Drip or Drown by Gunna Lyrics Meaning – Decoding the Drip Code in Modern Hip-Hop Culture
Lyrics
I got woodgrain on my Damier Buckle (uh)
Cool quarter mill’ in my Goyard duffle (yeah)
I won again so you still gotta shuffle
Born with the drip and just learned how to hustle (hus’)
Look at your bitch through these Dior bifocals (look)
I get me some head, she bend that shit over (yeah)
They say lately I been lookin’ like dollars (yeah)
Pinstripe high waters, I dress like a golfer (drip)
We ride in foreigns, ain’t no more Impalas (foreigns)
They ain’t have the new born but I got baby bottles (ah)
Shoppin’ at Barney, I drip like a model (yeah)
Watch how I drip when I hit that Met Gala (yeah)
Codeine I sip with my lip, don’t get splattered (sip)
Doctor told me I got lean in my bladder (mm)
Run through this cash like family don’t matter (cash)
I got your back, feel the same pain together (yeah)
Pop off the tag of my Palm Angels sweater (yeah)
Baby blue Jag made my mom feel better (yeah)
Fucked a snow bunny at my show at Coachella (yeah)
VVs damn they pointers in my bezel (yeah)
We move too fast, it get slimy as ever (slime)
Life is too grimy, I watch for the devil (grime)
It’s a Rolls Royce, and it comes with umbrellas (ooh)
2018 and that Porsche is Carrera (hey)
Goyard pouch (hey)
Racks in the quarter ounce (hey)
Two accounts (hey)
Large amounts (ooh)
Shop around (hey)
Designer down (ooh)
Drip or drown (hey)
Drip or drown, yeah (ooh)
Killin’ these hoes, need to call paramedics (kill)
New Fendi runners, I feel athletic (yeah)
Run that shit up, bought my partner a Patek (hey)
Blowin’ this cash, it was times we ain’t have it (yeah)
Got twenty-one bitches, I must be a savage (yup)
Cook in the kitchen, the dope smell like acid (yup)
Pourin’ this Hi-Tech, I’m sippin’, relaxin’ (yeah)
Vibes in LA, Gunna fuckin’ the baddest (vibes)
FN ain’t plastic, put him in a casket (uh)
I wiped his nose quickly, pass him a napkin (slime)
Got an addiction, in love with this fashion (yeah)
Prayin’ for all of my bros like we Catholic (pray)
Lifetime of hats ’cause you always be cappin’ (hey)
Niggas ain’t eatin’, stop cappin’, you ain’t fastin’ (cap)
Can’t get no sleep ’cause my life is all action (yeah)
See how shit happened, I made it in rappin’ (yeah)
Goyard pouch (hey)
Racks in the quarter ounce (hey)
Two accounts (hey)
Large amounts (ooh, yeah)
Shop around (hey)
Designer down (ooh)
Drip or drown (hey)
Drip or drown, yeah (ooh)
In a world where hip-hop is as much about the sonics as it is about the aesthetics, Gunna’s ‘Drip or Drown’ has surfaced as an anthem for the fashion-forward and the street-savvy hustlers alike. The song is more than a catchy hook and a smooth flow; it’s a manifesto for a lifestyle where luxury and ambition swim in the same opulent pool.
Gunna, a purveyor of the ‘drip’ culture, ensures that each line of ‘Drip or Drown’ exudes confidence and a meticulous obsession with high fashion, wealth, and the grind. Let’s wade through the glossy surface and dive deep into the hidden depths of the song’s message, exploring what sets it apart as a cultural touchstone in the realm of trap music.
The Semiotics of ‘Drip’: Fashion as a Status Symbol
Gunna’s lyricism in ‘Drip or Drown’ is a masterclass in modern-day materialism. Referencing brands like Goyard, Dior, and Palm Angels isn’t just about consumerism; it’s a deliberate choice of emblems that signify success. His penchant for woodgrain accessories and designer clothes isn’t just personal taste; it’s an assertion of his position within the industry and amongst his peers.
The deliberate drop of illustrious names creates a collage of wealth that Gunna wears as both armor and accolade. The symbology behind ‘dressing like a golfer,’ for instance, isn’t just about style, but about aligning with an elite class, traditionally reserved for the wealthy. It’s about achieving a level of success where his drip becomes a uniform of prosperity.
Surfing the Waves of Success: The Hustle Behind the Shine
Born with the drip and just learned how to hustle,’ Gunna indicates that while the flair for fashion was innate, the grind was an acquired skill. ‘Running through cash like family don’t matter,’ he illustrates the sacrifices and relentless pursuit one must undertake to stay afloat in a cutthroat industry.
Gunna’s narrative isn’t just revelry in material gain; it’s a chronicle of his journey to the top. Every ‘new Fendi runner’ and ‘Patek’ on his partner’s wrist is a testament to a rags-to-riches storyline, an emblem of victory over past financial scarcity, which many listeners find both inspiring and relatable.
The Currency of Influence: Designer Down as Social Capital
In ‘Drip or Drown,’ Gunna isn’t simply flaunting his riches; he’s delineating how in the economy of hip-hop, drip equates to social currency. Designer brands are not merely attire but tokens of influence, a way for him to ‘shop around’ in circles of power and prestige.
The wardrobe becomes an extension of one’s persona, a curated display that communicates one’s narrative without words. From this perspective, the relentless name-dropping in the song is a strategic branding exercise, aligning Gunna with high-end labels to elevate his status as a tastemaker.
Navigating Through Temptation and Trouble: The Hidden Depths
‘Life is too grimy, I watch for the devil,’ Gunna raps, hinting at the darker undercurrent synonymous with a life of luxury. It’s a world fraught with temptations and hazards, where maintaining one’s drip can be as perilous as it is imperative.
The mentions of codeine and luxury cars are not just flaunting wealth; they’re markers of navigating through life’s treacherous waters without succumbing to the many vices that come with fame. Gunna positions himself as a cautious voyager, aware of the storms and still choosing to sail.
Waterlogged Wisdom: The Epitome of Memorable Lines
The chorus, with its succinct declaration, ‘Drip or drown,’ offers a binary choice that resonates with listeners: keep up or be left behind. It’s both a warning and a wisdom, encapsulating the pressure to maintain an image in the unforgiving public eye.
‘Pinstripe high waters, I dress like a golfer; it’s a Rolls Royce and it comes with umbrellas’ — each line is a carefully crafted nugget of Gunna’s philosophy. With every word, he reinforces the link between luxury and survival in the cultural zeitgeist of hip-hop.
