Dust – English Lyrics

• By: Drake
• Album: ICEMAN

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the evolution of Drake’s lyrical style through 'Dust.' This track is an excellent study in early 2000s urban slang and the specific, emotive vocabulary Drake uses to describe heartbreak and internal conflict, making it a great resource for learning conversational, introspective English.

[English]

Madda

Some idiot boy dere

You should go ahead and pop some corn and grab a stool

The boy's about to break some news

All the numbers are final, no t-shirts, no vinyl

Y'all 'bout to make me richie like Lionel, for real

And that's the truth

Sixteen hours ahead in Melbourne, I don't even know what's goin' on back home, straight

Ayy

Girls from Atlanta call me Santa

Girls from Australia, what can I tell ya?

You know I love you so much

I just gotta handle somethin' bigger than us

Triple S was really to show you my love

And make sure you're good 'til the next time we meet up

But now I gotta send it up

Yeah

They was like, "Go blow the dust off your plaquеs

Go blow the dust off your plaques"

What was the year that they say you had slaps?

'Cause I don't remember it goin' like that

I don't remember one word in your raps

I don't know nothin' 'bout you on them tracks, let's go

Yeah

I am, I am, I am

An FTX penthouse high-riser, yeah

Samuel Bankman, free all my guys up, yeah

I'm in a sold-out show with your girl on a riser

I'm with the mob at Graycliff, twenty cigars and they fuckin' my eyes up

I am not better or wiser, Future the Prince is my trusted advisor

If it's up to me, I get everyone hit, I get everyone lined up

If it's up to me, I been clockin' you pussy, man, everyone time's up

If it's up to me, if it's up to me, ayy

If it's up to me, then you all on a list, man, everyone signed up

If it's up to me, it's already made, I ain't makin' my mind up

If it wasn't for me reachin' my hand, you never'd climbed up

Go blow the dust off your plaques, what?

Go blow the dust off your plaques, what?

Go blow the dust off your plaques

What was the year that they say you had slaps?

'Cause I don't remember it goin' like that

I don't remember nothin' 'bout them raps

I don't remember nothin' bein' facts, let's go

Ayy

I am, I am, I am

A BTC crypto big-timer

I'm a corporate-America hit survivor

Got a real big heart, I'm a fucked-up guy, though

Those ain't my haters, those are my secret admirers

New Year's Eve, police escort 'cause I can't miss the fireworks

I heard your brother got flipped, did it sloppy, so that wasn't our work

Definitely gon' know if it's us if we got him, just wait 'til it's our turn, ayy

Go blow the dust off your plaques

Go blow the dust off your plaques

What was the year that they say you had slaps?

'Cause I don't remember it goin' like that

I don't remember one word in your raps

I don't know nothin' 'bout you on them tracks

Let's go

Yeah

I am, I am, I am

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
dust /dʌst/ B1	noun - fine powder consisting of particles of earth or organic matter
plaques /plæks/ C1	noun - an ornamental tablet, typically of metal, porcelain, or wood
slaps /slæps/ B2	noun - slang for an excellent or catchy song
penthouse /ˈpɛnthaʊs/ B2	noun - a luxury flat at the top of a building
advisor /ədˈvaɪzər/ B2	noun - a person who provides advice
corporate /ˈkɔːrpərət/ B2	adjective - relating to a large company or group
survivor /sərˈvaɪvər/ B2	noun - a person who survives
admirers /ədˈmaɪərz/ B2	noun - a person who has a regard for something or someone
handle /ˈhændəl/ B1	verb - to manage or deal with
truth /truːθ/ A2	noun - the quality or state of being true
tracks /træks/ B1	noun - a recording of a song
escort /ˈɛskɔːrt/ B2	noun - a person or vehicle accompanying another for protection or security
wiser /ˈwaɪzər/ B1	adjective - having or showing experience and knowledge
richie /ˈrɪtʃi/ B1	adjective - wealthy
idiot /ˈɪdiət/ B1	noun - a stupid person

Key Grammar Structures

• Y'all 'bout to make me richie like Lionel

  ➔ Informal contraction and idiomatic comparison

  ➔ 'bout' is a contraction of 'about to', indicating a near-future action.

• If it wasn't for me reachin' my hand, you never'd climbed up

  ➔ Third Conditional (mixed form)

  ➔ Uses 'If it wasn't for' to describe an unreal past situation. 'never'd' is a contraction of 'never would have'.

• What was the year that they say you had slaps?

  ➔ Relative clause with 'that'

  ➔ 'that' functions as a relative pronoun connecting the noun 'year' to the clause.

• Those ain't my haters, those are my secret admirers

  ➔ Negative contraction and demonstrative pronouns

  ➔ 'ain't' is a non-standard contraction for 'are not'. 'Those' is used to point to a group of people.

• If it's up to me, I get everyone hit

  ➔ Conditional structure + Present Simple for consequence

  ➔ 'If it's up to me' sets the condition, and 'I get everyone hit' uses the causative structure.

• I'm with the mob at Graycliff

  ➔ Prepositional phrase denoting company and location

  ➔ 'with' indicates accompaniment, and 'at' specifies the location.

• I don't remember one word in your raps

  ➔ Negative auxiliary verb 'do not'

  ➔ 'don't' is the contraction of 'do not', used to negate the verb 'remember'.

• Go blow the dust off your plaques

  ➔ Imperative sentence

  ➔ Starts with a base verb 'blow' to give a direct command or suggestion.