Music Discussions

Whatever You Like

September 8, 2008

Main Point: Earthly treasures mean nothing if we are not rich toward God.

The Music Video: “Whatever You Like”

Born Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr., this rapper, businessman, and actor–formally known as T.I.P.–has had many scuffles with the law, and every song (including “Whatever You Like”) on the new album Paper Trail carries the EXPLICIT warning label. Although most copies of the music video are edited, the unedited lyrics are foul. I recommend presenting this video as “This is what the world says…let's see what the Bible says.” (We will include a statement expressing our disapproval of the song's message in the introduction.)

The music video is available for download on iTunes for $1.99 and on numerous web sites for free. (Your church’s tech person can help you run the video from your computer to a video projector.)

Introducing the Music Video:
It’s been on iTunes. It’s been on MTV. It’s been on YouTube. It’s even the ring tone for a lot of people’s cell phones. I’m talking about T.I.’s “Whatever You Like.” You’ve probably heard this song standing in the electronics department of your favorite store or at your school or in traffic. The question is, “What is T.I. saying?” “What is his message?”

I don't recommend listening to songs with unbiblical messages “for fun,” so let's dissect it instead and check out exactly what T.I. is communicating with “Whatever You Like.” Then we’ll spend a few minutes talking about it together. (Note: This is the clean version of the song–sexual lyrics are removed. But the question still remains: Does the clean version communicate actual truth? Is T.I.'s recipe for happiness valid?)

Song Lyrics: “Whatever You Like”
(clean version)

Hey Jim
You know the old suga daddy

I said you could have whatever you like (you like)
I said you could have whatever you like (you like)
Yeah

[Chorus:]
Stacks on deck
Patron on ice
And we can pop bottles all night
Baby you could have whatever you like (you like)
I said you could have whatever you like (you like)
Yeah
Baby I could treat you so special, so nice
Yeah
I'd gas up the jet for you tonight
And Baby you could go where ever you like (you like)
I said you could go where ever you like (you like)
Yeah

[Verse 1:]
Anytime you want to pick up the telephone
You know it ain't nothin to drop a couple stacks on you
Wanted you could get it my dear
Five million dollar home, drop Bentleys I swear
Yeah I want yo body, I need yo body
Long as you got me you won't need nobody
You want it I got it, go get it I buy it
Tell 'em other broke joke a be quiet

[Chorus:]

[Verse 2:]
Shawty you da hottest of the way you drop it
Brain so good (good) school you went to college
Hundred deposit, vacations hit the tropics
Cause errbody know it ain't trickin if ya got it
Ya need to never ever gotta go to yo wallet
Long as I got rubberband banks in my pocket
Five six, adds with rims and a pocket kit
Ya ain't gotta downgrade you can get what I get
My chick could have what she want
And goin every store for any bag she want
And know she ain't never had a man like that
To buy you anything ya own desire I that
Yeah I want yo body, I 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 'em other broke joke a be quiet

[Chorus:]

[Verse 3:]
I'm talkin' big boy rides
And big boy ice
Let me put this big boy in yo life
Girl you smell so fresh and look so nice
Let me put this big boy in yo life
That's right
And 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 'em other broke joke a be quiet

[Chorus:]

Hey Jim (Hey Jim)

Transition Statement:
T.I.’s message in this song is clear: no matter how much it costs, you can have whatever you want or like. The video shows him spending LOADS of money on cars, bling, clothes, and private jets. Let’s take a few minutes discussing T.I.’s spending habits to see if they line up with God’s expectations for us.

Divide into Small Groups:
Let’s go ahead and split up into our discussion groups, and then afterward we’ll come back together for a final word.

CLICK HERE for a quick training article on how to maximize your small groups using our small group format—a great resource to equip your small group leaders.

Discussion Questions:

AROUND THE CIRCLE: As we get started, everybody take a second to share your name and what you'd like a multi-billionaire to buy you.

ASK A FEW: What was the one line T.I. kept repeating in his song? (leaders – you can have whatever you like)
ASK A FEW: In what ways does the world around us say the same message?

ASK A FEW: What does God think of those attitudes?

Read the following passage

Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'

“Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” '

“But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'
“This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”

ASK SOMEONE: What does Jesus say to be on guard against? Why?

ASK SOMEONE: What did the rich man do with all of his excess wealth?

ASK A FEW: In what ways does the rich man’s attitude (from the Bible) line up with T.I.s attitude (from the video)?

ASK SOMEONE: What ended up happening to the rich man?

ASK A FEW: In your opinion, what should the rich man have done with his vast wealth?

ASK SOMEONE: At the end of the passage, Jesus says, “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” What does Jesus mean by this?

ASK A FEW: In what ways can we be “rich toward God” today?

Wrap Up
Tonight we watched a video about a guy who's rich beyond imagination, but he spends all of his wealth trying to acquire things – or people – for himself. We also read a story from the Bible about a man in a similar situation who has more than he could ever need, but instead of being rich toward God, he only stors up things for himself.

But the Bible clearly shows that these attitudes displease God. Instead He wants us to be rich toward Him instead of trying to store up stuff for ourselves. We can do that in lots of ways, as we discussed in our groups tonight, but I want to talk about one specific way we can do it together–starting right now.

We can invest our money into the lives of people doing God’s work. (Stir your group to action in one of the following ways.)

Sponsoring a child through Compassion International

Providing gifts to families through World Vision

Supporting your church’s sponsored missionary

Investing in a local mission project (such as a homeless shelter)

So, let’s please God by being rich toward Him instead of trying to accumulate more and more stuff for ourselves. I guarantee that we can please God by showing Him how much we care for Him and His people by supporting this project.

Close in prayer