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  1. Tracks
  2. Drake
  3. So Far Gone
  4. Successful

TRACK

Drake

Successful

Release date: 13th February 2009

From So Far Gone
Hip-Hop/RapMusic
R&B/Soul
Contemporary R&B
Spotify More on Drake

About This Track

Drake's 'Successful' pairs his early ambition with Trey Songz on the hook, the latter sketching a familiar catalogue of aspirational signifiers whilst Drake maps the gap between desire and its cost. Released as the second single from the mixtape 'So Far Gone', the track reached number one on both the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Top Rap Songs charts, earning platinum certification from the RIAA for sales of one million copies.

The verses toggle between hunger and unease. Drake positions himself as the agent of change in a stagnant game, then pivots to a scene of domestic fracture, his mother attempting to leave home only to be caught in the driveway. The specificity of that image anchors the track's tension: the trappings of success feel both inevitable and insufficient, the tour bus described as a freak show even as the momentum builds.

Trey Songz frames the chorus as a statement of intent; Drake treats it as a question he cannot quite answer. The production, handled by Noah "40" Shebib and Boi-1da, stays restrained, leaving room for the lyric's ambivalence to breathe.

"Successful" is a track by Drake, from the album So Far Gone, released 13th February 2009. It's filed under Hip-Hop/Rap. Full lyrics are available below. Dork has published 4 articles about Drake.

About the Artist

Drake

Drake

Lyrics

Successful

[Intro: Trey Songz]

The money (Money), cars (Cars)

The clothes (Clothes), the hoes

I suppose

Yeah

[Chorus: Trey Songz]

I want the money (Money), money and the cars

Cars and the clothes (Clothes), the hoes

I suppose

I just wanna be, I just wanna be successful

I just wanna be, I just wanna be successful

I just wanna be, I just wanna be successful

[Verse 1: Drake]

Drizzy

Aw yeah, Trey, I fuckin' feel ya

They be starin' at the money like it's unfamiliar

I get it, I live it, to me there's nothin' realer

Just enough to solve your problems, too much'll kill ya

And when I leave, I always come right back here

The young spitter that everybody in rap fear

A lot of y'all are still soundin' like last year

The game need change and I'm the motherfuckin' cashier

Nickels for my thoughts, dimes in my bed

Quarters of the kush shape the lines in my head

Take my verses too serious, you'll hate me

'Cause I'm the one to paint a vivid picture, no HD

Yeah, I want it all, that's why I strive for it

Diss me, you'll never hear a reply for it

Any award show or party, I get fly for it

I know that it's comin', I just hope that I'm alive for it

[Chorus: Trey Songz]

I want the money (Money), money and the cars

Cars and the clothes (Clothes), the hoes

I suppose

I just wanna be, I just wanna be successful

I just wanna be, I just wanna be successful

I just wanna be, I just wanna be successful

[Verse 2: Drake]

Yeah, I want things to go my way

But as of late, a lot of shit been goin' sideways

And my mother tried to run away from home

But I left something in the car and so I caught her in the driveway

And she cried to me, so I cried too

And my stomach was soakin' wet, she only 5'2"

And 40, that was all before I showed up

And brought a thousand dollars worth of drinks and got poured up

Damn, my reality just set in

And even when the Phantom's leased, them hoes wanna get in

I do a lot of things hopin' I never have to fit in

So tryna keep up with my progress, it's like a dead-end

My girl love me, but fuck it, my heart beats slow

And right now the tour bus is lookin' like a freak show

And life change for us every single week, so

It's good, but I know this ain't the peak though 'cause I want the:

[Chorus: Trey Songz]

I want the money (Money), money and the cars

Cars and the clothes (Clothes), the hoes

I suppose

I just wanna be, I just wanna be successful

I just wanna be, I just wanna be successful

I just wanna be, I just wanna be successful

[Interlude]

Alright well, um, alright. We... we'll fuckin' figure it out. You know what you—you know what you're doin' with it, you know, makin' it to the top. All the way to the top. Yeah, you do it for the money, and not the honey, you know what I'm sayin'? You know what I'm sayin'?

[Verse 3: Drake]

Wise words from a decent man

Back when I was trying to put a ring on Alisha hand

This lost boy got fly without Peter Pan

And my delivery just got me buzzin' like the pizza man

In-person I am everything and more

I'm everywhere these other niggas never been before

But inside I'm treadin' water, steady tryna swim to shore

I'm on a shopping spree to get whatever is in store

Yeah, just call me "Shoppin' Bag Drizzy"

Or call me Mr. "Damn, he ain't coppin' that, is he?"

And fans of the freshman is about to get iffy

While this youngin that you doubted is about to get busy

I'ma kill it, I promise, that's how I know you're mad

I've always treated my city like some shoulder pads

The big homie, use a flash if you must

And I swear I ain't askin' for much, all I want is the...

[Chorus: Trey Songz & Drake]

Yeah, I want the money (Money), money and the cars

Cars and the clothes (Clothes), the hoes

I suppose

I just wanna be (Yeah), I just wanna be successful (That's all I want, man)

I just wanna be, I just wanna be successful (You gotta tell 'em, Trey)

I just wanna be, I just wanna be successful

[Interlude: Drake]

Yeah, it's like I, it's like I know what I gotta say

I just don't know... how to say it... to you

[Verse 4: Lil Wayne]

Uh, pardon the swag, but bitch, it's Car-tey

Long bread, I don't eat shortcake, how come I can't

Miss a woman like I can't miss court dates

Cheese, but she's not in this portrait

And yeah, life's fine, but I don't portray

I'm on the other side, but it is a short gate

I don't want the glow, I want the glo-ray

And I'ma fuck the world, but this is just foreplay

Tired of hearin' bullshit, bring on the cow shit

Haven't met a smell that's stinkier than our shit

And that's word to Toronto

So high up, I got birds in the condo

Ha, ain't that a female dog?

Ask her who I am to her, and she yell, "God"

Weezy Baby, I go re-al hard

No further details, boy

Lyrics provided by LRCLIB

View full lyrics page →

Track details

From So Far Gone

2009
Listen
Album
So Far Gone
So Far Gone
Drake
15th September 2009
Release year
2009
  1. 1Lust For Life
    2:56
  2. 2Houstatlantavegas
    4:51
  3. 3Successful (feat. Trey Songz & Lil Wayne)
    6:15
  4. 4Let's Call It Off (feat. Peter Bjorn and John)
    3:54
  5. 5November 18th
    3:08
  6. 6Ignant Shit (feat. Lil Wayne)
    5:02
  7. 7A Night Off (feat. Lloyd)
    3:14
  8. 8Say What's Real
    3:51
  9. 9Little Bit (feat. Lykke Li)
    3:50
  10. 10Best I Ever Had
    4:18
  11. 11Unstoppable (feat. Santigold & Lil Wayne)
    3:30
  12. 12Uptown (feat. Bun B & Lil Wayne)
    6:22
  13. 13Sooner Than Later
    4:22
  14. 14Bria's Interlude (feat. Omarion)
    2:20
  15. 15The Calm
    4:04
  16. 16Outro (feat. Chilly Gonzales)
    2:54
  17. 17Brand New
    3:33
  18. 18Congratulations
    5:33
  19. —Outro
  20. —Let's Call It Off
  21. —A Night Off
  22. —Successful
  23. —Uptown
  24. —Little Bit
  25. —Unstoppable
  26. —Bria's Interlude
  27. —Ignant Shit

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Credits

Production & Engineering

Writer
40, Drake, Lil Wayne, Trey Songz
Producer
40
Engineer
40
Mixing Engineer
40
Vocal Engineer
Finis “KY” White
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