Hardaway

Album: Pain (2017)
Charted: 61
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Atlanta-based rapper Derez De'Shon (also known as D-Bo or D-Dash of Dirt Gang) scored his first solo entry on any Billboard chart when "Hardaway" debuted on the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop airplay tally in December 2017. Before recording his solo music. De'Shon collaborated with numerous rappers, including Waka Flocka Flame, Birdman, Jacquees and the deceased Slim Dunkin.
  • The inspiration for the song was "being put on the spot." DeShon explained in a Genius attribution: "It wasn't a thinking process. It was just 'get in there, stop thinking what you thinking about. You don't need to think, just rap.' I went in there, and whatever was going on in my life at the time just came up without thinking about it."
  • DeShon admits on the hook that when he first started dealing crack, he was pretty green about the selling process.

    I took the harder way (yeah)
    Didn't know how to sell crack, I was givin' that hard away.


    He explained: "I took the harder way. Didn't know how to sell crack. I was givin' that hard away. The first time I ever seen some dope, I knew what it was. I ain't know how to sell it, though. So I was trying to sell it. I didn't know what the prices was. It's like, I was just givin' that s--t away. I wasn't makin' no money. So I asked my folk, and they're like, 'Damn, bro. You sellin' this s--t for $5?' So the s--t I was supposed to make 100 dollars off of, I only made like 20, 30 dollars. So that's what that line comes from. I really didn't know what the f--ck I was doing. That wasn't for me."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Al Jourgensen of Ministry

Al Jourgensen of MinistrySongwriter Interviews

In the name of song explanation, Al talks about scoring heroin for William Burroughs, and that's not even the most shocking story in this one.

Don Brewer of Grand Funk

Don Brewer of Grand FunkSongwriter Interviews

The drummer and one of the primary songwriters in Grand Funk talks rock stardom and Todd Rundgren.

Ian Astbury of The Cult

Ian Astbury of The CultSongwriter Interviews

The Cult frontman tells who the "Fire Woman" is, and talks about performing with the new version of The Doors.

Bob Daisley

Bob DaisleySongwriter Interviews

Bob was the bass player and lyricist for the first two Ozzy Osbourne albums. Here's how he wrote songs like "Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley" with Ozzy and Randy Rhoads.

Jon Foreman of Switchfoot

Jon Foreman of SwitchfootSongwriter Interviews

Switchfoot's frontman and main songwriter on what inspires the songs and how he got the freedom to say exactly what he means.

Trans Soul Rebels: Songs About Transgenderism

Trans Soul Rebels: Songs About TransgenderismSong Writing

A history of songs dealing with transgender issues, featuring Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Morrissey and Green Day.