Intro: Mali Music
You know I'm a wanted man
For reasons you won't understand
Prices on my head, for like a hundred grand
Cause I'm wanted dead or alive
Verse 1: Andy Mineo
(Bang, bang!)
You woulda thought I was whippin' and pushin' and sellin' this dope
(Bang, bang!)
The way that they tell me to get out of town and then aim for the throat
(Bang, bang!)
They trying to ghost your boy, they pullin' the gun out the holster
(Bang, bang!)
But I'm doin' me, I'm doin' me like I'm 'posed to, yeah!
You're smart
Out here like the Wild Wild West
Shorty right here with the wild, wild dress
They tell you can be more if you show less, hol' up
I been around the block a few times, I got a new mind, I'm lit
Man, I was sleepin' on futons, bread small as croutons
Now my business legit
How many beats do I got to poop on to prove I'm not a fluke?
I want true, a true sign a growth
For you find ways to refind yourself
You win when you lose, aye!
Seem like every team them got a Judas
But I don't care
Give me a snake and I'll make a nice pair of boots, yeah
I ain't tryna be liked, man, I'm tryna be a light, bang!
I ain't tryna make a livin', man, I'm tryna make a life, bang!
Ayo, that's way different
Nowadays I pray different
Used to ask for mo' blessings
Now I thank Him for the ones He givin'
Hook: Mali Music
You know I'm a wanted man
For reasons you won't understand
Grasses on my head, for like 100k
Now they want me dead or alive
Bang!
They gunnin' for me now
Bang!
They got they weapons drawn
Bang!
They say get out of town
Cause I'm wanted dead or alive
Verse 2: Andy Mineo
How do you terrify a man that ain't scared to die?
So while I got a mic, I'ma air the lies that paralyze my people
I live by the fear of God
I'm sick and tired of songs that don't dignify a lady
But, baby we givin' them power
The moment you go out and buy it and give 'em yo' dollars
Why they try to define us by how many commas we got?
They don't know what's inside us
But let me honest, there's something beyond us
Yo, homie, preach!
I gotta speak on my peace
Man, I can't keep it a secret
The only way that you get acceptance is when you know you don't need it, yeah
Freedom is a mindset, and I ain't in my prime yet
Miner League and one sixteen, yeah
Them my folk I grind with
I think about all that time spent way before success
Get to see the kid shinin', that's the glimmer from the sweat
Get up and go
Homie, we live by the code
We don't got minutes to blow
Time is more precious than gold
Sharp with the flow
Mix it with lyrics that fix up your soul, oh
I ain't tryna be liked, I'm tryna be a light, bang!
I ain't tryna make a livin', man, I'm tryna make a life, bang!
Bridge
Alright, now we some desperados
Livin' by the motto
If I die tonight, man, I'm ready for tomorrow
They say get out of town
The truth won't let me lie though
They gunnin' for me now
They know the way I go
They want me dead or alive
I'm wanted dead or alive
I'm wanted dead or alive
I'm wanted dead or alive
I'm wanted dead or alive
I'm wanted dead or alive
I'm wanted
Hook: Mali Music
You know I'm a wanted man
For reasons you won't understand
Grasses on my head, for like 100k
Now they want me dead or alive
Bang!
They gunnin' for me now
Bang!
They got they weapons drawn
Bang!
They say, "Get out of town"
Cause I'm wanted dead or alive
Bang!
Desperados
Desperados Song Meaning, Biblical Reference and Inspiration
Released on September 18, 2015, the song "Desperados" features a powerful collaboration between Mali Music and Andy Mineo, setting a distinct tone from its opening lines. The track immediately establishes a narrative of being an outcast or a marked individual, declaring "You know I'm a wanted man / For reasons you won't understand." This imagery, reminiscent of the Wild Wild West hinted at later in the lyrics, creates a sense of being pursued or opposed for living outside conventional norms. The "prices on my head" and being "wanted dead or alive" serve as potent metaphors for the significant pressure and hostility faced for holding counter-cultural views or a distinct way of life.
Andy Mineo's verses elaborate on this feeling of being targeted, using vivid, almost cinematic language like "(Bang, bang!)" and references to aiming for the throat and pulling guns. However, he quickly reframes this opposition, clarifying that the "crime" he's being pursued for isn't criminal activity but simply "doin' me... like I'm 'posed to." He contrasts this external pressure with his internal transformation and growth. Recalling humble beginnings and struggles, he emphasizes a fundamental shift in perspective ("I got a new mind") and purpose. The focus moves from seeking external validation ("ain't tryna be liked") to fulfilling a higher calling ("I'm tryna be a light," "I'm tryna make a life"), highlighting a deeper spiritual orientation that prioritizes gratitude and intrinsic purpose over material gain or popularity.
The theme of challenging societal norms and speaking truth continues in the second verse. The lyrics confront fear by asking how one can terrify someone unafraid of death, suggesting a faith-based resilience. Mineo takes aim at superficiality and negative cultural influences, particularly criticizing songs that lack respect for women and questioning the societal fixation on wealth as a measure of worth. He champions a different kind of freedom and acceptance, one that comes not from external approval but from an internal knowing and not needing validation from others. This perspective, rooted in something "beyond us," underscores a spiritual foundation for their stance. The commitment to their "code" and the value placed on time reflect a focused, purposeful life distinct from chasing fleeting trends or external recognition.
The hook and bridge solidify the identity of the artists as "desperados" living by a specific "motto." This term, traditionally associated with outlaws, is recontextualized here to describe individuals who are willing to stand for truth, even when it means being opposed ("They gunnin' for me now," "They say get out of town"). The declaration "If I die tonight, man, I'm ready for tomorrow" powerfully conveys a sense of preparedness and faith concerning the future, including the afterlife, suggesting that their convictions provide peace even in the face of mortal danger. The repeated assertion of being "wanted dead or alive" in the bridge reinforces the intensity of the struggle they face for their beliefs, portraying their adherence to truth as an act of defiance in a world that seeks to silence or eliminate it. The song ultimately paints a picture of spiritual resilience and purposeful living, framed within the metaphor of being modern-day "desperados" standing firm against opposition for their unwavering convictions.
