the title and lyrics of the song reference the popular motto and internet meme "yolo" ("you only live once"), a phrase popularized by drake and rick ross on such songs as "the motto", which were intended to promote a mixtape originally titled "yolo". the phrase has since become a cultural phenomenon and has been reworked to be an excuse for irresponsible and outlandish behaviour, but most of the time it is used sarcastically in this manner.