Released: 2019
“Ranada” is an emotionally charged track by YoungBoy Never Broke Again. This song is predominantly about love, loss, redemption, and a testament to the struggles of inner-city romance, personified by the character Ranada. YoungBoy explores the ups and downs of his relationship, reflecting on his mistakes, expressing his deep affection for his girl, and portraying a tumultuous relationship fueled by love and pain.
In the opening lines, YoungBoy mentions that he bought a brand new pendant and feels like he overpaid for it, possibly a metaphor for how he feels about his relationship. He’s poured so much into it, emotionally and materially, that he feels he might have given too much. But he’s reconciled with that. “I’m fresh as hell, yeah, that’s your loss, I ain’t no scrub” he’s asserting his self-worth, declaring he’s not a loser, and if she chooses to overlook that, it’s her loss.
The lines, “You been gone for so long, let’s celebrate that we unite” suggests a fraught relationship with periodic separations, but celebrations upon reuniting. He even speaks to a time when she coldly told him not to call, a moment that hurt him. YoungBoy connects this personal pain with his thug lifestyle, making it clear that he never intended to hurt her.
“She a real rough rider, let me get behind her” – this is a callback to the term ‘Ruff Ryder’, which refers to someone tough, unyielding, and able to handle the rigors of street life. In referring to Ranada in this way, YoungBoy highlights her as a strong, independent woman.
The lines, “Put a Patek on your arm, it brought tears to your eyes / That wasn’t a gift, that was some shit to make it right” speak to YoungBoy’s attempts at material reconciliation. He is trying to make things right, to mend broken bridges with expensive gifts like a Patek Philippe watch.
You’ll also notice that YoungBoy literally breaks down the word “LOVE” in his lyrics like an acronym: “L, loyalty, love, love life / O, oh, I’m that nigga that they don’t like / V, I be that nigga that’s overtime / E, everyday life, we livin’ life”. He’s summing up what love means to him in the context of his life – loyalty, being unliked, working overtime, and simply living day by day.
All in all, “Ranada” is a rich, raw, and poignant portrayal of an imperfect but passionate romance, a testament to YoungBoy’s skill as a storyteller, and his ability to pack a whirlwind of emotions into his lyrics.
