Wisdom Body
Raekwon Lyrics
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I keep 'em broke
Wake up one mornin' with some money
They're subject to go crazy you know?
I keep 'em lookin good, pretty and all that
You know, but no dough
When I get a bitch, I got a bitch (right on)
Word up, that motherfuckin' brother wise
You know what I'm sayin? Teachin' the uncivilized
Yeah, runnin' the streets, know it's deep
Word up, check his technique, yeah
I be Ghostface
Flippin' the marvelous track
Yeah
You know the steelo, but yo, yo
Check the bangin' sounds that I invent
Fake niggas who tried to flex hard came and went
They couldn't match up with the fly nigga
Wit his back against the wall
Heads clocked once I came in the door
I played the speaker, sippin' a Kahlua
Saw this bad bitch wit' a switch
And, yo, I had to step to her in a manner
And rather wished the current was warm
When I had reached her, I looked and knew the shit was on
Peace, excuse me, allow to introduce myself
Yo, I'm the man, and honey, you've been rated top shelf
Yo, what's your name hon', hair wrapped up in a bun
Your eyes sparkle, just like glass in the sun
Never diss 'em, it's hard for a nigga just to miss 'em
Especially, when you're browsin', goin' fishin'
Your waistline, bangin' like a bassline
Physical form is well complexed
And, yo, I love your outline, boo
Your whole body is wild, wit your rugged profile
Enough to make a hard rock smile
You can't strikeout, tell me what can really go wrong
You're rockin' labels, Tommy Hil' down to Claiborne
Show me some love, hon', show me some love, boo
Show me the vibe and I'll be more than glad to shoot it through
Ayy, yo, peep it, I know you love Victoria's Secret
And lovin' all the marvelous slang on how I freaked it
Plus, see you're the type to make a nigga crash
Far from trash, your flesh is way softer than a baby's ass
Your body lotion is the potion, the shit got me open like dust
And yo, your stee' is high potent, yo
We can go the distance, I put you under wings
From this convo we can spark and see whatever brings
I walked the hot Arabian desert, barefooted
I grabbed your hand, you grabbed my joint and knew where to put it
Word up, yo, straight up and down, yo
Check the joint, baby
It be the Wu-Tang production
Yeah, yeah, and all types of shit
And brothers catchin' repercussions
Yo, straight up
The lyrics of Raekwon's song Wisdom Body communicate the artist's perspective on women as he discusses his treatment of them. He sees them as interchangeable with his hoes, whom he keeps poor to prevent them from getting greedy. He values how they look, but not their financial independence. When he gets a woman, she is "his," meaning he has ownership over her. This viewpoint reflects a toxic and sexist mentality that is unfortunately prevalent in hip hop culture.
However, the lyrics also feature the rapper Ghostface who praises a figure he calls "brother wise." This person is described as teaching the "uncivilized" and running the streets. Ghostface then goes on to describe his own skills as a rapper, asserting that he is better than fake rappers who have come and gone. This part of the song seems to suggest that the "wise" individual is a positive role model who is respected and even admired by his peers.
Overall, the song can be interpreted as a reflection of the complexities of hip hop culture that simultaneously glorify and condemn certain behaviors and attitudes towards women.
Line by Line Meaning
No, man, all bitches are the same, just like my hoes, you know?
Women are all the same to me just like the women I hire for sex.
I keep 'em broke
I intentionally keep them financially dependent on me.
Wake up one mornin' with some money
If they were to come across some money, they might go crazy.
They're subject to go crazy you know?
They might lose control over their emotions if they have access to money.
I keep 'em lookin good, pretty and all that
I ensure they look beautiful and presentable.
You know, but no dough
But they don't have any money of their own.
When I get a bitch, I got a bitch (right on)
Once I've hired a woman, she's mine to use for sex.
Word up, that motherfuckin' brother wise
This man is incredibly intelligent and wise.
You know what I'm sayin? Teachin' the uncivilized
He's teaching those who don't know or understand.
Yeah, runnin' the streets, know it's deep
He's well-respected in the streets and deeply knowledgeable.
Word up, check his technique, yeah
His methods and approach are worth acknowledging and studying.
I be Ghostface
I am Ghostface Killah.
Flippin' the marvelous track
I'm creating a great song.
Fake niggas who tried to flex hard came and went
People who pretended to be tough have already disappeared.
They couldn't match up with the fly nigga / Wit his back against the wall / Heads clocked once I came in the door
No one could compete or keep up with me when things got tough.
I played the speaker, sippin' a Kahlua
I had control of the music and was drinking Kahlua.
Saw this bad bitch wit' a switch / And, yo, I had to step to her in a manner / And rather wished the current was warm / When I had reached her, I looked and knew the shit was on
I saw a beautiful woman with a nice body, and I couldn't resist approaching her. I wish the atmosphere was warmer. When I stood in front of her, I knew I was about to get lucky.
Peace, excuse me, allow to introduce myself / Yo, I'm the man, and honey, you've been rated top shelf / Yo, what's your name hon', hair wrapped up in a bun / Your eyes sparkle, just like glass in the sun
Let me introduce myself as a gangster, and you're the most desirable woman here. What's your name, beautiful? Your eyes are shining like the sun on glass.
Never diss 'em, it's hard for a nigga just to miss 'em
It's hard to not be attracted to them, and I never disrespect them.
Especially, when you're browsin', goin' fishin'
When you're out and about, looking for someone to have sex with.
Your waistline, bangin' like a bassline / Physical form is well complexed / And, yo, I love your outline, boo / Your whole body is wild, wit your rugged profile / Enough to make a hard rock smile
Your waist is curvy, your physique is incredible, and I love the outline of your body. You have a wild look and a rugged look, enough to make any man grin.
You can't strikeout, tell me what can really go wrong / You're rockin' labels, Tommy Hil' down to Claiborne
You're the perfect female specimen, and you're wearing designer clothes from Tommy Hilfiger to Claiborne.
Show me some love, hon', show me some love, boo / Show me the vibe and I'll be more than glad to shoot it through
Give me some affection, honey. Give me some love, baby. If you share the vibe with me, I'll be more than pleased to reciprocate it.
Ayy, yo, peep it, I know you love Victoria's Secret / And lovin' all the marvelous slang on how I freaked it
Hey, listen up, I know you like Victoria's Secret, and you're enjoying the slang I'm using to persuade you.
Plus, see you're the type to make a nigga crash / Far from trash, your flesh is way softer than a baby's ass / Your body lotion is the potion, the shit got me open like dust / And yo, your stee' is high potent, yo
You're sexy enough to make a man lose his mind. Your skin is softer than a baby's bottom, and your lotion smells great, making me feel like I'm under a spell. Your style is high-quality and effective.
We can go the distance, I put you under wings / From this convo we can spark and see whatever brings
We can go the distance, and I'll be your protector. We can continue talking to see where this leads us.
I walked the hot Arabian desert, barefooted / I grabbed your hand, you grabbed my joint and knew where to put it
I went through a difficult journey in the hot Arabian desert, barefooted. When I took your hand, you grabbed my genitalia and knew where to put it.
Word up, yo, straight up and down, yo / Check the joint, baby / It be the Wu-Tang production / Yeah, yeah, and all types of shit / And brothers catchin' repercussions / Yo, straight up
Listen up, this is made by Wu-Tang production. People might get in trouble for listening to this.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Corey Woods, Robert F. Diggs
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind