G Rap began working with DJ Polo in 1986, releasing several underground hit singles including "It's a Demo"/"I'm Fly." Two other singles, "Streets of New York" and "Road to the Riches," received heavy rotation on Yo! MTV Raps and cemented his reputation as one of New York's top lyrical auteurs. His talent for telling a compelling, hard-luck story in a single song was considered second to only that of Rakim. While G Rap grew in popularity, he never crossed over like Biz Markie or Big Daddy Kane, both also members of the Juice Crew.
G Rap began a solo career in the mid-1990s, released 4,5,6. This and subsequent LPs saw little attention from critics or consumers, and G Rap began collaborating with others. Signing to Rawkus Records, G Rap launched a comeback with 2002's The Giancana Story. "Giancana" also is said by Kool G Rap to be the "G" in his name in the song "Drama". The album was well-received without commercial success.
In 2008 he released Half a Klip on Chinga Chang Records, featuring production from DJ Premier and Marley Marl, among others. His 2011 album Riches, Royalty, Respect showcased his true to form style and lyricism.
For Da Brothaz
Kool G Rap Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I knew a youngster, met him at 14, a very short scene
Fiendin to make his dreams come true, but see, money was caught mean
Started runnin wild and livin life type of foul, that was my shorty's style
But deep down in heart he was still only a child
He was typin nice at ball, if he had height, y'all
Mighta been 'NBA Today', instead I watched his life fall
Blowin up the spots and poppin them tec glocks
Collectin street props, splittin tops, didn't stop, so many men dropped
Started committin murder after murder
Blasted the last nigga that tried to riff so fast he
flipped him like a burger
Slipped and became the victim of his own murder hunger
He got put six feet under by a small shorty that was younger
And this type of street violence today happens too often
It hit me hard as hell to see my dog up in the coffin
People droppin a rose when the casket is closed
Hey yo, that's the name of the game out on the street, that's how it goes
They say: "Live by the trigger, die by the trigger"
It ain't about whose gun is more bigger, nigga
It's bout whose draw is quicker
So to my shorty dog puzzled I'm pledgin
Died at the age of 17, Brooklyn East New York legend
(Tap the bottom of the bottle for the brothers)
Keep it real on the street, money, and look out for one another
[VERSE 2]
Thinkin back when I was chillin with K-Von, but now he's long gone
So I carried on and wrote this song to keep the strong on
Me and black-o way back in childhood when we was wild hoods
Runnin around the neighborhood and up to no good
Started hangin hard out there on the boulevard in stolen cars
Then put behind bars sellin drugs and pullin yards
Then my crimey got locked up for cookin the rock up
Started bouncin uptown to stuck up, my nigga straight blew the block up
Yeah, the blue and whites was on sight runnin with flashlights
On the double a fast life, that's when he seen his last nights
Out on the street runnin from the heat
Then got locked up from (Happy New Year!)
All the way down to (New Year's Eve!)
The two of those in a wardrobe of clothes
Got back on crackin, I let him whip the macks and go lookin for hoes
And then another sad story is headed for me
When i found out another soldier died in the territory
So in memory of my dog I write a lyric
Straight hopin melodies travel from my mind to your spirit
Hear it when I get biz for K-Von, I'm pledgin
Died on 104 Northern Boulevard, Corona, Queens legend
(Tap the bottom of the bottle for the brothers)
Keep it real on the street, money, and look out for one another 3X
(Tap the bottom of the bottle for the brothers)
Keep it real on the street
In Kool G Rap's song "For Da Brothaz," the rapper discusses the realities of street violence and its impact on those he knew growing up. In the first verse, he tells the story of a young man who wanted to succeed in life but got caught up in the streets and ended up committing murder. Sadly, he himself became a victim of violence and died at the young age of 17. The rapper emphasizes the importance of looking out for one another and the consequences of living by the gun.
In the second verse, Kool G Rap talks about his friend K-Von who also got caught up in the streets and ended up incarcerated. After getting out, K-Von continued to live a dangerous life and eventually died in the streets. Kool G Rap reflects on the sadness of losing so many friends to violence and dedicates the song to their memories. Through his lyrics, Kool G Rap is calling for an end to the violence and the importance of taking care of each other.
Line by Line Meaning
I knew a youngster, met him at 14, a very short scene
I met a young boy when he was only 14, but our time together was brief
Fiendin to make his dreams come true, but see, money was caught mean
He was eager to achieve his dreams, but struggled to make money
Started runnin wild and livin life type of foul, that was my shorty's style
He began acting recklessly and living a life of crime, which was his preferred way of life
But deep down in heart he was still only a child
Despite his tough exterior, he was still just a young boy at heart
He was typin nice at ball, if he had height, y'all
He was a skilled basketball player, and could have potentially made it to the NBA if he had the height requirements
Mighta been 'NBA Today', instead I watched his life fall
If things had gone differently, he could have been a successful basketball player, but instead I watched as his life crumbled
Blowin up the spots and poppin them tec glocks
He engaged in violent crimes and used guns to commit them
Collectin street props, splittin tops, didn't stop, so many men dropped
He gained respect in his community for his violent actions, and continued to commit crimes resulting in multiple fatalities
Started committin murder after murder
He became a serial killer, taking multiple lives
Blasted the last nigga that tried to riff so fast he flipped him like a burger
He killed the last person who tried to challenge or argue with him, doing so quickly and efficiently
Slipped and became the victim of his own murder hunger
Ultimately, his own violent tendencies led to his demise
He got put six feet under by a small shorty that was younger
He was killed by someone much younger and smaller than him
And this type of street violence today happens too often
Sadly, this type of violent behavior happens all too often on the streets
It hit me hard as hell to see my dog up in the coffin
It was incredibly painful to see my friend in a coffin
People droppin a rose when the casket is closed
People pay their respects to the deceased by leaving flowers at their closed casket
Hey yo, that's the name of the game out on the street, that's how it goes
This is just the reality of life on the streets
They say: "Live by the trigger, die by the trigger"
People often believe that violence will lead to their demise
It ain't about whose gun is more bigger, nigga
The size of one's gun doesn't matter
It's bout whose draw is quicker
What matters is how quickly one can shoot
So to my shorty dog puzzled I'm pledgin
To my dear friend who passed away, I am making a promise
Died at the age of 17, Brooklyn East New York legend
He may have died young, but he was a legend in his community
Thinkin back when I was chillin with K-Von, but now he's long gone
I remember hanging out with K-Von, but he has since passed away
So I carried on and wrote this song to keep the strong on
I wrote this song to honor his memory and inspire others to stay strong
Me and black-o way back in childhood when we was wild hoods
Black-o and I have known each other since we were kids, when we were both involved in criminal activities
Started hangin hard out there on the boulevard in stolen cars
We began spending a lot of time on the streets, stealing cars to joyride in
Then put behind bars sellin drugs and pullin yards
We were eventually caught and sent to prison for selling drugs and stealing
Then my crimey got locked up for cookin the rock up
My friend was arrested for cooking and selling crack cocaine
Started bouncin uptown to stuck up, my nigga straight blew the block up
After getting out of prison, he moved uptown and began causing trouble and commotion, ultimately getting himself into more legal trouble
Yeah, the blue and whites was on sight runnin with flashlights
The police were always on the lookout for him, pursuing him with flashlights
On the double a fast life, that's when he seen his last nights
He was living a fast-paced and dangerous life, which ultimately led to his death
Out on the street runnin from the heat
He was constantly on the run from the authorities
Then got locked up from (Happy New Year!)
He was arrested on New Year's Eve
All the way down to (New Year's Eve!)
He spent the entire year committing crimes before ultimately getting caught on New Year's Eve
The two of those in a wardrobe of clothes
He and I were close friends with a lot in common
Got back on crackin, I let him whip the macks and go lookin for hoes
We got back to our old ways and he used my car to pick up women
And then another sad story is headed for me
Unfortunately, another one of my friends passed away
When i found out another soldier died in the territory
I was devastated to learn that another member of our community had died
So in memory of my dog I write a lyric
I am writing this song to honor the memory of my friend
Straight hopin melodies travel from my mind to your spirit
I hope that my music will uplift and inspire others
Hear it when I get biz for K-Von, I'm pledgin
I promise to always remember and honor K-Von in my music
Died on 104 Northern Boulevard, Corona, Queens legend
Even though he passed away, he will always be remembered as a legend in the Corona, Queens community
Keep it real on the street, money, and look out for one another
It is important to stay true to oneself, to each other, and to always watch out for one another on the streets
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind