GENIUS
Sign Up
Scotch taped with a razor blade taped to your collar The Stop the Violence Movement – Self Destruction
Genius Annotation 3 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...

To bypass the metal detectors, and have some sort of knife, it was easy to tape a razor blade (shaving) inside ones collar to get by.

Another trick was to tape or sew razor blades into the lapel of a jacket or suit, so when a fight would occur and an enemy would grab you by the collar they would slash their hands, giving you an advantage.

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

report abuse
Upvote +3 Downvote
Copy Embed
Fuck a fair one, I get mine the fast way
Ski mask way, nigga, ransom notes (Ugh) Craig Mack (Ft. Busta Rhymes, LL COOL J, The Notorious B.I.G. & Rampage) – Flava in Ya Ear (Remix)
Genius Annotation 7 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 fair one” is a safe, legal job. Rather than a 9 to 5, Biggie partakes in criminal activities to get paid. The ski mask is used to conceal BIG’s identity during a kidnapping—which explains the ransom notes—or any other illegal act.

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

report abuse
Upvote +32 Downvote
Copy Embed
Marked this as missing something?
10 months

A fair one is a fair one on one fight, no weapons, nobody jumps in. Instead of that Big is saying he’ll kidnap a person he has a problem with.

Upvote +0 Downvote
Steven
Marked this as missing something?
1 year

The line about is saying he gets butts from girls but also ashtrays get cigarettes butts so it’s a pun.

Upvote +0 Downvote
Show all improvement suggestions
One, two, three and to the four
Snoop Doggy Dogg and Dr. Dre is at the door Dr. Dre (Ft. Snoop Dogg) – Nuthin' but a "G" Thang
Genius Annotation 9 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...

One of the simplest, yet most iconic introductions ever.

Co-writer The D.O.C. would first introduce this idea on “It’s Funky Enough,” his Dr. Dre-produced breakout single.

One, and here comes the two to the three and four
Then I drop the beat I have in store

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

report abuse
Upvote +187 Downvote
Copy Embed
Marked this as missing something?
1 year

This is similar to the famous line “1 2 3 and to the 4 Eazy mutherfuckin E with the crome to ya dome” from Eazy E’s still cruisn from 1989

Upvote +0 Downvote
Default_avatar_100

109

3 years

In 8 mile, eminem used this in one of his freestyles. I don’t know if it’s just a coincidence but it is the same.

Upvote +1 Downvote
Show all improvement suggestions
Not Lost B.o.B (Ft. T.I.) – Not Lost
Song Bio 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...

B.o.B collaborates with label mate T.I. for another record. B.o.B speaks on things such as his future expectations, criticism, life’s problems and such

Another version called “Never Lost” was released after No Genre dropped, featuring Coldplay vocals on the hook, instead B.o.B’s. Besides the vocalist on the hook, nothing else is changed on the song.

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

report abuse
Upvote +0 Downvote
Copy Embed
Being keyed during a high-speed but still don't tap the B.B.'s Luniz (Ft. Dru Down, E-40, Michael Marshall, Richie Rich, Shock G & Spice 1) – I Got 5 On It (Remix)
Genius Annotation 3 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 nice homophone and could either mean that:

  • Dru is high during a car chase and doesn’t stop for the “Big Boys” (the Federal Police/FBI). If the line is interpreted as

    Being keyed during a high-speed but still don’t tap the B.B.’s

  • Dru is smoking so much blunts he is high as fuck. If the line is interpreted as

    Being keyed during a high-speed but still don’t tap the beep beep

Beep beep refers to a horn, or in this case, a bong

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

report abuse
Upvote +3 Downvote
Copy Embed
Scrilla
10 years

Tap = have sex
B.B.’s = Broke Bitches

He’s a pimp, so even when he’s high and drunk, he doesn’t have sex with broke females

Upvote +0 Downvote
Default_avatar_100

4

12 years

key’d = high on coke

Upvote +0 Downvote
Show all improvement suggestions
Neverland, Thriller, Killa Cam, Jackson 5 bill The Diplomats (Ft. Cam'ron, Jim Jones & Juelz Santana) – Crunk Muzik
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...

The Jackson 5 group consisting of Michael Jackson and his brothers have grown up cash exceeding a billion. Cam’s basically saying “I’m Killa Cam and I have Jackson 5 money”.

The “Neverland, Thriller, Killa Cam” is basicly wordplay about comparing the money he has to what Neverland must’ve cost and the money Thriller must’ve made, seeing how it’s the best-selling album of all time.

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

report abuse
Upvote +2 Downvote
Copy Embed
And the Circle MAAD, ain't got no choice but to fight Common – The Bitch In Yoo
Genius Annotation 3 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...

“The circle mad” references the rap group WC and the Maad Circle, fronted by rapper WC who collaborated with Ice Cube and Mack 10 on “Westside Slaughterhouse”, prompting “The Bitch in Yoo”. The Maad Circle is notable for giving rapper Coolio his start as background vocalist prior to him branching out as a solo artist.

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

report abuse
Upvote +12 Downvote
Copy Embed
Default_avatar_100

2,194

6 years

And WC was also in Westside Connection with Ice Cube and Mack 10.

Upvote +1 Downvote
Show all improvement suggestions
Had skills once upon a time on this project, yo Common – The Bitch In Yoo
Genius Annotation 3 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...

“Once upon a time on this project” plays on the Ice Cube song “Once Upon a Time in the Projects” from the 1990 album AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted. Common previously said “You ain’t made shit dope since AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted” on the first verse.

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

report abuse
Upvote +12 Downvote
Copy Embed
Went from gangsta to Islam to the dick of Das EFX Common – The Bitch In Yoo
Genius Annotation 3 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...

Common accuses Ice Cube of trend-hopping. In his earlier years as part of N.W.A, Cube pioneered the gangsta rap style, and his first solo album, AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted, was still very much gangsta-oriented. By 1991’s Death Certificate, black nationalism had become a prominent topic in the hip-hop community. The Predator reflected this with its numerous references to the Nation of Islam and Louis Farrakhan.

Lastly, 1992’s The Predator contained several songs that co-opted the “diggity-diggity” rap style popularized by Das EFX. The style was in vogue from ‘92 to '94, and in 1993, Cube even released a successful single featuring Das EFX, “Check Yo Self”.

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

report abuse
Upvote +27 Downvote
Copy Embed
The Bitch In Yoo Common – The Bitch In Yoo
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...

“The Bitch in Yoo” is a diss track aimed at Ice Cube and his affiliates Mack 10 and WC for their record “Westside Slaughterhouse”, which in turn was a response to Common for his 1994 single “I Used to Love H.E.R.”. On “H.E.R.”, Common claimed the emergence of gangster rap caused a disparity between him and the direction the art form was taking, which offended Ice Cube, a prominent figure in the gangster rap movement. Cube then responded in 1995 with “Westside Slaughterhouse”:

Used to love her, mad ‘cause we fucked her
Pussy-whipped bitch with no common sense

As told in Common’s biography, One Day It’ll All Make Sense, “The Bitch in Yoo” originally contained a different second verse. He changed it after the song was well-received during a performance at the legendary House of Blues in Los Angeles, giving way to the line, “I went to Cali (and what?) niggas gave me love”.

Common and Ice Cube resolved their problems at a peace summit organized by the Nation of Islam and Louis Farrakhan on April 3, 1997. At the time, Cube and No I.D., a producer and close friend of Common, were both members of the Nation.

Since then, Common and Ice Cube have collaborated on a song called “Real People” for the movie Barbershop: The Next Cut which they both starred in and Cube produced.

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

report abuse
Upvote +59 Downvote
Copy Embed
Marked this as missing something?
2 years

it should also be mentioned how this song appears as an uncredited bonus track on Common’s album One Day It’ll All Make Sense.
I can’t say for sure that this is the same for all pressings of the album nor if it’s the same on all versions, but mine (CD, European version) and other editions (I know for a fact that this is also true for the Canadian CD version) have this track as number 18 and it’s not credited anywhere.
possibly a hidden track?
can’t say for sure, but I think it’s something that should definitely be mentioned.

Upvote +4 Downvote