Started from the Bottom
Intro
Started—Zombie on the trackChorus
Started from the bottom, now we're hereStarted from the bottom, now my whole team fuckin' hereStarted from the bottom, now we're hereStarted from the bottom, now the whole team here, niggaStarted from the bottom, now we're hereStarted from the bottom, now my whole team here, niggaStarted from the bottom, now we're hereStarted from the bottom, now the whole team fuckin' hereVerse 1
I done kept it real from the jumpLivin' at my momma's house, we'd argue every monthNigga, I was tryna get it on my ownWorkin' all night, traffic on the way homeAnd my uncle callin' me, like, "Where you at?I gave you the keys, told you bring it right back”Nigga, I just think it's funny how it goesNow I'm on the road, half a million for a show, and we—Chorus
Started from the bottom, now we're hereStarted from the bottom, now my whole team fuckin' hereStarted from the bottom, now we're hereStarted from the bottom, now the whole team here, niggaStarted from the bottom, now we're hereStarted from the bottom, now the whole team fuckin' hereStarted from the bottom, now we're hereStarted from the bottom, now the whole team here, niggaVerse 2
Boys tell stories 'bout the manSay I never struggled, wasn't hungry, yeah, I doubt itNigga, I could turn your boy into the manThere ain't really much out here that's poppin' off without usNigga, we just want the credit where it's dueI'ma worry 'bout me, give a fuck about youNigga, just as a reminder to myselfI wear every single chain, even when I'm in the house'Cause we—Chorus
Started from the bottom, now we're hereStarted from the bottom, now my whole team fuckin' hereStarted from the bottom, now we're hereStarted from the bottom, now the whole team here, niggaBridge
No new niggas, nigga, we don't feel thatFuck a fake friend, where your real friends at?We don't like to do too much explainin'Story stayed the same, I never changed itNo new niggas, nigga, we don't feel thatFuck a fake friend, where your real friends at?We don't like to do too much explainin'Story stayed the same through the money and the fame'Cause we—Chorus
Started from the bottom, now we're hereStarted from the bottom, now my whole team fuckin' hereStarted from the bottom, now we're hereStarted from the bottom, now the whole team here, niggaStarted from the bottom, now we're hereStarted from the bottom, now my whole team here, niggaStarted from the bottom, now we're hereStarted from the bottom, now the whole team here, niggaWhat the song means
"Started from the Bottom" is Drake's account of rising from humble beginnings to fame, and of staying loyal to the people who were with him at the start. The opening sets a scene of grinding work: he lives at his mother's house, money is tight, he is working long nights and fighting traffic on the way home. The chorus then marks the turn, as he and his whole crew have now arrived. The repeated refrain works like a victory lap, and each return to it feels more triumphant.
The second verse shifts from memories of struggle to the present. He answers people who doubt that he ever went hungry, insists that he deserves credit, and says he is focused on himself rather than on critics. The bridge is the emotional core. He rejects "new" people who showed up only after he succeeded, questions where his real friends are, and says his personal story has not changed through the money and fame. The line about wearing every chain even at home is a symbol of pride in his success, but also a reminder of how much he still wants to show where he came from.
The song's central images are the "bottom," which stands for poverty and struggle, and "here," which stands for success. Its message is simple: wealth has not changed who he is, and loyalty to his original circle matters more to him than any new status.
Key phrases explained
- Started from the bottom
- began with nothing and rose from poverty — The central refrain, the song's main theme of humble beginnings and rising up.
- poppin' off
- becoming successful or happening big — Slang; he says nothing big happens around here without his crew.
- I wear every single chain
- I wear all my expensive jewelry — Chains symbolize wealth in hip-hop; here he wears them even at home as a reminder of his success.
- where your real friends at
- where are your real friends — Informal slang; he challenges people who only show up now that he is famous.
- Story stayed the same
- my personal story has not changed — Sums up the bridge: despite fame and money, he claims he has stayed true to himself.
Song info
- Release date
- 2013-02-01
- Album
- Nothing Was the Same
- Written by
- 40, Drake, Mike Zombie
- Produced by
- 40, Mike Zombie
- Samples
- Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz – Who U Wit?
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