If you were anywhere near a TV during the mid-2010s, you probably remember the whirlwind that was Love & Hip Hop: New York. Among the chaos of studio fights and rooftop confrontations, a single track cut through the noise. It was raw. It was aggressive. It was "Once Upon a Time." When the once upon a time lyrics mariahlynn first hit the airwaves, they weren't just verses; they were a business card for a girl from Newark who refused to be overlooked.
Music is usually about polish. This wasn't. Mariahlynn brought a specific brand of East Coast grit that felt like a throwback to the days of Lil' Kim or Remy Ma, but with a modern, reality-TV-era chip on her shoulder. The song became an instant viral moment before "going viral" was a science. It was messy and honest.
The Story Behind the Bars
Context matters. Mariahlynn didn't just walk into a booth and record a hit. She was living the struggle she rapped about. Growing up in foster care and dealing with a family dynamic that would make most people fold, she used "Once Upon a Time" as a reclamation of her own narrative. The lyrics are a rapid-fire delivery of her biography.
When she says she "started from the bottom," she isn't using a cliché. She’s talking about the Newark streets. She’s talking about the apartment she shared with her mother and siblings while trying to keep the lights on. The track, produced by DJ Self (the self-proclaimed "Prince of New York"), served as her official introduction to the industry. It was loud. It was unapologetic. It worked.
Breaking Down the Once Upon a Time Lyrics Mariahlynn Fans Love
The opening of the song sets the tone immediately. There’s no slow build-up. It’s just energy. One of the most iconic parts of the once upon a time lyrics mariahlynn is the hook. It’s simple, catchy, and incredibly effective at establishing her brand. She leans into her "Gwinin" affiliation heavily, which was a major plot point on Love & Hip Hop.
"Once upon a time, there was a bad little b*tch from the 7th sign."
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That line? It’s a reference to her zodiac sign, Libra. It’s also a classic fairy tale subversion. Most stories start with a princess in a tower. Mariahlynn’s story starts with a woman who can out-rap most of the guys in the room. She uses the "Once Upon a Time" motif to frame her struggle as a legend in the making.
The verses are where she gets technical. She employs a staccato flow that matches the heavy bassline of the beat. She touches on her heritage—specifically her Italian and Puerto Rican roots—which she often mentions as the source of her "fire." Honestly, the wordplay isn't trying to be Kendrick Lamar level of complexity. It’s not meant to be. It’s club music. It’s "getting ready to go out" music. It’s "don't mess with me" music.
Why the Song Became a Reality TV Anthem
We have to talk about the "Love & Hip Hop" effect. Usually, music featured on reality shows disappears into the ether the moment the episode ends. Not this one. The show gave the song a visual context that made the lyrics hit harder. We saw Mariahlynn's hustle. We saw her arguments with Moe Money and Rah Ali. By the time the song played in a club scene, the audience was already invested in the person behind the mic.
The lyrics act as a shield. In an industry that often tries to polish female rappers into a specific "pop" mold, Mariahlynn stayed jagged. She didn't change her accent. She didn't soften her delivery. The track felt like a middle finger to the gatekeepers who told her she didn't look or sound like a "star."
The Impact of the Newark Connection
Newark, New Jersey, has a specific sound. It’s different from Brooklyn. It’s different from the Bronx. There’s a frantic energy to it. The once upon a time lyrics mariahlynn captured that "Brick City" essence. When she shouts out her hometown, it isn't just a localized name-drop. It's an acknowledgement of the environment that hardened her.
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Interestingly, the song also faced its share of criticism. Some critics felt the lyrics were too repetitive or that the production leaned too heavily on the "Gwinin" branding. But that’s missing the point. Music like this is about a moment. It’s about a feeling. In 2016, you couldn't go to a lounge in the Tri-State area without hearing that beat drop.
Understanding the "Gwinin" Era
You can't separate the song from DJ Self. At the time, Self was the kingmaker on Power 105.1. His "Gwinin" brand was a powerhouse in the New York club scene. By aligning herself with him, Mariahlynn ensured that her lyrics would be heard by the people who mattered: the DJs.
The lyrics reflect this partnership. There are multiple references to "Gwinin," which served as both a record label and a lifestyle brand. It was a symbiotic relationship. He gave her the platform; she gave him a hit that validated his ear for talent.
The Longevity of the "Bad B*tch" Narrative
Look at the landscape of female rap today. You see echoes of the same bravado Mariahlynn championed. While she might not be at the top of the Billboard charts right now, her contribution to the "reality-star-to-rapper" pipeline is undeniable. She proved that you could use the platform of a show like L&HH to launch a legitimate musical career, provided the song was catchy enough to survive outside the screen.
The lyrics also touch on themes of female empowerment, albeit in a very raw, street-oriented way. She talks about being the breadwinner. She talks about not needing a man to validate her success. These are themes that resonate just as strongly today as they did when the track first dropped.
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Key Takeaways from the Song's Success
- Authenticity over Polish: Mariahlynn didn't try to hide her rough edges.
- Regional Pride: The heavy Newark influence gave the song a unique identity.
- Platform Leverage: Using reality TV as a marketing tool was a masterclass in modern branding.
- Catchy Hook: The "Once Upon a Time" framing made it memorable and easily digestible.
People often dismiss reality TV rappers. They call them "studio rappers" or "overnight sensations." But if you actually listen to the bars in "Once Upon a Time," you hear someone who has spent years perfecting their cadence. You hear someone who knows how to ride a beat. You hear a story that started long before the cameras started rolling.
Moving Forward with Mariahlynn’s Discography
If you're revisiting the once upon a time lyrics mariahlynn today, it's worth looking at how her style has evolved. She’s released plenty of music since then, including tracks like "Never B*tch" and "Physical," but "Once Upon a Time" remains her definitive statement. It’s her "Intro."
To really appreciate the song, listen to it alongside her later work. You can hear the growth in her confidence, but that original hunger—that "nothing to lose" energy—is most palpable on this track. It’s a time capsule of a specific moment in New York hip-hop history.
Actionable Insights for New Listeners
If you want to dive deeper into the world of Mariahlynn and the "Gwinin" era, start by watching her early Season 6 performances on Love & Hip Hop. Pay attention to how the song was mixed specifically for radio play; the "clean" version actually has a different kind of punch that made it a staple on daytime FM stations. For those interested in the technical side of her rap style, try rapping along to the second verse—the breath control required for her fast-paced delivery is harder than it sounds. Finally, check out the official music video to see how she translated the lyrics into a visual aesthetic that defined her early career.