Make Them Pay – English Lyrics

• By: Drake

Lyrics & Translation

Explore contemporary English slang and the rhythmic cadence of modern hip-hop through Drake's 'Make Them Pay.' This song is a great way to learn how emphasis and wordplay are used to convey confidence and authority in urban music.

[English]

Free

Yeah, free

I just wanna be free

I just wanna be free

Free

Free

I just wanna be free

Yeah, look

Albany Marina, they done served us a hundred subpoenas

I done got my shit inside arenas like Gilbert Arenas

I remember lobster ravioli up at Serafina

I was in a Dream Hotel before I was in the loop, like a carabiner, yeah

And shout out to all the sweet tings from Willamina

Who tell me at the white party, "Drake, I love the album, man"

"Well, I mean, you're kinda genius"

And like Dipset, they really mean it, yeah

I need compliments 'cause lately, it's just falling-outs and disagreements

Industry is really evil

And I faced the way they paint me, but it hurts just like the Philly Eagles

LA love the sound, I could play a show for a million people

Don't be surprised, you see the whole YM in CA just like The Village People

These niggas measurin' they dick size in millimeters

I rack up a tab in Chanel 'cause I do buy everything like I'm Middle Eastern

But I realize it's gotta get a little deeper

Other than me talking 'bout the way I'm flippin' dough like Little Caesars

I'm tryna catch one of you boys stargazin' in the field like little leaguers, yeah

And ain't no passes for you Crip walkin', all of that diss talkin', kiddo, beat it

I'm supposed to be my brother's keeper, so don't make us hit another buzzer beater

And don't be suddenly eager to hit me up and have no discussions either

Now you gotta plan a meeting with me just like the Russian leader

And shake my fuckin' hand in front of other people

Yeah, fuck the chatter

Since 2009, as I climb the ladder

They envy me like Nevada, but it never mattered

My niggas run a phone soon as you check into prison

Your niggas run and talk to Hov for a second opinion

Me, I stood ten toes and accepted the mission

'Cause I'd much rather death than submission

How can you press the ignition

And let some memories of the past affect your decision?

I love you 'cause of the history

But if we bein' real, I could never forgive you

And you never called me back, but destiny's written, for real

Fuck a Big Three anyway, there was too many chefs in the kitchen

It was a mess to begin with, yeah

And now they got a new GOAT, and we gotta test the position

Damn, who is this guy for real?

I guess a magician

Hundred million streams vanished, no one got questions for niggas

Well, maybe I'm best as the villain

'Cause I got real numbers on niggas who say they got billions

I got all the chains that they ever repped in Virginia

I got niggas' prized possessions, I get possessive on niggas

I am pressin' everything, I'll get impressive on niggas

I got problems with people who I would've never dreamed

And that's draggin' people in who don't wanna get in between

Dog, I was aidin' Ross with streams before Adin Ross had ever streamed

And, Khaled, you know what I mean

The beef was fully live, you went halal and got on your deen

And your people are still waitin' for a free Palestine

But apparently everything isn't black and white and red and green, damn

I'm seein' everyone's true colors, for real, I'm sensin' a theme

I'm greater than everybody like some shredded cheese

I was in Hazelton at The One before I was in the loop like a set of keys

Shout out to Cherokee Dee and Skyy Black

'Cause they was at my birthday when I was searchin' big-booty ebonies, jeez

Now the penthouse in Bahamas is right next to Jordan like I'm Lebanese

And apparently niggas' souls is for sale like the seven seas

I gave you everything you ever need

But let me find out the Amex the only ones

That credit me for makin' y'all everything you could never be

My sixth sense is kickin' in

'Cause all I hear is people that are dead to me

And that's why I'm turnin' on my read receipts

To let you know that everything that's said to me will forever be stored in my memory

I'm better off independent

They should let him leave, yeah

'Cause I just wanna be free

Free, free, free

Free

I just wanna be free, free, free

Free

Free, free

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
subpoena /səˈpiːnə/ C2	noun - a writ ordering a person to attend a court
genius /ˈdʒiːniəs/ B2	noun - exceptional intellectual or creative power
compliment /ˈkɒmplɪmənt/ B1	noun - a polite expression of praise
disagreement /ˌdɪsəˈɡriːmənt/ B1	noun - lack of consensus or approval
envy /ˈɛnvi/ B2	verb - to feel a desire to have something possessed by another
submission /səbˈmɪʃən/ C1	noun - the action of accepting or yielding to a superior force
ignition /ɪɡˈnɪʃən/ B2	noun - the action of setting something on fire or starting an engine
magician /məˈdʒɪʃən/ A2	noun - an entertainer who performs magic tricks
possessive /pəˈzɛsɪv/ B2	adjective - demanding someone's total attention and love
impressive /ɪmˈprɛsɪv/ B1	adjective - evoking admiration through size or quality
independent /ˌɪndɪˈpɛndənt/ B1	adjective - not influenced or controlled by others
villain /ˈvɪlən/ B2	noun - a character whose evil actions are important to the plot
destiny /ˈdɛstɪni/ B2	noun - the hidden power believed to control what will happen in the future
memory /ˈmɛməri/ A2	noun - the faculty by which the mind stores information
vanished /ˈvænɪʃt/ B2	verb - to disappear suddenly

Key Grammar Structures

• I done got my shit inside arenas like Gilbert Arenas

  ➔ AAVE Perfect Aspect (Non-standard)

  ➔ The phrase "I done got" indicates a completed action in the past, typical of African American Vernacular English (AAVE).

• I was in a Dream Hotel before I was in the loop

  ➔ Past Simple & Prepositional Phrase

  ➔ The structure "was in [place]" is used for past states, and "in the loop" is a common idiomatic expression.

• I need compliments 'cause lately, it's just falling-outs

  ➔ Present Continuous as a Noun (Gerund)

  ➔ Using "falling-outs" as a noun to describe a series of conflicts or arguments.

• I'm supposed to be my brother's keeper

  ➔ Passive Voice with Infinitive ("be supposed to")

  ➔ "Be supposed to" expresses an obligation or expectation placed upon the subject.

• If we bein' real, I could never forgive you

  ➔ Conditional Sentence (Type 2)

  ➔ The structure uses "If [subject] [verb], [subject] could [verb]" to suggest a hypothetical or subjective stance.

• I got real numbers on niggas who say they got billions

  ➔ Relative Clause (Reduced)

  ➔ The clause "who say they got billions" acts as a relative clause modifying "niggas."

• I would've never dreamed

  ➔ Modal Perfect ("would have + past participle")

  ➔ Used to express an action that did not happen in the past or a hypothetical reflection on the past.

• That's why I'm turnin' on my read receipts

  ➔ Present Continuous for current intention

  ➔ Using "I'm turnin' on" to show an active, current decision or change in behavior.