The Queens native built his reputation with street-level mixtapes and quickly became one of the city's leading DJs, graced with the latest tracks by the biggest names. Popular New York hip-hop station Hot 97 brought him aboard for a while in the late '90s alongside fellow DJ heavyweight Funkmaster Flex. The air time furthered his reputation, and Jay-Z in turn invited him to join forces with Roc-a-Fella, which released Clue?'s major-label debut, The Professional (1997). The album featured primarily exclusive tracks, each boasting one of New York's top rappers, everyone from Nas and Mobb Deep to DMX and Ja Rule.
A second volume followed in 2000, and in the meantime Clue? toured with Roc-a-Fella in support of Jay-Z's Hard Knock Life album as documented on Backstage (2000). He then parted ways with Roc-a-Fella and embarked on his own path, establishing Desert Storm Records and debuting Fabolous in 2001. Years later, once Jay-Z ascended to the position of president of Def Jam, Clue? recorded The Professional, Pt. 3 (2006).
It's On
DJ Clue Lyrics
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Clueminati
Is y'all mother- ready for the Ruff Ryde?
Grr
When I speak I'm understood, my decision is wood
I see what I'm able to see (uh) 'cause my vision is good
It's like I see through the eyes of a wise old man
Sometimes it's better to be thought dumb and remain silent
Then to open your mouth and remove all doubt 'cause it became violent
See I'm gonna give it to you straight so you don't ask anymore
You don't really want what you asking me for
It's a war (uh), when it's on it's on
Doin' wrong (what?) 'Til I'm gone and I ain't got long
But while I'm here (uh), y'all gon' burn
Peep how I finished money (what?) And y'all gon' learn
All week you been talking about that drive-by
And ain't did nothing but drive by
Listen shawty I'm telling you this for your own good (uh)
Everybody is the man in they own hood, for real
Yeah, 'cause if it's on, it's on
And if you cats keep frontin' then your ass is gone
Uh-huh, yeah, 'cause if it's on, it's on
And if you cats keep frontin' then your ass is gone (what?)
Yeah (new DMX), 'cause if it's on, it's on
And if you cats keep frontin' then your ass is gone (It's On)
Uh-huh, yeah, 'cause if it's on, it's on
And if you cats keep frontin' (ha, ha)
I always keep my enemies the closest (uh)
Always make sure I know where the toast is (uh)
Always cover my tracks when I creep
Always get away when I'm done to relax, is deep (Clue)
I always know the rules of the game before I play
And always keep enough dough to know I'm good for the day
I always walk my dogs off the leash and
Always get my thoughts off the streets and
Always would rather lend a hand then borrow
And always no matter what plan for tomorrow
I always pay my respects to the dead
I always take at least one blunt to the head
And I always know which- is gon' end up gettin'
And always know which- is gon' end up getting stuck
I'm always strapped, I've always packed
I've always rapped, it's always that
Always black
Yeah, 'cause if it's on, it's on
And if you cats keep frontin' then your ass is gone
Uh-huh, yeah, 'cause if it's on, it's on
And if you cats keep frontin' then your ass is gone (what?)
Yeah, 'cause if it's on, it's on
And if you cats keep frontin' then your ass is gone
Uh-huh, yeah, 'cause if it's on, it's on
And if you cats keep frontin'
Never try to knock off rock on the block that ain't yours
Never take a man's life 'cause you hate yours
Never become so involved with something that it blinds you
Never forget where you from someone who reminds you (ha, ha)
Never take for granted what's been given as a gift
And if I sleep on a- 'less that- stiff
Never turn your back on a- you don't trust
Never turn your gat on a- and don't bust
Never expect to get away with the same- more than twice
Never forget you could get it too for a price
Never bring it to a- if you scared to die
Never gon' do it- if you scared to drive
Never gon' be another day it gets dark
Never get it-, here, for the heart
Never say never
'Cause I never thought this clever thought, never
Ever caught better, getting cheddar, with three letters
DMX
Yeah, 'cause if it's on, it's on
And if you cats keep frontin' then your ass is gone
Uh-huh, yeah, 'cause if it's on, it's on
And if you cats keep frontin' then your ass is gone (what?)
Yeah, 'cause if it's on, it's on
And if you cats keep frontin' then your ass is gone
Uh-huh, yeah, 'cause if it's on, it's on (DJ Clue)
And if you cats keep frontin'
Uh DMX
Clueminati
9-8 , Ruff Ryders, motherf-
Y'all- don't know, how it's gon' go, for real (uh)
(It's nothin') It's Dark and Hell is Hot
Y-O, motherf-
School Street
Home of the Brave we all here, baby
Mundo, Telemundo, uh
Fantastic Four
"It's On" by DJ Clue featuring DMX is a hardcore rap song that speaks about living on the streets and the rules of survival. The lyrics are DMX's own street philosophy, which boils down to staying silent, keeping your enemies close, knowing the rules of the game, and always staying strapped. He emphasizes that if it's on, it's on, and if a person keeps frontin', then their ass is gone, meaning that if someone continues to act tough, they will eventually need to back it up.
The song's chorus repeats the phrase "if it's on, it's on" to show the relentlessness of living in the streets. DMX says that he sees through the eyes of a wise old man, which helps him kill a man and his whole family without hesitation. He advises people to remain silent and not reveal their ignorance by opening their mouth and becoming violent. DMX also talks about the importance of knowing the rules of the game before playing, always being prepared to act, and treating others with respect.
Line by Line Meaning
When I speak I'm understood, my decision is wood
I express myself clearly and my choices are firm
I see what I'm able to see (uh) 'cause my vision is good
I observe accurately because of my good vision
It's like I see through the eyes of a wise old man
My perception is that of a wise old man
So I chill knowin' I can kill this guy's whole fam
I remain calm because I have the ability to ruin someone's entire family
Sometimes it's better to be thought dumb and remain silent
It's preferable to seem unintelligent and quiet instead of violent
Then to open your mouth and remove all doubt 'cause it became violent
Otherwise, you would reveal the truth and cause violence
See I'm gonna give it to you straight so you don't ask anymore
I'll be honest with you so you won't question me any further
You don't really want what you asking me for
What you're requesting is not what you truly want
It's a war (uh), when it's on it's on
This is a battle; once it starts, there's no turning back
Doin' wrong (what?) 'Til I'm gone and I ain't got long
I'm doing bad things until I die because I don't have much time left
But while I'm here (uh), y'all gon' burn
While I'm alive, you will suffer
Peep how I finished money (what?) And y'all gon' learn
Observe how I earn money and you will learn from it
All week you been talking about that drive-by
You've been bragging all week about a drive-by shooting
And ain't did nothing but drive by
And you haven't actually done anything other than drive by
Listen shawty I'm telling you this for your own good (uh)
I'm warning you for your benefit
Everybody is the man in they own hood, for real
Everyone thinks they're the most respected individual in their area
I always keep my enemies the closest (uh)
I always keep my foes nearby so I can keep an eye on them
Always make sure I know where the toast is (uh)
I always make sure I have a weapon near me
Always cover my tracks when I creep
I always hide evidence of my actions when sneaking around
Always get away when I'm done to relax, is deep (Clue)
I can achieve peace of mind knowing I got away after doing something
I always know the rules of the game before I play
I always understand the regulations well before getting involved
And always keep enough dough to know I'm good for the day
I always have enough money to cover my expenses for the day
I always walk my dogs off the leash and
I always let my dogs roam freely without being restrained
Always get my thoughts off the streets and
I always express my thoughts and ideas with others
Always would rather lend a hand then borrow
I'd rather offer help than ask for assistance
And always no matter what plan for tomorrow
Always be mindful about what the future holds
I always pay my respects to the dead
I always show respect for the deceased
I always take at least one blunt to the head
I always smoke at least one joint
And I always know which- is gon' end up gettin'
I always know who's going to end up taking the fall
And always know which- is gon' end up getting stuck
I always know who's going to be caught up in a bad situation
I'm always strapped, I've always packed
I'm always armed with a weapon
I've always rapped, it's always that
I've always been a rapper
Always black
Always dressed in black clothing
Never try to knock off rock on the block that ain't yours
Don't try to take over territory that doesn't belong to you
Never take a man's life 'cause you hate yours
Don't kill someone because you're unhappy with your own life
Never become so involved with something that it blinds you
Don't let yourself become so involved with something that it clouds your judgement
Never forget where you from someone who reminds you (ha, ha)
Never forget your roots, someone will remind you to stay true to them
Never take for granted what's been given as a gift
Don't overlook the blessings you've been given
And if I sleep on a- 'less that- stiff
And if I die, make sure I'm in a good casket
Never turn your back on a- you don't trust
Never disregard someone you don't trust
Never turn your gat on a- and don't bust
Don't point your gun at someone if you're not going to shoot
Never expect to get away with the same- more than twice
Don't expect to keep getting away with the same thing more than twice
Never forget you could get it too for a price
Remember that you could also be affected for a certain cost
Never bring it to a- if you scared to die
Don't engage in something if you're afraid of dying
Never gon' do it- if you scared to drive
Don't attempt something if you're afraid of the consequences
Never gon' be another day it gets dark
There will never be another night
Never get it-, here, for the heart
Never choose to do something based solely on emotions
Never say never
Don't say never because you never know what could happen
'Cause I never thought this clever thought, never
Just like this clever idea that came to me, you never know what you will think of next
Ever caught better, getting cheddar, with three letters
I'm always hustling and making money using my name, DMX
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Earl Simmons
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind