GENIUS
Sign Up
Is he H to the izz-O, M to the izz-O? Nas – Stillmatic Freestyle (Jay-Z Diss)
Genius Annotation 6 Contributors ?

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

A reference to the persistent but unsubstantiated rumour that Jay-Z was “the gay rapper”, based on the hook from Jay’s Izzo (H.O.V.A.). Word play on Hova-> Homo.

Such homophobia mars some parts of Nas' Ether as well. For the record, there is no (zero) evidence of Jay-Z’s homosexuality, not that there’s anything wrong with that.

For more on homophobia in Hip Hop check out the documentary Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes by Byron Hurt.

This line is the reason why this freestyle is sometimes referred to as “H to the O-M-O”.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse
Upvote +4 Downvote
Copy Embed
Rip the Freeway, shoot through Memphis with Money Bags
Stop in Philly, order cheesesteaks and eat Beans fast Nas – Stillmatic Freestyle (Jay-Z Diss)
Genius Annotation 4 Contributors ?

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

Nas lyrically disposes of Roc-a-Fella artists Freeway, Memphis Bleek and Beanie Sigel.

Also references Nas' friend E Money Bags who was killed in Queens the same year.

Also don’t forget Jay-Z pulled that “H-Money Bags” character from out of nowhere on that radio freestyle, which is what pissed off E-Money Bags (RIP). EMB & Jay knew each other personally from high school. Some clever food wordplay

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse
Upvote +23 Downvote
Copy Embed
G5xktbqcislt0l8i3mra

394

7 years

Beautiful wordplay here. Nas is witty too.

Upvote +4 Downvote
Show all improvement suggestions
At the airport the Mobb picked me up in a truck Nas – 1996 Freestyle
Genius Annotation 4 Contributors ?

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

Variations of this and the next few lines appeared in Give It Up Fast from Mobb Deep’s Hell on Earth LP released in Nov. 1996

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse
Upvote +0 Downvote
Copy Embed
Winter Warz Ghostface Killah (Ft. Cappadonna, Masta Killa, Raekwon & U-God) – Winter Warz
Song Bio 6 Contributors ?

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

A Wu-Tang classic from Ghostface’s 1996 album Ironman. Also appeared on the Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood Soundtrack.

Take note of Cappa’s verse. Definitely his best on the album, probably his best ever. He claims it’s a freestyle tho:

Masta Killa describes the impact of Cappadonna’s verse in the interview below with Hot 97:

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse
Upvote +54 Downvote
Copy Embed
B28e9387e008a2abf916ecbc44399141

83,726

8 years

@benself, nah. All you got here is Cappa’s tweet where he claims that it is a freestyle. He could’ve Tweeted he had written it when he was a 5-years-old kid, but I wouldn’t have believed him.

Upvote +6 Downvote
54bb386308b478f651af6000585fc0a8

611

8 years

Samples these songs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf-wGMQ-JD8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo3e2hhDk4A

Upvote +3 Downvote
Ad051ae3a5290e0f0acc04069ac589ca

114

5 years

I believe it could be a freestyle. Ghost face himself also said it was on a DJ Vlad interview that it was… its long and impressive but not overly complicated, so I believe someone as talented as Capp, that it’s mostly freestyle…

Upvote +9 Downvote
4fa65740b17d48f1acc3e0c43fb8705c

693

4 years

They say cap is the best battle rapper in the clan, so this being a freestyle isn’t too far off

Upvote +7 Downvote
Show 3 more suggestions
Firm Fiasco The Firm – Firm Fiasco
Song Bio 1 Contributor ?

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

Lupe Fiasco derived his rapname from the title of this track Lupe- Wasalu Muhammad Jaco and Fiasco- Firm Fiasco blended.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse
Upvote +17 Downvote
Copy Embed
Housewife Dr. Dre (Ft. Hittman & Kurupt) – Housewife
Song Bio 5 Contributors ?

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

Newton’s “4th Law Of Physics”: Every hoaction results in an equal and opposite reaction
This song appeared on Kurupt’s Tha Streetz Iz a Mutha album in 1999 and Dr. Dre’s 2001

Dr. Dre’s verse was written by The D.O.C.

This is Dre’s rework of the original Ho’s a housewife off of Kurruption, Kurupt’s first album

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse
Upvote +40 Downvote
Copy Embed
1db88021d635eafc45fd28c625d836db

237

8 years

That is Newton’s 3rd law, not the 4th

Upvote +14 Downvote
48613_1439727596_731603280_n

738

8 years

The original is called Ho’s a Housewife on Kurupt’s debut solo album Kuruption!

Upvote +5 Downvote
Show 1 more suggestion
We got Magnum Brown, Shooshki Palooshki Public Enemy – Cold Lampin' with Flavor
Genius Annotation 2 Contributors ?

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

This is a reference to a Magnum Brown’s song “Shooski Balooski”. Later in the early 2000’s Peedi Peedi formerly Peedi Crakk dropped the unreleased track “Shooski Palooshki”

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse
Upvote +7 Downvote
Copy Embed
Marked this as a stretch?
1 month

Didn’t that song come out like 25 years after the PE song?

Upvote +0 Downvote
Marked this as a stretch?
4 years
Upvote -2 Downvote
Show all improvement suggestions
Play them corners like a safety, watching traffic switch Scarface (Ft. Beanie Sigel & JAY-Z) – Guess Who's Back
Genius Annotation 1 Contributor ?

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

Great internal rhyme scheme, similie and metaphor by using a homonyms ‘corner’ safety' ‘traffic’. A corner is a term fora defensive back in football cornerback aka (CB) . The “Safety” is defensive player in football and a ‘safety on gun/ Safety.

A Safety usually assist the corners for long pass play coverage.

The metaphor is extended from the earlier corner to represent a means of transit which is the street corner that has traffic in this case drug Traffic.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse
Upvote +10 Downvote
Copy Embed
Your whole vibe like a sign and, ecstasy Ja Rule (Ft. Case) – Livin' It Up
Genius Annotation 1 Contributor ?

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

Club Drug MDMA/Ecstasy.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse
Upvote +2 Downvote
Copy Embed
From the streets to penitentiary, they my mans Capone-N-Noreaga (Ft. Nas) – With Me
Genius Annotation 1 Contributor ?

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

A homage to the phrasing and cadence of 2Pac penitentiary, a lyrical go to for the late great rapper.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse
Upvote +0 Downvote
Copy Embed