Released: 2022 • Features: Lil Uzi Vert, Don Toliver
“Scrape It Off” by Pusha T featuring Lil Uzi Vert and Don Toliver is a vivid narrative of street life, hustling, and resilience. The lyrics draw from the artists’ experiences dealing with tough realities and chronicling their metaphorical journey from the ‘bottom’ to the ‘top’. While incorporating distinctive elements of street lingo and hip-hop vernacular, the song explores themes of getting by, fighting adversity, and maintaining a toughness despite hardships.
The track opens with the recurring chorus, “I just scraped it off the top…” coupled with references to being “already sold out of work by ten o’clock,” and being “deep in the streets.” These lines paint a picture of the early hustle; the struggle to make a living in a harsh environment, and the grind involved in street life. ‘Scraping off the top’ serves as a metaphor for making the most out of harsh circumstances and taking profits from street ventures. The phrase ‘cut it’ here is a colloquialism for managing to survive or getting through difficult times.
The subsequent lines, “Whenever she calls, do what I gotta do,” suggest a sense of responsibility towards a significant other or family member that adds another layer of motivation for the hustle. Meanwhile, the phrase “I’m movin’ with a tool,” serves as a hidden code for carrying a weapon, reflecting the potential danger and paranoia that accompanies life on the street.
The lines talking about “Pull up in a bucket coupe… like what the motherfuck’s a roof?” are a braggadocious display of their acquired wealth and success in contrast to their earlier struggles. Furthermore, the phrases “I’m off the chain, don’t cut me loose” and “I’m off the noose,” symbolize their freedom from the shackles of systemic oppression and poverty.
From this point, there is a turn to ostentatious displays of luxury and power with lyrics describing the “Bentley white like cotton,” and washing “the dirty money with the Oxy,” which alludes to money laundering. And sending threats via an emoji with the flex are examples of how the artists boastfully proclaim their transition from scraping by to a position of power and wealth.
Bringing home the theme of the track, the song closes with another rendition of the chorus, reminding the listener of the protagonists’ journey from scraping off the top, hustling street corners into ostentatiously living the life of luxury. It’s an anthem for all those who’ve braved the storms of life, making it a powerful statement of resilience and a validation of their struggle.
