It’s the beat. Honestly, before you even get to the first line of the runnin thru the 7th with my woadies lyrics, that ethereal, chopped-up sample of "Cloud 9" by Jamiroquai just floats in. It feels like 2:00 AM in a city you’ve never been to. Back in 2015, when $uicideboy$ dropped South Side $uicide, nobody really expected this specific track to become the defining anthem of a subgenre. But it did.
Ruby da Cherry and $crim weren't just making music; they were documenting a very specific, very bleak corner of New Orleans life that the tourist board would never show you. The track is a paradox. It’s laid back but anxious. It’s melodic but lyrically heavy with themes of addiction, regional pride, and the crushing weight of existing in the digital age while your physical reality is crumbling.
The Meaning Behind the Slang
You can't talk about these lyrics without talking about the 7th Ward. For the uninitiated, the 7th Ward is a historic neighborhood in New Orleans. It’s where Aristos Petrou (Ruby) and Scott Arceneaux Jr. ($crim) cut their teeth. When they talk about "runnin thru the 7th," they aren’t talking about a casual jog. It’s about navigation. Navigating the streets, navigating the local reputation, and navigating the ghosts of their past.
Then there’s the word "woadies." If you grew up on Cash Money Records or No Limit, you know exactly what a woadie is. It’s a term for someone from your same neighborhood, your ward, your soldier. By using this specific New Orleans slang, the $uicideboy$ tethered themselves to a lineage of Southern rap while simultaneously pivoting away from the mainstream sound of the time. They took the vocabulary of Juvenile and B.G. and applied it to a lo-fi, "shadow rap" aesthetic that would eventually conquer SoundCloud.
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Breaking Down Ruby’s Verse: A Study in Flow
Ruby da Cherry opens the track, and his verse is a masterclass in internal rhyme schemes. He starts with "Cruising down Government," immediately grounding the listener in a physical location. Most people don't realize how much of Ruby's writing is actually rooted in punk rock sensibilities. Before the rap fame, he played in punk bands, and you can hear that "don't give a damn" attitude in the way he stretches vowels.
The line "Seven grams in the blunt" isn't just a flex. In the context of the runnin thru the 7th with my woadies lyrics, it’s a coping mechanism. He’s talking about self-medication. When he mentions the "$uicide" brand, he’s referencing the pact he and $crim made: if they didn't make it in music by age 30, they would end it all. That’s not hyperbole. That was the actual stakes.
Ruby’s delivery is smooth, almost hypnotic. He talks about "the 7th Ward Dragon" and "the oddy nuff," utilizing his various alter egos to paint a picture of a fractured identity. It’s deeply personal. He’s not just rapping; he’s venting.
$crim’s Verse and the Reality of Addiction
If Ruby is the melodic soul of the song, $crim is its gritty, rattling heart. His verse in the runnin thru the 7th with my woadies lyrics is much darker. He leans into the $lick $loth persona, a name that reflects the lethargy of drug use.
He mentions "Popping them pills," specifically "Roxy." At the time this was recorded, the opioid crisis was devastating communities across the South, and $crim was right in the thick of it. He’s remarkably candid. He doesn't glamorize it. He sounds tired. When he says "Codeine in my cup," he’s participating in a long-standing Southern rap tradition, but his tone is miles away from the celebratory energy of Three 6 Mafia or DJ Screw. It sounds like a burden.
The line "F*** a hater, f*** a friend" is a peak example of the isolation that comes with their lifestyle. It’s a "me against the world" mentality that resonated with millions of kids feeling the same way in suburban bedrooms and city apartments alike. They felt like outsiders even in their own homes.
Why the Production Matters More Than You Think
$crim, under his producer alias Budd Dwyer, crafted a beat that is arguably more famous than the lyrics themselves. The use of the Jamiroquai sample was a stroke of genius. By slowing it down and layering it over heavy, distorted 808s, he created a "liminal space" in audio form.
This production style defines "Phonk" and "Cloud Rap." It’s hazy. It’s blurred. It mirrors the state of mind described in the lyrics—a state of being high, being lost, and being somewhat okay with both. The drums are crisp, providing a backbone to the otherwise floating melody, which keeps the song from drifting off entirely.
The Cultural Impact of the Track
People often ask why this specific song blew up. Honestly? It’s because it’s authentic. In an era of "mumble rap" where lyrics were often criticized for being shallow, the runnin thru the 7th with my woadies lyrics offered something raw. They were talking about depression and anxiety before it was a common talking point in hip-hop.
The song has garnered hundreds of millions of streams. It’s the soundtrack to countless TikToks, Instagram reels, and skate videos. But beyond the memes, it’s a piece of Southern Gothic literature. It’s a snapshot of New Orleans that isn't Mardi Gras beads and Bourbon Street jazz. It’s the New Orleans of the 7th Ward, where the humidity is thick and the struggle is constant.
Misconceptions About the Lyrics
A lot of people think the song is just a "stoner anthem." That’s a massive oversimplification. If you actually look at the runnin thru the 7th with my woadies lyrics, you see a lot of pain.
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- The "Satanic" Rumors: Early on, the duo was accused of being satanic because of their name and imagery. In reality, they used that aesthetic to represent the "hell" of their daily lives and their struggles with mental health.
- The "Glorification" Argument: Critics argue they glorify drug use. If you listen closely, $crim is actually describing a cycle of misery. There’s a difference between showing a life and endorsing it.
- The "SoundCloud Rap" Label: While they started there, their technical ability—especially Ruby’s multi-syllabic rhymes—is far above the standard "SoundCloud" trope.
How to Truly Appreciate the Track
To get the most out of this song, you have to understand the geography. Look up the 7th Ward. Look at the architecture, the history of the Creoles of Color in that area, and the damage left by Katrina. When you see the environment, the lyrics transform from words on a screen to a physical map.
The song is a bridge. It bridges the gap between the old-school New Orleans rap scene and the new digital underground. It’s a tribute to the "woadies" who stayed and a memorial for those who were lost.
Practical Steps for $uicideboy$ Fans
If you're diving deep into their discography because of this track, here’s how to do it right. Don't just stay on the hits.
- Listen to the full South Side $uicide EP. It’s a collaboration with Pouya, and it provides the context for where their heads were at in 2015.
- Compare "Runnin Thru the 7th" to their newer work like Sing Me a Lullaby, My Sweet Temptation. You can hear the evolution of their sobriety and their technical skill. $crim’s production gets cleaner, but the soul stays the same.
- Read the Genius annotations. Both Ruby and $crim have occasionally verified or commented on certain lines, providing a direct window into their intent.
- Watch their live performances of this song. There’s a certain energy—a collective catharsis—when thousands of people scream the chorus. It’s not about being "edgy" anymore; it’s about community.
The runnin thru the 7th with my woadies lyrics aren't just lines in a song. They are a timestamp of a culture in transition. They represent the moment when the underground finally found its voice and shouted so loud the mainstream couldn't help but look. Whether you're from the 7th Ward or a small town in middle America, that feeling of "running" through your own life, trying to find your way, is universal.
Next Steps:
Go back and listen to the original Jamiroquai track "Cloud 9" side-by-side with the $uicideboy$ version. Notice how $crim didn't just loop the sample; he re-contextualized the entire mood from upbeat funk to melancholic trap. This will give you a much deeper appreciation for the technical artistry behind the track's production.