E.I. – English Lyrics

• By: Nelly
• Album: Country Grammar

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the vibrant world of early 2000s hip-hop with Nelly's "E.I." This catchy track is a masterclass in regional slang and boasts, offering a fun and energetic way to explore colloquial English expressions and the confident rhythms of Southern rap. What makes it special is its infectious call-and-response chorus and Nelly's distinctive delivery, which provides a rich linguistic and cultural experience for any language learner.

[English]

- YO, I AIN'T FINNA KEEP TEARING YOU CATS UP LIKE THIS

IN THIS GAME, MAN.

THERE'S GOT TO BE SOMETHING POPPING TONIGHT.

- C'MON MA WHAT'S POPPIN' TONIGHT?

OH, FLEX GOT THIS PARTY ON THE SOUTH SIDE, JUMPING OFF.

- COME ON, LET'S GO.

(HIP HOP MUSIC PLAYS)

♪ UH, UH, UH, UH, UH ♪

♪ UH, WAIT A MINUTE NOW ♪

♪ UH, OH ♪

♪ UH, UH ♪

♪ I'M A SUCKA FOR CORN ROWS AND MANICURED TOES, HEY ♪

♪ FENDI CAPRI PANTS AND PARASUCOS, ALRIGHT ♪

♪ PASSADITY IS A CITY, WITH ONE OR TWO THROWS ♪

♪ I'M DROPPIN' 'EM OUTTA HIGH SCHOOL STRAIGHT INTO THE PROS ♪

♪ WHO KNOWS? I KNOW ♪

♪ AND I LOVE IT WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR KNEES TOUCH YOUR ELBOWS ♪

♪ AND BREAK IT DOWN LOW TO THE FLO', AND THERE YOU GO ♪

♪ NOW THROW IT ON ME SLOW ♪

♪ AND EVERY TIME I BUSTA RHYME, BABY GIMME SOME MO' ♪

♪ AND YOU SAY YOU LIKE THAT, WHEN I HIT IT FROM BEHIND ♪

♪ AND I'LL BE RIGHT BACK, YEAH THAT'S MY VERY NEXT LINE ♪

♪ I USE IT, TIME AFTER TIME, WHEN I'M SPEAKIN' MY MIND ♪

♪ IT'S NO MATTER IF I'M SHOOTIN' GAME TO A PIGEON OR DIME ♪

♪ I ASK HER, "WHO DAT IS, TALKIN' THAT (RECORD SCRATCH) ♪

♪ ABOUT THE 'TICS?" ♪

♪ SOMEBODY PROBABLY JEALOUS, (WOMAN MOAN) 'CAUSE THEY GOT HIT ♪

♪ BUT AIN'T NOBODY ELSE DROPPIN' (BELL DINGS) LIKE THIS ♪

♪ SHOULD WE APOLOGIZE? NAH 'EM, JUST LEAVE 'EM, HEY ♪

♪ ANDELE ANDELE MAMI, E I E I ♪

♪ UH-OH! ♪

♪ WHAT'S POPPIN' TONITE? ♪

♪ ANDELE ANDELE MAMI, E I E I ♪

♪ UH-OH! IF THE HEAD RIGHT, NELLY THERE EVERY NIGHT ♪

♪ ANDELE ANDELE MAMI, E I E I ♪

♪ UH-OH! ♪

♪ WHAT'S POPPIN' TONITE? ♪

♪ ANDELE ANDELE MAMI, E I E I ♪

♪ UH-OH! IF THE HEAD RIGHT, NELLY THERE EVERY NIGHT ♪

- YO, IT'S TOO HOT UP IN HERE MAN.

SO WHAT ELSE POPPIN' TONIGHT, FOR SURE?

- IT'S A PARTY POPPIN' OFF IN THE U OF C.

- LET'S DO THAT THEN.

- ALL RIGHT, LET'S ROLL.

♪ TO THE BREAK OF DAWN (BELL DINGS) ♪

♪ MONEY LONG, (BELL DINGS) PASS UP THE SKIRT ♪

♪ TO TALK TO THE THONG, (BELL DINGS) ♪

♪ SOME SAY I'M WRONG, BUT (MOAN) IT I'M GROWN, ♪

♪ (RECORD SCRATCHES) ♪

♪ IF YOU AIN'T BOUT MONEY THEN BEST BE GONE, (BELL DINGS) ♪

♪ I'M FAST, UH DOUBLE TAKES WHEN YOU WALK PAST ME ♪

♪ NASTY, DON'T BE SCARED BOO, GO 'HEAD AND ASK ME ♪

♪ I DRIVE FASTLY, CALL ME JEFF GORDON ♪

♪ IN THE BLACK SS WITH THE NAVIGATION ♪

♪ SEE THE, SOMETHIN' SMELLS AMAZ-ON ♪

♪ I GOT A CHICK ROLLIN' UP, HALF BLACK AND ASIAN ♪

♪ ANOTHER ONE PAG-IN, TELLIN' ME TO COME HOME ♪

♪ HER HUSBAND ON VACATION AND LEFT HER HOME ALONE ♪

♪ I USED THE V-12, POWERS, WEIGHT LOSS, POWERS ♪

♪ FROM PHAT FARM TO ICEBERG SLIM IN ONE SHOWER ♪

♪ GET A ROOM IN TRUMP TOWERS JUST TO HIT THE P HOURS ♪

♪ KICKED THE (WOMAN MOAN) UP OUT THE ROOM ♪

♪ 'CAUSE SHE USED THE WORD 'OURS', HEY! ♪

♪ ANDELE ANDELE MAMI, E I E I ♪

♪ UH-OH! ♪

♪ WHAT'S POPPIN' TONITE? ♪

♪ ANDELE ANDELE MAMI, E I E I ♪

♪ UH-OH! IF THE HEAD RIGHT, NELLY THERE EVERY NIGHT ♪

♪ ANDELE ANDELE MAMI, E I E I ♪

♪ UH-OH! ♪

♪ WHAT'S POPPIN' TONITE? ♪

♪ ANDELE ANDELE MAMI, E I E I ♪

♪ UH-OH! IF THE HEAD RIGHT, NELLY THERE EVERY NIGHT ♪

♪ AIYYO, OF THAT STICKY ♪

♪ WASH MY HANDS UNDER A GOLD SPOUT, WHEN FEELIN' ICKY ♪

♪ LET GO OFF IN A (WOMAN MOANS), I AIN'T PICKY ♪

♪ START FRONTIN' WHEN THE SHOWS OUT, WHATCHU MEAN? ♪

♪ WHEN THEY ROLL OUT, COME AND GET ME ♪

♪ BIG FACES WHEN THEY FOLD OUT, IS YOU WIT ME? ♪

♪ DON'T MAKE ME PULL THAT FO-FO OUT ♪

♪ I KEEP IT CLOSER WHEN THE DOUGH OUT ♪

♪ THEN I SLIDE UP IN THE ESCALADE ♪

♪ ME AND E IS SOLID LIKE THE ♪

♪ AND ME AND HEEZY, FROSTY, ♪

♪ PROJECT MO' WRAPPED UP THAN BUGSY ♪

♪ YOU UNDERSTAND ME, WRAPPED WRISTS LIKE MUMMIES ♪

♪ IF YOU COMPARE ME TO YOUR LOCAL GROCERY ♪

♪ THEN YOU'LL SEE I GOT MORE CARROTS THAN AISLE D ♪

♪ MORE BREAD THAN AISLE G, THEN BAG AND SCAN ME ♪

♪ SURE LIKE AISLE B, MEET THE 'TICS IN MAUI, HEY! ♪

♪ ANDELE ANDELE MAMI, E I E I ♪

♪ UH-OH! ♪

♪ WHAT'S POPPIN' TONITE? ♪

♪ ANDELE ANDELE MAMI, E I E I ♪

♪ UH-OH! IF THE HEAD RIGHT, NELLY THERE EVERY NIGHT ♪

♪ ANDELE ANDELE MAMI, E I E I ♪

♪ UH-OH! ♪

♪ WHAT'S POPPIN' TONITE? ♪

♪ ANDELE ANDELE MAMI, E I E I ♪

♪ UH-OH! IF THE HEAD RIGHT, NELLY THERE EVERY NIGHT ♪

♪ ST. LOUIS Y'ALL ♪

♪ ANDELE ANDELE MAMI, E I E I ♪

♪ UH OH! ♪

♪ WHAT'S POPPIN' TONITE? ♪

- WHAT'S POPPIN TONIGHT?

- SOMEBODY SAID THERE'S A PARTY ON THE NORTH SIDE.

♪ NELLY THERE EVERY NIGHT. ♪

- LET'S GO! (CAR ENGINE REVS)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
party /ˈpɑːrti/ A2	noun - a social gathering of people verb - to have a good time at a social gathering
poppin' /ˈpɒpɪn/ B1	verb - to be happening or going on, usually in a lively or exciting way
tonight /təˈnaɪt/ A1	noun - the period of time from the evening until you go to bed adverb - on the evening of the present day
school /skuːl/ A1	noun - an institution for educating children
love /lʌv/ A1	verb - to have a strong affection for noun - an intense feeling of affection
know /nəʊ/ A1	verb - to be aware of something
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - the measured or measurable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues
money /ˈmʌni/ A1	noun - a current medium of exchange in the form of coins and banknotes; collectively, wealth.
fast /fɑːst/ A2	adjective - moving or capable of moving at high speed
hit /hɪt/ A1	verb - to strike with a blow noun - a successful song, movie, etc.
head /hed/ A1	noun - the part of the body above the neck
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the period of time between the evening and the morning
door /dɔːr/ A1	noun - a hinged, sliding, or revolving barrier at the entrance to a building, room, or vehicle, or in a cabinet.
home /həʊm/ A1	noun - the place where one lives
room /ruːm/ A1	noun - a space that can be occupied, especially one enclosed by walls, a floor, and a ceiling.
show /ʃəʊ/ A2	noun - an event staged for the public to watch verb - to present something to be seen

Key Grammar Structures

• YO, I **AIN'T FINNA** KEEP

  ➔ Contracted auxiliary verb 'ain't' + emphatic verb 'finna' + base form verb

  ➔ This uses the informal 'ain't' (contraction of 'am not/is not/are not') and 'finna', a contraction of 'going to', expressing a strong intention.

• THERE'S **GOT TO BE** SOMETHING POPPING TONIGHT.

  ➔ Modal verb phrase 'got to be' + base form verb ('popping')

  ➔ This expresses necessity or strong likelihood, similar to 'must be' or 'should be'.

• I'M A **SUCKA FOR** CORN ROWS...

  ➔ Noun phrase + prepositional phrase

  ➔ This uses the slang term 'sucka for' meaning 'to be easily attracted to' or 'to have a weakness for'.

• I'M **DROPPIN' 'EM OUTA** HIGH SCHOOL STRAIGHT INTO THE PROS

  ➔ Contraction of verb + prepositional phrase (out of)

  ➔ This uses the informal contraction 'droppin'' (dropping) and 'outa' (out of) for a faster, more casual flow.

• I **LOVE IT WHEN** YOU MAKE YOUR KNEES TOUCH YOUR ELBOWS...

  ➔ Dependent clause introduced by 'when' (subordinating conjunction)

  ➔ This uses the subordinating conjunction 'when' to introduce a dependent clause that describes a specific condition or time.

• I'LL **BE RIGHT BACK**

  ➔ Future tense with auxiliary verb 'will' + adverbial phrase

  ➔ Uses the future tense ('will') and an adverbial phrase 'right back' to indicate imminence and swift return.

• I'M **SPEAKIN' MY MIND**

  ➔ Present continuous tense + possessive pronoun

  ➔ Present continuous tense with a possessive pronoun 'my', to show the ongoing action and connection to the speaker.

• IF YOU **AIN'T BOUT** MONEY THEN BEST BE GONE, (BELL DINGS)

  ➔ Conditional clause + Modal verb + imperative

  ➔ Uses the conditional 'if' clause to set a condition and then uses modal 'best' with the imperative 'be gone', to express advice or a strong suggestion.