Gotta Rap

## Song by Ab-Soul

"**Gotta Rap**" (stylized in all caps) is a song by Ab-Soul, released as the 18th track and final track from his fifth studio album, *Herbert* (2022). The official music video was directed by Cordell Jomha and uploaded to TDE's YouTube channel on March 21, 2023.

He told *Vulture* of the collaboration with Premier, "I've met him in passing before, but we connected when he did PRhymeDJ Premier's duo with Royce Da 5'9". I was at my brother Mac Miller's crib. We was working on some other stuff, and Royce sent me the record. I was like, 'Yo, Mac is over here, too.' He's like, 'What? Oh yeah, y'all go crazy.' And we did that off of the love, so Preemo hit me immediately like, 'Yo, you went fucking crazy. You know I got you. I owe you one.' I said, 'Okay, yeah. I'm going to hold you to that.' I knew I needed him this time around. He definitely put me to work. I had to do it about five or six times until he found the right frequency."

## Personnel

Song
* Andrew Boyd – mixing engineer, recording engineer
* Christoper "DJ Premier" Martin – composer, producer
* Demetrius Lewis II – mastering second engineer
* Herbert "Ab-Soul" Stevens – vocals, lyricist
* King of Chill, Parks & Nef – recording engineer
* Nicholas de Porcel – mastering engineer
* Rory Behr – mixing engineer, recording engineer

Video
* Cordell Jomha – director
* Dann Gilbuena – creative direction
* Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith – executive producer
* Anthony "Moosa" Tiffith Jr.
* Henry Anguiano & Langston Siebens – producer
* Sergey Nikitenko – director of photography
* Robert "RB" Blair – 1st AD
* Sai Aung Tun – 1st AC
* Sai Kyaw Htet Lin – 2nd AC
* Edward Hill – steadicam
* Babak Mansouri – jib OP
* Danny Hernandez – assistant job OP
* Complex Aerial (Josh Ewalt & Sammie) – drone
* Shai Keston-Nix – gaffer
* Ricardo Biggs – key grip
* Simeon Mihaylov – best boy electric
* Ryan Blons – best boy grip
* Ilay Bargil – swing
* Jazz Carter – editor, VFX
* Dmitry Litinov – colorist
* Ashley Sarmiento – men's grooming
* MyTia Elliott – PA
* Blair Hughes – PA
* Afolake “Flocka” Akingba – PA
* Daniel Maldonado – BTS
* Tammy B – lead model #1
* Melana Mitchell – lead model #2

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Intro]

Backpack raps with gats in it

Don't get your cap peeled by the Black menace

Hahaha, Premo, check

[Verse 1]

I like to call myself the God of rap

But really I just gotta rap

This a Dior doobie

On the head of your cutie, moon signs when you call her back

Do not disturb

We looking for the smoke, not who got the herb

I'm Top Dawg, you a copycat

I'ma give this beat a heart attack

Arrest your cardiac

I'ma need your pass back, hall monitors

My movement is still intelligent

Your movement is still irrelevant (Yeah)

Blacking out 'til I'm out of melanin

Meaning it never ends, you a pharmacist out of medicine

I'm holding wеight like a skeleton

I'm holding wеight, you just a skeleton

*Rap is something you do* (Yeah), *hip-hop*—

I put my life in these sentences, bring the felons in

My cuddie up in the coupe flipping chickens

Turning one up into two, that's a mockingbird

They wanna lock 'em in the cell again

For the product that he's selling them

My movement is still intelligent

Your movement is still irrelevant

[Bridge]

I like to call myself the God of rap

But really I just gotta rap (Gotta rap)

*Something potent for the chosen clientele*

*But that's a twisted figure of speech*

*Rap is something you do* (Look), *hip-hop*—

[Verse 2]

All I know to do is aim high

Hold my hood up like a gang sign

Del Amo 'til the death of me

Shit, I'm already a legend if I ever leave

So you can't get rid of me

My lyrics will live in memory

Destination is destiny

Every record's a felony, the long term legacy

'Cause there's definitely no stopping him

Just keeping it a buck, I'm on one, George Washington

So fuck is you telling me?

I'm a celestial, not a fucking celebrity

Meaning I am not like them

My pool of thought will probably drown Aquaman

Treat an instrumental like I treat oxygen

Had the '87 Chevy Celebrity

That mean we were the same age

The synergy is heavenly

Rolling through my city in a rush

On University so much, I should at least have a AA, hey

Hold your horses, I'll be forced to get the ketamine

I've been ready since seventeen

Watching thrones although most kings get the guillotine

The prophecy is Celestine, I'm wide awake, it's still a dream

I gotta eat, but still it seems the pigs start yelling freeze

When you bring the bacon to the table like Jimmy Dean

Party's over, hold the silly string

I even tried suicide and I don't know why

I know better than most that the Soul don't die

Took a leap, shattered my leg, and lost some teeth

And I'm still standing behind every word I speak, peep

Quagen in my cream, don't worry how I grieve, bitch

Frozen, broken heart throwing out on my sleeve

Then throw my last dollar on the floor

My guardian angel's name is Doe, I can never go broke

[Outro]

Yo, the artifact with all the facts

Dodging cap in my Dodger cap

I like to call myself the God of rap

But really I just gotta rap, holla back

*I gotta rap— like every day*

*The rhyme fiend about a second from the crime scene*

I gotta rap— like every day

Rap is something you do, hip-hop

Gotta rap

My movement is still intelligent

Your movement is still irrelevant

Soul

## References

1. ↑ Ellington, Andre (March 21, 2023). "Ab-Soul Pays Homage to Snoop Dogg in 'Gotta Rap' Video". *HipHopDX*.
2. ↑ Ketchum III, William (December 12, 2022). "That Was Ab-Soul, This Is Herbert To make his new album, the rapper had to get back in touch with reality.". *Vulture*.