[Verse 2: Swifty McVay]
Ain't no gettin' rid of McVay, if so, you would've tried
The only way I'm leavin' this bitch is suicide
I have died clinically
Arrived back at my enemy's crib with Hennessy
Got drunk then I finished him
I'm every nigga's favorite archenemy
Physically fitted to be the most dangerous nigga with beef
I spark willingly, with a Dillinger in the dark, diligently
I'm not what you think
I appear to be fucked up, mentally endangered
I can't stay away from a razor
I just want my face in a paper
I wish a nigga had a grenade to squeeze tight to awake neighbors for acres (Bah)
I'll murder you, I gauge and have me turn into
A mad man, Son of Sam, bitch,
I'm surgical
I'm allergic to dyin', you think not?
You got balls? We can see how large, when the music stops

[Verse 3: Kon Artis]
I was happy havin' a deal at first
Thought money would make me happy
But it only made my pain worse
It hurts when you see your friends turn their back on you, dawg
And you ain't got nothin' left but your word and your balls
And you're stressed from the calls of your new friends
Beggin' with their hands out
Checkin' for your record when it's sellin'
When it ain't, that's the end: no laughs, no friends
No girls, just the gin you drink 'til your car spin
You think, "Damn!"
when you slam into the wall and you fall
Out the car and try to crawl with one arm
I'm 'bout to lose it all in a pool of alcohol
If my funeral's tomorrow, wonder would they even call?
When the music stops
[Verse 4: Kuniva]
Let's see how many of your men loyal
When I pull up lookin' for you with a pistol sippin' a can of Pennzoil
I'm revved up; who said what when lead bust?

Your head just explode with red stuff
I'm handcuffed, tossed in the paddy-wagon
Braggin' about how you shouted like a coward
Bullets devoured you, showered you niggas
If I was you niggas, I'd run while given a chance
Understand, I can enhance the spirit of man
Death itself, it can't hurt me
Just the thought of dyin' alone that really irks me
You ain't worthy to speak thoughts of cheap talk
Be smart and stop tryna walk how Gs walk before we spark
Hug the floor while we playin' tug-of-war wit' your life
Fuck a tour and a mic, I'd rather fuck a whore with a knife (Ah!)
Deliver that shit that coroners like
You hype poppin' shit in broad daylight, nigga, you're a goner at night
When the music stops

[Verse 5: Proof]
Instigators turn pits in cages
Let loose and bit the neighbors, wrist to razors
Y'all don't want war, y'all want talk
In the dark, my dogs all bark like, "Woof!"
Proof, nigga, I'm a wolf
Get your whole roof caved in like reindeer hooves
Stomp the booth, shake the floor tiles loose
The more y'all breathe, shit, the more I moves
It's Hill Street, this is hardcore blues
Put a gun to rap, check in all our dues, nigga
Or make the news, bet you all y'all move
When the Uzi pop, you better drop when the music stop

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About

Genius Annotation

Eminem and D12 vent their frustrations with the rap game on the 16th track on Eminem’s fourth studio album, The Eminem Show.

D12, the rap group Eminem was a part of at the time, is featured in this song.

This song is about how people take rap way too seriously, and need to realize it’s just lyrics. The main message of the song is to stop “confusing hip hop with real life when the music stops,” as in going out and doing what you hear in rap songs after you’re done listening.

This song does not clearly sample any other song.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What did Eminem say about "When the Music Stops"?
Genius Answer

In his book The Way I Am, (p. 179) Eminem enthused that WTMS is “one of the best D12 songs,” and that it contains one of his favorite Proof rhymes. He added that the other guys in the studio went wild when Eminem dropped the beat out and kept rhyming.

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