After a spell with the group Art Of Origin, Chino XL released his debut album Here To Save You All in 1996, a diverse work which included more conventional battle rap tracks (featuring Kool Keith and Ras Kass) alongside autobiographical tracks such as What Am I (which dealt with his heritage- half Puerto Rican, half African - background). The album got a very positive critical reception and is still regarded by many as one of the finest hip-hop albums of the nineties.
After building his reputation further by making several famous appearances freestyling on the Wake Up Show radio show, Chino incurred the wrath of Tupac Shakur in Tupac's track Hit 'Em Up. This is believed to be as a result of a simile on his debut album in a track called Riiiot, which read "by this industry, I'm trying not to get fucked like 2Pac in jail". The ambiguity over where the simile begins possibly caused confusion, but nevertheless Chino soon responded in a radio freestyle. However, Tupac did not respond back and was soon dead due to an unresolved shooting in Las Vegas. Chino XL has since explained that he greatly respected Tupac and used his line simply as a metaphor and meant no disrespect.
Following a long period of inactivity, Chino's second album I Told You So was released in 2001. It was decidedly more battle rap-oriented than his debut, and featured a slightly more commercial production style. It received reasonably positive reviews but received little promotion and did not sell particularly well. Despite the positive underground reaction to I Told You So, another period of relative inactivity followed the album's release, during which Chino moved to California and proclaimed himself officially a West Coast artist. His highly anticipated third album, entitled Poison Pen, was eventually released in January, 2006. After Poison Pen, in 2006, his album Warning, hosted by King Tech, was released in the same year.
Aside from music, Chino has also recently forged a career in acting, appearing in several films and making a guest appearance in the sitcom Reno 911.
Anything
Chino XL Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Long, long, long look away
Long, long, long look away
I don't owe you anything
I don't owe you anything
Long, long, long look away
Long, long, long look away
I don't owe you anything
[Verse 1]
Yo
Locked in a hospital, a dead nurse with big tits and slit wrists
Tried to administer me pills but I resist
I'm dangerous as crocodiles out of tanks
You don't need my DNA strands to recognize my killer traits
I lost my mind, I'm haunted by the words that I've invented
To the point, they're feeding me glasses of Nyquil with my dinner
I associate the infliction of pain with pleasure
Frequently insult my neighbors wearing blood stained leathers
People that never visit insist that I owe them shit
I'm repeatedly taking Rohypnol and praying I don't exist
Damn near wanna throw a party off exhilaration
That I get from squeezing the life out of a human body shaking
I'm a happening waiting to accident, blessed sacriment
Festering blasphemist, transient arrogant acrobat
Riding camelbacks under circus tents, nervous off Percocets
Possessed laughs till I'm at Bernie Mac's funeral services
[Hook]
[Verse 2]
You've got mental problems, I'm sure
It's just that mine is greater
At least you have honor to live in the time I put ink to paper
Over 10,000 hours of labor, limitless
An undeniable perfectionist that plagues the souls of lyricists
Hand me a scalpel I'll scribble scribes on your face
I make people run, that's why they call it the human race
XL campaign, don't owe you a damn thang
Tear a turtles head off, drink blood out of shells like canteens
I can't scream, I got the metal machines ready
Forever holding my piece like I'm not objecting at a wedding
Was manufactured in Heaven to be a horid tourist
Placed specifically on Earth, quantuum leaps over other artists
Dirty my name, the seeds of discontent were planted
That's grounds for murder, I'm stoned, you took me for granted
Damn it, you think I owe you something, get it in blood
Rick James last words, "Chino's verse is a hell of a drug"
[Hook]
[Verse 3]
(Get me out of here)
I just needed some time to get my mind right
Then it's back to these bitches yelling "Go Daddy" like the website
Run away don't cross me
You won't be able to walk through your house without tripping over some dead offspring
I'm getting stressed by the government
Don't even write my name down unless it has "Paid To The Order" in front of it
Budgeted, trying to feed your family is real
Gas prices looking bigger than the numbers on Adele's bathroom scale
My skills internal and running wild
I could eat a Rubix Cube and shit it out completely solved
I vowed my foundation is built with brick and mortar
Destroying peers like a tsunami tearing through a harbor
Consistantly ill, but still industry overlook me
Officially, something is fisher than mermaid pussy
I hate you with a perfect hate and nothing less
Last seven words:
The best ever from the best yet
[Hook]
In Chino XL's song "Anything," the artist delves into the dark and twisted thoughts of a disturbed mind. The lyrics explore the inner workings of someone who has lost their grip on reality, with images of violence, mental health issues, and drug abuse painted throughout the verses. The character being portrayed seems to feel as though they owe nothing to anyone, even those who claim otherwise, and is consumed by a desire to inflict pain and death upon others.
The first verse includes references to the singer being locked in a hospital, haunted by phantoms, and given medication against their will. The second verse offers insight into the artist's creative process, boasting of countless hours of labor and a talent for lyrical dominance. The final verse touches on societal issues such as economic struggle, government corruption, and the difficulty of achieving recognition in the music industry.
Overall, the song is a raw and disturbing look into the mind of someone whose sanity is teetering on the brink, and the lyrics are reflective of the artist's own struggles with mental health and addiction.
Line by Line Meaning
Long, long, long look away
I am pointing out that I am not paying attention to your demands, your opinion doesn't matter to me.
I don't owe you anything
I am stating that I am not indebted to you and as a result, you have no right to expect anything from me.
Locked in a hospital, a dead nurse with big tits and slit wrists
I am in a mental institution where a nurse has taken her own life, and I am forced to take medication that I resist.
Tried to administer me pills but I resist
I am opposing suggestions to take medication and trying to overcome my mental issues on my own terms.
I'm dangerous as crocodiles out of tanks
I am a threat to the people around me, just like a crocodile outside of its enclosure.
You don't need my DNA strands to recognize my killer traits
Even though you can't see or find my genes, you can still tell from my behavior that I have traits of a murderer.
I associate the infliction of pain with pleasure
I find enjoyment in causing harm to others.
People that never visit insist that I owe them shit
People I don't know expect things from me and are angry when I don't provide them even though they have never been there for me.
I'm a happening waiting to accident, blessed sacriment
I am always on the verge of doing something crazy and seem to be an instrument of God's wrath.
Hand me a scalpel I'll scribble scribes on your face
I am warning my enemies that I am capable of terrible things and could even carve words into their skin.
I make people run, that's why they call it the human race
I am so intimidating that I make others run in fear, which is why it's called the human race.
Tear a turtles head off, drink blood out of shells like canteens
I am so ruthless that I would kill a turtle and even go as far as to drink its blood out of its shell.
Don't even write my name down unless it has 'Paid To The Order' in front of it
I am so valuable that my name should only be written down with the promise that I will be paid handsomely.
I could eat a Rubix Cube and shit it out completely solved
I am so intelligent that I could even solve a Rubik's Cube by eating and then excreting it in one piece.
Consistantly ill, but still industry overlook me
Even though I am consistently producing great art, the industry is ignoring me.
Officially, something is fisher than mermaid pussy
I am questioning the legitimacy of the industry and suggesting that something is wrong with the system.
The best ever from the best yet
I am declaring that I am the best rapper ever and there has never been anyone like me before.
Contributed by Sadie T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.