Beanie Sigel's name derives from the street in Philadelphia where he was raised, "Sigel Street," and "Beans" is what people used to call him as a child. Beanie also founded the group and label State Property as well as the clothing company.
Sigel's debut LP, The Truth, was released February 28, 2000 on Roc-A-Fella Records. The album received a gold plaque for hits like "The Truth" and "Remember The Days" featuring Eve. His second album The Reason was released in mid-2001. The Reason was lighter material compared to his debut album and introduced the world to his own rap group State Property. Beanie Sigel helped launch the careers of fellow Philly rappers Freeway, Peedi Crakk and the Young Gunz.
Around 2001, Beanie Sigel and Jadakiss of the Ruff Ryders were involved in a beef that stemmed from Jada claiming rappers from Beans' home city of Philly were simply signed because they were a hot fashion among major labels, which to some extent was true at the time. Sigel took offense to this, and they sent several tracks back and forth. Eventually Styles P. (D-Block} and Jay-Z got involved, and Beans even called out DMX, who never responded.
The beef went on even after Russell Simmons, owner at the time of Def Jam (the label which Roc-A-Fella was under and Ruff Ryders was affiliated with through DMX) made the two declare a brief truce and Jay-Z apologized to Jadakiss and bowed out. Disses finally stopped flying after Sigel released a scathing diss track over Jada's "Put Ya Hands Up" beat, recalling when the LOX wore shiny suits in a Bad Boy video, among other things.
Sigel also was involved in directing his first movie State Property, the popular direct-to-video film produced by Roc-A-Films. The State Property clothing line was also created by Sigel.
The third album The B. Coming was released on March 28, 2005 under Dame Dash Music Group and features production from The Neptunes, Just Blaze, and Bink!, among others, with guest appearances by State Property, Redman, Snoop Dogg and usual suspects Cam'ron and Jay-Z. The album was recorded in the weeks between his sentencing and imprisonment and was released after he was locked up; he was released a few months ago.
While he was in jail, it is said none of the State Property members except for Oschino Vazquez came to visit him. He told Dame to pass the word on that State Property was no longer in effect, until after he was released. When the split between Roc-A-Fella owners occured, Dame made it clear that Beanie's intentions were to move State Property to his new Dame Dash Music Group.
However, all members except for, again, Oschino, chose to go with Jay-Z. When questioned, they claimed they were signed by Jay and never needed State Property or Beanie Sigel to make them popular. When he was released from jail, Beans had a few choice words for his friends, claiming "I still love them like brothers...I just don't know if we can make music again."
It was thought that Beans had chosen to sign with Dame; however, this is unclear, as he was present at Jay-Z's I Declare War concert in 2005, and has said he now has his own State Property Records under Jay-Z's Def Jam.
In September, 2005, a jury acquitted him of charges that he nearly shot to death a man on a crowded city street two years ago. In August, Sigel left federal prison after serving nearly a year on a federal weapons charge that stemmed from a 2002 traffic stop in Philadelphia.
Sigel also has fallen behind in child-support payments. He was briefly jailed in November until he paid $27,000 in child support and $2,000 in fines, but seems to be paying off his debts.
With the case behind him, Sigel now plans to "make music, make movies and work on his clothing line," said his attorney, Fortunato N. Perri Jr. The case was the last in a series of criminal charges against Sigel, who has a long arrest record dating back to his days growing up in South Philadelphia.
On Tuesday, January 10, 2006, Sigel was convicted of assault for a fight in 2003. He agreed with the prosecutor's version of events, and was convicted of misdemeanor simple assault. He was immediately sentenced to two years probation plus $180 in court costs.
The charges stem from an argument between Sigel and a man who said the rapper punched him in both eyes, breaking his left eye socket, during a January 2003 argument outside a Chinese restaurant.
Beanie Sigel is the co-creator of "The Playpen", a new animated series with writer/producers, Brian Ash and Myles Reiff. The show follows the misadventures of a group of hard-headed tykes in a maximum security daycare center called, The State Nursery.
Nothing Like It
Beanie Sigel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
man, I paint word pictures on the canvas of life
but I don't control the colors
Yo, I'm ten steps ahead of niggas, that shit scary
sometimes I feel ahead of myself
I hear this voice in the back of my mind
like "Mac maintain, just grind, dog, better yourself"
can't explain it when I pick up my son & look at my face
I'm like a black rose growin' in the concrete crack in the pavement
there that voice go again "Mac practice for greatness,
get paid for them immaculate statements"
Keep thinkin of them hotlines, like a physic, I can't explain it
There's no pen when I write it, there's nothing like it..
God damn, what you want from me, what you want me to tell you huh?
Niggas thought that I would stutter huh, thought I was dumb
But I ain't used to use my mind, I used to just... use my 9
and run wild with my boys, in the streets wild with these wars
now the Qu'ran and 48 laws, they polish my floors
I'm moving niggas like puppets with no strings attached
It's nothin' for Beans, so you know it ain't a thing for Mac
to look in your eyes, see through your heart, know what you fearin'
pick you apart, like you niggas is transparent
(I see right through you niggas)
It's like Mac was born with advanced parents
I'm like the Sun shining at night,
imagine it dog, I know you want to see me gradually fall
but I'm walkin on air, braking every gravity law
nothing like it...
I spit words that skip through air
let the words of a true thug hit your ear,
it change colors like blue blood when it hit the air
it's nothin' like it...
God damn, shit, I can't explain it
Fuck y'all niggas
I changed my whole life.. in about 9 months, just like sperm in a womb
these young niggas never learn 'til they doomed
try to tell them "you can burn young punk, without smelling the fuse"
make you shiver in the middle of June,
paintin' pictures so vivid, you can hang it up in your room
shine bright like a prism, displaying colors like Crayola
think of the prisons with straight soldiers
think about the niggas who fucked us and played over us
think about the mothers who suffered and prayed over us
Just look at the the picture I've painted, it's so perfect
open your eyes motherfuckers, you can't duck us
no survivors every soul shall suffer,
I'm loadin them revolvers every shell shall touch ya
I promise I'll light your ass with these mags, I'ma bust ya
God damn it's nothin' like it, I'm serious
can't explain how I write it..
The first line of the song, "I'm just a picture in a frame," sets the tone for the rest of the track. The overall message is that life is a work of art, and we are merely players in the bigger picture. Beanie Sigel paints this picture using wordplay and lyrics that highlight the struggles and triumphs of life in the hood. The line "man, I paint word pictures on the canvas of life, but I don't control the colors," is particularly poignant because it suggests that our lives are not always within our control, and we must make the best of what we are given.
The second verse is particularly introspective, as Beanie Sigel reflects on his own personal growth and transformation. He acknowledges that he was once a "wild" young man who used his gun to settle scores on the streets. But over time, he has learned to use his mind and his words to effect change in his life and the lives of those around him. The verse ends with the line "nothing like it," which suggests that the experience of growing up and changing is unique and cannot be replicated by anyone else.
Overall, "Nothing Like It" is a song about the power of words and the importance of self-reflection. Beanie Sigel uses his lyrics to paint a picture of life in the streets and the struggles that come with it. However, he also highlights the potential for growth and change, suggesting that even in the darkest of circumstances, there is always hope.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm just a picture in a frame
I share my story through my paintings on life's canvas. However, I do not have control over how people perceive or interpret it.
Yo, I'm ten steps ahead of niggas, that shit scary. Sometimes I feel ahead of myself. I hear this voice in the back of my mind like 'Mac maintain, just grind, dog, better yourself'
I am aware of what's happening in advance, and it can be intimidating at times. I keep pushing myself to be better, and I have this inner voice that keeps me focused on maintaining success.
So what I do?, I take heed and pick up the pace. Can't explain it when I pick up my son & look at my face
To maintain my level of success, I pick up that pace and work even harder. I feel happy and proud when I look into my son's eyes and see the reflection of my accomplishments on my face.
I'm like a black rose growin' in the concrete crack in the pavement. There that voice go again 'Mac practice for greatness, get paid for them immaculate statements'. Keep thinkin of them hotlines, like a physic, I can't explain it. There's no pen when I write it, there's nothing like it..
My talents are unique and unusual, just like a rare black rose growing from concrete. The voice in my head encourages me to practice to become better to get paid for these great statements. I have these hotlines that come to my mind like magic and when I write them down it is like a supernatural power unlike anything else.
But I ain't used to use my mind, I used to just use my 9 and run wild with my boys, in the streets wild with these wars
I used to rely more on my gun rather than using my brain and making wise decisions. I would spend my time on the streets, fighting for land and territory.
It's like Mac was born with advanced parents. I'm like the Sun shining at night, imagine it dog, I know you want to see me gradually fall but I'm walking on air, breaking every gravity law, nothing like it...
I was born with talents and skills that exceed my peers. Sometimes people want to see me fail, but I am special and unique, almost like breaking gravity laws and walking on air. There is nothing else like me.
I spit words that skip through air let the words of a true thug hit your ear, it change colors like blue blood when it hit the air it's nothin' like it...
My rhymes and lyrics are powerful and unique, like nothing else in the world. It's like a true thug that pierces through the airwaves, changing colors like blue blood when it is exposed to air. There is nothing like it.
I changed my whole life.. in about 9 months, just like sperm in a womb these young niggas never learn 'til they doomed try to tell them 'you can burn young punk, without smelling the fuse'
I changed my whole life in a short timespan, almost like a fetus being formed in the womb in just nine months. Young people are often reckless and unaware of the dangers until it's too late. I try to tell them to stop before they detonate themselves.
Just look at the the picture I've painted, it's so perfect open your eyes motherfuckers, you can't duck us no survivors every soul shall suffer, I'm loadin them revolvers every shell shall touch ya. I promise I'll light your ass with these mags, I'ma bust ya God damn it's nothin' like it, I'm serious
I paint a perfect picture of reality, and once you see it, you cannot deny it. There will be no escape for anyone, and every person will suffer. I'm armed and loaded, and every bullet I shoot will hit its target. That's how serious I am, and there is nothing like it.
God damn, what you want from me, what you want me to tell you huh? Niggas thought that I would stutter huh, thought I was dumb
People often underestimate me and think I'm not smart, but I refuse to be silenced. What do you want me to say? I won't back down, and I won't stutter. I'm not dumb.
Now the Qu'ran and 48 laws, they polish my floors. I'm moving niggas like puppets with no strings attached It's nothin' for Beans, so you know it ain't a thing for Mac to look in your eyes, see through your heart, know what you fearin' pick you apart, like you niggas is transparent (I see right through you niggas)
I have read the Quran and 48 laws, and they give me wisdom and clarity. I can manipulate people like puppets without needing strings attached. It's simple for me because I can look in your eyes, and I know what you fear. I can read everything in your heart and pick you apart as if you're transparent.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DWIGHT GRANT, KANYE WEST, KANYE OMARI WEST, NICKOLAS ASHFORD, VALERIE SIMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Trackerstatus
Underrated forever, shout outs to Beanie! This song is just perfect.
pressure
If you don't like this song you've been through nothing that requires inspirational words of wisdom your soul is weak
Jermaine Frost
💯💯💯💯
MrKonan83
🤙👍💣💥🔥🔥🔥❤
Rap Lover
Survival music theme type
snipes got em
4 years later. fax
Siahnara84
#BigFacts 💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾💯💯💯
Curria Holt
This song is so under rated! Been listening since I was 19 I'm 35 now! My Bestie turned me onto this song back in the day and it still goes just as hard!
DJ Muve
Keep goin. hov voice
mgjohnson8
I feel you
I've been bumping it since it first came out. Playing in rotation in my 6 disc cd changer