The duo is made up of brothers Gene "No Malice" Thornton and Terrence "Pusha T" Thornton, who is also currently signed to Kanye West's G.O.O.D Music label. They met Pharrell of the producing duo The Neptunes, in 1993, he formed a working relationship with the duo and helped them secure a contract with Elektra Records. Early mixtape success on Clinton Sparks' Exclusive Audio Footage increased their fan-base, but the group's major debut single flopped. Williams resuscitated their careers by signing them to his Star Trak Label. The Clipse's debut album, Lord Willin', was released in 2002. Label woes delayed the release of their sophomore effort, Hell Hath No Fury, which was released in 2006, to much critical acclaim. During this gap, they released three We Got It For Cheap mixtapes with Ab-Liva and Sandman, the other members of the Re-Up Gang. Their third studio album, Till The Casket Drops, was released in 2009. Their songs have been remixed and mashed up on countless mixtapes, and the unreleased songs they recorded while still on Startrak are out as a mixtape called The Lost Tracks. Pusha-T released his first solo album, Fear of God, in 2011, around the same time that Malice published the book "Wretched, Pitiful, Poor, Blind, & Naked".
Young Boy
Clipse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mmm, I'll tell you what I'm talkin' 'bout (you're out of line)
When I was a young boy (you're out of line)
My momma always told me don't take no shit (you're out of line)
Motherfucker hit you then you better hit 'em back (you're out of line)
So when I hit the nigga, it go "blam," uh (you're out of line)
A nigga out of line, uh
Pops pushed a Tornado and rolled to eight tracks
Never stood a chance, exposed from way back
Lying to the baby, saying its Ajax
I was 'bout four when I walked past that door
That shoulda been closed where I first witnessed the raw
See in my household it was quite unique
Playing hide and seek you might find a key
Caught glimpse accidental, it branded my mental
Pals my role model in that Lincoln Continental
Bought all my friends Icees, it was 'bout six
And when he pulled off I was like, "See told ya we was rich"
How I turned out let it be no surprise
When they speak of cousin Ricky it brings tears to their eyes
See, my family got a history of hustlers
Lil' brother, big brother
Mother to grandmother (mmm, I'll tell you what I'm talkin' 'bout)
It's tradition
(You're out of line)
When I was a young boy
My momma always told me don't take no shit
Motherfucker hit you then you better hit 'em back
So when I hit the nigga it go blam
A nigga out of line
Motherfuckers out of line
My momma didn't see it coming, my daddy was there
What's my excuse? Cartoons were the root
Started with Yosemite Sam with the gun in
Palm of each hand, what couldn't I demand?
See, thirteen, studied the gangsta's lean
Low brim, no smile, lotta cash meanwhile
Daddy had the Chrysler Fifth Avey
Hustlers on the blocks cars were aero-dynamie
With ghetto paint jobs, Mango M3s
Seventeen inch B-Bs riding tough
The bike was Huffy, attention was froze
In a twenty five cent frozen cup laid my soul
The streets had made the mold
Since fourteen holding, Pusha T was chosen
Rebel like Che Guevara
RC Tyco versus Carrera, it's P
Mmm, I'll tell you what I'm talkin' 'bout
When I was a young boy (you're out of line)
My momma always told me don't take no shit (you're out of line)
Motherfucker hit you then you better hit 'em back (you're out of line)
So when I hit the nigga, it go "blam," uh (you're out of line)
A nigga out of line, uh
I think of grandma and the weight she would foot 'em
She kinda remind me of Madame Queen in Hoodlum
Sport the grandkids, each one she would treasure
Said she kept two guns and to do so was a pleasure
The cigarette dangle forty-five degree angle
Still every bit a lady but you don't wanna tangle
Let that explain me and how I got involved
Young'ns hustling in the Creek, me, Jon-Jon and Jamal
Age fifteen, walking through the hallway
Plate the new Jordans, first ones on the scene
See I could afford 'em, living out a dream
Hustler on the rise, laces untied
Slid past young'ns, couldn't break my stride
Didn't know I was knotted in street ties
Teachers askin' how and why
Bitches passing by, "oh my, he's so gangsta" (you're out of line)
Mmm, I'll tell you what I'm talkin' 'bout
When I was a young boy (you're out of line)
My momma always told me don't take no shit (you're out of line)
Motherfucker hit you, you better hit 'em back (you're out of line)
So when I hit the nigga, it go "blam," uh (you're out of line)
A nigga out of line, uh
I said, you niggas out of line (you're out of line)
Mmm, I'll tell you what I'm talkin' 'bout (you're out of line)
In the Clipse song "Young Boy," the lyrics tell the story of the upbringing and early life experiences of the two brothers who make up the group. The song starts by recounting the advice their mother always gave them when they were young: "don't take no shit" and "hit 'em back" if someone hits you. For the Clipse, this meant that they were able to defend themselves and assert their independence from a young age. The song then goes on to describe some of the defining moments of their upbringing, such as overhearing their parents discussing drug deals and seeing their neighbors get caught up in the drug game.
The rest of the song traces the evolution of the Clipse's involvement in hustling and drug dealing, from getting their first Jordans to confidently striding down the hallways of their high school. Throughout the song, they make it clear that they are "out of line" and breaking the law, but they also see it as part of their family's tradition of hustling and making their own way in the world. Overall, "Young Boy" is a vivid and raw reflection on growing up in a culture of violence and drugs, and how that influenced the Clipse's trajectory in life.
Line by Line Meaning
(You're out of line)
The singer is saying that someone is behaving inappropriately or breaking rules.
When I was a young boy (you're out of line)
The singer is reflecting back on their childhood and how their upbringing shaped their current mindset.
My momma always told me don't take no shit (you're out of line)
The singer's mother taught them to stand up for themselves and not let people mistreat them.
Motherfucker hit you then you better hit 'em back (you're out of line)
The artist believes in retaliation and self-defense, especially when provoked or attacked.
So when I hit the nigga, it go "blam," uh (you're out of line)
The artist is describing a physical altercation where they hit someone hard enough to cause a loud impact, possibly indicating a gun shot.
A nigga out of line, uh
The singer is still referring to the person who provoked them as acting inappropriately or breaking rules.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Chad Hugo, Terrence Thornton, Gene Thornton Jr., Pharrell Williams
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind