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
Double Cross
Ghostface Killah Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I changed shit on the block and got rid of the fools
Things'll be different, no need to feel pressured
No more drug houses, little kids could be treasured
The streets ain't filled with crackheads and D's
I go walk around my hood, nigga know my steez
Philly, about to rebuild the nation
Through the knowledge of self, through education
Freeze, motherfucker, Hands, hands, let me see your hands
Get out of the car, Get out of the fucking car
Get out, I need some fucking dirt, Get on the fucking ground
I seen the police pull up, and rides hopped out
Put your hand behind your back, you're guilty without a doubt
What you mean, son? We built on this
Illegal chokeholds, slap cuffs on my wrist
I don't know what you talking about, boy, I'm the authority
I'm just here to question up minority
A thug drug pusher, violent man of deception
And you just happen to fit the description
Nigga, you just another pawn in my chess game
I taught you everything you know, I run this motherfucking city
Think you gon' fuck everything up? You got the right to remain silent
Anything you say will be used against you in the court of law
(Faggot ass police nigga, man) Nigga, you're going away for a long time
Okay, I got it, niggas just set me up
Do their dirty work and thrown behind bars
You want wars? You got it - Tony ain't the one
I told you before, I make murdering fun
Gotta swindle the kid, have me masking your enemies
It's all good in my chest, I got ten of these hearts
And I vow for revenge
Tony don't stand for crumbs and fake friends
It's funny, only if niggas really knew
Got the keys to the city, I could kill a whole crew
Put the squeeze on the willy, get silly, go fool
Chop a nigga up, blame his body on his dude
What it do? It's bigger than the boys in blue
Beyond definition what this falls into
M's in my optic, no ends to my profit
Judges, prosecutors, politicians in my pocket
Hostage, high life, living on the edge
Toxic in hindsight, see me when I'm dead
Pledge, sworn in to serve and protect
What a web, catch a neck, then I'm onto to the next
Shit be booing, played out scripts, need a new one
I dare a nigga doubt what I'm doing
Moving, cash rules everything around me
Crown me, I'm trying to squeeze blood out the county
In Ghostface Killah’s “Double Cross,” he describes the aftermath of cleaning up his neighborhood and getting rid of the drug dealers and criminals. He claims things will be different, and little kids can now be treasured without fear of the streets. However, his feeling of safety is short-lived when he is forcibly searched and questioned by police, who automatically assume his guilt. He understands that he is nothing but a pawn in the system and that powerful people control everything, from judges to politicians, who he claims are all in his pocket. Ghostface Killah’s lyrics speak to a larger societal issue, where racial disparities and systemic racism exist, and people of color are often unjustly targeted and persecuted by law enforcement.
Throughout the song, Ghostface Killah is angry at the system’s injustices, which he believes have caused him and many others to suffer. He mentions his desire for revenge, considering himself one of the city’s crucial players. Ghostface Killah believes that the system is corrupt to its core and that he must play by its rules to survive. He points out exploitation, saying that he’s trying to squeeze blood out of the county. The chorus emphasizes the idea of a double-cross, meaning the system has betrayed him, and he must act in response, reinforcing the notion of retaliation.
Overall, the song is a commentary on the power struggles that exist within society’s most vulnerable populations. Ghostface Killah’s message emphasizes the need for change, urging people to educate themselves, rebuild their communities, and fight against systemic injustice.
Line by Line Meaning
Cleaned up, now I gotta find Bamboo
After taking control of the block and removing the undesirable elements, Ghostface is searching for a new source of income.
I changed shit on the block and got rid of the fools
Ghostface successfully cleaned up the block and removed the unwanted individuals.
Things'll be different, no need to feel pressured
The atmosphere around the block has changed for the better and there's no more pressure from negative influences.
No more drug houses, little kids could be treasured
There are no more drug houses on the block, and the neighborhood is now safer for children.
The streets ain't filled with crackheads and D's
The streets aren't filled with drug addicts and dealers anymore.
I go walk around my hood, nigga know my steez
Ghostface can walk around his neighborhood without fear and people recognize him as a leader.
Philly, about to rebuild the nation
Philly is about to rebuild itself through the power of self-education.
Through the knowledge of self, through education
Education and self-knowledge are the keys to rebuilding the nation.
Freeze, motherfucker, Hands, hands, let me see your hands
Ghostface is being confronted by the police and is instructed to keep his hands up.
Get out of the car, Get out of the fucking car
The police are commanding Ghostface to get out of the car.
Get out, I need some fucking dirt, Get on the fucking ground
The police are demanding Ghostface to get on the ground and they are looking for evidence of his criminal activities.
I seen the police pull up, and rides hopped out
Ghostface saw the police arrive and watched as they quickly got out of their car.
Put your hand behind your back, you're guilty without a doubt
The police are treating Ghostface like he's already guilty and have no doubt about it.
What you mean, son? We built on this
Ghostface is questioning the police officers about their knowledge of the block and how they built it together.
Illegal chokeholds, slap cuffs on my wrist
Ghostface is being physically restrained with illegal chokeholds and handcuffs.
I don't know what you talking about, boy, I'm the authority
The police are claiming to hold the authority and Ghostface is denying any wrongdoing.
I'm just here to question up minority
The police are racially profiling Ghostface and questioning him because of his minority status.
A thug drug pusher, violent man of deception
The police are stereotyping Ghostface as a violent drug dealer and deceiver.
And you just happen to fit the description
The police are assuming that Ghostface matches the profile of a criminal they're searching for.
Nigga, you just another pawn in my chess game
The police are treating Ghostface as a disposable pawn in their criminal justice game.
I taught you everything you know, I run this motherfucking city
The police officer is claiming that he taught Ghostface everything he knows, and asserts his power over the city.
Think you gon' fuck everything up? You got the right to remain silent
The police are threatening Ghostface that if he tries to upset their power, he should remain silent.
Anything you say will be used against you in the court of law
The police are reminding Ghostface of his right to remain silent, because anything he says will be used against him in court.
(Faggot ass police nigga, man) Nigga, you're going away for a long time
Ghostface is insulting the police officer, and the officer is threatening Ghostface with a lengthy prison sentence.
Okay, I got it, niggas just set me up
Ghostface realizes that he's been framed by someone he knows.
Do their dirty work and thrown behind bars
Someone did something illegal and pinned it on Ghostface in order to get away with it.
You want wars? You got it - Tony ain't the one
Ghostface is warning his enemies that they've started a war they won't win because he's not easily defeated.
I told you before, I make murdering fun
Ghostface enjoys murdering his enemies and it gives him a sense of pleasure.
Gotta swindle the kid, have me masking your enemies
Ghostface will use deceit and cunning to take down his enemies and make them pay.
It's all good in my chest, I got ten of these hearts
Ghostface has a lot of love in his heart for his block and his people.
And I vow for revenge
Ghostface swears to get revenge for being framed and imprisoned.
Tony don't stand for crumbs and fake friends
Ghostface doesn't tolerate being treated poorly or being surrounded by fake people.
It's funny, only if niggas really knew
There's a lot going on behind the scenes that no one else knows about.
Got the keys to the city, I could kill a whole crew
Ghostface has gained the power and control to wreak havoc on the entire city if he wanted to.
Put the squeeze on the willy, get silly, go fool
Ghostface is going to use force and pressure to get what he wants and cause chaos.
Chop a nigga up, blame his body on his dude
Ghostface will commit murder and make it look like someone else did it.
What it do? It's bigger than the boys in blue
Ghostface's situation is much bigger than just his confrontation with the police.
Beyond definition what this falls into
Ghostface's situation is so complicated and intricate that it defies categorization.
M's in my optic, no ends to my profit
Ghostface sees money all around him and there's no limit to the amount he could make.
Judges, prosecutors, politicians in my pocket
Ghostface has corrupt officials in his pocket that he can use to his advantage.
Hostage, high life, living on the edge
Ghostface lives a dangerous and edgy lifestyle where he takes hostages and lives a high life.
Toxic in hindsight, see me when I'm dead
Ghostface knows that his life is toxic and will be remembered negatively when he's gone.
Pledge, sworn in to serve and protect
The police are supposed to serve and protect the community, but they often don't.
What a web, catch a neck, then I'm onto to the next
The web of corruption is all-encompassing and Ghostface is always moving on to the next problem.
Shit be booing, played out scripts, need a new one
The current situation is boring and outdated, and Ghostface is eager for something new.
I dare a nigga doubt what I'm doing
Ghostface dares anyone to question him or oppose him in his actions.
Moving, cash rules everything around me
Money is the most important thing to Ghostface and he will do whatever it takes to get it.
Crown me, I'm trying to squeeze blood out the county
Ghostface wants to take all of the money and resources from the county, no matter the cost.
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ANTHONY S. CRUZ, DENNIS D COLES, GINTAS JANUSONIS, JOSH D WERNER, WESLEY MINGUS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dcanhiphop
AZ always kills it. So underrated.
@timshiphop
I wish AZ would just keep rapping I love his style
@mangopine3460
its coming out some time this year bro
@LeoDopeland
AZ always sounds young. the never changing voice of truth!!
@Itsmedunny
That change of the beat at 30 seconds makes this song amazing.
@healthiskey9101
+tha bud Im tryna find the instrumental just so i can loop that part over and over. I love that changeup
@daboss000
Az killed this track always gives a dope verses
@TheLct1218
I'm just gonna say it now: Ghost just snatched the Crown and the Belt. The best mainstream Emcee right now hands down.
@killahkazi
this song is so well produced
@Darkiie
Two of the top 10 lyricists in the Hip Hop Game in my opinion right here...