SPEEDBOAT by Denzel Curry Lyrics Meaning – Navigating the Depths of Success and Survival
Lyrics
To offshore bank accounts
See me and my conglomerates is lucrative
I’m talking big money, big chains, big guns nigga, more power
Big talk, speedboat (speedboat)
Pray to God, I don’t get repo’d (repo’d)
Didn’t go to college for a free throw (swish)
People getting killed through the peep hole (bah!)
Have your money up before you go to war (hmm)
Put the mask on like a luchador (hmm)
My dawg didn’t make it to twenty-one, so I gotta make it past twenty-four
Big talk, speedboat (speedboat)
Pray to God, I don’t get repo’d (repo’d)
Didn’t go to college for a free throw (swish)
People getting killed through the peep hole (bah!)
Have your money up before you go to war (hmm)
Put the mask on like a luchador (hmm)
My dawg didn’t make it to twenty-one, so I gotta make it past twenty-four
Put a red beam to your head like Arby’s
Either go to school, go to jail or the army
Keep a close eye on the things tryna harm me
Warn me if anybody try to swarm me (uh)
Invest in a rock and a Rottweiler
Pile up hella stacks when the bills pile up
Dollar, it’s the only way to get the style up
Riled up ’cause you motherfuckers used the dial up
My dawg is gone and the result is to have my teflon
Christian Dior and the fashion beyond
Talking Polo, call me Polow da Don
Throw some d’s on the thong
I got hella keys in the phone
I put hella G’s in the vault
It took only three to assault (damn)
Jesus, please deliver us from evil
Please pray over all my people
What you see in life’s illegal
I don’t wanna use my desert eagle
Big talk, speedboat (speedboat)
Pray to God, I don’t get repo’d (repo’d)
Didn’t go to college for a free throw (swish)
People getting killed through the peep hole (bah!)
Have your money up before you go to war (hmm)
Put the mask on like a luchador (hmm)
My dawg didn’t make it to twenty-one, so I gotta make it past twenty-four
Big talk, speedboat (speedboat)
Pray to God, I don’t get repo’d (repo’d)
Didn’t go to college for a free throw (swish)
People getting killed through the peep hole (bah!)
Have your money up before you go to war (hmm)
Put the mask on like a luchador (hmm)
My dawg didn’t make it to twenty-one, so I gotta make it past twenty-four
Pouring out scotch
Gas, all in my brain, it fumigating my thoughts
Thinking ’bout intricate plots
To get out the hood, that’s when I started to jot
not given the opportunity to let the Devil ruin me (no)
Even though the jewelry froze, ice cubes get depot
Word on the street, everything heat
Everything hot boy, Texas Pete
Pulled up in a Lexus and a Jeep
All black, no tag, time for the sweep
Too many guns, too many sons
Lost in the river of blood in these streets
Master of none, pastors and nuns
Let’s bow our heads for the ceremony
Jesus, please deliver us from evil
Please pray over all my people
What you see in life’s illegal
I don’t wanna use my desert eagle
Big talk, speedboat (speedboat)
Pray to God, I don’t get repo’d (repo’d)
Didn’t go to college for a free throw (swish)
People getting killed through the peep hole (bah!)
Have your money up before you go to war (hmm)
Put the mask on like a luchador (hmm)
My dawg didn’t make it to twenty-one, so I gotta make it past twenty-four
Big talk, speedboat (speedboat)
Pray to God, I don’t get repo’d (repo’d)
Didn’t go to college for a free throw (swish)
People getting killed through the peep hole (bah!)
Have your money up before you go to war (hmm)
Put the mask on like a luchador (hmm)
My dawg didn’t make it to twenty-one, so I gotta make it past twenty-four
Fo’, fo’, fo’
Fo’, fo’, fo’
Fo’, fo’, fo’
Denzel Curry’s ‘SPEEDBOAT’ is a vessel cutting through the choppy waves of success, danger, and the perils that come with both. With verses that echo the rapid rhythm of Curry’s own heartbeat and experiences, the track is a sonic diary entry, detailing the rapper’s critical view of the violent and volatile environment that he has navigated.
Through the metaphor of a ‘speedboat,’ Curry illustrates the urgency and the high stakes he faces on a daily basis. It’s an exploration of wealth juxtaposed with mortality, a dive into opulence on the edge of life and death. The high-speed lyricism and poignant messaging create a turbulent ride that demands a closer look beneath its waves.
Riding the Luxurious Tide: The Allure of ‘Big Money’
Curry begins by contrasting his humble beginnings with his current wealth, swiftly steering the narrative toward the darker undercurrents that accompany financial success. His mention of ‘big money, big chains, big guns’ is a clear indication of the lifestyle changes that have come swiftly, like a speedboat cutting through the water, but it’s not without the dangerous ripples of more power and bigger stakes.
Referencing off-shore bank accounts and his lucrative conglomerate, the rapper is not just bragging about his wealth; he’s making a statement about the distance he’s placed between his past life and the new world he inhabits. Yet, the imagery of ‘big guns’ serves as a stark reminder that even on this luxurious ride, he must stay armed against those who would sink his progress.
The Threats Looming Below: Prayers and Peepholes
The repeated mantra, ‘Pray to God, I don’t get repo’d,’ is a line layered with fear and foresight. To not get ‘repo’d’ not only alludes to the loss of possessions but also metaphorically speaks to the risk of losing one’s life or freedom in the ‘game.’ As Curry asserts the need to ‘have your money up before you go to war,’ the grim reality becomes clear—economic stability is imperative for survival.
Curry cleverly crafts a world where vulnerability is a luxury one can’t afford, symbolized by the violence glimpsed ‘through the peep hole.’ It’s a stark visual, the small aperture through which one might catch a final glimpse of a dangerous world approaching, an omen that tragedy is but a heartbeat away.
A Survival Manifesto: Beyond the Bravado
SPEEDBOAT’s chorus reflects a determination to outlive the fate that has claimed so many before him, including the friend who ‘didn’t make it to twenty-one.’ Curry’s personal goal to ‘make it past twenty-four’ is tragically tinged with the understanding that each year is a victory in the landscape he occupies.
This isn’t merely about outpacing death; it’s a fight to redefine success on his own terms. The mask ‘like a luchador’ symbolizes maintaining an identity in the face of adversity, a nod to both the protection it offers and the performance it requires in a world that constantly tests his authenticity.
The Hidden Depths of ‘SPEEDBOAT’: A Memorial Etched in Lyrics
The potency of ‘SPEEDBOAT’ lies in its hidden homage to those lost to violence and the systems that fail to protect the marginalized. Each verse serves as an inscription, acknowledging the souls who’ve tragically become statistics in the streets Curry comes from.
Curry’s references to the ‘river of blood’ and the need for guidance, ‘Jesus, please deliver us from evil,’ mark a plea for redemption and a call to remember the human cost of systemic disenfranchisement. In this, he weaves a tapestry of hope and despair, urging not just remembrance, but action.
Memorable Lines: ‘Put a red beam to your head like Arby’s’
Among the song’s many striking lines, ‘Put a red beam to your head like Arby’s’ showcases Denzel Curry’s knack for culturally relevant and sinister wordplay. The line is a nod to the Arby’s logo, while evoking the threat of being under the scope of danger, whether it’s from law enforcement, rival factions, or life itself.
The humor injected into such a grim comparison makes this line resonate with listeners. It reduced the vast and dire circumstances Curry navigates into a single, piercing image, using humor as a coping mechanism while illuminating the absurdity and ubiquity of such threats.
