Started by Iggy Azalea Lyrics Meaning – Charting the Journey from Rags to Riches
Lyrics
I got in my bag and I ain’t looked back since
I started to say sorry, but fuck that shit
You started out hatin’, now you love my drip
I started from the bottom and now I’m rich
I got in my bag and I ain’t looked back since
I started to say sorry, but fuck that shit
You started out hatin’, now you love my drip
Ayy, bitch, they lookin’ at me, they not lookin’ at you
I don’t mean to be rude, I’m a ten, you a two
He be blowin’ me up like a fuckin’ balloon
I just tell him give me space like the man on the moon
You know that I’m the best, is that why you depressed?
Say you gettin’ a check, girl, you be frontin’ like breasts
I look good for myself, I got no one to impress
You better ask your GPS, I ain’t the one to address
Lil’ bitch, look
I started from the bottom and now I’m rich
I got in my bag and I ain’t looked back since
I started to say sorry, but fuck that shit
You started out hatin’, now you love my drip
I started from the bottom and now I’m rich
I got in my bag and I ain’t looked back since
I started to say sorry, but fuck that shit
You started out hatin’, now you love my drip
Do you hate that you love me or do you love that you hate me?
All you bitches be bitin’, I hope you don’t give me Rabies
You can say what you want about me as long as you pay me
I’m just tryna get them M’s and I ain’t talkin’ Slim Shady
Bitch don’t look at me crazy or you’ll be pushin’ up daisies
On this watch I spent 80, got me lit up like Las Vegas
Yeah, my house is so big, I’m sittin’ on acres and acres
I have never seen my neighbours, no do-rag but Iggy wavy
God damn
I started from the bottom and now I’m rich
I got in my bag and I ain’t looked back since
I started to say sorry, but fuck that shit
You started out hatin’, now you love my drip
I started from the bottom and now I’m rich
I got in my bag and I ain’t looked back since
I started to say sorry, but fuck that shit
You started out hatin’, now you love my drip
I know I’m fine (okay), yeah, I’m a dime (okay)
I cut him off if he ever get outta line (okay)
I do it big (okay), like I’m a giant (okay)
I waste my wine before I ever waste my time (okay)
Get outta line (okay), It’s going down (okay)
You know my temper is way shorter than a Vine (okay)
We not the same lil’ mama, I don’t wait in line (okay)
You say you rich, well like Mufasa you be lyin’ (okay)
Well okay
I started from the bottom and now I’m rich
I got in my bag and I ain’t looked back since
I started to say sorry, but fuck that shit
You started out hatin’, now you love my drip
I started from the bottom and now I’m rich
I got in my bag and I ain’t looked back since
I started to say sorry, but fuck that shit
You started out hatin’, now you love my drip
In the landscape of modern hip-hop, few songs burn as brightly with the ferocity of ambition and the glare of success as Iggy Azalea’s ‘Started’. With its thumping beats and unabashedly brash lyrics, the track is a thunderous proclamation of personal achievement and unapologetic self-assuredness.
But ‘Started’ is more than just a victory lap around the spoils of fame—it’s a narrative of transformation, a musical bildungsroman that mirrors Azalea’s own ascent from the depths of anonymity to the pinnacle of pop culture. It is a testament to her tenacity and a declaration of independence from the opinions and approval of others.
From Zero to Hero: A Tale of Triumph
Right out of the gate, ‘Started’ sets the stage for a classic rags-to-riches story. The repeated line ‘I started from the bottom and now I’m rich’ isn’t just a celebratory chorus; it’s a mantra that echoes the core tenet of the American Dream. Iggy narrates her journey with a blend of raw grit and a wink of glamor, reminding listeners that her current status is a product of her own making. The track serves as a crisp reminder that every mogul, no matter how polished they appear in the moment, has a past sprinkled with struggle.
Iggy’s reflection on her past ‘started to say sorry, but fuck that shit’ is not just a rejection of regret, but an empowerment of her present self. ‘Started’ is as much about the accumulation of wealth as it is about the accumulation of self-worth and identity through perseverance.
A Symphony of Swagger: The Bold Beats of Bravado
Sonically, ‘Started’ is an uproarious blend of braggadocio and bass, with production that emphasizes Iggy’s audacious pronouncements. Each verse spills over with confidence and assertion, and the beats serve as an emphatic underline to her claims of dominance. When Iggy remarks that she’s a ‘ten’ while others are a ‘two’, the music swells, supporting her bold comparative. It’s this juxtaposition of heavy, confident beats with stinging lyrics that creates an anthem for anyone climbing their way up.
The track is strategic in its brashness, tailor-made for both the club and the car, constructed to be blared loud and proud. It’s the sort of song that doesn’t just get stuck in your head; it becomes an earworm that inspires your own swagger.
Picking Apart the Paradox: Love Me or Hate Me?
One of the more intriguing psychological elements of ‘Started’ is the inversion of the hate-to-love relationship. Azalea questions, ‘Do you hate that you love me or do you love that you hate me?’ suggesting a paradoxical relationship between the artist and her listeners—or perhaps her detractors. It’s an acknowledgment that her presence is polarizing, but whether that polarization inspires adoration or animosity, it ultimately benefits her brand.
This duality of feeling closely mirrors the dichotomy that many successful women in music face, where their success and assertiveness might be admired by some and resented by others. ‘Started’ challenges this narrative and flips it on its head, taking ownership of the emotional power the artist holds over the audience.
The Unforgettable Hook: How Iggy’s Drip Became Iconic
The hook of ‘Started’ exemplifies sticky songwriting; the kind that once heard, reverberates in the mind for days. ‘You started out hatin’, now you love my drip’ isn’t just catchy—it’s a smart commentary on the fickle nature of public opinion and the fashion-forward language of the current hip-hop landscape. In the context of the song, ‘drip’ is more than clothing—it’s essence, style, and composure under the spotlight.
With each iteration of the chorus, Azalea drives home the transformational motif of her story, serving as an earworm and a reminder of where she came from—and perhaps more importantly, where she now stands.
Unwrapping the Hidden Meaning: More Than Meets the Eye
While the surface of ‘Started’ is glossy with success, delve a little deeper and you’ll uncover a layer of self-sufficiency and independence. Verses like ‘I look good for myself, I got no one to impress’ serve as powerful affirmations of self-love and intrinsic motivation. Iggy positions herself as her own competition and disregards external validation, emphasizing the primacy of personal satisfaction over public accolade.
The song ultimately becomes an anthem not just of wealth and status, but of self-reliance. It is a psychological portrait of a woman who has weathered adversity, embraced her strengths, and constructed an empire on her own terms.
