Money, Hoes, Cars, & Clothes

Jeff Woodworth

As a seventeen year old white kid at a private Catholic high school, who stands six foot two, one hundred and eighty five pounds, wears cargo shorts and a hoodie, drives my dad’s old Volvo, I am drawn toward what I’m not. This leads me to listen to hip hop. One of my favorite songs by Atlanta’s T.I. is “24’s”; my favorite part is the hook: “Money, hoes, cars and clothes, that’s how all y niggas roll. Blowin’ ‘dro on 24’s, that’s how all my niggas roll.” The music video and song itself, gives viewers a sense that this is what it takes to be a real man, someone with money, girls and all the latest things.

I’ve always hated the saying, “Money doesn’t buy happiness.” Well it sure looks like it when you compare the rich at this school throwing parties, driving nice cars, having all the latest fads and they sure look happy, with the less fortunate working at various jobs. So when T.I. is rolling around with money, having a great time, viewers then want to be like T.I. and do the same. The video gives off that money doesn’t just buy happiness, it’s the root of it all; it brings freedom from long hours at a job you may not like, opportunity to travel all around the world or live in huge houses and if you’ve got money, chances are you’ve got girls.

Next in the hook, T.I. makes it clear, to be a real man, one must get women. In the video you can clearly see women dancing all round T.I. and the tires and rims on the cars. This portrays women in 3rd place not only behind men, but the money as well, this is stated in the hook again: “Money, hoes, cars and clothes…” This brings up the issue that girls are nothing but pieces of property or status symbols; the more girls you have the bigger the man you are.

Lastly, the song suggests that cars also make the man. As I stated earlier I drive my dad’s 1999 Volvo, this is not exactly a status symbol by any means. Cars are important, they can instantly earn you respect in certain groups. Cars allow T.I. to show off his proof of success, a nice paint job, subs in the trunk and some shiny new rims just like in the video. It then becomes a symbol of desire for individuality and distinction, it shows to the need to be seen and noticed. Cars aren’t just freedom of mobility anymore, they can make you respected by men and desired by women.

So whether its money, cars or hoes, boys are left wanting it all because T.I. has made them think they need those things to be a real man. Just think of how fun it would be to drive around in a classic Mustang with the girl of your dreams in the passenger seat and you in the latest fads, yes, a mad man living the life. That’s what I want, or at least I think I want, or maybe what T.I. told me I want.