Can't Be Broke – English Lyrics

• By: Rick Ross, Yungeen Ace, Major Nine
• Album: Richer Than I Ever Been

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the world of street vernacular and unwavering ambition with 'Can't Be Broke.' This track offers a great opportunity to learn the nuances of modern hip-hop slang and the direct, confident language used to express determination and financial success. Understanding the cultural context behind the lyrics can provide a deeper appreciation for the storytelling and wordplay in contemporary rap music.

[English]

I don't know, like me, I'm a, I'm a different

Like I ain't finna sit 'round and be broker than a

I know for a fact I'ma get mines

You gotta like get that shit in blood

Or I'ma run up on you

'Cause boy, I'll never be a broke, yeah

Put all that aside

If I'm down on my

If I'm down on my, I won't ask you for

I'ma get on my own, believe that

'Cause

You know I'ma always get some money, can't be a broke (be a broke)

You know I always keep it real

And I don't need your love, your feelings (I don't need your love)

I had slid on your block, me and four killers (skrrt, pew, pew, pew)

I'ma always get some money, can't be a broke (be a broke)

You know I'ma always keep it real

No, I don't need your love, your feelings (no)

I had slid on your block, me and four killers (pew, pew)

I'm a rapper, I got some n- in the trap, though (trap, though)

Cuttin' bricks up in the trap, the -'ll never close (it'll never close)

What you know about cookin' on the stove? Ayy (stove)

Fiends come knockin' on the door, ayy

Feds outside, flush it all down the toilet (flush it all down the toilet)

Gettin' money on this b-, street n-, he from Florida

Got four or five cars, know you n- can't afford it (uh-huh)

Up the pole to his face, if I want it, I extort it, ayy (beat it)

Who you with? ATK with the sh-

We gon' slide on your block broad day, with sticks (skrrt)

Two .30 Glocks and they came with the d-

It's a loud stutter sound when the K get to spittin' (grrah)

All I wanna do is get money (all I wanna do is get money)

Don't wanna go back to when I was bummy

Big racks, I got blue money (money)

You know I got it out the mud, Jumanji (Jumanji)

You know I'ma always get some money, can't be a broke (be a broke)

You know I always keep it real

And I don't need your love, your feelings (I don't need your love)

I had slid on your block, me and four killers (skrrt, pew, pew, pew)

I'ma always get some money, can't be a broke (be a broke)

You know I'ma always keep it real

No, I don't need your love, your feelings (no)

I had slid on your block, me and four killers (pew, pew)

N- know I'm strapped, they can tell how I walk with it (walk with it)

I'ma do you dirty if my dawg meant it (dawg meant it)

Got short money and a tall sentence (uh)

Beef so old, got mold in it

Young nigga free, better go get it

You ain't killin', why your nose in it?

You ain't ridin', why you rode in it?

You know we do him dirty when the pole in it

I'm prayin' for my n- and my soul in it

Feds know a n- played a role in it

Everywhere we go, they stay patrollin' it (uh)

Still got it on me, I'ma load, nigga (grr)

Kilo on the stove like it's pot roast

Diamonds on my dawgs and my capos (uh)

Always stand tall but the top fold (huh)

And the next one I get, I pray it cost more (Maybach Music)

You know I'ma always get some money, can't be a broke (be a broke)

You know I always keep it real

And I don't need your love, your feelings (I don't need your love)

I had slid on your block, me and four killers (skrrt, pew, pew, pew)

I'ma always get some money, can't be a broke (be a broke)

You know I'ma always keep it real

No, I don't need your love, your feelings (no)

I had slid on your block, me and four killers (pew, pew)

Uh, okay, light way

Let me hit the lights, do this the right way

Wrong time but we hit him in the right place

Yeah, it's gon' be a light day (uh)

F- a hat, we ain't stoppin' at no four-way, no way

In this whip with 'bout four Ks

Big dreams make 'em distinct

I gotta kill 'cause my family gon' miss me

I went to college but I made hood history (yeah)

My dawg duckin', say you gotta put a d- on it

Like a bad kid, you better put a switch on it

He a freak, put on that loop, put a b- on him

Got a compact Rolls, won't kick on me

And I'm always touchin' money, fuck a broke n-

I'd rather hang with them h- 'cause they be -

You won't see me in no pic 'cause I don't know n-

MMG 'til they put me in the floor, n- (oh)

You know I'ma always get some money, can't be a broke (be a broke)

You know I always keep it real

And I don't need your love, your feelings (I don't need your love)

I had slid on your block, me and four killers (skrrt, pew, pew, pew)

I'ma always get some money, can't be a broke (be a broke)

You know I'ma always keep it real

No, I don't need your love, your feelings (no)

I had slid on your block, me and four killers (pew, pew)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
broke /broʊk/ A2	adjective - having no money; financially poor
money /ˈmʌni/ A1	noun - currency used as a medium of exchange
block /blɑk/ A2	noun - a solid piece of material; a city street segment
trap /træp/ B1	noun - a device for catching animals noun - slang: a place where illegal drugs are sold or produced
kill /kɪl/ A2	verb - to cause the death of a person or animal
feds /fɛdz/ B2	noun - federal law‑enforcement agents
flush /flʌʃ/ B1	verb - to wash or rinse away with a rapid flow of water
stove /stoʊv/ A1	noun - a kitchen appliance for cooking
brick /brɪk/ A1	noun - a rectangular block used for building
pole /poʊl/ A2	noun - a long, slender piece of wood or metal
extort /ɪkˈsɔrt/ C1	verb - to obtain something by force or threats
slide /slaɪd/ B1	verb - to move smoothly along a surface
load /loʊd/ B1	noun - a quantity of something carried or stored
kilo /ˈkiːloʊ/ B2	noun - a kilogram; a thousand units (slang for $1,000)
diamonds /ˈdaɪəməndz/ B1	noun - precious stones made of carbon, often used in jewelry
capos /ˈkɑːpoʊz/ B2	noun - leaders of a criminal organization (especially the Mafia)
hood /hʊd/ B2	noun - slang for one’s neighbourhood, especially an urban inner‑city area
college /ˈkɒlɪdʒ/ A2	noun - an institution of higher education offering undergraduate degrees
dreams /drimz/ A2	noun - mental images or stories experienced during sleep; aspirations or goals

Key Grammar Structures

• I ain't finna sit 'round and be broker than a

  ➔ Double Negative + Informal Future

  ➔ "ain't" replaces "am not" + "finna" (fixing to) expresses future intention. Informal Black American English.

• I know for a fact I'ma get mines

  ➔ Contraction + Non-standard Possessive

  ➔ "I'ma" = contraction of "I'm going to" + "mines" replaces "mine" as emphatic possessive pronoun.

• If I'm down on my, I won't ask you for

  ➔ Ellipsis in Conditional Clause

  ➔ Omission of "luck" after "my" (down on my luck) shows informal ellipsis where context implies meaning.

• I had slid on your block, me and four killers

  ➔ Past Perfect Tense + Subject Coordination

  ➔ "had slid" emphasizes action completed before another past event + "me and four killers" coordinates multiple subjects informally.

• What you know about cookin' on the stove?

  ➔ Informal Wh-Question Formation

  ➔ Omission of auxiliary "do" (What do you know) creates colloquial question structure common in hip-hop.

• Flush it all down the toilet

  ➔ Phrasal Verb Imperative

  ➔ "flush down" is a separable phrasal verb meaning to dispose of quickly + imperative form gives direct command.

• Don't wanna go back to when I was bummy

  ➔ Contraction + Slang Adjective Formation

  ➔ "wanna" = contraction of "want to" + "bummy" (from bum) creates slang adjective meaning poor/low-status.

• You better put a switch on it

  ➔ Modal Expression of Advice

  ➔ "You better" = colloquial form of "you had better" expressing strong advice or warning about consequences.