“Whatever You Like” is a song by the American rapper T.I., and it was the first single (second overall) from his sixth album called “Paper Trail” released in 2008.
In the song, T.I. talks about a relationship where he’s like a sugar daddy to a woman. He brags about his wealth and how he can buy her anything she wants in exchange for sex.
T.I. also takes pride in being able to take care of his partner in ways that other men can’t, both financially and romantically.
In this article, we will delve into the meaning behind these lyrics.
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“Whatever You Like” Lyrics Meaning
[Intro]
Aye, Jim, you know the ol’ sugar daddies?
They be trickin’, they tell them girls
I said you could have whatever you like (If you like)
I said you could have whatever you like (If you like)
Yeah (Yeah)
The “Intro” in the song sets the stage by talking about sugar daddies.
Sugar daddies are older, wealthy men who give gifts and money to younger women in exchange for companionship or intimacy.
The lyrics suggest that these men often tell the women they can have whatever they want.
[Chorus]
Stacks on deck, Patron on ice
And we can pop bottles all night
And, baby, you could have whatever you like (If you like)
I said you could have whatever you like, yeah
Late night sex, so wet and so tight
I gas up the jet for you tonight
And, baby, you could go wherever you like (If you like)
I said you could go wherever you like, yeah (Yeah)
In the chorus, the singer is enticing the girl with his wealth. He tells the girl that he has a lot of money, tequila on ice (a fancy drink), and the ability to party all night. He can provide her with whatever she likes, as long as she’s willing to enjoy late-night romance with him.
In the line “I gas up the jet for you tonight,” the singer even offers to arrange a private jet and take her to luxurious places, just in case she might reject his proposal.
[Bridge]
I’m talkin’ big boy rides, and big boy ice
Let me put this big boy in yo’ life
You just be so fresh, and look so nice
Let me put this big boy in yo’ life; that’s right
In the Bridge, the singer reveals that he has expensive rides and valuable jewelry (“big boy rides” and “big boy ice”). He expresses a desire to introduce luxury into the girl’s life and appreciates how good she looks.
[Verse 1]
Anytime you want to pick up the telephone, you
Know it ain’t nothin’ to drop a couple stacks on you
Want it, you could get it, my dear
Five million dollar home, drop Bentleys, I swear, yeah
In Verse 1, the singer talks about his readiness to pamper his partner. In the lines “Anytime you want to pick up the telephone, you/Know it ain’t nothin’ to drop a couple stacks on you,” the singer mentions that he’s ready to drop the girl a few stacks of dollar bills whenever she wants it.
He said he’s able to provide her luxurious lifestyle, including a five-million-dollar home and expensive cars like Bentleys. He sings, “Want it, you could get it, my dear/Five million dollar home, drop Bentleys, I swear, yeah.”
[Pre-Chorus]
I want yo’ body, need yo’ body
Long as you got me you won’t need nobody
You want it, I got it, go get it, I’ll buy it
Tell them other broke nigga be quiet
In the “Pre-Chorus,” the singer expresses his desire for the girl’s body. Everything comes at a cost. The singer’s willing to pamper the girl with material items because he wants to have sexual pleasures with her. He sings, “Long as you got me you won’t need nobody/You want it, I got it, go get it, I’ll buy it.”
Because he’s much richer than other men, he thinks that the girl won’t need anyone as long as he’s her partner. In the line, “Tell them other broke nigga be quiet,” we can see how confident the singer is with his financial capacity.
[Verse 2]
Shawty, you the hottest, love the way you drop it
Brain so good I swore you went to college
Hundred karat deposit, to vacations in the tropics
‘Cause e’rybody know it ain’t trickin’ if you got it
You need never ever gotta go to yo’ wallet
Long as I got rubberband banks in my pocket
Five, six rides with rims and a body kit
You ain’t gotta downgrade, you can get what I get
My chick could have what she want
And go in any store for any bag she want
And, no, she ain’t never had a man like that
To buy you anything your heart desire like that, yeah
In Verse 2, the singer is praising the girl he loves. “Shawty” is a slang term that is often used to refer to a woman or a young lady. It’s a colloquial term, particularly common in hip-hop and urban culture.
In the line, “Shawty, you the hottest, love the way you drop it,” the singer is saying that the girl is incredibly attractive. The phrase “love the way you drop it” could be a reference to dancing or moving in a seductive manner.
The following line, “Brain so good I swore you went to college,” is used to praise the girl’s intelligence, suggesting that she’s so smart she might have a college degree.
Since the singer is captivated by the girl, he’s willing to spend a substantial amount of money on her. The “hundred-karat deposit” could refer to expensive jewelry, and “vacations in the tropics” suggests luxurious trips to tropical destinations.
The phrase “‘Cause everybody knows it ain’t trickin’ if you got it” suggests that spending money lavishly on the girl is not considered excessive or wasteful because he has the financial means (“if you got it”).
The line “You need never ever gotta go to yo’ wallet” assures the singer’s lover that she doesn’t have to worry about paying for things herself because he is willing to cover the expenses.
The phrase “Five, six rides with rims and a body kit” may refer to the singer owning multiple vehicles (rides) with customized rims and body kits, which are modifications made to enhance the appearance and performance of the cars.
When he sings, “You ain’t gotta downgrade, you can get what I get,” the singer is telling the girl that she doesn’t have to settle for anything less; she can have the same luxurious and extravagant lifestyle that the singer enjoys.
He declares that his girl can have whatever she wants. He sings, “My chick could have what she want/And go in any store for any bag she want.”
In the end, the singer believes that the girl has never experienced a relationship with a man who is as generous or willing to fulfill her desires as him.
“Whatever You Like” Music Video
Directed by Dave Meyers, the music video was filmed in Malibu, Los Angeles, California. In the video, Reagan Gomez-Preston plays T.I.’s love interest.
The video begins with a girl working at a fast-food restaurant, and when T.I. comes in and orders hot wings, he hands her a folded-up paper with his number on it. She calls him, and T.I. invites her to his house.
From there, the girl begins to live the high life with T.I. who treats her to private jet rides, fancy dinners, and expensive gifts, like a new car. However, we also see clips of her living her normal life with her boyfriend.
Towards the end, the video shows T.I. and the girl on the red carpet, just before revealing that it was all a fantasy sequence, and T.I. had only given her a hundred-dollar bill, not his number.
The Meaning Behind “Whatever You Like”
T.I.’s “Whatever You Like” tells the story of a wealthy man who is happy to buy his lover whatever she desires in exchange for sexual pleasures with her.
Interestingly, there are two versions of the song. The original version contains some explicit language, including a line about “late-night sex so wet, it’s so tight.”
To make it more suitable for radio play, T.I. created a censored version. In this version, the lyrics are changed to “Baby, I can treat you so special, so nice” in the hook, and “Girl, you smell so fresh, and look so nice” in the breakdown, instead of the explicit lines.
The edited version also replaces the word “niggas” with “jokers” in one line and censors the word “brain” in another, which is slang for oral sex.
Regardless of the version, the core message remains the same: a man willing to provide a lavish lifestyle for his partner, showcasing the power that wealth brings.
Of course, this song also raises questions about the depth of such a relationship and whether it can be truly fulfilling when based primarily on material possessions.
Jacob Carter is a lyricist. He created the lyrics writing course to teach people how to analyze and write lyrics. He graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in English Literature, so he’s skilled at playing with words.
He’s also an amateur guitarist, which means he knows music and melody very well. With this background, he’s a great lyricist you can rely on to learn writing lyrics.