Controlla Lyrics
Right, my yiy just changed
You just buzzed the front gate
I thank God you came
How many more days could I wait?
I made plans with you
And I won't let 'em fall through
I, I, I, I, I
[Chorus: Drake]
I think I'd lie for you
I think I'd die for you
Jodeci "Cry for You"
Do things when you want me to
Like controlla, controlla, yeah
Like controlla, controlla, yeah
[Verse 2: Drake]
Okay, you like it, when I get
Aggressive, tell you to, yeah
Go slower, go faster
Like controlla, controlla, yeah
Like controlla, controlla, yeah
[Refrain: Drake]
And I’m never on a waste ting, shawty
I do it how you say you want it
Them girls, they just wanna take my money
They don't want me to give you nothing
They don't want you to have nothing
They don't wanna see me find your lovin'
They don't wanna see me
Smiling back when they pree
Knowing I'd lie for you
Thinking I'd die for you
Jodeci "Cry for You"
Do things when you want me to
Like controlla, controlla, yeah
Like controlla, controlla, yeah
[Bridge: Beenie Man]
Gyal a tear off mi garments
And a bawl fi come inna mi apartment (Woi!)
Di gyal dem want di length and strength
Action speak louder than argument well
[Verse 3: Drake]
But you can't just diss and come tell man sorry
You can't listen to me talk and go tell my story, nah
It don't work like that when you love somebody
My old flex is my new flex now and we're workin' on it, yeah
And that's why I need
All the energy that you bring to me
My last girl would tear me apart
But she'd never wanna split a ting with me
But when it comes to you, you
[Chorus: Drake]
I think I'd lie for you
I think I'd die for you
Do things when you want me to
Like controlla, controlla, yeah
Like controlla, controlla, yeah
And I’m never on a waste ting shawty
I do it how you say you want it
Them girls, they just wanna take my money
They don't want me to give you nothing
They don't want you to have nothing
They don't wanna see me find your lovin'
They don't wanna see me
Smiling back when they pree
[Outro: Drake, Beenie Man]
Jheeze!
(Woop, woop, woop, woop)
(Woop, woop, woop, woop)
(Woop, woop, woop, woop)
(Woop, woop, woop, woop)
(Woop, woop, woop, woop)
(Woop, woop, woop, woop)
Music a drop!
Gyal a whine up dem bumpa
Dis is di summa summa controlla
Drake from Canada, Beenie Man from Jamaica
Dah one yah a murda—Zagga!
About
“Controlla” is a dancehall-infused song in which Drake details his commitment to a woman. It features a similar vibe to Drake’s collaboration with Rihanna, “Work.”
On March 29, a version of “Controlla” leaked online which featured Jamaican dancehall artist Popcaan. However, in the album version, Drake decided to scrap Popcaan’s verses and added a sample of Beenie Man’s “Tear Off Mi Garment.”
Beenie Man told Billboard that it meant a lot to him that Drake’s team reached out to have him on ”Controlla”:
It’s a big deal. For somebody to take a song that I’ve been done for 15 years, to release and put it out—it’s a big deal. It’s always great. For him to idolize me like that, it’s a big deal.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
In Jamaican Patois “yiy” means “eye”. The phrase “yiy just changed” essentially means that you just got some sleep. Drake is saying that he woke up to the girl ringing his doorbell.
However, the phrase can also mean a change in mood.
That was made around the same time as ‘Work.’ There was just a time period where I was really on my island vibes. I just knew that it would be a special beat. I didn’t personally sample Beenie Man for the beat, but there’s a Beenie Man sample in the song. The beat was original with no sample in it, but the song had the little Beenie Man cut in there.
I was in the studio a lot with Drake at that time. Views is a really dope album because he went out of his comfort zone and tried something new. And basically introduced a new sound into the game with the Afrobeats and the dancehall vibes. It was something fresh.
My mentality is to always evolve, move on and never be complacent. I always want to try something else, experiment, push the envelope with my production. Some of my favorite producers—like Pharrell, like Timbaland, like Dr. Dre—were never afraid to step outside of the box and do something unexpected. I like to take pages out of their books and apply it to myself. I want to be great like they are. I want to be at the level that they’re on with their production.
[Mine and Drake’s relationship] has been the exact same. He’s just a great guy and he hasn’t changed since I’ve known him. I really appreciate that man. He changed my life, he changed my family’s life. I can’t sing nothing but praises for Drake, man. He’s just a stand-up guy and has changed the lives of many people around him.
The secret [to Drake’s success]? Bugs Bunny’s Space Jam water [laughs]. There’s no secret, it’s just love and passion for music.
According to Songfacts, Beenie Man explained to Billboard magazine how he end up on the song:
They reached out to me to clear the sample then he reached out to me to do an intro (sic) for the song It’s a big deal. For somebody to take a song that I’ve been done for 15 years, to release and put it out – it’s a big deal. It’s always great. For him to idolize me like that, it’s a big deal. [Laughs]
Drake also declared:
I am into any dancehall, any reggae, conscious, whatever, it doesn’t matter I’ll listen to anything. I feel like the writing, the melodies and the layering of the music in the genre is incredible.
- 2.9
- 3.U With Me?
- 4.Feel No Ways
- 5.Hype
- 7.Redemption
- 8.With You
- 9.Faithful
- 10.Still Here
- 11.Controlla
- 12.One Dance
- 13.Grammys
- 14.Child’s Play
- 15.Pop Style
- 16.Too Good
- 18.Fire & Desire
- 19.Views
- 20.Hotline Bling