The Motto Lyrics

[Chorus: Drake & Lil Wayne]
Now she want a photo, you already know, though (Yeah)
You only live once, that's the motto, nigga, YOLO
And we 'bout it every day, every day, every day
Like we sittin' on the bench, nigga, we don't really play
Every day, every day, fuck what anybody say
Can't see 'em 'cause the money in the way, real nigga, what's up?
Real nigga, what's up?
Now she want a photo, you already know, though
You only live once, that's the motto, nigga, YOLO
And we 'bout it every day, every day, every day
Like we sittin' on the bench, nigga, we don't really play
Every day, every day, fuck what anybody say
Can't see 'em 'cause the money in the way, real nigga, what's up?

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About

Genius Annotation

On this bonus track from Take Care, Drake enlists his Young Money mentor Lil Wayne for an ode to his motto in life: YOLO.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What did Drake say about "The Motto"?
Genius Answer

Drake said:

Rap, Hip Hop and music in general has always been about being young and feeling young and kind of feeling a little rebellious and feeling like, ‘Let’s live to the fullest.’ That’s what music has always done for me. It has caused that energy to surge through me. I think that’s all Y.O.L.O. is.

What is "The Motto?"
Genius Answer

The title refers to the second line of the chorus, in which Drake raps:

You only live once: that’s the motto, nigga, YOLO

The saying took off after this song, and was further enhanced by Drake and Rick Ross announcing the joint mixtape YOLO in 2012. It didn’t eventuate, but the term endured long enough to be parodied by The Lonely Island and Kendrick Lamar and feature on multiple products.

How successful was this track?
Genius Answer

It was a chart smash, making it to number 14 on the US Billboard 100 and eventually selling over 3 million copies in the US alone. It was also nominated for a Grammy, but didn’t win.

Is there a live performance of this song?
Credits
Featuring
Produced By
Assistant Mixing Engineer
Additional Bass
Recorded At
Future Music Studios, Las Vegas, NV; The Hit Factory Criteria, Miami, FL
Release Date
November 15, 2011
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