Dead – English Lyrics

• By: Cardi B, Summer Walker
• Album: AM I THE DRAMA?

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the assertive and powerful language of modern hip-hop through Cardi B's "Dead" featuring Summer Walker. This track offers a great opportunity to learn contemporary slang and understand the nuances of lyrical wordplay and metaphors in English. The song is special for its raw energy and its role in setting the unapologetic tone for a significant comeback album.

[English]

Grammy-Award-winnin' recordin' artist Cardi B, known for her chart-toppin' hits

Now stands accused of a crime spree that has left a trail of devastation and fear

International rap superstar is on the run after bein' linked to a series of brutal killings

Remain vigilant and report any sightings immediately

Accordin' to police, the victims

Cardi B, who has always been a controversial

Bloggers, journalists, and most chillingly, several female rappers

If these allegations are true

It will undoubtedly be one of the darkest chapters in music history

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, yeah, yeah

I took that demon to the ride, I'm goin' fast (fast)

Mirror, mirror, who the baddest bitch? She lookin' back

I know these bitches in my shadow feel so cold

I don't think these bitches know, I want they heads

I want 'em beggin' for they life, I want 'em dead

I know they heard a bitch was comin' and they scared

I wanna pull the lace fronts off they heads

I want all these bitches dead

Can't compete with me, I'm not the one

I tell hos to suck my dick, they put they hair up in a bun

I let these bitches see, I shoulda left these hos with nothin'

Never smart to beef with me, what can I say? These hos be dumb

Bitches love to die young, look

The water fountain, put my toes in it, music fire, put my soul in it

My coochie and my business, these bitches love puttin' they nose in it

Tell a bitch, "You better use your head 'fore I come there, put a hole in it"

Like, baow, baow-baow, now she can bowl wit' it

They say, "Cardi, you tweakin'," nah, I don't be tweakin' enough

Bitches be doin' shit and I be lettin' it slide, and I don't be bringin' it up

Bitches be out here tellin' lies about me and y'all just be eatin' it up

But when I drag her to Hell, "Cardi, you evil as fuck"

She say my name, she gettin' belt, she think I'm playin', she gettin' belt

When we go in the store, don't touch nothin', you complain or you gettin' belt

I cried 300 days last year and none of y'all called me up

And like those tears that ran down my cheek, y'all 'bout to be salty as fuck, girl

Guess who drop a thousand times and none of it's workin'?

Guess who doin' shows for damn near free and pockets hurtin'?

Guess who make sure that she play nice when we in person?

And guess who done bodied up more bitches than they surgeon? Uh

I'm collectin' body bags like they purses

Ion even rap no more, I drive hearses

Bitches got some nerve and then be nervous (ah-ah-ah)

Don't tell me, tell customer service

Not for nothin', I'm that bitch, I look good, plus I'm thick

If you get money and you cute, then, bae, you basically my twin

You been here since "Washpoppin," then we basically locked in

You done seen me get knocked down nine times, still get up ten

They still mad about that Grammy, they still mad that I'm still poppin'

They still mad that they don't play her in the club and I went diamond

Hos tried rebrandin', revampin', but ain't do nothin'

Had another baby, I was pre-eclamptic, you gotta love it

Niggas tweakin', yup, in front of the world, what?

How you do a bitch like that if I'm your, huh

I tried to come in peace, they tore me into pieces

Now I gotta R-I-P it

I want they heads

I want 'em beggin' for they life, I want 'em dead

I know they heard a bitch was comin' and they scared

I wanna pull the lace fronts off they heads

I want all these bitches dead

If you not my bitch, you just a bitch, then you an opp

If you with that bitch, when I come get her, you gon' die

Red beam, shot, bah

Oh, I want all these bitches dead

Gone and deceased, capisce

No, I won't rest 'til all these bitches sleep

Lord give me the strength 'cause all these bitches weak

Man, I swear, I want these bitches all dead

Enemies all beggin' for their life

You playin' with me, won't make it through the night

I'll do more than everything that's right

Man, I swear that I want these bitches all dead

Dead, dead, dead, ooh

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
dead /dɛd/ A2	adjective - no longer alive verb - to kill or cause to die
bitches /ˈbɪtʃɪz/ C1	noun - a derogatory term for women, often used in slang
heads /hɛdz/ A2	noun - the upper part of the body containing the brain
beg /bɛg/ A2	verb - to ask for something urgently or humbly
scared /skɛərd/ A1	adjective - frightened or afraid
pull /pʊl/ A2	verb - to use force to move something towards yourself
dumb /dʌm/ B1	adjective - stupid or slow to understand
tweak /twiːk/ B2	verb - to adjust or alter slightly; slang for being irrational
lies /laɪz/ A2	noun - false statements
eat /iːt/ A1	verb - to put food in your mouth and chew and swallow it
belt /bɛlt/ A2	verb - to hit with a belt; slang for strike
salty /ˈsɔlti/ B1	adjective - bitter or resentful
mad /mæd/ A1	adjective - angry or furious
tear /tɛər/ A2	verb - to rip or pull apart
pieces /ˈpiːsɪz/ A1	noun - small parts
opp /ɒp/ C2	noun - opponent or rival (slang)
shoot /ʃuːt/ A2	verb - to fire a gun
deceased /dɪˈsiːst/ B2	adjective - dead
swear /swɛər/ A2	verb - to make a solemn or intense statement, often with emphasis

Key Grammar Structures

• I shoulda left these hos with nothin'.

  ➔ Modal verb + have + past participle (should have)

  ➔ "Should have" expresses regret about something that didn't happen in the past. It indicates that the speaker believes it would have been better if they had acted differently. Here, it shows she regrets not leaving the 'hos' with nothing.

• They still mad about that Grammy, they still mad that I'm still poppin'.

  ➔ Present continuous for persistent behavior with 'still'

  ➔ Using "still" with the present continuous (am/is/are + -ing) emphasizes the ongoing nature of their anger. It implies that the anger has persisted for a significant amount of time and continues to exist.

• How you do a bitch like that if I'm your, huh

  ➔ Ellipsis and rhetorical question.

  ➔ The sentence is incomplete (ellipsis) leaving the listener to infer what she is "your". The "huh" indicates it's a rhetorical question, not expecting an answer, but rather emphasizing her point.

• If you with that bitch, when I come get her, you gon' die

  ➔ Conditional sentence (Type 1 - Likely/Possible Condition)

  ➔ This is a Type 1 conditional: "If [present simple], [will/going to + infinitive]". It's used to express a likely future consequence of a condition. "Gon'" is a shortened slang form of "going to".