Say What U Say
Eminem Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I was born to brew up storms, stir up shit, kick up dust, cuss till I slur up spit
Grew up too quick, went through too much, knew too much shit
Corrupt, and I'm a pour it on like syrup, bitch
Thick 'n rich, sick and twisted, Mr. Buttersworth
Dre told me to milk this shit for what it's worth
'Til the cow just tilts and tips and stumbles to earth
And if I fumble a verse, keep going, first take
I make mistakes just keep it, no punches pull, no punches, that's weak shit
Fake shit, if I ever take shit I'll eat shit, wasn't for him, wouldn't be shit
Creep with me as we take a little trip down memory lane
Been here longer than anyone in the game
And I ain't got to lie about my age, "But what about Jermaine?
"Fuck Jermaine, he don't belong speakin' mine or Timbaland's name
And don't think I don't read your lil' interviews and see what you're sayin'
I'm a giant, and I ain't gotta move
'Til I'm provoked, when I see you, I'm a step on you and not even know it
You midget, mini-me with a bunch of mini-yous, runnin' round your backyard swimmin' pools
Over eighty million records sold, and I ain't have to do it with ten or eleven year olds

'Cause what you say is what you say
Say what you say how you say it whenever you sayin' it
Just remember how you said it when you was sprayin' it
So who you playin' wit, huh?
'Cause what you say is what you say
Say what you say how you say it whenever you sayin' it
Just remember how you said it when you was sprayin' it
So who you playin' wit, huh?

Second verse, it gets worse, it gets no better than this
Amateurs drink veteran piss
From a dixie cup, if you ever mix me up
Or confuse me with a Cannabis or Dre with a Dupri
We'll rub it in, every club you're in
We'll have you black balled and make sure you never rap-a-fuckin'-gain
Dre ain't havin' it as long as I'm here to play devil's advocate
If there was some magic shit I could wave over the industry
That could save it when I'm gone and buried
To make sure the tradition carries on, I would
If I could only use this power for good, I wouldn't, not even if I could
From the hood, and I'm a hornet, and I'm a only sting when I cornered
And I'm a only sucker punch and swing without warning
And swing to knock somebody's fuckin' head off
'Cause I know if they get up, I won't get a chance to let off
Another punch, I'm punk rock, no one's punk, don't give a fuck
White-Pac, so much spunk
When I was little I knew I would blow up and sell a mill
Or grow up to be Atilla, go nuts and be a killer
And I'm, somethin' of a phenom, one puff of the chron
I'm unstoppable, I'm alive and on top again
There's no obstacle that I can't conquer so come along wit us?
Come on

'Cause what you say is what you say
Say what you say how you say it whenever you sayin' it
Just remember how you said it when you was sprayin' it
So who you playin' wit, huh?
'Cause what you say is what you say
Say what you say how you say it whenever you sayin' it
Just remember how you said it when you was sprayin' it
So who you playin' wit, huh?

Now anybody who knows Dre
Knows I'm about fast cars and Alize, partyin' all day
But I handled my business
Cause it' work before play, don't look for trouble
But I'll serve you gourmet
However you want it, you can have it your way, you fuck my night up
I'm a fuck up your day, bullet with your name
Sendin' it your way, that goes for anyone who walks through that doorway
'Cause this is my space, you invade it, live to regret it
And you'll die tryin' to violate it
Fuck around, get annihilated, eyes dilated
Like my old lady?
'Cause what you say is what you say
Sometimes what you mean is two different things
Depending on your mood if it swings
Think too many things, little hit of Dre's weed
I can do anything, catch a contact and I'm gone
And I'm back, I speed write and my loose-leaf's my launch pad
And I can pull any string, don't have to prove anything
Catch a contract on your head, you headed west, talk shit about Dre
You better get a vest
And invest in something to protect your head and neck
And it's back and forth, all day like Red and Meth
I joke when I say I'm the best, in the booth
But a lot of truth is said in jest
And if I ever do live to be a legend I'm a die a sudden death
Five mics in the Source, ain't holdin' my fuckin' breath
But I'll suffocate for the respect 'fore I breathe, to collect a fuckin' check

'Cause what you say is what you say
Say what you say how you say it whenever you sayin' it
Just remember how you said it when you was sprayin' it
So who you playin' wit, huh?
'Cause what you say is what you say
Say what you say how you say it whenever you sayin' it
Just remember how you said it when you was sprayin' it
So who you playin' wit, huh?

Overall Meaning

The chorus of the song "Say What U Say" establishes the theme that what someone says is what they say and it should always be remembered how they said it. Eminem opens the first verse with a series of metaphors emphasizing that he is a trouble-maker but with purpose. He states that he is thick and rich, sick and twisted, and likened himself to Mr. Buttersworth – a brand of syrup, but also a nod to his own wealth. Dre instructed him to milk his success for everything its worth, or until the cow tips over. He also shows a defiant willingness to make mistakes and not hold back from speaking his mind, unlike those who temper their words.


In the second verse, Eminem turns his attention to those who would cross him and Dre. He plays on the word "amateurs," likening them to drinking piss, and calls out the artists who try to mimic them. Dre doesn't tolerate anyone trying to imitate him, and Eminem is willing to use his power to blackball those who try. He also laments the state of the industry and suggests he could fix it if he had some sort of "magic shit" to wave over it, but he won't bother. He prides himself on being from the hood, a hornet who will only sting when cornered, and someone who will fight without warning. He offers a glimpse into his thought process, admitting that as a child he knew he would either make it big or be a killer like Atilla. The line about being "White-Pac" references the late rapper Tupac Shakur, and suggests that Eminem is equally defiant and unapologetic.


Line by Line Meaning

I was born to brew up storms, stir up shit, kick up dust, cuss till I slur up spit
I was always meant to create chaos, cause trouble, stir up controversy, and swear excessively.


Grew up too quick, went through too much, knew too much shit
I had to mature quickly, experienced more than most people my age, and know a lot about the world.


Corrupt, and I'm a pour it on like syrup, bitch
I'm twisted and will add to the corruption like syrup does with pancakes.


Thick 'n rich, sick and twisted, Mr. Buttersworth
I'm depraved and thick like syrup, like a twisted version of Mr. Buttersworth.


Dre told me to milk this shit for what it's worth
Dr. Dre said to take advantage of my situation and get as much benefit from it as possible.


'Til the cow just tilts and tips and stumbles to earth
Until the opportunity is exhausted and it falls apart.


And if I fumble a verse, keep going, first take
Even if I make a mistake while recording, I'll keep going and use the first take.


I make mistakes just keep it, no punches pull, no punches, that's weak shit
I don't hold back and will make mistakes, but not censor myself; that's weak.


Fake shit, if I ever take shit I'll eat shit, wasn't for him, wouldn't be shit
I won't stand for anything fake and will accept criticism. Without Dr. Dre, I wouldn't have made it.


Creep with me as we take a little trip down memory lane
Join me as I remember past events.


Been here longer than anyone in the game
I've been in this industry longer than anyone else.


And I ain't got to lie about my age, "But what about Jermaine?
I don't need to pretend about my age, but Jermaine Dupri does.


"Fuck Jermaine, he don't belong speakin' mine or Timbaland's name
I don't want Jermaine Dupri talking about me or Timbaland.


And don't think I don't read your lil' interviews and see what you're sayin'
I see Jermaine Dupri's interviews and read what he says about me.


I'm a giant, and I ain't gotta move 'Til I'm provoked, when I see you, I'm a step on you and not even know it You midget, mini-me with a bunch of mini-yous, runnin' round your backyard swimmin' pools
I'm a giant in the industry, and won't move unless provoked. I'm not afraid to crush Jermaine Dupri and his followers like a midget compared to me.


Over eighty million records sold, and I ain't have to do it with ten or eleven year olds
I've sold over 80 million records and didn't have to rely on young children to achieve it.


'Cause what you say is what you say
You can say what you want.


Say what you say how you say it whenever you sayin' it
You have the freedom to say what you want, however you want.


Just remember how you said it when you was sprayin' it
Remember how you said it when you were rapping.


So who you playin' wit, huh?
Who do you think you're messing with?


Second verse, it gets worse, it gets no better than this
The second verse gets even more intense and there's no getting better than this.


Amateurs drink veteran piss
Inexperienced people should know their place and respect veterans.


From a dixie cup, if you ever mix me up
If you confuse me with someone else, you'll be in trouble.


Or confuse me with a Cannabis or Dre with a Dupri
If you mistake me for Canibus or Dr. Dre for Jermaine Dupri, it'll be a problem.


We'll rub it in, every club you're in
We'll make fun of you, wherever you go.


We'll have you black balled and make sure you never rap-a-fuckin'-gain
We'll sabotage your career and make sure you never rap again.


Dre ain't havin' it as long as I'm here to play devil's advocate
Dr. Dre won't tolerate that kind of behavior as long as I'm around.


If there was some magic shit I could wave over the industry That could save it when I'm gone and buried To make sure the tradition carries on, I would
If I had the power to make sure the industry thrived after I died, I would use it.


If I could only use this power for good, I wouldn't, not even if I could
If I could use this power only for good, I wouldn't want it.


From the hood, and I'm a hornet, and I'm a only sting when I cornered
I come from the streets, and I'm like a hornet that only attacks when provoked.


And I'm a only sucker punch and swing without warning
I'll surprise my enemies with a quick punch.


And swing to knock somebody's fuckin' head off
I'll swing to hit someone as hard as possible.


'Cause I know if they get up, I won't get a chance to let off Another punch, I'm punk rock, no one's punk, don't give a fuck
I won't give my enemies a chance to recover and hit me back. I'm like punk rock, not caring about anyone's opinion.


White-Pac, so much spunk When I was little I knew I would blow up and sell a mill Or grow up to be Atilla, go nuts and be a killer And I'm, something of a phenom, one puff of the chron I'm unstoppable, I'm alive and on top again
I'm like a white Tupac with lots of energy. When I was young, I knew I'd be famous or become a ruthless killer. Now, I'm unstoppable and on top of my game.


There's no obstacle that I can't conquer so come along wit us?
I can conquer anything, so come join me.


Now anybody who knows Dre Knows I'm about fast cars and Alize, partyin' all day
Anyone who knows Dr. Dre knows I like fast cars, Alize, and partying.


But I handled my business Cause it' work before play, don't look for trouble But I'll serve you gourmet However you want it, you can have it your way, you fuck my night up I'm a fuck up your day, bullet with your name Sendin' it your way, that goes for anyone who walks through that doorway 'Cause this is my space, you invade it, live to regret it And you'll die tryin' to violate it
I take care of business first before playtime. I don't start trouble, but if you mess with me I'll retaliate and make sure your suffering is gourmet. Anyone who enters my space will face consequences.


Fuck around, get annihilated, eyes dilated Like my old lady? Sometimes what you mean is two different things Depending on your mood if it swings Think too many things, little hit of Dre's weed I can do anything, catch a contact and I'm gone
Try to mess with me and you'll be destroyed. Like my old lady, your eyes will dilate. Words can have different meanings depending on how you feel. If I smoke some of Dre's weed, I feel invincible.


And I'm back, I speed write and my loose-leaf's my launch pad And I can pull any string, don't have to prove anything Catch a contract on your head, you headed west, talk shit about Dre You better get a vest And invest in something to protect your head and neck
I'm back and I write quickly on scraps of paper. I can make anything happen and don't need to prove it to anyone. If you talk about Dr. Dre, you're in trouble and better prepare yourself.


And it's back and forth, all day like Red and Meth
It's like a back and forth battle all day long.


I joke when I say I'm the best, in the booth But a lot of truth is said in jest And if I ever do live to be a legend I'm a die a sudden death Five mics in the Source, ain't holdin' my fuckin' breath But I'll suffocate for the respect 'fore I breathe, to collect a fuckin' check
I joke when I say I'm the best in the recording booth but there's some truth in it. If I become a legend, I'll die a sudden death. I'm not holding my breath for five mics in The Source magazine. I'll do anything for respect before money.




Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

David Yurch


on I Still Don't Give A Fuck

Are you sure he doesn't mean Marilyn Manson?

my boi


on Lose your Self

Look, if you had one shot, one opportunity
Imagine you had one chance to achieve your dreams

To seize everything you ever wanted
To grasp all that you desire

One moment
One specific instance in time

Would you capture it or just let it slip?
Would you take advantage of it or lose the opportunity?

His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy
He's nervous and scared

There's vomit on his sweater already, mom's spaghetti
He's so anxious, he's feeling physically sick

He's nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready
He's masking his feelings with a calm demeanor

To drop bombs, but he keeps on forgettin'
He's forgetting his own lyrics while performing

What he wrote down, the whole crowd goes so loud
The audience is making a lot of noise

He opens his mouth, but the words won't come out
He's unable to say what he wants to say

He's chokin', how, everybody's jokin' now
He feels like he's choking and everyone's laughing at him

The clocks run out, times up, over, blaow!
He's running out of time to finish his performance

Snap back to reality, oh there goes gravity
He's suddenly brought back to reality

It only grows harder, only grows hotter
Success is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve

He blows us all over, these hoes is all on him
He's become very popular with women

Coast to coast shows, he's known as the globetrotter
He's performing all over the world

Lonely roads, God only knows
He's feeling isolated and alone on this journey

But hold your nose 'cause here goes the cold water
He's being thrown into a difficult situation

His hoes don't want him no mo, he's cold product
He's lost his popularity with women and become irrelevant

They moved on to the next schmo who flows
The audience has moved on to the next person who is performing well.

Success is my only motherfuckin' option, failures not
He's determined to succeed and failure is not an option

Mom, I love you, but this trail has got to go
He loves his mom, but needs to move on from his current situation to be successful

You can do anything you set your mind to, man
You have the ability to achieve anything you desire if you work hard enough

my boi


on Lose your Self

best raper ever listien to dr dre ()::::

Honour


on The Real Slim Shady

May I have your attention, please?
May I have your attention, please?
Will the real Slim Shady please stand up?
I repeat, will the real Slim Shady please stand up?
We're gonna have a problem here

Y'all act like you never seen a white person before
Jaws all on the floor like Pam like Tommy just burst in the door
And started whoopin' her ass worse than before
They first were divorced, throwing' her over furniture (ah)
It's the return of the "ah, wait, no way, you're kidding
He didn't just say what I think he did, did he?"
And Dr. Dre said, nothing, you idiots
Dr. Dre's dead, he's locked in my basement (ha ha)
Feminist women love Eminem
"Chicka, chicka, chicka, Slim Shady, I'm sick of him
Look at him, walkin' around, grabbing' his you-know-what
Flippin' the you-know-who"
"Yeah, but he's so cute though"
Yeah, I probably got a couple of screws up in my head loose
But no worse than what s going' on in your parents' bedrooms
Sometimes I wanna get on TV and just let loose
But can't, but it's cool for Tom Green to hump a dead moose
"My bum is on your lips, my bum is on your lips"
And if I'm lucky, you might just give it a little kiss
And that's the message that we deliver to little kids
And expect them not to know what a woman's clitoris is
Of course they're gonna know what intercourse is
By the time they hit fourth grade
They've got the Discovery Channel, don't they?
We ain't nothin' but mammals, well, some of us, cannibals
Who cut other people open like cantaloupes
But if we can hump dead animals and antelopes
Then there's no reason that a man and another man can't elope
But if you feel like I feel, I got the antidote
Women, wave your pantyhose, sing the chorus, and it goes

I'm Slim Shady, yes, I'm the real Shady
All you other Slim Shadys are just imitating
So won't the real Slim Shady please stand up
Please stand up, please stand up?
'Cause I'm Slim Shady, yes, I'm the real Shady
All you other Slim Shadys are just imitating
So won't the real Slim Shady please stand up
Please stand up, please stand up?

Will Smith don't gotta cuss in his raps to sell records
Well, I do, so fuck him and fuck you too
You think I give a damn about a Grammy?
Half of you critics can't even stomach me, let alone stand me
"But Slim, what if you win, wouldn't it be weird?"
Why, so you guys could just lie to get me here?
So you can sit me here next to Britney Spears?
Shit, Christina Aguilera better switch me chairs
So I can sit next to Carson Daly and Fred Durst
And hear 'em argue over who she gave head to first
Little bitch put me on blast on MTV
"Yeah, he's cute, but I think he's married to Kim, hee-hee"
I should download her audio on MP3
And show the whole world how you gave Eminem VD (ah)
I'm sick of you little girl and boy groups
All you do is annoy me, so I have been sent here to destroy you
And there's a million of us just like me
Who cuss like me, who just don't give a fuck like me
Who dress like me, walk, talk and act like me
And just might be the next best thing, but not quite me

'Cause I'm Slim Shady, yes, I'm the real Shady
All you other Slim Shadys are just imitating
So won't the real Slim Shady please stand up
Please stand up, please stand up?
'Cause I'm Slim Shady, yes, I'm the real Shady
All you other Slim Shadys are just imitating
So won't the real Slim Shady please stand up
Please stand up, please stand up?

I'm like a headtrip to listen to, 'cause I'm only giving' you
Things you joke about with your friends inside your living' room
The only difference is I got the balls to say it in front of y'all
And I don't gotta be false or sugarcoat it at all
I just get on the mic and spit it
And whether you like to admit it, I just shit it
Better than ninety percent of you rappers out can
Then you wonder, "how can
Kids eat up these albums like Valiums?"
It's funny, 'cause at the rate I'm going, when I'm thirty
I'll be the only person in the nursing home flirting
Pinching nurses asses when I'm jacking off with Jergens
And I'm jerking, but this whole bag of Viagra isn't working
And every single person is a Slim Shady lurking
He could be working at Burger King, spitting' on your onion rings
Or in the parking lot, circling, screaming, "I don't give a fuck"
With his windows down and his system up
So will the real Shady please stand up
And put one of those fingers on each hand up?
And be proud to be outta your mind and outta control
And one more time, loud as you can, how does it go?

I'm Slim Shady, yes, I'm the real Shady
All you other Slim Shadys are just imitating
So won't the real Slim Shady please stand up
Please stand up, please stand up?
'Cause I'm Slim Shady, yes, I'm the real Shady
All you other Slim Shadys are just imitating
So won't the real Slim Shady please stand up
Please stand up, please stand up?
'Cause I'm Slim Shady, yes, I'm the real Shady
All you other Slim Shadys are just imitating
So won't the real Slim Shady please stand up
Please stand up, please stand up?
'Cause I'm Slim Shady, yes, I'm the real Shady
All you other Slim Shadys are just imitating
So won't the real Slim Shady please stand up
Please stand up, please stand up?

Ha ha, I guess there's a Slim Shady in all of us
Fuck it, let's all stand up

Noah


on Remember Me?

Remember me? S executions
Remember me? I have no remorse
Remember me? I'm high-powered
Remember me? I drop bombs like Hiroshima

For this one, they scream "X, you retarded?!"
'Cause I grab the mic and get down like syndrome
Hide and roam into the masses
Without boundaries, which qualifies me
For the term "universal" without no rehearsal
I leak words that's controversial
Like I'm not the one you wanna contest, see
'Cause I'll hit your ass like the train did that bitch
That got banned from TV, heavyweight getup
Hit you, watch your whole head split up
Loco is the motion, we comin' through
Hollow-tips is the lead the .45 threw

Remember me? Throw your guns in the air
Remember me? Slam, slam
Remember me? Nigga, back the fuck up
Remember me? Chka-chka-Onyx

Niggas that take no for an answer get told no
Yeah, I been told no, but it was more like "No! No! No!"
Life a bitch, met her, fuck you if you let her
Better come better than better to be a competitor
This vet is ahead of the shit, it's all redder, you deader and deader
A medic instead of the cheddars and credda
Settle vendetta with metal Beretta from ghetto to ghetto
Evidence, nope, never leave a shred of
I got the soul of every rapper in me, love me or hate me
My moms got raped by the industry and made me
I'm the illest nigga ever, I told you
I get more pussy than them dyke bitches Total
Want beef, nigga? Pfft, you better dead that shit
My name should be Can't-Believe-That-Nigga-Said-That-Shit
Probably sayin' he ain't a killer, but I'm killin' myself
Smoke death, fuck bitches raw on the kitchen floor
So think what I'ma do to you, have done to you
Got niggas in my hood who'd do that shit for a blunt or two
What you wanna do? Cocksuckers, we Glock busters
'Til the cops cuff us, gon' start ruckus and drop blockbusters
Round the clock hustlers, you cannot touch us
I'm gettin' wires, niggas wantin' me dead
Wantin' my head, you think it could be somethin' I said?

Remember me? I just don't give a fuck
Remember me? Yeah, fuck you too
Remember me? I'm low down and I'm shifty
Remember me? I'm Shady

When I go out, I'ma go out shootin'
I don't mean when I die, I mean when I go out to the club, stupid
I'm tryin' to clean up my fuckin' image
So I promised the fuckin' critics
I wouldn't say "fuckin'" for six minutes
(Six minutes, Slim Shady, you're on)
My baby's mom, bitch made me an angry blonde
So I made me a song, killed her and put Hailie on
I may be wrong, I keep thinkin' these crazy thoughts
In my cranium, but I'm stuck with a crazy mom
(Is she really on as much dope as you say she's on?)
Came home and somebody must've broke in the back window
And stole two loaded machine guns and both of my trench coats
Six sick dreams of picnic scenes
Two kids, sixteen, with M-16s and ten clips each
And them shits reach through six kids each
And Slim gets blamed in Bill Clint's speech to fix these streets?!
Fuck that! Pfft, you faggots can vanish to volcanic ash
And reappear in hell with a can of gas and a match
Aftermath, Dre, grab the gat, show 'em where it's at
(What the fuck you starin' at, nigga?)

Don't you remember me?
Remember me?
Remember me?
Remember me? (Slim Shady!)

28Rivals


on Lose Yourself

@elchihuahua420 Damn bro, stay strong "You only get one shot don't miss your chance to blow." Don't let them bring you down in life and keep pushing

Noah


on Till ICollapse

Not Afraid

hope


on The Real Slim Shady

hi

eminem


on Crazy In Love

great song

serenity noble


on Lose Yourself

awesome

More Comments

More Versions