bubblin’.
A Deluge of Dollar Bills
At its core, ‘Bubblin” is a triumphant track celebrating financial success – ‘Look at the cash / Look at the cash / Bubblin” serves as a hypnotic hook that encapsulates the essence of the song. The relentless repetition evokes the overwhelming inflow of wealth, with Anderson .Paak marveling at the fruits of his labor. He juxtaposes the past tribulations with current spoils, underscoring the stark contrast between his former and current state.
Yet, as we nod to the rhythm and get lost in the images of decadence, .Paak provides glimpses into the downside of such affluence. The lament of ‘These niggas mad about it / Had enough of it’ reflects the perennial darkness that trails the spotlight, coming in the form of envy and the double-edged sword of celebrity.
The Jaws of Jealousy and the Teeth of Truth
Anderson .Paak warns of the dangers of fame with lines like ‘Watch what you’re sayin’ / All that poppin’ ‘n shakin’ / Got me hot as a laser’. The scrutiny that comes with success puts one under the microscope of public opinion and critique, leaving little room for error or human frailty. The ‘pop culture’ bravado is met with an equal measure of vulnerability behind closed doors.
This is the music of a man who is fully aware that every slice of success comes accompanied by the unrelenting jaws of jealousy. He knows that for all the cash bubblin’, there’s a price on his peace – a dialectic that plays out in the psyche of .Paak and echoes in the ears of the listener.
Unveiling the Veneer: The Hidden Meaning Behind ‘Bubblin’
Surface interpretations of ‘Bubblin” might leave one thinking this is a mere paean to prosperity. But to truly understand .Paak’s opus is to acknowledge the yearning for longevity and legacy. ‘Took me so long to get it / Gonna spread it out / Let ’em know all about it when I’m dead and gone’ speaks to a fear of impermanence and a desire to make a mark beyond the temporal.
The song spells out a paradox where .Paak seeks to transcend materialism while also being caught in its glitzy grip. The ‘old ways’ and ‘rooftops of Asia’ symbolize escapism through consumption, but buried within the braggadocio is a quest for something more profound than mere currency.
From Humble Beginnings to Hedonistic Heights
Bubblin’ charts a journey from modest beginnings to the pinnacle of plutocracy, with .Paak recollecting the grind that got him to the top – ‘I been broker way longer than I been rich so until it levels out’. It’s the narrative of an underdog whose hunger propelled him to opulence, but never lets him forget the taste of hardship.
The personal touch in the lyrics aches with a palpable tension between his past and present self. .Paak’s storytelling captures not just the ascent, but also the sustained anxiety of losing it all. This adds layers to what could be misconstrued as a simple boast track; it’s as much about the vulnerability of wealth as it is about its veneer.
Memorable Lines That Linger Long After The Beat Drops
‘.Paak’s lyrical craft in ‘Bubblin” ensures that certain lines stick with you, like the earworm of ‘I’mma need all the fries you can give me / All the hot sauce, all the pie you can give me’. These gastronomic metaphors for avarice and appetite symbolize an insatiable hunger for more – a relentless craving for life’s luxuries now that the table has turned.
The reference to Hendrick’s and ‘kiss[ing] all my mary’ is emblematic of a coping mechanism to deal with pressures of his stature – indulging in the very vices awarded by success. Like the fizzling soda pop from a shaken bottle, these lines fizz with uncontained energy, reflecting the inner turmoil and excitement that ‘Bubblin” represents.
