Released: 2024 • Features: Chief Keef, Lil Yachty
“Say Ya Grace” by Lyrical Lemonade, featuring Chief Keef and Lil Yachty, is a charged assertive and cryptic track that’s all about the street game, ambition, and the braggadocious lifestyle. It dances around the themes of creating one’s own space in the rap game, exhibiting richness, asserting dominance and referring to the street “rules”.
The track starts with an interaction between two people, adopting an aggressive and confrontational tone representative of the street mentality. Chief Keef’s verse dives into the thematic core of the song, boasting about wealth with the line “I got some money on the way”. He then alludes to the theme of retribution and dominance, encapsulated in the gritty line, “Kill ’em with kindness, then piss on their grave”, a metaphor that highlights his vengeful streak. He simultaneously warns the competition of the perilous nature of this world with: “Lil’ nigga, don’t get hit, don’t get grazed.”
The chorus, “Pussy, before you eat, say your grace”, is a firm assertion of power and control, demanding respect and reminding others to be grateful for what they have. The line “You already know these Bs, they not Js” is a metaphorical reference to the hip-hop elites – the Bs represent the big dogs in the game while Js hint at the juniors or the newcomers.
Lil Yachty’s verse introduces a slightly light-hearted, hedonistic vibe. There are strong references to a lavish lifestyle, with lines such as “50 hoes flew in, we treat a Tuesday like the weekend”. He’s essentially reveling in his success and the associated luxuries.
Keef’s verse that follows is packed with allusions to high-class fashion and wealth symbols like “Bottega jeans” and “Humvee”. The line “I’m a boss, Terry Crews” is a clever play on the actor’s famous movie role in which he played an uber bourgeois character. The subsequent lines brag about his riches and the power he wields in his world. The analogy “Get your bitch a sip of the wrist juice” is another example of flexing about his wealth, as it refers to his expensive jewelry or ‘ice’.
The song ends with repetition of the chorus, re-emphasizing the themes of wealth, power, dominance, and the lavish lifestyle that the rappers live. It’s a loud declaration of their triumphant strides in the hip-hop game and a stern warning to the competition about the risks involved.
