Released: 2018
“Last Memory” by Takeoff is a vividly painted portrait of a high-rolling lifestyle filled with wealth, women, and worldly possessions — a testament to the rapper’s rise from hardship to astronomical success. It’s a jiggy track with lavish lyrics, emblematic of the luxury and excess that come with rap stardom, while also hinting at the struggles and dangers that lurk beneath the platinum-nuggeted surface.
The song starts with Takeoff describing waking up next to two women, his mattress covered in money, and having to recount his wealth — a clear image of the excess that he’s now accustomed to. When he mentions “Clyde and Bonnie”, he’s likening himself and his ride-or-die woman to the infamous crime couple, revealing the ride-or-die dynamic in his relationship.
Takeoff continues cataloging his assets, juxtaposing phrases like “Coupe with the kit, cop it” and “Rich nigga shit, silent” to underscore his wealth and influence. This is followed by a space-themed sequence where he aligns his explosive success (“NASA takeoff with the rocket”) to a spaceship ride complete with stars and planetary bodies, a parable for his rise in the rap game.
The chorus (“Half a million on a necklace…”) and following verses dive deeper into his luxury-filled life, with mentions of high-priced jewelry, illicit substances, and hedonistic pleasures, all while employing a knowingly-ironic play on words (for example, “Is she Nutella? She probably do better” — perhaps a slick wordplay around the slang term ‘nut,’ pertaining to sexual activities).
Despite delving into these worldly pleasures, Takeoff takes a moment to reflect on his spiritual life with lines like “I prayed to God to wash my sins” and “I got mob ties to the nawf side”. These reflect his struggle with past sins and current alliances, underlining the tension between his newfound wealth and enduring street connections.
Preserving his ties with his roots, Takeoff caps off the song acknowledging the realities of his environment back in ‘the nawf side’ with the line “They gon’ make the nawf side high crime”. This serves as a stark reminder that amid the prosperity, danger and criminal activities still pervade their old neighborhood.
Overall, “Last Memory” is a flamboyant showcase of Takeoff’s inebriating tryst with fame and fortune, while still keeping one foot firmly planted in the soil of his roots. This track is a bling-bejeweled testament, narrating the rapper’s ascend to stardom and the duality of his existence.
