Beanie Sigel (born Dwight Grant on March 6th, 1974) is an African-American … Read Full Bio ↴Beanie Sigel (born Dwight Grant on March 6th, 1974) is an African-American rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, signed to Damon Dash and Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records in 1998.

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.

Raw & Uncut
Beanie Sigel Lyrics

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[Beanie Sigel]
What
Spit what man
Man I don't know where that shit be comin' from dawg for real
Ain't no fuckin' rapper man
Sixteen
I don't know Jay
If you don't believe me then

Who you know who can spit till he pop the real
Never thought about rappin' 'til he coped his deal
I really held down my block for real
All I do is crack rock and how to pop the steel
How to box niggas in where they can barely move
Roll wit straight thugs never scary dudes
Keep bodies on them guns and we share our tools
Deuce one ball for Philly like Larry Hughes
Keep the desert eagle wit the beam tucked by the scrotum
Get locked in jail run a block sell open
Mind went to jail I get dro el's roll 'em
Rookie nigga clippin' niggas like L Odom
I got dough I choose not to spend it
Catch me in Avis and Budget in somethin' rented
Long as the windows tented (I don't give a fuck)
I'm in it
I was holdin' wit music rollin' in the gold infinite

[Jay-Z]
We keep it raw & uncut for all the niggas and hoes
The first time you sniff it
It might hurt your nose
But only the strong survive and that's how life goes
But nigga this is the life you chose ya heard me

[Beanie]
We keep it raw & uncut for all the niggas and hoes
The first time you sniff it
It might hurt your nose
But only the strong survive and thats how life goes
Thats just the life we chose

[Jay-Z]
We don't complain thats just how it be
I shuffle back against the ropes like Ali
I hustle through the alley through the valley of the death
And I never play fair in the eyes of the ref
Fuck it give me a tech and I'll come back right
Can't go inside the game ain't got enough strikes
Come at me wrong I'll come at you the same
Come at me sideways I'll come blastin' your brains
Come at me direct and I'll come back wit names
I'm hot like boilin' water, I'll come back wit cane

[Jay-Z]
Keep it raw and uncut for all the bitches and hoes
The first time you sniff it
It might hurt your nose

[Beanie]
But only the strong survive and thats how life goes
I know I'm outta control
Me and jay same track you gotta be kiddin'
Its like that nigga Jordan, I'm Scottie Pippen
Its like Magic, Worthy
Parish, Bird and
Stockton, Malone shit
Who gonna stop and hold this
Game like Doc and Moses
Full court press and the rock control this

[Beanie]
We keep it raw and uncut for all the niggas and hoes
The first time you sniff it
It might hurt your nose
But only the strong survive and thats how life goes
Thats just the life we chose

[Jay-Z]
We keep it raw and uncut for all the niggas and hoes
The first time you sniff it
It might hurt your nose
But only the strong survive and that's how life goes
But nigga this is the life you chose ya heard me

[Beanie]
I use to catch that train and snatch that chain
Do anything for a game to catch some change
Whether it was shootin' the dice or clappin' the gauge
I was a nigga wit a strong arm like Satchel Paige
I'm tellin' you dawg I'm the wrong one to fuck wit at all
I'm the type that'll set a broad day in the mall
Up in glocks wit body shops takin' a fall
Fuck you cock swats feds and all

[Jay-Z]
No no no homie, I didn't say I could hit you wit dirty o's
But I said if I can supply 30 of those
Ding ding homie come holla at the kingpin
The gods are reapal, the Carters is lethal
Hang wit psychotic people who like so fuck niggas
Came up singin' that god was evils
Slang Heron to cats is like revolvin' a eagle
And I blew to the point I bought cars for the people

[Jay-Z]
We keep it raw & uncut for all the niggas and hoes
The first time you sniff it
It might hurt your nose
But only the strong survive and that's how life goes
But nigga this is the life you chose ya heard me

[Beanie]
We keep it raw & uncut for all the niggas and hoes
The first time you sniff it
It might hurt your nose
But only the strong survive and thats how life goes
Thats just the life we chose

[Jay-Z]
Sigel, Sigel y'all
Jigga, Jigga y'all

What
Nah homie, I can't take your take demo
I don't got no pockets

What
Nah man

Overall Meaning

The song Raw Uncut by Beanie Sigel feat. Jay-Z is about the raw and uncut reality of street life. Beanie Sigel talks about how he never thought about rapping until he coped his deal, but held down his block for real, where all he did was crack rock and learn how to pop the steel. He talks about boxing people in where they can barely move and rolling with straight thugs who never are scary dudes. He also shares how he just keeps the desert eagle with the beam tucked by the scrotum, and how when he is in jail, he runs a block sell open. Beanie also raps about how he has dough but chooses not to spend it, and how he is always in rented cars, as long as the windows are tinted, he doesn't give a fuck.

Jay-Z then similarly raps about shuffling back against the ropes like Ali and hustling through the alley, through the valley of death. He talks about never playing fair, and coming at people the same way they came at him. He mentions how he's hot like boiling water and comes back with a cane. The chorus is about keeping it raw and uncut for all the niggas and hoes, and how the first time you sniff it, it might hurt your nose. But only the strong survive, and that's how life goes.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: SEAN CARTER, DWIGHT GRANT, ROOSEVELT HARRELL, SAM TAYLOR

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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