Mimi

Album: Single release only (2018)
Charted: 51
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Growing up in West London, AJ Tracey was surrounded by hip-hop and grime. He dropped out of a Criminology course at London Metropolitan University in order to pursue music. The MC saw his career take off when his fifth EP Secure the Bag peaked at #13 on the UK album chart. This song finds Tracey detailing how music allowed him to leave the streets.

    My granny said music don't pay
    So granny, how'd I go and put an Audi on my chains?
    I was doing missions in the rain
    And now I'm steady pissing out Henny and champagne
    See, music is a money campaign


    Tracey told Genius that life for him is much better now he's enjoyed some commercial success. "My life has massively improved 'cause of music," he said. "The ends is a dangerous place, man. To anyone watching, I don't know if you think England's sweet but it's really not. It's not sweet."
  • The titular "Mimi" that Tracey sings off in the chorus is a girl that hoped to escape from her poor neighborhood by hooking up with the MC. Tracey let her join his MTP team but decided she was "a bad ting" and decided she wasn't potential romantic material. He tweeted: "The last girl that coulda been wifey was Mimi but she lacked like the rest of them."
  • The beat is courtesy of Sevaqk, a multi-genre producer from East London. After breaking through with MIST's "Karla's Back" in 2016 with fellow producer Steel Banglez, Sevaqk has gone on to collaborate with the likes of Dave and MoStack.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

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.

Adele

AdeleFact or Fiction

Despite her reticent personality, Adele's life and music are filled with intrigue. See if you can spot the true tales.

Lori McKenna

Lori McKennaSongwriter Interviews

Lori's songs have been recorded by Faith Hill and Sara Evans. She's performed on the CMAs and on Oprah. She also has five kids.

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)Songwriter Interviews

Before "Rap" was a form of music, it was something guys did to pick up girls in nightclubs. Donnie talks about "The Rapper" and reveals the identity of Leah.

Dave Edmunds

Dave EdmundsSongwriter Interviews

A renowned guitarist and rock revivalist, Dave took "I Hear You Knocking" to the top of the UK charts and was the first to record Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk."

Andy McClusky of OMD

Andy McClusky of OMDSongwriter Interviews

Known in America for the hit "If You Leave," OMD is a huge influence on modern electronic music.