Dennis Coles (born May 9, 1970), better known by his stage name Ghostface K… Read Full Bio ↴Dennis Coles (born May 9, 1970), better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success with their 1993 debut, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success. Ghostface Killah debuted his solo-career in 1996 with Ironman, which was well received by music critics. He would continue his career, creating additional award-winning albums over the following years such as Supreme Clientele, Fishscale, More Fish, and The Big Doe Rehab.

Ghostface Killah is critically acclaimed for his loud, fast-paced flow, and his stream-of-consciousness narratives containing cryptic slang and non-sequiturs.

Ghostface Killah was raised in the Stapleton housing projects in Staten Island, New York. In his autobiographical song "All That I Got Is You", Ghost tells the story of his childhood. He raps about how he grew up in a three bedroom apartment without his father, who left him at the age of six. Apparently, his mother had nine children.

His stage name was taken from one of the characters in the 1979 kung fu film Mystery of Chessboxing.
He was also a close friend of the three founding members of Wu-tang clan

Criminology
Ghostface Killah Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yo, first of all son, peep the arson
Many brothers I be sparkin' and bustin' mad light inside the dark
Call me dough snatcher, just the brother for the rapture
I hand glide, holdin' on strong, hard to capture
Extravagant, RZA bake the track and it's militant
Then I react, like a convict, and start killin' shit
It's manifested, the Gods work like appliances
Dealin' in my cypher I revolve around sciences

The 9th chamber, leave you trapped inside my hallway
You try to flee but you got smoked up by the doorway (blaow! blaow! blaow!)
No question, I send your ass back, right to the essence
Your whole frame is smothered in dirt, now how you restin'
While I'll be trapped by sounds, locked behind loops
Throwin' niggas off airplanes cause Cash Rules
Everything Around Me black, as you can see
Swallow this murder one verse like God Degree
Then analyze my soundtrack for satisfaction
You adapt like a flashback chain reaction

Lace 'em niggas, son
AK's black bust back like seventy Macs
I'm all that, street niggas knowin my steez black
Ron G, you know he coincide with me see
Marvelous, Menace fo' Society
But anyway, let's toast, champagne thoughts with Ghost
I max the most shotguns through the nose
Fuck rap, hip hop put me on top
'Lo wears, and Tommy Hil fly shit with a knot
The witty unpredictable live shit, drive by shit
Do or die shit, I'll take your lie and shit
And then you know, I'm runnin' through the penal, foul
Four-toothed child was wild
The old lady snitched, but fuck it, you know it, one love kid
No I'm not doin a bid
Too much to get for what cause six niggas got
Stuck, and the nigga chain was truck
Yo fuck that, Criminology rap

Speakers stay jet black floatin' in the flyest Ac'
Nigga, bring it! Yeah

Overall Meaning

The lyrics in Ghostface Killah's Criminology paint the picture of a street-life world, with the artist presenting himself as a tough guy hero. He opens with "peep the arson," implying his readiness to set things on fire. Ghostface boasts about his abilities as a rapper, addressing himself as the "dough snatcher" and "the brother for the rapture." He claims to move gracefully as he raps, making it difficult for anyone to capture him. Then, he moves on to describe the creation of the song itself: RZA creates the beat, and Ghostface responds to it with a menacing energy, bringing to mind a convict who is out to kill.

The second half of the song is a collaboration between Ghostface and MF DOOM. It features more bombastic rhymes and violent imagery, demonstrating their immense lyrical prowess. The two rappers boast of their street credibility and their ability to command respect from other tough guys. The song ends with a challenge, as Ghostface dares others to bring it on, insisting that he is ready to fight.

Line by Line Meaning

Yo, first of all son, peep the arson
Hey, listen up, I need you to notice the fire I'm starting here

Many brothers I be sparkin' and bustin' mad light inside the dark
I'm causing chaos and destruction in the shadows, going unnoticed

Call me dough snatcher, just the brother for the rapture
People call me a thief, but I'm the perfect candidate for the apocalypse

I hand glide, holdin' on strong, hard to capture
I'm so skilled and agile that no one can catch me

Extravagant, RZA bake the track and it's militant
The beat is elaborately produced by RZA and has a militant tone

Then I react, like a convict, and start killin' shit
I respond to the beat like a criminal and start destroying everything

It's manifested, the Gods work like appliances
This is a manifestation of divine power working like machines

Dealin' in my cypher I revolve around sciences
When I'm in my circle, I focus on scientific knowledge

The 9th chamber, leave you trapped inside my hallway
My rhymes can leave you trapped in my powerful presence

You try to flee but you got smoked up by the doorway (blaow! blaow! blaow!)
You attempted to escape, but I caught you and hit you repeatedly

No question, I send your ass back, right to the essence
Without a doubt, I'll send you back to your purest form after I defeat you

Your whole frame is smothered in dirt, now how you restin'
You're now buried and dead, how is your eternal rest?

While I'll be trapped by sounds, locked behind loops
I'll be caught up in the beats and loops of my music

Throwin' niggas off airplanes cause Cash Rules
I'm so rich and powerful that I can throw people off planes and get away with it

Everything Around Me black, as you can see
My surroundings are dark and negative

Swallow this murder one verse like God Degree
Take in my lyrics like it's a holy doctrine of murder

Then analyze my soundtrack for satisfaction
Afterward, analyze the music and be fulfilled by it

You adapt like a flashback chain reaction
You'll be affected by my music, like a powerful memory that triggers a reaction

Lace 'em niggas, son
Take them out, son

AK's black bust back like seventy Macs
I have guns that fire powerfully like 70 Mac-10 submachine guns

I'm all that, street niggas knowin my steez black
I'm the best, and the people in the streets know my style

Ron G, you know he coincide with me see
Ron G agrees with me and relates to me

Marvelous, Menace fo' Society
I'm marvelous and a menace to society

But anyway, let's toast, champagne thoughts with Ghost
Let's celebrate and drink champagne with Ghostface Killah

I max the most shotguns through the nose
I use my shotgun to the fullest by shooting it through my nose

Fuck rap, hip hop put me on top
I don't care about rap, hip hop made me successful

'Lo wears, and Tommy Hil fly shit with a knot
I wear expensive clothing from Polo and Tommy Hilfiger

The witty unpredictable live shit, drive by shit
My live performances are unpredictable and exciting, sometimes involving drive-by shootings

Do or die shit, I'll take your lie and shit
I'll do whatever it takes to survive, even if it means making up a story and lying about it

And then you know, I'm runnin' through the penal, foul
I'm navigating through the prison system and doing whatever it takes to survive

Four-toothed child was wild
I was a wild, reckless youngster with only four teeth

The old lady snitched, but fuck it, you know it, one love kid
An older woman snitched on me, but it's fine because I still love her

No I'm not doin a bid
I'm not going to jail

Too much to get for what cause six niggas got
I have too much at stake to risk going to jail for the sake of six people

Stuck, and the nigga chain was truck
They were caught and one of them lost his chain

Yo fuck that, Criminology rap
Forget about that situation, let's get back to rapping about criminal activity

Speakers stay jet black floatin' in the flyest Ac'
My speakers are the best quality, and they're in my luxurious car

Nigga, bring it! Yeah
Challenge me, I'm ready for it!

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: COREY WOODS, DENNIS COLES, DENNIS D. COLES, LEROY O'NIEL JACKSON, LEROY O-NIEL JR. JACKSON, PATRICK ADAMS, ROBERT F. DIGGS, RUSSELL PATTERSON, RUSSELL L PATTERSON, STUART BASCOMBE

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