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There's gonna be a lot of slow singin' and flower-bringin'
If my burglar alarm starts ringin' The Notorious B.I.G. – Warning
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If you break into Biggie’s property and set off his ADT, he will be forced to make the first step in your funeral arrangements (i.e., kill you)

This is also a potential reference to the Allen & Allen (Allen Toussaint and Allen Orange) penned song “Over You” performed by Aaron Neville and released in 1960. The opening line: “There’ll be some slow walking, Gonna be some sad talking, Gonna be some flower bringing, there’ll be some sad singing, over you”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ln1Q0gz6aQ

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9df82ab5698f622771d5cadb4a5cce8c

130

7 years

it’s curious to see Erykah Badu sing this exact set of lines on Fall in Love (Your Funeral) 16 years later

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Okay, I'm reloaded
You motherfuckers think you big time?
Fuckin' with Jay-Z, you gon' die, big time
Here come ''The Pain'' JAY-Z (Ft. The Notorious B.I.G.) – Brooklyn's Finest
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Jay-Z often reinterprets quotes from gangsta movies in his songs – these lines are similar to ones in Carlito’s Way.

Jay associate “Pain in da Ass” always recites these lines in his Pacinoesque voice.

http://youtu.be/MJ6iWr9TYjs?t=54s

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6880d253b1aa2e8103fedff3804e31d2

1,227

1 year

Eminem also uses a similar accent in following lyrics from Kill You:

“Okay, I’m ready to go play, I got the machete from O. J.​
I’m ready to make everyone’s throats ache”

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8 years

You can hear a sample of ODB’s Brooklyn Zoo. Just another brooklynite to add to this old school hit.

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(Still) Hittin' them corners in them low-lows, girl Dr. Dre (Ft. Snoop Dogg) – Still D.R.E.
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“Lo-lo” is short for “lowriders”, vehicles with adjusted suspension, allowing the body of the vehicle to sit very low to the ground and bounce.

This line was famously referred to—and explained—in season 4 episode 5 of Scrubs:

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It's still Dre Day nigga, Dr. Dre (Ft. Snoop Dogg) – Still D.R.E.
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Dr. Dre’s previous album The Chronic included the song “Fuck Wit Dre Day” – he’s letting you know that Dre Day is still being observed. Furthermore this is a reference to the pay-day. Dr. Dre is getting well paid and if you don’t like him, you have probably have to pay a high price (compare with following line)

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2,796

5 years

This could be a potential shot taken at 2Pac(highly unlikely). Pac dissed Dre on the Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory on a track called Toss It Up. On that song, Pac stated that it was no longer Dre Day. Dre is letting him(and everyone else that turned there back on him saying he fell off) know that it is still Dre Day and that Dre rules the industry

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shorty got fed up
Shorty got Britney, shaved her whole head up JAY-Z – Venus vs. Mars
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In 2007, Britney Spears shaved her hair off, an act which was widely interpreted as a sign of her going completely batshit crazy

britneyspearsheadshavin

“Fed up” refers to Britney’s ex-husband and baby-father Kevin Federline aka K-Fed

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I thought shorty liked Mike, found out she liked Prince JAY-Z – Venus vs. Mars
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He thought his girlfriend was a fan of Michael Jackson as revealed in a previous line but in fact she is a more of a Prince person.

The conceit here is that MJ vs. Prince is like Beatles vs. Stones or perhaps even Biggie vs. Pac – your preference towards one or the other defines you as a person

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James and Florida Evans, let the good times roll JAY-Z – Venus vs. Mars
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Characters from the TV show Good Times which aired from 1974-1979.

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6 years

Jay is not the first to compare himself to a member of the Evans family, as Nas infamously claimed Jay-Z looked like James’ son JJ Evans on his scathing diss track Ether. Which ones more accurate?

father?

or son?

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F1271161c2d2566796d1e7ce07cbed9a

3,105

8 years

Coincidentally, Flo rida (Florida) had a song called ‘let the good times roll’

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In a salt and pepper 'Bach, JAY-Z – Venus vs. Mars
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A black and white Mercedez Benz Maybach, a luxury sedan that Jay-Z and other rappers lurv

“Bach” doubles as “back” making a little front/back play with the next line

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Started at the window, end up at the wall
The Yin to my Yang, I skeet skeet off JAY-Z – Venus vs. Mars
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A reference to “Get Low” by Lil Jon

Yin Yang is also a chinese symbol which describe how polar opposite attract and give rise to one another.

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John
9 years

“Get Low” featured the Yin-Yang twins, and was the source of the infamous chorus, “aww skeet skeet motherfucker! aww skeet skeet goddamn”

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we both Phil's Knight JAY-Z – Venus vs. Mars
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Phil Knight is one of the founders of Nike, which owns the Jordan brand. Phil’s Knight is of course, Jordan

“Phil” could also refer to Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan’s head coach when the Bulls won 6 NBA titles during the 1990s

Also, Beyonce & Jay-Z both “fill nights” (pack concerts/keep a busy schedule)

And, Jay’s pronunciation can be heard as “feels nice,” easily making for a quadruple entendre.

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3 years

If there is another pronunciation (it was mentioned before Phil’s Knight) it’s also possible he’s saying “both feel Niks” as in Niles, meaning they like the same style of sneakers.

if that’s the case I think Jay is up to a sexy-entendre 🤦‍♂️ that is definitely a bad dad joke but whatever a six entendre would be

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3 years

I hear it as: “both Phil’s nice”.
this verse He’s referring to all the things they agree on. since he was talking about Jordan in the previous line, who had two separate three-peats with Phil Jackson (both Phil’s). this is also very clever because he refers to it in the next verse when Phil Jackson is coaching Kobe and Shaq.

You think that would be enough to get his point across, but it also Phil’s nice the way he delivers it.

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ChambersComedy
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3 years

Phil Knight is the co-founder of Nike, which makes Jordan sneakers

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Kxvdbj2xsdizn57lgoq0

1,046

9 years

It could also be a reference at both of theme being at the top of their respectful games (rap, R&B)

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Iragz
11 years

It could also refers to Jordan being Phil (Phil Jackson) ’s Knight since Jordan gave him all those rings

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