Little Havana – English Lyrics
Lyrics & Translation
Explore the vibrant storytelling and rich lyricism of Rick Ross in "Little Havana," a track that not only showcases his journey to success but also offers a glimpse into Miami's complex history. Dive into the layers of meaning, cultural references, and the personal reflections that make this song a compelling exploration of ambition, loyalty, and the pursuit of wealth.
[English]
(bass music starts)- Willie! Ah, happy to hear your voice, my brother.
Welcome home. The city's been waiting for you.
- [Willie] Rick, my brother. I wanted to thank you
personally for giving me love, and keeping my name alive
for many years in your music.
- Always wanted to let you know
what you represented in Miami.
True definition of ambition, loyalty and success.
- [Willie] Appreciate those kind words.
I'm a free man today, with my head held high.
- Willie, your life's a movie. Mine as well.
So, we got some more history to make.
- [Willie] With ambition and loyalty comes success,
my brother. That's why my best days are ahead of me.
I am richer than I've ever been.
- Richer than I've ever been (laughs)
(Willie laughs)
- [Willie] God bless you, my brother.
- For life.
♪ You gotta learn to use your mind ♪
♪ To help keep you out of certain situations ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ I'ma make it clear as I can for you young niggas ♪
♪ You hear me? ♪
♪ Oh yeah, yeah ♪
♪ Biggest ♪
♪ Maybach Music ♪
♪ Problem was I never was a prodigy ♪
♪ Possibly, my biggest flaw is lack of modesty ♪
♪ Diabolical means, never knew college degrees ♪
♪ Sippin' coffee at a cafe on Collins, capisce? ♪
♪ Niggas soul being sold and still on a leash ♪
♪ Roger Goodell boy, he in a corniche ♪
♪ I was really throwin' money, I really saw Meech ♪
♪ And I let them rappin' niggas get closer to Meek ♪
♪ It ain't about who made the most but let's make a toast ♪
♪ 'Cause a lot of niggas told and kept it on the low ♪
♪ How a self-made nigga never wanna vote? ♪
♪ And before a record label, shit, I wanted coke ♪
♪ I'm talkin' L.A. Reid, the biggest babyface ♪
♪ This for my niggas in the prisons sippin' Gatorade ♪
♪ All these hitters takin' pictures for they babies maid ♪
♪ Her baby mama's in the projects tryna make a way ♪
♪ Niggas lookin' funny when you get the hundreds ♪
♪ I gotta school Adonis, daddy get 'em punished ♪
♪ Because I'm on the streets, they consider me cunning ♪
♪ Hit your bitches in a Tesla the push of a button ♪
♪ If she got up in the coupe then she gotta be fuckin' ♪
♪ Fifty restaurants but a lot of me hungry ♪
♪ These niggas wanna gossip, I just want the dollars ♪
- [Announcer] Right now, they're running about
eighty miles an hour in big season.
Whoa keep it down, Willie.
(helicopter propeller whirrs)
- [Reporter] Who do you consider as your
top competition right now?
- My sister (answers reporter)
- [Announcer] Look at this thing fly!
And now Willie makes a move on them, Willie Falcon.
Two Seahawks are starting to mix it up together.
- The best thing about racing Seahawk, remember? Good luck.
- Thank you.
♪ All black Phantoms going south from Collins ♪
♪ Villains know we killin' so that ain't a problem ♪
♪ I'm gonna stack my money, be a better father ♪
♪ You could pat me down but I got it regardless ♪
♪ Shades that I'm rockin', they gotta be goggles ♪
♪ When we plot to kill 'em, we send a few bottles ♪
♪ Set 'em up like 2Pac, get 'em to rob 'em ♪
♪ I always loved BIG, shit, I did it big ♪
♪ I released Omarion, he began to fizz ♪
♪ Double M the kids, now we back to biz' ♪
♪ Thirty-six a brick, baby, here it is ♪
♪ My niggas in designer but we militant ♪
♪ I got the city on my back and that's just what it is ♪
♪ Two-twenty on the dash, you still can't stop us ♪
♪ I just got back to my girl to the opera ♪
♪ 'Cause Ojek got back, he went and bought a chopper ♪
♪ As if it couldn't get worse, we lost Kobe in a 'copter ♪
♪ Three months later, niggas forget all about you ♪
♪ Always doubt you, now they can't live without you ♪
♪ Did you cry for the man or did you cry for the fame? ♪
♪ Did you pour out for the pain? ♪
♪ I've been around this world so many times, I ♪
♪ Just love and loyalty by any means ♪
♪ I've been around this world so many times ♪
♪ I know to never pray amongst your enemies ♪
♪ I've been around the world too many times now ♪
♪ That new shit just feelin' old to me ♪
♪ And trustin' new niggas been old to me for so long ♪
♪ When the real niggas coming home? ♪
♪ Home ♪
♪ It's been a mean world without you ♪
♪ Yeah, shouldn't I, baby, shouldn't I? ♪
♪ When the real niggas coming home? ♪
♪ Home ♪
♪ It's been a mean world without you ♪
♪ Yeah, shouldn't I, baby, shouldn't I? ♪
♪ Maybach Music ♪
(bird chirping)
(footsteps fading)
Key Vocabulary
| Vocabulary | Meanings |
|---|---|
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ambition /æmˈbɪʃən/ B2 |
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loyalty /ˈlɔɪəlti/ B2 |
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success /səkˈsɛs/ B2 |
|
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richer /ˈrɪʧər/ B2 |
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brother /ˈbrʌðər/ A2 |
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mind /maɪnd/ B1 |
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love /lʌv/ A1 |
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money /ˈmʌni/ A2 |
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street /striːt/ B1 |
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kill /kɪl/ B1 |
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city /ˈsɪti/ A2 |
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home /hoʊm/ A1 |
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world /wɜːrld/ A2 |
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God /ɡɒd/ A1 |
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learn /lɜːrn/ A2 |
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use /juːz/ A2 |
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🚀 "ambition", "loyalty" – from “Little Havana” still a mystery?
Learn trendy vocab – vibe with music, get the meaning, and use it right away without sounding awkward!
Key Grammar Structures
-
I wanted to thank you personally for giving me love, and keeping my name alive for many years in your music.
➔ Past simple + infinitive (wanted to + verb) & gerund after preposition
➔ "wanted" shows past intention, followed by the infinitive "to thank". "Keeping" is a gerund that follows the preposition "for".
-
I'm a free man today, with my head held high.
➔ Present simple (be) + adjective complement & reduced clause with past participle
➔ "I'm" is the present simple of "be". "with my head held high" is a reduced clause where "held" is a past participle describing the head.
-
Richer than I've ever been (laughs).
➔ Comparative adjective + present perfect
➔ "Richer" is the comparative form of "rich". "I've ever been" uses the present perfect to refer to all past experiences up to now.
-
You gotta learn to use your mind.
➔ Modal verb "gotta" (have to) + infinitive
➔ "gotta" is informal for "have to". It is followed by the infinitive "to use".
-
If she got up in the coupe then she gotta be fuckin'.
➔ First conditional (if + present simple) & modal "gotta" + bare infinitive
➔ "If" introduces a realistic condition with the present simple "got up". "she gotta be" uses "gotta" followed by the bare infinitive "be".
-
Because I'm on the streets, they consider me cunning.
➔ Present continuous (I'm on) & passive voice (they consider)
➔ "I'm on the streets" uses the present continuous to describe a current situation. "they consider me" is a passive construction where "me" is the object of the verb "consider".
-
I've been around this world so many times, I just love and loyalty by any means.
➔ Present perfect continuous (have been + -ing)
➔ "I've been around" combines "have been" (present perfect) with the gerund "around" to stress repeated experience up to now.
-
When the real niggas coming home?
➔ Present progressive used for future time clause (when + present progressive)
➔ "When" introduces a future reference. The verb "coming" is in the present progressive, which can refer to a planned or imminent future event.
-
All black Phantoms going south from Collins.
➔ Present participle phrase functioning as a noun phrase (gerund‑participle)
➔ "Going" is a present participle that creates a noun‑like phrase "All black Phantoms going south" describing the subject.
