Whilst Clinton did not directly mention race in her speech the undertones are uncomfortable when she talks about how kids in gangs are in effect “super predators” without conscience or empathy.
At the very least it is a failure to understand the systems that cause the formation of gangs in ghettos, with the assertion that they are simply psychopathic being unsophisticated and just generally not a nuanced diagnosis of the problems that cause gangs to exist.
"On “Superpredator”, there’s a line “Chekhov put Jay’s tech on Nas’ dresser.” If you’re familiar with the idea of Chekhov’s gun, if you have a gun on wall in the first act, it has to go off in the third. Hopefully you don’t even need to know that and recognise Jay’s tech, Nas’ dresser as the point of contention in their beef. But I like that idea in Chekhov’s writing. The whole song is about the relationship between violence and hip-hop and my own uneasy coexistence with this thing. On the one hand, the music gains an aspect of authenticity from violence and on the other violence is made-up. At the same time made-up violence can lead to real violence. I was trying to explore the whole idea of violence in hip hop and dispelling the idea that it’s a new thing. Hip-hop has grown up having to try to deflect this notion that rap music causes violence, rap music is bad, like C. Dolores Tucker shit. I wanted to move beyond that and begin to examine what is there – good, bad or otherwise. I want shit to serve a purpose."
– billy woods, Passion of the Weiss
Superpredator
Billy Woods Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The white man not gon' be the one
Waitin' in my bushes with a choppa
So he had to die
He killed what he loved, so he had to die
He killed what he loved, so he had to die
Don't errybody go get sad now
Used to listen to Bacdafucup
Before they clapped Mac's truck up
Kool G Rap to us, Fredrick Douglass
With a Dutch criminal Minded, dead men pose
9 Milli go hard than the beat to Super Hoe
Lean out the car, one eye closed and wash
Negroes off the block like a fire hose
Same rhyme necks shine and glow
We shoulda knowed since 14 To the Dome
Nah, nah, since D-Nice had beef in the Homes
Since Noreaga tapin' her
Rapin' her since they
Caught Lamont out on his own
Since Shyne wasn't tryna go out like
Wolf Jones you're nobody till
Wish a nigga will
Hellz Wind whip through Killah Hills
Tall tales ex-dealers deal, All hail
Entourage exchanging rounds
In ya gentrified downtown
Mayor frown, guns found
He killed what he loved, so he had to die
He killed what he loved, so he had to die
He killed what he loved, so he had to die
He killed what he loved, so he had to die
Shot's fired, shots fired, shots fired
Shot's fired, shots fired, shots fired
Shot's fired, shots fired, shots fired
Shot's fired, shots fired, shots fired
Chekhov put Jay tech on Nas' dresser
Supressor on the Heckler pray Secular
Lay 'em down like Mecca superpredator
Layer gun sounds for texture
If it ain't broke, cut the record
Burnt toast, cold breakfast
One entry, no exit
Your favela open carry like Texas settled it
With gunshots in ya setlist
No idle threats, straight genocide
Homie can rhyme
Fingers twisted into a sign of the times
Since DMX had blood in his eye
Who paid for Jam Master Jay to die
Get it how you live, right?
Send troubled young men to son crib
Wipeout, settle into that bid for life
Watch from cage, niggas ride ya wave
Like halfpipe, catchphrase merchandise
You was half right
Fire out, fire out the cannon
You can't serve God and Mammon
Fire out, fire out, fire out the cannon
He killed what he loved, so he had to die
He killed what he loved, so he had to die
He killed what he loved, so he had to die
He killed what he loved, so he had to die
Shot's fired, shots fired, shots fired
Shot's fired, shots fired, shots fired
Shot's fired, shots fired, shots fired
Shot's fired, shots fired, shots fired
Shot's fired, shots fired, shots fired
Shot's fired, shots fired, shots fired
Shot's fired, shots fired, shots fired
Shot's fired, shots fired, shots fired
In "Superpredator" by Billy Woods, the lyrics revolve around themes of violence, betrayal, and the consequences that come with those actions. The opening lines of the song suggest that the singer is discussing someone who believed that they wouldn't face any harm from the white man, but ultimately meets a violent end. The repetition of the phrase "He killed what he loved, so he had to die" implies that the person met their fate as a result of their own actions or choices.
The verses that follow contain references to various cultural figures and events, blending them with anecdotes about street life. The lyrics mention listening to music by artists like Onyx and Kool G Rap, which are contrasted with violent imagery such as "the club mad loud" and the sound of a 9mm gun. There is also a reference to the notorious criminal organization "Nine Trey Gangsters" and their affiliations.
The lyrics further delve into the idea of violent retribution, with lines like "Hellz Wind whip through Killah Hills" and "Entourage exchanging rounds." The mention of Jam Master Jay's death raises questions about who might have been responsible and whether it was a consequence of the music industry's darker side. The repeated phrase "Shot's fired, shots fired, shots fired" reinforces the theme of violence throughout the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Like I was tellin' him, you know
As I was explaining to him, you understand
The white man not gon' be the one
The white man will not be the person
Waitin' in my bushes with a choppa
Lying in wait in my hiding place with a gun
So he had to die
So he needed to be killed
He killed what he loved, so he had to die
He destroyed what he cherished, so he had to be killed
Let off in the club mad loud
Shoot inside the club very loudly
Don't errybody go get sad now
Not everyone should become upset now
Used to listen to Bacdafucup
We used to listen to the album Bacdafucup
Before they clapped Mac's truck up
Before they shot up Mac's truck
Kool G Rap to us, Fredrick Douglass
Kool G Rap is important to us, just like Fredrick Douglass
With a Dutch criminal Minded, dead men pose
Drawing inspiration from Dutch criminal Minded, capturing the image of dead men
9 Milli go hard than the beat to Super Hoe
The 9mm gun is more powerful than the beat of Super Hoe
Lean out the car, one eye closed and wash
Lean out of the car, closing one eye, and shoot
Negroes off the block like a fire hose
Removing black people from the neighborhood like spraying with a fire hose
Same rhyme necks shine and glow
Similar rhymes have success and stand out
We shoulda knowed since 14 To the Dome
We should have known since the album 14 To the Dome
Nah, nah, since D-Nice had beef in the Homes
No, no, since D-Nice had a conflict in the projects
Since Noreaga taping her
Since Noreaga recording her
Rapin' her since they
Taking advantage of her since they
Caught Lamont out on his own
Caught Lamont alone
Since Shyne wasn't tryna go out like
Since Shyne didn't want to exit in a similar way as
Wolf Jones you're nobody till
Wolf Jones, you're not important until
Wish a nigga will
I hope someone dares to challenge me
Hellz Wind whip through Killah Hills
Evil winds blow through Killah Hills
Tall tales ex-dealers deal, All hail
False stories that former drug dealers spread, praise to them
Entourage exchanging rounds
Group of friends exchanging gunfire
In ya gentrified downtown
In your newly developed downtown area
Mayor frown, guns found
The mayor shows disapproval, guns are discovered
Chekhov put Jay tech on Nas' dresser
A reference to Chekhov's Gun, Jay-Z influenced Nas
Suppressor on the Heckler pray Secular
A silencer on the Heckler weapon, praying in a non-religious manner
Lay 'em down like Mecca superpredator
Killing them like a superpredator in Mecca
Layer gun sounds for texture
Overlaying gun sounds for added depth
If it ain't broke, cut the record
If it's not damaged, remix the record
Burnt toast, cold breakfast
Ruined toast, unappealing breakfast
One entry, no exit
Only one way in, no way out
Your favela open carry like Texas settled it
Your slum area openly carries guns like Texas decided
With gunshots in ya setlist
Including gunshots in your setlist
No idle threats, straight genocide
Not making empty threats, straight up genocide
Homie can rhyme
My friend can rap
Fingers twisted into a sign of the times
Fingers contorted into a symbol of the current era
Since DMX had blood in his eye
Since DMX was ready for a fight
Who paid for Jam Master Jay to die
Who arranged for Jam Master Jay to be killed
Get it how you live, right?
Do what you need to survive, correct?
Send troubled young men to son crib
Send problematic young men to prison
Wipeout, settle into that bid for life
Wipe out, accept a long prison sentence
Watch from cage, niggas ride ya wave
Observe from prison, others benefit from your success
Like halfpipe, catchphrase merchandise
Similar to a halfpipe, popular phrases sold as merchandise
You was half right
You were partially correct
Fire out, fire out the cannon
Shoot from a cannon
You can't serve God and Mammon
You cannot serve both God and wealth
Shot's fired, shots fired, shots fired
Gunshots were fired
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind