Narcos by Migos Lyrics Meaning – Unveiling the Layers of a Street Anthem

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for Migos's Narcos at Lyrics.org.

Lyrics

Trapping like the narco (narco)
Got dope like Pablo (Pablo)
Cut throat like Pablo (cut throat)
Chop trees with the Draco (Draco)
On the Nawf, got Diego (Diego)
Saying hasta luego (luego)
Muy Bien wrapping kilos (ye)
Snub nose with potatoes
Straight out the jungle (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
This real rap, no mumble (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
My skin black like mamba (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Got stash boxes in Hondas (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Straight out the jungle (oh yeah)

Bricks in the brick house
Use to hit licks and go to ma house (momma)
Straight out the jungle (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Young nigga don’t know nothin’ now (ya)
Young nigga know too much now (woo)
Bow bow bow, that’ll slow ’em down (yeah, yeah)
We pick up the hundos (hundos)
Then drop them off to Huncho (Huncho)
I came from the bando, (bando, beep beep) here go the wide load

Trapping like the narco (narco)
Got dope like Pablo (Pablo)
Cut throat like Pablo (cut throat)
Chop trees with the Draco (Draco)
On the Nawf, got Diego (Diego)
Saying hasta luego (luego)
We’ll be in wrapping kilos (ye)
Snub nose with potatoes
Straight out the jungle (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
This real rap, no mumble (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
My skin black like mamba (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Got stash boxes in Hondas (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Straight out the jungle (oh yeah)
(Magnífico, arriba, arriba)

Hey, cold gang with the cocaine (coke)
The more money make more rain (rain)
Pouring up a pint while I’m bagging propane (bag)
Point blank range give a nigga nose rings (yes)
Skip to my lou with a pack in the cat (cat)
Jiffy, Lube, where the bricks where they at (where)
Dripping, ooze the Patek all wet (ooh)
The birds in the trap they ain’t leavin’ out they nest (brr)
Get pie face, Seth like meth, yeah
Yup, runnin’ with the pack got slapped (yeah)
Hands in the cookie jar, cut his finger off (ah)
Nigga bein’ greedy we gon’ cut his tummy out
Hundred bricks on the roads, took a couple routes (bricks)
Plus momma house, Hermes and Fendi couch (eh)
I ain’t really with the razzle dazzle
Knock him off and then I throw him off the boat, paddle (brr)
Go to Tijuana, put the kilo on the saddle (ooh)
Sack him, hit a lick cop a pterodactyl (sack)
Pap him, choppa bitin’ down like an apple
Mansion with the acres with the horses and the cattle

Trapping like the narco (narco)
Got dope like Pablo (Pablo)
Cut throat like Pablo (cut throat)
Chop trees with the Draco (Draco)
On the Nawf, got Diego (Diego)
Saying hasta luego (luego)
We’ll be in wrapping kilos (ye)
Snub nose with potatoes
Straight out the jungle (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
This real rap, no mumble (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
My skin black like mamba (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Got stash boxes in Hondas (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Straight out the jungle (oh yeah)
(Magnífico, arriba, arriba)

Take-Takeoff
No monkey in the jungle, block hot like a sauna
Bustin’ knockin’ on me, tryna weave with anacondas
Jumpin’ in the water, trying to sneak across the waterglass
Seek guards out, got me bit by a piranha (ouch)
I’ll bag it, bag a money, know I gotta have it
Savage, but I’m still a gentleman in Cali (Cali)
Static, nigga turn to mean about the cabbage (uh)
Kill his whole family if he run off with your package (brr)
I just put a pack on the way to Bogota (pack)
Poke his eyes out, ain’t no telling what he saw (poke ’em out)
I’ma wire his jaw, I don’t know if he will talk (wire jaw)
Get the chainsaw and I’ma saw his legs off (saw)
They knew that we was gang but they saying that we a ring
Investigating, taking pictures of the whole team (DEA)
Undercover, tryna do a sting
10 mil on a plane, going straight to Medellin

Trapping like the narco (narco)
Got dope like Pablo (Pablo)
Cut throat like Pablo (cut throat)
Chop trees with the Draco (Draco)
On the Nawf, got Diego (Diego)
Saying hasta luego (luego)
We’ll be in wrapping kilos (ye)
Snub nose with potatoes
Straight out the jungle (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
This real rap, no mumble (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
My skin black like mamba (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Got stash boxes in Hondas (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Straight out the jungle (oh yeah)

On its face, ‘Narcos’ by Migos stands out as a hard-hitting homage to the notorious lives of drug lords, woven with the fabric of trap music. However, a closer listening experience peels back the layers to reveal a deeper narrative about survival, the ambivalence of the American Dream, and the stark realities of street life.

As Migos deftly balances glorification with commentary, the track becomes more than just a backdrop for narcotic aesthetics; it’s a cultural mirror reflecting issues of poverty, ambition, and systemic corruption. Yet, the group also leaves cryptic breadcrumbs throughout, challenging listeners to dissect every bar.

From ‘Straight Out the Jungle’ to Narcos – The Evolution of an Era

What begins as a testament to raw survival ‘straight out the jungle’ quickly morphs into a contemporary manifesto of power. Through this articulation, Migos connects historical lines, drawing parallels between the savage survivalism of wildlife and the cutthroat world of drug trafficking. The jungle represents a beginning, a murky origin from which the journey towards ill-gotten wealth begins.

But this wealth is not without consequences. The evolution from surviving in the jungle to becoming self-styled narcos encapsulates a transformation laden with moral ambiguity. It posits the question — when does the necessity to survive become a relentless pursuit of excess?

Chop Trees with the Draco – The Glorification of Violence?

At first glance, Migos’ allusions to violence with lines like ‘chop trees with the Draco’ appear to glorify the brutal aggression often associated with drug cartels. The metaphorical ‘chopping’ could easily be seen as a nod to the group’s readiness for combat. This is not merely posturing; it’s a grim acknowledgment of the tools and mindset required to thrive in an unforgiving urban landscape.

Yet, such references also introduce a subtle critique of how society has normalized and, at times, celebrated such violence. By drawing attention to this normalization, Migos invites introspection on the part of the listener regarding the conditions that beget violence in the first place.

The Narcotic Lure of Wealth – Exploring the Seduction of Power

The continual refrain ‘got dope like Pablo’ serves as both braggadocio and a nod to the intoxicating allure of unbridled power and wealth that the real-life Pablo Escobar epitomized. Migos taps into this mythos, with its infectious beats entrancing listeners much like the seductive promise of Escobar’s empire.

As Migos mirrors this kind of narcotic power within their lyrics, the song itself becomes an object lesson in the narcotization of power. Wealth and dominance, when stemming from illicit means, are revealed as both alluring and ultimately corrosive.

Decoding the Hidden Message Among the Hard Hitting Bars

Amidst the bravado lies a hidden meaning of resistance to racial and socio-economic circumstances. ‘My skin black like mamba’ is not just a casual reference to the late great Kobe Bryant, but also a declaration of pride in their African American heritage and a reminder of the resilience required to succeed against the odds.

Furthermore, ‘Got stash boxes in Hondas’ might reveal a more profound notion that, despite their success, Migos still grapples with the paranoia and practicality that come from an underworld lifestyle. The opulence they flaunt comes tethered to the constant reality of concealment and the threat of downfall.

The Lines You Can’t Forget: Migos’ Mastery of Memorable Lyrics

The group doesn’t just craft a catchy hook; they create an arsenal of lines that embed themselves into the listener’s consciousness. ‘Trapping like the narco,’ for instance, is not merely repetitive – it’s an indelible statement that captures the ethos of the song in four words.

Then there’s the haunting farewell ‘saying hasta luego’ which, though simple, carries a weight of finality and a hint at the transitory nature of the narcos’ lifestyle. Each line, delivered with Migos’ characteristic flair, adds another layer to the tapestry of ‘Narcos,’ creating a track that’s as memorable as it is provocative.