Success is loud. Or at least, it was in 2019 when Ariana Grande released "7 Rings," turning the phrase want it i got it into a global mantra for a generation obsessed with manifestation and retail therapy. It’s a catchy line. It's also a window into how we view wealth and autonomy. When you hear that repetitive, trap-inspired beat, you aren't just hearing a pop song; you’re hearing the culmination of a very specific era of "Flex Culture."
Honestly, the song’s history is messier than people remember. It wasn’t just a hit. It was a legal headache, a cultural debate, and a masterclass in branding all rolled into one. Grande didn't just stumble onto the lyrics. The story goes that after a particularly rough breakup with Pete Davidson, she took her friends to Tiffany & Co., bought them all diamond rings, and the "want it i got it" philosophy was born out of a champagne-fueled shopping spree. It’s relatable if you’re a multi-millionaire, I guess. For the rest of us, it became the caption for every Instagram post involving a new pair of sneakers or a latte.
The Sound of Want It I Got It
Music is rarely original in a vacuum. You probably recognize the melody. It’s "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music. Rodgers and Hammerstein are credited because, frankly, they had to be.
Ninety percent.
That is how much of the songwriting royalties for "7 Rings" reportedly go to the estate of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Think about that for a second. One of the biggest hits of the decade, the anthem for the want it i got it lifestyle, barely makes its primary artist any publishing money. It’s a wild irony. Grande and her team, including Tayla Parx and Victoria Monét, flipped a classic Broadway tune into a boastful rap-adjacent track, but the "owners" of the original melody took the lion's share of the paycheck.
But does the money matter when the cultural impact is this massive?
Probably not to Ariana. The song spent eight weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It broke Spotify records. It solidified her transition from a theater-kid-turned-pop-star into a legitimate titan of the industry who could dictate trends with a single tweet. The phrase want it i got it became synonymous with a specific kind of "Girlboss" energy that dominated the late 2010s, though that term has aged about as well as milk in the sun.
Borrowing, Influence, and the Princess Nokia Controversy
We have to talk about the "theft" accusations. It wasn't just Broadway legends taking a piece of the pie. When the video dropped, the internet went into a tailspin. Princess Nokia, an independent rapper, posted a video (which she later deleted) pointing out the striking similarities between "7 Rings" and her own track "Mine."
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"Ain't that the song I made about brown women and their hair?" she asked.
The flow was similar. The "want it i got it" cadence mirrored her "it's mine, I bought it." Then you had 2 Chainz and Soulja Boy chiming in. 2 Chainz pointed out the "pink trap house" aesthetic in the video resembled his own branding, while Soulja Boy, in his typical fashion, claimed she stole his whole "swag." Eventually, things were settled—Ariana even featured 2 Chainz on a remix—but it highlighted the fine line between inspiration and appropriation in the industry.
The song works because it’s unapologetic. It’s "flexing" in its purest form. In a world where people are often told to be humble, hearing someone say "I see it, I like it, I want it, I got it" feels like a shot of adrenaline. It’s the ultimate retail therapy anthem.
Why the Mentality Stuck
Manifestation. That’s the keyword here.
In 2026, we look back at the want it i got it era as the start of the "Lucky Girl Syndrome" or "Delusional Confidence" trends we see on social media today. It’s the idea that if you vocalize your desires clearly enough, the universe (or your bank account) will simply provide. It’s a bit of a psychological trick. By repeating the phrase, you're essentially conditioning yourself to believe in your own agency.
But it’s also about capitalism.
Let's be real. The song is a checklist of luxury. ATM machines, red bottom shoes, diamonds, hair extensions. It’s a very materialist take on happiness. Yet, people latched onto it because it felt like a reclamation of power after a period of collective burnout. If the world is falling apart, I might as well buy myself something nice, right?
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The Nuance of the "Flex"
There’s a darker side to the want it i got it lifestyle that experts in consumer psychology often point out. It’s called "lifestyle creep." You get the thing you wanted. You feel the rush. Then the rush fades. So you want the next thing.
Dr. Elizabeth Dunn, a professor at the University of British Columbia who studies happiness, has frequently noted that buying stuff doesn't actually provide long-term joy. It’s the "hedonic treadmill." Ariana herself actually touches on this in the lyrics, mentioning that "happiness is the same price as red bottoms," but then immediately follows it up with "whoever said money can't solve your problems must not have had enough money to solve 'em."
It’s a cheeky line, but it’s also a bit cynical.
It suggests that emotional voids can be filled with transactions. For a lot of fans, the song was less about the actual money and more about the feeling of being able to take care of your friends. That’s the heart of the "7 Rings" story—it wasn't just one ring for her; it was six more for her besties. That element of shared success is what saved the song from being purely narcissistic.
Breaking Down the Aesthetic
If you look at the visual language of the want it i got it era, it’s all about high-contrast pinks, graffiti, and "trap-pop" fusion. It was a bridge. It took the aesthetics of Atlanta's trap scene and polished them for a global pop audience.
- The Pink Trap House: A direct nod to 2 Chainz.
- The Ponytail: A symbol of her personal brand and "armor."
- The Tattoos: A mix of Japanese culture (which caused its own "712" charcoal grill tattoo controversy) and personal symbols.
This wasn't just music. It was a lifestyle brand. You weren't just listening to a song; you were participating in a moment where pop music finally stopped pretending it wasn't obsessed with money.
Actionable Takeaways from the "Want It I Got It" Philosophy
If you’re looking to apply this mindset to your own life without going bankrupt or getting sued for copyright infringement, there are actually a few ways to do it effectively. It’s not just about spending money you don’t have. It’s about the psychology of confidence.
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1. Define the "Want" with Precision
The reason the mantra works is that it focuses on a specific target. In the song, she isn't vague. She knows exactly what she’s looking at. In your career or personal life, vagueness is the enemy of progress. If you "want it," you need to be able to describe "it" in vivid detail.
2. The Power of "I Got It" (Even Before You Do)
This is basically "fake it 'til you make it" with a better soundtrack. Speaking in the present tense about your goals—as if they are already accomplished—is a proven technique in sports psychology to build self-efficacy. Use the want it i got it phrasing to shift your internal dialogue from "I hope" to "I will."
3. Build a "Ring" Circle
The most underrated part of the song is the communal aspect. Success is lonely if you’re the only one winning. If you’re climbing the ladder, bring people with you. Whether that’s sharing knowledge, resources, or just celebrating their wins as much as your own, the "7 Rings" philosophy is actually about collective empowerment, not just solo hoarding.
4. Understand the Cost of Borrowing
Just like Ariana had to pay 90% of her royalties for using a familiar melody, everything has a price. If you’re borrowing someone else’s style or business model, acknowledge the debt. True longevity comes from adding your own unique "remix" to what already exists.
The want it i got it era changed how pop stars talk about their wealth. It moved us away from the "humble girl next door" trope and into an era of radical, sometimes polarizing, transparency about ambition. It’s a reminder that it’s okay to want things—as long as you’re willing to handle the business that comes with getting them.
To truly master this mindset, start by auditing your own desires. Identify one specific goal this week. Don't say you "hope" to achieve it. Frame it as an inevitability. Write down the steps to "get it" and execute the first one immediately. Whether it's a career move or a personal habit, the transition from wanting to having requires a decisive shift in how you talk to yourself.