Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill) :: Wyclef Jean featuring Akon, Lil Wayne, and Niia

I really love this song, commercial rap that it is. I'll just put that out there. My job puts me into contact with a lot of hip-hop and rap and most of it I strongly dislike because of its misogyny and materialism, but this song is exactly the opposite of those things. It's about a girl who gets sucked into prostitution, even though no one thought that could ever happen to her. It's about globalization and the destruction of the human spirit by way of greed. And it talks about how money "drive the world crazy," which is absolutely true. I hate money so much...

[Bonus points (but not a dub) for anyone who knows what a "dub" is! I learned that at work.]

Wyclef Jean and Akon are interesting rappers for me- they both come out of the refugee/immigrant experience. Wyclef is Haitian-American and Akon is Senegalese-American, and this is a big part of their music and identities. What other pop/hip-hop artists are out there talking about their identities like this? (I really don't know, please tell me.) I saw Akon (or Akorn as I am wont to call him) open for Gwen Stefani, and he is actually a really awesome performer live. I was pleasantly surprised.

Here's a home-made video of "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)." I like it better than the official one. (God Bless YouTube!) If you want the official one, set in a refugee camp (yes, a refugee camp), then go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4gM4KG-WBk



Lyrics:

[Intro:]
[Niia]
ah ah ah ah

[Wyclef Jean (Lil Wayne)]
Some live for the bill
Some kill for the bill
She whine for the bill
Grind for the bill
(and she used to be the sweetest girl)
Some steal for the bill, if they got to pay they bill
(and she used to be the sweetest girl)
Tonight Wyclef, Akon, Weezy on the bill

[Verse 1: (Wyclef Jean)]
High school she was that girl that make me do the hula hoop around the gym
(Just to get a peek again, she's a 10)
High school she was
That girl that make me do the hula hoop around the gym
(Just to get a peek again, she's a 10)
Never thought that she would come and work for the president
Mr. George Washington (where my money at?)
She thought he'd call (where my money at?)
She had a good day, bad day, sunny day, rainy day
All he wanna know is is (where my money at?)
Closed legs don't get fed, go out there and make my bread
All he wanna know is (where my money at?)
She ended up in a road car, bruised up, scarred hard
All he wanna know is (where my money at?)
She thought he'd call (where my money at?)

[Chorus: Akon (x2)]
See I'mma tell you like Wu told me
Cash rules everything around me
Singin' dollar dollar bill y'all (dollar, dollar bill y'all)
Singin' dollar dollar bill y'all (dollar, dollar bill y'all)

[Verse 2: (Akon)]
Pimpin' got harder cos, hoes got smarter
On the strip is something they don't wanna be a part of
Rather be up in the club shakin' for some dub
Then triple times the money and spending it like they wanna
They got they mind on they money, money on they mind
They got they finger on the trigger, hand on the nines
See everyday they feel the struggle, but staying on they grind
And ain't nobody takin' from us, and that's the bottom line

But I know there's a drop in the block
You move slow
You getting' pressure from cops
you don't know not to lay low
Because 25 to life is no joke
To all my real gorillas thuggin'
On top of corners every day strugglin'
All the beautiful women getting' money
Washin' them dollar bills like laundry

[Chorus: Akon (x2)]
Cos' I'ma tell you like Wu told me
Cash rules everything around me
Singin' dollar dollar bill y'all (dollar, dollar bill y'all)
Singin' dollar dollar bill y'all (dollar, dollar bill y'all)

[Bridge: (Wyclef Jean)]
Money, money-money-money
Money, money-money-money
It drives the world crazy

[Verse 3: (Lil Wayne)]
[Niia] She used to be
[Weezy] She used to be the sweetest girl

She used to be the sweetest girl ever
Now she like sour ameretta
She wears a dress to the T like the letter
And if you make it rain she will be under the weather
She used to run track back in high school
Now she tricks off the track right by school
She takes a loss cos she don't wanna see her child lose
So respect her, I'll pay up for the time used
And then she runs to the pastor
And he tells her there will be a new chapter
But she feels no different after
And then she asks him... where my money at?

[Chorus: Akon (x2)]
Cos' I'ma tell you like Wu told me
Cash rules everything around me
Singin' dollar dollar bill y'all (dollar, dollar bill y'all)
Singin' dollar dollar bill y'all (dollar, dollar bill y'all)

[Outro: (Wyclef Jean)]
Some live for the bill
Some kill for the bill (oh where my money at?)
She whine for the bill
Grind for the bill (oh where my money at?)
Some steal for the bill, if they got to pay the bill (oh where my money at?)
Tonight Wyclef, Akon, Weezy on the bill
(oh) were my money at?