James Clay Jones III (born August 9, 1982), better known by his stage name … Read Full Bio ↴James Clay Jones III (born August 9, 1982), better known by his stage name Boldy James, is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan. His debut album My 1st Chemistry Set was released on October 15, 2013.

Boldy James was born James Clay Jones III on August 9, 1982, in Atlanta, Georgia to his parents James Clay Jones Jr. and Toni K. Broadus. In 1983, Jones and Broadus returned to their original home of Detroit, MI with their son after Jones was wounded in the line of duty serving as a police officer. They resided on the Eastside of Detroit with James’ grandmother. In 1989, James’ parents separated and his mother sent him and his younger sister to live with their father to live on Detroit’s westside on Stahelin Hell Block near McNichols Rd and the Southfield Freeway. James’ love for music came to the forefront at the age of 12, when he performed in a middle school talent show and begun writing his first raps shortly after. He attended high school at Detroit Cooley, and dropped out after the 9th grade. He got the name Boldy James from his friend from his block, James Osely III, who people in the neighborhood called Boldy. He didn’t rap, he just sold cocaine, and “I liked the name because his name was James too,” says James. When his friend was murdered he decided to carry on the name using it to rap.

In 2009, Boldy James first big break on the national scene came in the form of 2 features on The Cool Kids and Don Cannon mixtape Merry Christmas, on the songs “BBQ Wings” and ”Tires”. That was followed up by his record “Gettin Flicked” appearing on The Cool Kids’ 2010 mixtape Tacklebox. Also in 2010 he was featured on the Chip tha Ripper song “Fat Raps” remix alongside Big Sean, Asher Roth, Dom Kennedy and Chuck Inglish. Boldy James and Cool Kid member/producer Chuck Inglish are cousins. On May 24, 2011, Boldy James released his solo debut mixtape Trappers Alley Pros and Cons. The project went on to be named by Pitchfork as one of 2011′s Most Overlooked Projects. On February 27, 2012, he released his follow up mixtape, Consignment. On March 5, 2013, he released an EP titled Grand Quarters. On October 15, 2013, he released his debut album, My 1st Chemistry Set entirely produced by The Alchemist.

He has released the mixtapes Trapper's Alley (Pro's & Cons) and Consignment: Favor For A Favor. He is known for his deep voice and effortless flow over beats with a heavy bass (ie Chuck Inglish produced songs). He is also known for his appearance on J Dilla's latest album, Rebirth Of Detroit.

For the Birds
Boldy James Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Birds of a feather flock together and you winging it
Man this shit is for the birds and I need a brick
Quick, a 28 by 36
Man this shit is for the birds and I need a brick

Birds of a feather flock together and you winging it
Man this shit is for the birds and I need a brick
36 for the birds and I need a brick

Man this shit is for the birds and I need a brick

Blocks, I p-p-push it real good
In that salt and pepper Chevy with them woofers and them subs
On them spinderellas, I can hit the Kenwood
Remote and change the channel while I'm breaking down the bud
Smoking a perfecto, drinking on the bud
Finna roll another rello up and take it to the lungs
Pedaling that rego, racing through the slums
Pedal to the metal in a race against time
With nowhere to go but up, Bo on?
Cause you damned if you do, I'm heading nowhere fast
And you damned if you don't, slow your role young man
'Fore you crash and you burn, I can't hold yo hand
Through this shit and? better know yo ledge
Knowledge is the key to success, it's all in your head
Yea, to be or not to be, if you can see what I can see
As far as the eye can see, narcotic?

Birds of a feather flock together and you winging it
Man this shit is for the birds and I need a brick
Quick, a 28 by 36
Man this shit is for the birds and I need a brick

Birds of a feather flock together and you winging it
Man this shit is for the birds and I need a brick
36 for the birds and I need a brick
Man this shit is for the birds and I need a brick

Got 'em for 25, get 'em for 17
How he expect to fly if he don't ever spread his wings?
4-5 Desert Eagle with the beam
He talk fly, shoot him out the sky, clip his wings
Over a bird of 'caine, run up in your bird nest
Put 'em in yo bird brain and yo bird chest
Over that pack
What's the sense of putting all of your eggs in one basket if they don't hatch
Mother Goose and the old lady who lived in a shoe
Lining all my ducks in a row, duck, duck, goose
Red Bull and Grey Goose mixed with champagne
What's good for the goose is good for the gander
Where they let 'em fly and throw bullets instead of tantrums
In the hood, on the stoop, where them pigeons landed
Got them fruit loops, Toucan Sam
And put yo ass six feet like the old Jordan Jams cause

Birds of a feather flock together and you winging it
Man this shit is for the birds and I need a brick
Quick, a 28 by 36
Man this shit is for the birds and I need a brick

Birds of a feather flock together and you winging it
Man this shit is for the birds and I need a brick

36 for the birds and I need a brick
Man this shit is for the birds and I need a brick

Overall Meaning

In Boldy James's song "For the Birds," the chorus begins with the statement "Birds of a feather flock together and you winging it." This phrase means that people tend to associate with those who are similar to them. It is often used in a negative context to describe people who are engaging in questionable behavior, such as drug deals or other criminal activities. Boldy James explains that he needs a "brick," which is a term used in the drug trade to refer to a kilogram of drugs, such as cocaine or heroin. He wants to make a quick purchase because he doesn't have time for anything else; he needs the drugs to make money quickly.

In the next verse, he talks about pushing blocks and breaking down bud while driving a Chevy with a good sound system. He mentions racing through the slums and rocking spinderellas while smoking a perfecto. This verse is about the gritty and fast-paced lifestyle that people in the drug trade lead. Boldy makes a point to mention that knowledge is the key to success, but also mentions that many people in this lifestyle end up burning out or crashing and burning.

The rest of the song goes on to discuss more topics related to the drug trade, including buying and selling drugs, using weapons, and dealing with competition. The phrase "for the birds" is a way of saying that something is not worth the effort or the trouble. Boldy is saying that the drug trade is for the birds, but he needs the money, so he's going to keep doing it.

Line by Line Meaning

Birds of a feather flock together and you winging it
People tend to associate with others who have similar interests and tendencies, and you're just going along with the flock without much forethought

Man this shit is for the birds and I need a brick
This situation is useless and unproductive, and I need something more substantial to move forward

Quick, a 28 by 36
I need a specific amount of drugs to make a deal and profit

Blocks, I p-p-push it real good
I sell drugs confidently and effectively

In that salt and pepper Chevy with them woofers and them subs
I drive around in a customized car with powerful speakers to listen to music while I sell drugs

On them spinderellas, I can hit the Kenwood
I can use the remote on my car's stereo system to control what I'm listening to while driving

Remote and change the channel while I'm breaking down the bud
I multitask by changing the song on my car stereo and preparing the drugs I'm selling at the same time

Smoking a perfecto, drinking on the bud
I'm smoking a high-quality cigar and drinking beer while conducting drug deals

Finna roll another rello up and take it to the lungs
I'm about to roll another cigarette and smoke it

Pedaling that rego, racing through the slums
I'm riding a bicycle quickly through the dangerous parts of town

Pedal to the metal in a race against time
I'm in a hurry to make as much profit as I can before getting caught by law enforcement

With nowhere to go but up, Bo on?
I have no other options but to continue selling drugs to make a living

Cause you damned if you do, I'm heading nowhere fast
If I continue selling drugs, I'm not progressing in life and will eventually get caught

And you damned if you don't, slow your role young man
If I stop selling drugs, I won't have any source of income and need to carefully consider my next moves

'Fore you crash and you burn, I can't hold yo hand
I can't stop you from making bad decisions that will lead to negative consequences

Through this shit and? better know yo ledge
You need to be knowledgeable about the streets and drug trade to survive and succeed

Knowledge is the key to success, it's all in your head
The more you know, the better choices you can make to succeed in the drug business

Yea, to be or not to be, if you can see what I can see
Whether to continue selling drugs, knowing the dangers and risks involved

As far as the eye can see, narcotic?
The drug trade appears to be the only viable career option in this area

Got 'em for 25, get 'em for 17
I bought drugs for $25 and plan to sell them for $17 to make a profit

How he expect to fly if he don't ever spread his wings?
If you don't take risks and try new things, you won't be able to succeed in life

4-5 Desert Eagle with the beam
I have a powerful gun equipped with a laser sight

He talk fly, shoot him out the sky, clip his wings
If someone talks too much and boasts about things they can't do, I will harm them

Over a bird of 'caine, run up in your bird nest
I will rob and attack someone who possesses a lot of cocaine

Put 'em in yo bird brain and yo bird chest
I will harm someone to the point where they can no longer think clearly and inflict physical damage

What's the sense of putting all of your eggs in one basket if they don't hatch
It's not wise to rely on a single source of income or effort without backup or planning

Mother Goose and the old lady who lived in a shoe
Reference to children's nursery rhymes about caretakers of multiple animals and children

Lining all my ducks in a row, duck, duck, goose
I'm organizing my resources and priorities to be efficient and successful like players in a game of duck, duck, goose

Red Bull and Grey Goose mixed with champagne
I'm drinking a high-end alcoholic beverage with a stimulant-like energy drink

What's good for the goose is good for the gander
What works or applies to one person should work or apply to another person in the same way

Where they let 'em fly and throw bullets instead of tantrums
In areas with high crime, people settle disputes with physical harm and aggression instead of emotional outbursts

In the hood, on the stoop, where them pigeons landed
I'm in a low-income neighborhood, sitting on a front step where pigeons often land

Got them fruit loops, Toucan Sam
I have different varieties of drugs with colorful and distinct packaging

And put yo ass six feet like the old Jordan Jams cause
I will kill someone and bury them six feet under, possibly referring to Michael Jordan's famous dunk from the free-throw line

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: EVAN INGERSOLL, JAMES CLAY JONES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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