Hugo: 99 Problems Meaning
99 Problems Lyrics
I got 99 problems and a bitch ain’t one
Tip my hat to the sun in the west
Feel the beat right in my chest
At the crossroads a second time
Make the devil change his mind.
It's a pound...
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1TOP RATED
#1 top rated interpretation:I disagree with the biblical theory. The thing is that this song borrows the chorus from Jay-Z's song ironically. The girl is his biggest problem. The line "at the crossroads a second time." is not a metaphorical allusion to a bible verse. I think it is literally referring to the crossroads mythology. A crossroads is a place between places, neither here nor there. In certain cultures or religions one can strike a deal at a crossroads with a "black man", also thought to be the devil, at midnight or just before dawn. Since he says the second time, obviously he was denied at his first attempt hence "make the devil change his mind." This is backed up by "I tip my hat to the sun in the west" Which I take to mean, he is up and out and about starting at night since the sun sets in the west. You can tell it's a lamenting kind of song, he says "it's a pound of flesh, but it's really a ton.." obviously referring to his heart. "like broken glass under my feet, I could lose my mind in this heat.." He can't think straight, "this heat" refers to his being in love. Also again, the drinking the flood, not biblical as I see it. "only one drink, then I drink the flood.." I can see where you would think that and it definitely could be that "the flood" is referring to the biblical flood however it is just for exaggeration. He is talking about alcohol, he has one but can't stop. Literally drinking his pain away, drinking far too much. The line "you can come inside but your friends can't come.." This backs up the previous line because it's alluding to standing outside a club or bar in line, the bouncer will let one in b/c of numbers or let a famous person in but not the others. Those two parts together make sense. I almost skipped the line "looking for a price but I don't want blood.." he'd give anything or do anything which in a deal with the devil the worst is almost always asked, but he doesn't isn't ready to kill or die for it. He is torn. His video even, I think, is showing how with all the chaos and crazy things going on around him in his life and all he can think about is this girl. The repetition of "99" and the chorus in it's entirety is like someone stating something over and over to make themselves or someone else believe that it's true. So in essence this is a song about a man being desperately in love with a woman that he would do ALMOST anything. It can drive a man crazy. A lot of songs out there are about the exact same things, his use of language is very skillful and not altogether obvious. This could all be completely wrong, but having listened to this song many, many times. I think it's very close. Also on a final note, look at the movies it has been used in situationally, "No Strings Attached" and "Fright Night". Both movies where the guy is madly in love with a girl and goes to extremes to prove it and win her over. They both had a first chance and then had the girl taken away and then got another. I think this analogy is pretty accurate.
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Luckily I am Thai, the same nationality as Hugo who writes the song. Thus, I had a chance to watch when he was interviewed in Thai and talked about this song.
The artist stated in the interview that, just like how Jay-Z talked about his struggling as a drug runner, Hugo wants to talk about his own version of struggling.
So, the song is the story of him struggling to "not losing himself while being in this entertainment industry". Quite an unexpected, huh?
This is my interpretation considering the concept declared, and some of his actual life story.
Hugo started off his entertainment career in Thailand, his home country. And the time he wrote this song was the time he had just moved to join an American music label. So "Tip my hat to the sun in the West" could possibly refer to either something that came close to it's end, as interpreted by most people, or him leaving Thailand(east), to the US(west).
"Feel the beat right in my chest" could means either his intense heart beat because of excitement, or the music beat he is playing.
"At the cross roads a second time" refers to the times he has to choose between who he really was, and the man that people want him to be, or the man he has to be to survive in the entertainment industry.
"Make the devil change his mind" the devil is the dark side of himself.
"It's a pound of flesh but it's really a ton" yeah, his heart, obviously.
"Lookin' for the prize but I don't want blood" maybe about him wanting his career success without having to do or to be something he considered bad.
"Oh I won't drink then I drink the flood" sometimes he lose to his evil side.
"Well you can come inside but your friends can't come" He used to be a lead singer in a Thai band. And none of his bandmates are as popular as he is. So I could easily imagine him literally dealing with this sentence everywhere he goes. And that would be a really good example of the 99 problems he had to deal with.
The song could also be interpreted as a man being head over heels in love. I believe the double meaning is intended, which is quite cool.
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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He had made a deal with a crossroads Demon or Devil. The "pound of flesh butnits really a ton" and "only one drink then I drink the flood" refers to how he did not realize the repercussions of his crossroads deal. Most likely he is going to the crossroads a second time to get "the devil to change his kind" about taking his soul. He realizes if he succeeds in getting him to change his mind, he won't send hell hounds after him to claim his soul. A hell hound is a dog or a "bitch" the song could be bragidoucious about how he will get the devil to change his mind, life still isn't perfect but at least he's got the hounds off his back...
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It s a pound of flesh: from " merchant of venice": shyllock asks for a pound of flesh, close to Antonio' s heart in case the latter has no money to pay back the loan.
The devil: again it is someone who has lent me something and I can' t give it back. He requires for my heart and I ask for mercy twice.
But I don t want blood: Shyllock ( the man who expects his loan) loses the case at the court: he can have his pound of flesh as a " prize" but not one drop of blood!!! -
The song is a straightforward interpretation of the original Jay-Z song, which is about police almost catching the rapper with drugs. A drug dog was called but never showed up, and Jay-A had to be let go.
Consider
"Tip my hat to the sun in the west"
(It got too late in the day, the cop had to leave)
"Feel the beat right in my chest"
(Anxiety over getting caught)
The line about the second chance with the devil at the crossroads is about the police leaving, the police are "the devil"
"Pound of flesh" is a pound of cocaine (really a ton...might as well be a ton)
"Bitch" is a drug dog
"You can come inside but your friends can't come"
(Cop can search but drug dogs can't) -
This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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Going to the crossroads a 2nd time, make the devil change his mind.
It's about getting your soul back...in every crossroads like story the devil will gladly take you up on your deal with him because he doesn't give you a fair deal.
Going there a second time and making the devil change his mind is working the devil's deal back into your favor and retrieving you soul. -
This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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"If you're havin' girl problems i feel bad for you son. I got 99 problems and a bitch ain't one." The song's chore line basically means nothing is as bad as girl problems. Don't matter what problems you do have, not as bad as girl problems.
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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