Catalina Lyrics

[Sample from 'The Killer']
Where is he?
Concentrate on the job, don't disturb the doctor


[Intro: Raekwon]
Yeah, word up
Who said we ain't the definition of exclusive shit?
Real rap, you know
Yeah, this is multi expensive rap here, brother
Word up, time to recreate the power
You know what it is, man, nothing but gangsta shit, baby
Let's go Doc, I need that prescription
Aiyo, aiyo

[Verse 1: Raekwon]
I grew up on the foul side, nickel bag vial side
Purple tops, two for fives
I had seven grams, outside with my eleven mans
On the corners with a pocket full of contrabands
Running up and down fire escapes, NARCs coming
Jump in the window, let your Nikes fly, hide the flakes

Guess up in the Hill it was real to me
What a nigga would of did if you steal from me
All my life around drug niggas, villains who want millions
Niggas with them hoodies on, with techs in the building
Mad fiends, bags of green, Gillette razors
Fly neighbors, all live blazers, designer jeans
That's why we live, niggas need shit in they crib
Go broke, you gonna rope you a vic'
It's just full-time stragglers, niggas try to take your place
And smile in your face, but still and all backstabbers
[Hook: Lyfe Jennings w/ ad-libs]
I was trying to get home
Leave a couple mil' to my kids when I'm gone
Nigga, that ain't cologne, it's the smell of this money
I was trying to get home
Cuz I don't know when my karma gon' catch up
I don't know when the toilet gon' back up
And put me in some shit, that I can't get out of

[Verse 2: Raekwon]
Come on, bags of money, trying to stay rich and fly
Keep it cool, silks and dungarees
Crew glasses and food, grilled salmon trying to make a move
Those who knowing they be dapping they dudes
How it do, blow a lot of cruise, stay in the cut
Pacing, from here to L.A., and Hawaii and Cuba
Blew new uzi too, serial numbers is brail
So when you rub against it feel all twos
Now I'm with some special niggas
Next level niggas with rubble bezzles
Who drive Exeleros with jewels
Brolic boots on, olive Goose, calamari soups and noodles
That spell out, ya'll niggas the truth

What it is baby boy, reclining in the big Benz
La-Z-Boy, ends uped, lenses on, chips a'hoy
Shipping triple, niggas try to stop the issue
And cock blocked but can't stop the official, what
[Hook x2: Lyfe Jennings w/ ad-libs]
I was trying to get home
Leave a couple mil' to my kids when I'm gone
Nigga, that ain't cologne, it's the smell of this money
I was trying to get home
Cuz I don't know when my karma gon' catch up
I don't know when the toilet gon' back up
And put me in some shit, that I can't get out of

[Outro: Raekwon]
Yeah, for real, man
Word up, we gon' keep it official
We gon' make sure ya'll get that raw shit man, yeah
Compliments of my niggas, yeah, yeah, Dre
This is powerful, baby, we gon' take 'em there, man
Locomotive, bulletproof fly shit, let's go

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About

Genius Annotation

Song 18 off of Cuban Linx II.

Samples The Killer and Raekwon’s earlier song Rainy Dayz

Q&A

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

What did Raekwon say about "Catalina"?
Genius Answer

I think Dre had called the beat ‘Congo.’ He was playing a couple beats, and actually it was two beats I liked that he was playing. And, I could just see his vibe, ‘cause you know Dre gotta wall full of speakers. He takes his beat thing serious. This is me in his studio in L.A., sitting down with him and going through some things.

When he played the ‘Congo’ beat I was like, ‘Damn, this shit is crazy.’ And, I’m just looking at him from the side and just seeing how he’s loving it, but he’s probably just saying to himself, ‘Damn, I wish someone could see what I see on this beat.’ Because it’s totally different from his selection of beats. But it was big and the way it was sounding in the studio I was like, ‘Damn. Yeah, this one.’ I really wanted him to make something particularly carved out for me, but I guess sometimes producers may do about six or seven beats a week and throw out what they feel they like.

I think I aired it out right there. Real quick, impressed him. Yeah, one of my fifteen-minute specials. But, the rhyme that’s on there now isn’t the rhyme that I said. Because one thing, when I get in the studio I may try three or four rhymes. So, I had other rhymes to this too. I was saying all kinds of other shit. ‘The Don Corleone…’ Just some other shit, but I wound up switching it later on.

I was rhyming on it, he was feelin’ my flow like, ‘Yo, you got one of the coldest flows in the game. You can get on anything.’ I’m like, ‘Word, you like this shit?’ He’s like, ‘I love that shit. Matter fact, you need the room? You can have the room for the whole month.’ I’m like, ‘Damn, I’m just comin’ to hang out with you for the day. And you telling me I could get a room.’ This Dr. Dre, hold up. This nigga gave me a room? I’m like, ‘Yeah I’ll be back tomorrow then.’ So I just kept playing with the beat and that one stuck in my head.

It was another track that stuck in my head too that was real serious that I was saying, ‘You know what, I’m a use this one a little later on.’ I made another record with Dre. Crazy. When I tell you crazy. I didn’t use it because I already had two Dre tracks. It’s something that I got in the vault. When I’m ready to release it, I’m a release it and the Doc is gonna give me give me his blessings to put it out.

Between those three beats I definitely like ‘Catalina.’ I called it ‘Catalina’ because it just reminded me of being on a Yacht with a bunch of fucking Casablanca niggas having caviar sandwiches and fish. You know, the beat was just making me think of being on a night cruise or something and I was like, ‘Yo, if I’m on a yacht, then the name of this boat needs to be called ‘Catalina.’’

via Complex

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