Ruffneck Lyrics
Gotta what? Yo, gotta get a ruffneck
[Verse 1]
I need a ruffneck
I need a dude with a attitude
Only needs his fingers with his food
Karl Kani saggin', timbos draggin'
Frontin' in his ride with his home boys braggin'
Lying 'bout the Lyte how he knocked boots last night
But he's a ruffneck, so that's alright
Triple o baldie under the hood
Makin' noise with the boys, up to no good
C-low on the down low
Cops come around so ruffneck front like he gotta go
Evil grin with a mouth full of gold teeth
Startin' beef is how he spells relief
Actin' like he don't care
But all I gotta do is beep him 911 and he'll be there
Right by my side with his ruffneck tactics
Ruffneck attitude, the ruffneck bastard
[Chorus]
Gotta what? Yo, gotta get a ruffneck
Gotta what? Yo, gotta get a ruffneck
Gotta what? Yo, gotta get a ruffneck
I need it and I want it so I gotta get a ruffneck!
I need a ruffneck
I need a man that's quick and swift
To put out the spliff and get stiff
Boxer shorts, everything is fitting large
But he don’t gotta be large to be in charge
Pumpin' in and out and out and in and here we go
He knows exactly how I want my flow and that's slow
Never questioning can he get buck wild
He's gotta smack it, lick it, swallow it up style
Drink a beer, sittin' his chair
Hands in his pants, fiddlin' with his dick hairs
He's a rudeboy, a raggamuf'
Ready to bag another brother that he ranks not ruff enough
Cause if it ain't ruff it ain't right
And if he ain't ruff, well then he's all wrong for the Lyte
I love my ruffneck and ain't nothing going down
Or going up if my ruffneck ain't in town
[Chorus]
Gotta what? Yo, gotta get a ruffneck
Gotta what? Yo, gotta get a ruffneck
Gotta what? Yo, gotta get a ruffneck
I need it and I want it so I gotta get a ruffneck!
[Verse 3]
I need a ruffneck
I need a man that don't snitch like a bitch
Shed tears or switch
Doin' whatever it takes to make ends meet
But never meetin' the end cause he knows the street
He eat, sleep, shit, fuck, eat, sleep, shit
Then it's back to the streets to make a buck quick
Quick to beg even though gimme gottem here
Hit'em wit a bit a skins then he's out of there
On the avenue girls are passin' thru
Too much of ruffneck so they ain't havin' you
Hard boppin' always grabbin' his jock and braggin' about his tec
Is the wannabe ruffneck
That's the kind you gotta watch out for
Just to get a rep he'll pull the plug on the tour
Pissin' in corners, doing 80 by funeral mourners
Showing little respect, now that's a ruffneck!
Gotta what? Yo, gotta get a ruffneck
Gotta what? Yo, gotta get a ruffneck
Gotta what? Yo, gotta get a ruffneck
I need it and I want it so I gotta get a ruffneck!
About
Long before Destiny’s Child attempted to get ‘street cred’ by claiming they needed a “Soldier,” or Rihanna was playfully challenging her “Rude Boy”, the original bad-ass MC Lyte spoke up for a lot of ladies who love thugs, bad boys & gangsters with “Ruffneck” – the first single from her fourth album Ain’t No Other.
The song was produced by Wreckx-n-Effect members Aqil Davidson and Markel Riley, who built track on a sample of James Brown’s “The Payback”. It was Lyte’s first top 40 single in the US and her fourth to hit #1 on the Rap Chart. It was also her first to be certified gold by the RIAA and gave her the honor of being the first female solo rapper to get a Grammy nomination.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
Years later Lyte was asked what happened to the girl who wanted a ruffneck, to which she replied:
She’s older now. She still wants a ruffneck, but a ruffneck that’s a little more into the same things I’m into. Back then, I was still finding my way and was just someone who was willing to grow. So I’m not looking for the same ruffneck that I was looking back for then.
