"Lawnge:...everybody said he looked like Dres so that was the association. Everyone kinda really forced that relationship like is that Dres’ little brother? It was like no but we know him. That’s how we really connected.
Dres: There’s a lot of love though."
Chi first made his first appearance as 'Jeff' on various B-Sides to singles from De La Soul's 3 Feet High and Rising. He soon reappeared as Chi Ali two years later on Black Sheep's debut album A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing on "Pass the 40", a posse cut about drinking 40s, rocking the ladies, and the mic. Chi Ali at the time was a member of the Native Tongues family and also had connections with the Legion family, along with Showbiz and A.G.
Soon after "Pass The 40," Chi released his first solo single "Age Ain't Nothing But a #". The song was a moderate hit. It was popular on urban radio stations, and the video got good rotation on Yo! MTV Raps and Rap City. The album in which the song was featured was released shortly thereafter yielding a couple other singles, "Roadrunner" and "Funky Lemonade," which were both remixed and rerecorded, making them different than their album versions. They featured Chi with a slightly more mature voice. Overall, the album's theme is of a kid who is getting too big for his britches. He speaks of preferring to date older women, gun toting, and marijuana smoking, which at the time seemed cute and laughable. It received mixed reviews for lyrics that seemed uneven, overall excellent production, and for Chi being outclassed by his Native Tongue associates.
Chi Ali seemingly disappeared from the rap world until the late 90's when he appeared on Dres' solo album Sure Shot Redemption. Chi's demeanor was no longer that of a carefree mischievous child, but of an angry, thug-like individual. The album got little press and mixed, though overall good reviews.
Shockingly, the next time many would see Chi Ali was on the show America's Most Wanted in 2001 for the death of Sean Raymond, the brother of his then girlfriend. Chi evaded police for a number of weeks before his capture by a now retired detective. Reports at the time indicated that the incident stemmed from the loss of $300 and an unknown number of CDs. Chi Ali is currently serving a 14 year sentence at Elmira Correctional Facility, in Elmira, NY.
In 2006, Chi was featured in a segment of the E! Entertainment television show Child Star Confidential on the episode titled Famous Little Faces. In the show, Chi explained what triggered the confrontation with Raymond. He said that his girlfriend, from whom he was estranged at the time, called him to ask for money for their child. He said he then spoke with Raymond, who was with his sister, and asked him to give her $20. According to Chi, Raymond told him to "suck my dick." Chi became very angry, went over to the apartment where his girlfriend and her brother were, got into an argument with Raymond, and then shot him. On the TV show, Chi said, "I was very upset that night. Thirty seconds, man, can change your whole life. And, you know, I'm paying for it."
Roadrunner
Chi Ali Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Verse 1: Chi-Ali
I be the Chi, oh who I be
No matter cause the serve say tre on a dime platter
Get goosed by the Footloose crew and the youth
Back your brother Bam Bam, here comes the stool with more
What you hear will come clear
Fix up the mommy doo, jams that I adore
Making it clear to all ears
You wanna grab a yolk, don't choke on the young one
Come here I come, here I kiddy come come
Me not??? Yo ways in the days
That come, lay low, and then you get some
I'm around you on the neck for respect
You didn't want to cash in, so I'm mashin
Level from the low mumbo jumbo
They be splashing, and I be asking
Wanna swing a chop-shop rhyme by the pack?
That's a no no coyote, look how ya act
After I step on, you'll be stepping all in it
Cause I'm the roadrunner running things
Chorus: Dove
Cool it coyote, I'm the roadrunner running things (Repeat 4x)
Verse 2: Chi-Ali
So on after Jabberjaw and for sure
I rhymes any rhymes, I rhyme for sure
Pashes to bashes, bigger figure here
Ashes to a**, I trigger n****s here
Coyotes learn I burn every time
It's my turn, seems like a perfect
But is it worth it? Better be, better G
Than the next wrecks, or else I get vexed
No how did this adept kid turn rap?
All hips wanna flip when they check the stat
But 40 ain't the shorty to be guzzling with
I'm out to get paid so I sip lemonade
The ruffian youth with the pocket full of poof
So don't check the label, you're liable to goof
I work wonders, put a drumbeat to thunder
Rhyme like a rain, lay low and maintain
Break the batter boy with my rat-tat-tatta toy
Don't block the roadrunner boy, son enjoy
A talk from a New York brother in a swing
It's the roadrunner running things
Chorus
Verse 3: Chi-Ali
My problem coyote? I wrote this hit
This for the doggy doggy step right out
Don't flow the ritual puppy just sit
Soon comes a mini rhyme, in styles out
I funk the whole pile, wicked and wild
Must I profile? Well not by the mile
I got you nagging, bragging, that the Chi was raggin
But I grin and just smile
So listen real close, the brother might boast
Although I appear as the guest and the host
No need for all the lingering and loitering
When the roadrunner's running things
Chorus
In Chi-Ali's song "Roadrunner", the rapper shows off his skills in delivering rhymes, puns and wordplay. In the first verse, Chi-Ali introduces himself, boasting his abilities and calling out coyotes who try to catch him. He uses baseball metaphors, referring to himself as the batter and the opponent as the pitcher, and mentions the Footloose Crew and Bam Bam, other hip-hop groups at the time. The chorus, sung by Dove, tells the coyote to back off because Chi-Ali is in charge.
In the second verse, Chi-Ali again displays his clever rhymes and word association, talking about burning coyotes and getting paid. He references Hanna-Barbera's cartoon character Jabberjaw and switches up the traditional phrase "ashes to ashes, dust to dust" to "ashes to a**, I trigger n****s here", creating a new and unexpected perspective. The third verse is more introspective, as Chi-Ali acknowledges his own fame, acknowledges critics, and states that he does not need to linger or loiter because he is the one running things.
Overall, "Roadrunner" is a fast-paced, catchy song that showcases Chi-Ali's lyrical talent and confidence.
Line by Line Meaning
I be the Chi, oh who I be
I am Chi-Ali and I know my identity.
No matter cause the serve say tre on a dime platter
I'm not bothered by anything because I have three serves to play with.
Batter up batter boy, joy to the world
Get ready for some fun as I take the lead.
Get goosed by the Footloose crew and the youth
Join the Footloose crew and let's have some fun.
Back your brother Bam Bam, here comes the stool with more
Support Bam Bam as he brings more to the stage.
What you hear will come clear
Listen carefully because it will all make sense.
Fix up the mommy doo, jams that I adore
I love the music that I'm hearing, let's bring it up a notch.
Making it clear to all ears
I'm making sure everyone can hear and understand what's happening.
You wanna grab a yolk, don't choke on the young one
If you want to get involved, don't overdo it and make a fool of yourself.
Come here I come, here I kiddy come come
Get ready because I'm about to bring some excitement.
Me not??? Yo ways in the days
I'm not wasting my time or energy on negative things.
That come, lay low, and then you get some
If you wait patiently, good things will come your way.
I'm around you on the neck for respect
I'm right behind you to make sure you show respect.
You didn't want to cash in, so I'm mashin
Since you ignored the opportunity, I'll take the lead.
Level from the low mumbo jumbo
Bringing everything up to a better level.
They be splashing, and I be asking
They may be having fun, but I'm questioning if it's worth it.
Wanna swing a chop-shop rhyme by the pack?
Do you want to join in on a creative rap session?
That's a no no coyote, look how ya act
No, you can't join because of your bad behavior.
After I step on, you'll be stepping all in it
Once I get involved, everyone else will follow my lead.
Cause I'm the roadrunner running things
I'm the leader here and I'm bringing the energy.
Cool it coyote, I'm the roadrunner running things (Repeat 4x)
Relax and let me take the lead.
So on after Jabberjaw and for sure
After Jabberjaw's performance, I'll take the lead.
I rhymes any rhymes, I rhyme for sure
I can come up with any kind of rap, and I'm confident in my skills.
Pashes to bashes, bigger figure here
I'm bringing some intensity and bigger contributions.
Ashes to a**, I trigger n****s here
I'm setting things on fire and making people excited.
Coyotes learn I burn every time
If you mess with me, you'll get burned.
It's my turn, seems like a perfect
It's my turn to bring some energy to the stage.
But is it worth it? Better be, better G
I'm questioning if it's worth it, but I'm still going to give it my all.
Than the next wrecks, or else I get vexed
I don't want to be outdone, so I'll get upset if others do better.
No how did this adept kid turn rap?
How did this talented child become a rapper?
All hips wanna flip when they check the stat
Everyone is impressed when they see what I can do.
But 40 ain't the shorty to be guzzling with
Don't underestimate me because of my age.
I'm out to get paid so I sip lemonade
I'm focused on making money, but I'm keeping it casual.
The ruffian youth with the pocket full of poof
I'm a wild and energetic young person with a lot of charisma.
So don't check the label, you're liable to goof
Don't underestimate me or you'll make a mistake.
I work wonders, put a drumbeat to thunder
I'm doing amazing things and bringing a lot of energy.
Rhyme like a rain, lay low and maintain
I'm rhyming easily and still keeping my cool.
Break the batter boy with my rat-tat-tatta toy
I'm going to impress everyone with my rapping skills.
Don't block the roadrunner boy, son enjoy
Let me do my thing and you'll see how much fun it is.
A talk from a New York brother in a swing
Let me show you what New York rap is all about.
It's the roadrunner running things
I'm the leader and I'm bringing the energy.
My problem coyote? I wrote this hit
I'm the one who wrote this amazing rap, not you.
This for the doggy doggy step right out
This is for everyone to come out and have fun.
Don't flow the ritual puppy just sit
Don't try too hard, just sit back and enjoy the show.
Soon comes a mini rhyme, in styles out
I'm about to bring a smaller rap with a different style.
I funk the whole pile, wicked and wild
I'm bringing excitement and energy to the whole crowd.
Must I profile? Well not by the mile
I'm not going to show off or try too hard to impress.
I got you nagging, bragging, that the Chi was raggin
I'm making people excited and they can't stop talking about how good I am.
But I grin and just smile
I'm happy and content with my performance.
So listen real close, the brother might boast
Pay attention to what I'm saying, I have a reason to brag.
Although I appear as the guest and the host
Even though I'm a guest, I'm still the one in charge.
No need for all the lingering and loitering
Let's not waste any more time, let's do what we came to do.
When the roadrunner's running things
I'm the leader and I'm bringing the energy.
Contributed by Bailey Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
SheepdoggXL
Yet another GREAT production by Q-Tip, I like this version way better than the first one. This song takes me back to the better days of Hip-Hop! Chi-Ali was niiice!!
NORTHPHILLYCRYPTOBUL👊🏾
DanuCreid Nah Beatnuts on this one
John Phillips
nez born q tip did this one fam this is the remix
Brian John
ALI
David Robinson
These vids are so much better than the ones today.
I remember recording Rap City and Yo MTV Raps and just playing em back all day. The vibe always left you feeling full, the complete opposite of music today.
cecil marshall
Man there's nothing like old school rap
100% Deutscher Backpacker Rap
Wooooord!
DarkBehindFlat
This song and video is so cool
Andrew That one and only guy
This song was the reason why i completed my last 4 miles in my marathon, can’t wait for the nostalgia from this song in the future; this is art people ✌🏼
J
I loved this video so much when it came out, wow 🤗🎗️ Native Tongues #1