Released: 2023
Aight, let’s break it down. Ice Spice’s “Deli” is all about that confident flex, a celebration of self, and keeping it real while chasing the paper. It’s about maintaining authenticity and staying grounded in her roots despite the success. The track has this vibe of making moves and stacking cash, but without selling out or losing touch with where you come from. Now let’s dive into these rhymes and decode the bars for those who might not be steeped in the lingo.
The hook is where the energy starts. When she says “She a baddie,” she’s describing a woman who’s incredibly attractive or confident in themselves. “Showing her panty” isn’t necessarily about literal underwear; it’s more about flaunting what you got without a care. It’s a metaphor for this unapologetic confidence and sex appeal. When Ice Spice talks about “shaking it like jelly,” she’s painting a picture of herself dancing freely, a common image in hip-hop that symbolizes letting loose and having a good time.
Next up, she brings the heat with “hunnit bands in Chanely,” stacking up a hundred thousand dollars while staying true to her high-end fashion taste, referring to Chanel. But then she flips it back to the real — even with all that cash, she’s still down-to-earth, shaking it in the deli, a nod to her come-up and the New York streets where bodegas are central to everyday life.
Onto the next set of bars where it gets real gritty with the wordplay. “He want the WAP, but I just want the fetty.” Homies might be after the pleasure (WAP being an acronym popularized by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion for female sexual prowess), but Ice Spice is about her business, chasing the money (fetty). She flexes her independence and financial motives, flipping the script on what’s expected from her in these transactions of desire. And when she says “I’m bagging his partner, I’m petty,” she’s playing the game, too — taking what she wants from whoever she wants, partially for the thrill of it (being petty).
We keep moving, and the lyrics “Call me that bee while he eatin’ my honey” are a clever play on words. Bee, honey, you get it? It’s a sensual metaphor, but also an assertion of power and appeal. “You know niggas like bitches with money,” Ice Spice acknowledges that having her own paper is attractive, reinforcing the theme of self-made success.
Now, “Passenger princess, he pass me his knock” is code. Riding shotgun (passenger princess) while her man hands her the gun (his knock) could mean she’s trusted and in control within their dynamic, whether it’s about actually staying armed or just figuratively being ready for whatever. But don’t get it twisted; although she flaunts her hustler spirit, it’s all about her artistic grind when she states, “I’m not a regular artist.” She distinguishes herself as someone unique in the game, with a flow that hits as hard as Goku’s power levels, a reference to the famous anime “Dragon Ball Z” implying she’s just at the start of her power-up or come up.
We come full circle as the song wraps up, landing back on that hook. It’s clear Ice Spice isn’t just about one thing — she blends her street savvy, her pursuit of success, and her sexual confidence into a rich tapestry that celebrates her multifaceted identity. “Deli” serves as a braggadocious anthem that asserts her place in the game while never forgetting where she started — shaking it in the deli but now with “hunnit bands in Chanely.”
