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.
As the days passed, his “Old Earth” (Mother, in Nation of Gods and Earths terminology) would consistently sing church hymns.
Old Earth grin could be a double entendre since it could mean god/earth smiled upon him for he was born, but it cold also mean he sang church hymns when he was younger with his crooked smile AKA old grin. Nas had a chipped tooth back in the days that he lost.
That's some advice I never got Nas – Made Nas Proud [Let Nas Down Remix]
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.
J.Cole’s theme/slogan is ‘Cole World’ which is a play off ‘cold world’. In fact, Cole World was the name of his first album. Nas also complements Cole as being lyrically “cold”, which is slang for something awesome and because a lot of his songs where cold/sad/mellow.
Now, this whole thing started when Cole learnt that Nas was disappointed in “Work Out”, a major radio single.
Nas justifies his disappointment by warning that too many radio songs are the antithesis of the lyricism and the cole world movement, just as global warming is the literal and figurative opposite of a cold world. Note the word play: warming/warning.
This is certainly true, for too many radio songs creates a tainted reputation, and doesn’t create a very strong legacy.
Nas also wanted to remind Cole why he is making music in the first place. It is easy to get carried away with mainstream hits and Nas wanted Cole to stick to his lane and paint those stories that he is best known for. That is something Nas never received himself.
Nas has said in the past what he defines as greatness is when you can do “your own music” and bring them to you instead of making a hit and bring them to your music that way. He was disappointed since he thought J. Cole could do that (he was the one), instead of doing such an obvious radio record.
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.
Not only was Nas was born on September the 14th, but J Cole also dropped his first album (Cole World: The Sideline Story) on the 27th of September.
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.
A pun on the classic west coast album 93 ‘Til Infinty by Souls Of Mischief.
While the album was released in 1993, the pun is that Joey Bada$$ was born in 1995 and often refers to the golden age of hip hop being during the 90s. His first mixtape, 1999, takes the music back to that time and lifestyle with boom bap beats, graffiti, etc.
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.
Egypt is famous for its pyramids and sphinxes which look like “big kitties.” They were tombs for the pharaohs, who were buried with items they believed would follow them into the afterlife.
Joey uses pyramids and big kitties as slang for breasts and a girl’s pussy. Pyramids and ancient structures are strongly correlated with modern/new age/third eye spirituality.
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.
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.
At least this time nobody got killed while AZ was keeping up with feet fashion like in Never Change.
How do ya' like them apples?!
I mean, you made "You Owe Me", dog, I thought that you could relate J. Cole – Let Nas Down
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.
A reference to the Nas song “You Owe Me”, the lyrics of which consisted of Nas expecting sex from women since he bought them jewelry. The single is infamous in Nas' career as a failed attempt to ride trends by making a superficial club track rather than something meaningful.
Cole thought Nas would be able to relate to the industry pressures that led him to release “Work Out” since Nas lived through the same. This detail nicely shows the defensive, knee-jerk reaction that Cole has to the news.
Nas described his reaction to this specific line:
When I heard that [line], I was laughing my ass off—I was like touché. That’s my shit, for the record. But like I said in the remix, on my fourth album I got a lot of different fans that I’m tryna holla at. So you’re trying shit like that. But on album one is when you make that spark that lasts forever. It was a good album, though.
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.
Double Entendre…
There is no point in looking for women since they instantly want to give him a blowjob.
He’s speaking on the attitude to have towards women. If you play it low instead of being all over em you can get em to do whatever you want.
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.
The Love Below is the second disc of the double album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, a disc that was supposed to be released as a stand-alone album, but was “married” to Speakerboxxx, creating an award winning double LP.
The Love Below is a concept album about the love life of a man. 80% of it is based on André 3000’s own experiences and it is a continuous narrative with every song following a storyline.
He starts off being bored, unsatisfied with himself and wants to find love. The first girl he meets starts out as a one night stand but develops into a relationship and later they become parents, but when they get to know each other more, he realizes she was not the chosen one.
The protagonist then gets involved in a second relationship with an older lady and ends up getting married. At the same time, he gets a letter from the baby mama saying she still loves him. The marriage later also turns sour since they can’t be themselves around each other.
Therefore, his quest for love is met with failure, by the end of the album ending up alone.
The love below by Andre 3000 of outkast is the story of andres parents meeting, his dad getting his mom pregnant but not knowing until after they break up so she has Andre but meets a new man whose andres step dad who he hates so he moves to live with his aunt where he meets big boi and they make music and become famous and he meets erykah badu at the club and they get to together and have seven that’s why it’s incomplete. Also they’re all narrated by different people who were influential to that particular story. ❤️ Jake white ❤️