The Real Meaning Behind 'Shottas (Lala)' By Moneybagg Yo

Moneybagg Yo has a lot to celebrate these days. His new album, "A Gangsta's Pain," has just debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart. The new project includes singles such as "Hard For The Next" featuring Future, "Wockesha," and "Shottas (Lala)." The latter, in particular, has recently received a visual treatment shot in Jamaica.

The new video sees Moneybagg and his associates at an undisclosed lavish mansion in Kingston, taking hostages over money and weed, and taking part in a movie-like shoot-out at the end. At the time of writing, the video for "Shottas (Lala)” counts over 4 million views on YouTube, while the single has debuted at No. 35 on the Hot 100 Billboard chart.

What does "Shottas" actually mean, though? As the recently released music video may suggest, Moneybagg Yo's track is a nod to one particular Jamaican cult movie from the early '00s, starring Ky-Mani Marley. 

Titled "Shottas," the 2002 movie is about two friends — Biggs and Wayne — and their rise through the ranks to become the top criminals in Kingston. According to Urban Dictionary, "Shottas" is a Jamaican word used to describe someone who partakes in illegal activities such as selling drugs, murder, and money laundering. Moneybagg Yo is clearly a big fan of the movie, as he not only titled his single after the movie, but also re-created some of its most popular scenes in the music video.

"Shottas (Lala)" also sees the Memphis native boasting about the quality of his weed: "Smokin' sharklato in a fishbowl wearin' Prada (Yeah)." Per Genius, "sharklato" is an exotic cannabis brand based in Atlanta, Ga. Elsewhere, Moneybagg brags about how his girlfriend, Ariana Fletcher, can't seem to leave him alone: "Don't wanna lеt go of me like a Eggo (Nope)"

Per a recent Billboard interview, Moneybagg could also be releasing a movie soon. "Right now, I'm just transitioning into the movies," he said. "I got a movie I'm working on. 'A Gangsta's Pain' was actually supposed to be the soundtrack to the movie, but it got a little delayed, so the movie is going to come out after the fact."

Who knows, Moneybagg's movie might even be a "Shottas" sequel.