Young Thug's Barter 6 has been surrounded by controversy ever since the would-be title, Tha Carter 6, was revealed, and finally leading up to its ultimate release on April 16th. Now that it’s finally here at long last, listeners around the world are scanning it for possible lashes at other emcees, hard bars, and bangers.
However, excavating the text can get a little problematic given Young Thug’s unique flow and style. It’s a polarizing effect that make people either love or hate the emcee. While this distinction sets him apart from other rappers, it also can add a layer of confusion to the simplest lyrics.
Whether it’s misheard, indecipherable, or just plain confusing - click along as we go through Barter 6 lyrics we don't or are unable to comprehend both literally and theoretically.
Song: "With That"
Lyric: "Pop me a xannie, I’m fast. I’m so fast, I’m so faster than sonic man." (0:20)
Maybe someone unfamiliar with Xanax might think that this line off the hook from “With That” makes perfect sense. It doesn’t.
Xanax is a benzodiazepine drug, which means its a downer. It is quite literally the opposite of speed. So, Young Thug is - in fact - contradicting himself. Perhaps he takes such an impressive cocktail of uppers and downers that he is ignorant to the fact that when you pop a Xanax you definitely won't feel fast like Sonic the Hedgehog. You’ll more likely feel like Doctor Robotnik - Sonic’s fat and lethargic nemesis.
Song: "Never Had It"
Lyric: "I’m a walk in and clutch it, like it’s a war house" (0:37)
Okay, maybe this isn’t what Thugger is saying verbatim, but after listening to “Never Had It” many times (it’s a great track), this is the best translation we can come up with. One can only assume that Young Thug is elaborating on his affinity for blazing trees, but its hard to decipher the true meaning of the lyric as it squeaks inaudibly through Thug’s trademark auto-tuned rasp.
Song: "Halftime"
Lyric: "I been flooded out my Jesus, bitch. I want your pizza, Little Caesar's bitch." (1:31)
These are the official lyrics, this time off of Thugger’s most recent love letter to pills and women “Halftime.” It can be argued this track has some of the hardest bars Barter 6 has to offer with lines like “cocaine white like Justin Bieber, bitch” but it can also be argued that this line in particular makes absolutely no sense. Is pizza a euphemism for a vagina, and if so - wouldn’t you want something a little less trashy than Little Caesars? Just sayin’...
Song: "OD"
Lyric: "Precise, and yes it's righteous. My love get... (??)" (1:58)
One of the more perplexing lyrics that we haven't been able to untangle to any degree of certainty comes on "OD" (which unfortunately we are not able to find a YouTube stream of). Towards the end of his first verse, Thugger is referencing the motions he'll put the pussy through (wipe it, kiss it, good night it, love it, fight it etc). It's unclear if the closing bars are moving on to a different topic or if we're still on how Young Thug will demolish the pussy. After giving it countless listens the lyrics became no clearer, but according to RapGenius there's something about a "ficus" in there and "sticks," so perhaps he's talking about his weed? Then again, "ficus" could be the word "fuck"... One of the world's greatest mysteries lies here.
Song: "Amazing"
Lyric: "Ni**a have you ever dreamed I was the man and you were (??)" (0:15)
We have no earthly idea how Thugger ends this line. This one’s especially frustrating, coming off of “Amazing,” and serving as the opening lyrics. The Cash Money emcee attempts to pose a big, ethereal question, but unfortunately it goes unanswered, because we're not quite sure what he’s asking in the first place.
Song: "Constantly Hating"
Lyric: "I’ve seen more holes than a golf course hold down da tronka (?)" (1:15)
In the welcome track to Barter 6, "Constantly Hating," Young Thug verbally dances on the minimalist beat - hopping in and out of auto-tune. This is our best transcription of a bar in Young Thug’s first verse, which almost makes sense in context with the rest of the emcee’s boisterous verse. However, the Atlanta-born rapper loses us by the end of the bar.
Song: "Numbers"
Lyric: "No sticky fingers, no porcupine. Ay, genius (?)" (2:57)
A common Young Thug trope is to cheekily drop innuendos or homophones and allude to which one he means by discounting another. This mixtape is laden with lines like that. Here’s an example from the same track, "Numbers":
“I’m growing green me and chi-chi, no pet.” (1:47)
Back to the lyric at hand. For starters, porcupines don’t have sticky fingers. Perhaps of paramount, though, porcupines don’t have fingers. They have paws and appendages that resemble fingers but are actually classified as claws. C’mon Young Thug, study up on your wildlife game. In addition to requiring a lesson on rodent, Thug's following line is incomprehensible apart from the word "genius." Anyone got any ideas here?