Thief's Theme
J. Dilla & Nas Lyrics

One, two
Let's check if the microphones are working properly

Check, one, two
Testing... one, two. Sounds good.

One, two, who got more style than Son do?
Son is a skilled musician. Does anyone here have more style than him?

Yo, I'm hot like 95 Fahrenheit
I'm feeling really good right now, like a hot summer night.

On a summer night, tight spot where bodies rot
In certain areas, people die and their bodies aren't taken care of properly.

Rats drink from water drops in the streets, niggas
The streets are filled with disease and danger. Even rats are drinking dirty water.

Little kids, scared cops with red dots
Children are living in fear of the police who carry guns.

Philosophical gangsta, where violent priors
I'm a thinker and also deeply involved in criminal activities.

Goin' back like black and white TV's with pliers
My history and experience goes back a long way.

Leanin' on broke down cars with flat tires
I'm hanging out in run-down areas with nothing better to do.

Flash iron on anybody tryin' on the blocks I'm supplyin' on
I pull out my gun on anyone who tries to mess with my drug-selling operation.

Madicon, my peeps, tie balloons up
We send drugs into prison by hiding them in balloons.

Then swallow 'em in the penal, got goons, lots of 'em
My friends in jail have people who will smuggle the drugs in by swallowing the balloons.

Cops see them and run, don't want no drama
The police are afraid of us and won't try to stop our operation.

Certain parts of the streets, the beast don't want a part of
There are areas where the cops won't even go because they know it's too dangerous.

Martyr, hood haunted like the Dakota
I'm willing to die for my cause. The community I'm from is haunted by violence, like the Dakota building where John Lennon was killed.

Where John Lennon was shot up, but he sang for peace
Despite the violence in his life and eventual death, John Lennon was known for his message of peace.

He begged for freedom, hanged with wild Jamicians
John Lennon sought freedom and spent time with Jamaicans who were passionate about freedom as well.

From Kingston, who drink Irish Moss
These Jamaicans are drinking Irish Moss, a traditional herbal drink.

Listenin' to Peter Winston, Machintosh
They are listening to Peter Winston and Machintosh, who are likely reggae artists with a similar message of peace.

Lightning hits the top of the church steeple
Something powerful and unexpected (like lightning) can happen at any moment and change everything.

When I'm writin', semi-automatic no hyphen
When I write my music, it's powerful and has an automatic effect on people without needing any pause or interruption.

It's frightening
The reality of the world and the life I lead is scary and nerve-wracking.

The thief's theme, play me at night, they won't act right
When you hear this song late at night, it will put you in a mindset of criminal activity and make you feel invincible.

Understandable smooth shit that murderers move with
This song has a smooth and easy-to-understand sound that appeals to even those who have committed violent acts.

I take summers off 'cause I love winter beef
I like to lay low in the summer because people are usually more violent during that time.

Started '87 with the shotty in the sheep
I got involved in gang activity in 1987 when I was young and started carrying a shotgun.

Three-quarter length beige, dressed to kill
I dress nicely and look good as a way to intimidate others.

Bust a shell at the ground, pellets hit the crowd
I'm so intimidating that even firing my weapon into the ground causes those around me to scatter and fear for their lives.

Nobody like a snitch, everybody shut they mouth
Nobody in the criminal world likes people who talk to the police, so everyone stays quiet.

Woolrich, Carhart, gun powder stains
My clothes are rugged and marked with signs of a violent lifestyle.

Smellin' like trees, sensimille on the brain
I smell like marijuana and it's affecting my mind in a powerful way.

Schemin' on ya girls, bamboos on ya chain
I'm trying to hook up with your girlfriend and I'm showing off by wearing expensive jewelry.

Got ill up on the train, twistin' off a cap
I got high on the train and opened a beer with my teeth.

Of a English in my vain, might of pushed you on the tracks
The beer is so strong that it might make me do something reckless like push someone onto the train tracks.

Deaf crack fiends, who can't speak, scream noises
Addicted people who use crack cocaine are often so out of it that they make strange, loud noises instead of speaking.

'Cause she bought a jum of soap from one of my boys, it's
The reason this woman is acting so strange is because she bought a bar of soap from one of my drug-selling acquaintances.

Just another day in the hood
All of this craziness is just a normal occurrence in this neighborhood.

And I'm, with some wild brothers, up to no good
I'm spending time with other guys who are also involved in criminal activity and up to mischief.

We saw the movies, like Tony Montana, and 'em
We watched movies like Scarface and idolized characters like Tony Montana, a powerful and rich drug lord.

But our style was let them piled in, we robbin 'em
Our approach was to let the victims (usually drug users) come to us, and then we would rob them of their money and drugs.

Money dudes, make 'em come up out they shoes
We would rob anyone we perceived as having a lot of money.

Run they jewels, word is bond, while my man Nino gone
We would steal their jewelry and make a promise to never reveal the truth while one of our associates was on the run from the police.

And I had to make a song speakin' on my old life
I felt compelled to write this song about my past experiences and lifestyle.

For the thief's who come out at night
This song is for all the criminals who operate under the cover of darkness.