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...

Being able to ride through your native hood in a drop top you copped with money you made yourself at 16 years old is a pretty amazing feat.

It must also be remembered that Jay doesn’t write his rhymes down. “Coming through roofless” now means he was spitting rhymes off the top of the dome at the age of 16.

“Roofless” is pronounced to sound like “ruthless”, highlighting Jay’s more acerbic nature.

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

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...

#Double Entendre

ACCEPTED COMMENT: 1. NY isn’t taking that King of New York line lightly.

  1. This is a lead-in to the next lines where Fab talks about robbing(taking). When Fab’s hood robs you they won’t be nice.

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

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...

Double Entendre

Fab actually uses three in a row by continuing his playing catch metaphor for conversation while also depicting actual activities related to the budding of their relationship.

Having pillow fights

and sharing blunts

The last entendre – caught a buzz – is a little more complex as it continues to play off of the catch metaphor and also continues the previous entendre of passing blunts.

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

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 the movie Menace II Society, in which Harold, the cousin of the main character Caine, is shot and killed during a carjacking. This is referenced again by the audio clip at the end which comes directly from the movie.

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

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...

When Fab kills you there won’t be any witnesses for one reason or another, such as:

  1. He will do it quickly and silently in such a way that no one will see it.

  2. He will kill anyone who DOES see it.

  3. He will threaten any witnesses, or they will pretend they didn’t see anything because they don’t want Fab after them. This would effectively make it so there are no witnesses.

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

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 hook is a direct reference to these lines

I saw his life slipping, this is a minor setback
Yo, still in all we living, just dream about the get-back
That made him smile, though his eyes said “pray for me”
I’ll do you one better and slay these niggas faithfully

from JAY Z’s Dead Presidents II

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

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...

Continuing the Menace II Society reference, Fab and his dog are going to kill the dudes who wronged them just like O-Dog and Caine. In this scene they use a double barrel shotgun and some handguns to gun down Harold’s murderers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3okFRW1coQ

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

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...

Like Nino Brown (Wesley Snipes) in New Jack City, Fab is coming for vengeance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mfd6RjND0g

Nino on the motorcycle

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

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...

Spanish for come here. “Ven aqui,” which is also what Kendrick Lamar says in Collard Greens. Fab is letting know that he is king of New York and Kendrick better watch his back when he steps into his kingdom.

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

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...

Fab doesn’t like people bragging about things they can’t back up.

Kenny G plays the saxophone.

All that boasting and bragging with so little credentials to show for it. Loso done been accomplished everything Kendrick is trying to accomplish now with less help and no need to get his kenny g on.

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