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
Holla
Ghostface Killah Lyrics
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Corduroy Baley's, sportin' those Rakim caves
Rakeem came, high self aeteem promised me
A moment in life, just to wreck y'all lames
Throw the Tec to your brain, puttin' the best to shame
This is Theodore, best to tuck those Dana Dane's
See me comin' (blaow!) start runnin' and (blaow! blaow!)
Ay yo (blaow! blaow! blaow!)
Pimp talk with the Mac strapped to our body
Bartender's nervous, afraid to serve us, bad service
Smacked him on purpose and see this drunk come and berp us
Paper chasers, Starky stayed up in the makings
Theodore conquer the four devils wit the patience
Cellphones is blowin', the crews not available
Ask 'Donna, word in the town, we the realest dudes
We don't need no diamonds rings
All we need is a drum, like, fuck it, he can rhyme, I'll sing
And in my Yankee hat, you can drop five beans
And then run back to momma, like, all I know is
Holla holla holla, if you want to, I love you (I love you)
Holla holla holla if you want to, I love you (I love you)
When I walk through any function
You bet your ass that the .45 will cook, fuck your wack looks
Fuck platinum, fuck, let me show y'all crooks
This is legit rap, I.R.S. can suck my books
I'm a family man, Clan mixed with Theodore
My boots hang over the telephone wires on Broad'
Word to MetLife, Tony got insurance on his mics
Smoke mad shit and still got endurance when he fight
Both hands clusty, bank account dusty!
Ever, say, my name, again, you pussy!
Like, an angry, cripple, man, don't push me!
Don't believe the kid, listen to me
Holla holla holla, if you want to, I love you (I love you)
Holla holla holla if you want to, I love you (I love you)
Dirty told me to rock the spot (yeah)
Freak the beats 'cause the streets is raw (go 'head)
Don't believe what you see, just watch (true)
Speak to the seeds, give 'em lead on jobs (come on)
Educate, keep it peace wit Gods (that's right)
In return, happiness in globs (yeah)
We see the future like a psychic's palm
The things I'm saying are true
And the way I explain them to you, yes to you
Listen to me
Holla holla holla, if you want to, I love you (I love you)
Holla holla holla if you want to, I love you (I love you)
In the song "Holla" by Ghostface Killah, he starts off by reflecting on where he is from and the styles of clothing he wore growing up. He talks about Rakim, a legendary rapper, promising him a moment in life to wreck other rappers. He then boasts about being a part of Theodore, putting other rappers to shame and threatening to use his Tec if anyone messes with him. Ghostface Killah talks about his team being confident and the hottest guys in the party with their pimp talk and Macs. He then describes everyone being afraid to serve them but smacking the bartender as a result. Ghostface Killah emphasizes the importance of patience, conquering devils, and not needing diamonds but only a drum machine to create their music. The chorus of the song repeats, "Holla holla holla, if you want to, I love you."
Later in the song, Ghostface Killah talks about walking into any function with a .45 gun, emphasizing that he is a family man and is not interested in superficial things like platinum. He talks about the loyalty of his team and how people should not mess with him. Dirty, another rapper, encourages Ghostface Killah to rock the spot and educate the youth. He stresses the importance of keeping the peace, finding happiness, and seeing the future like a psychic's palm, focusing on the truth of his words.
One of the main themes in the song is bravado, with Ghostface Killah boasting about his skills, his crew, and his willingness to use violence if threatened. However, he also emphasizes the importance of patience, education, and happiness. The repeated line, "Holla holla holla, if you want to, I love you," could be interpreted in different ways, but it seems to express both friendliness and a warning.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm from a place where fish was made
I come from a place where the natural resources provided sustenance to the community
Corduroy Baley's, sportin' those Rakim caves
We wore Corduroy Baley's and were proud to walk in the same shoes as Rakim
Rakeem came, high self aeteem promised me
Rakim inspired us to believe in ourselves and promised us a future filled with potential
A moment in life, just to wreck y'all lames
We're driven to succeed and surpass anyone who looks down on us
Throw the Tec to your brain, puttin' the best to shame
We will surpass our competitors and leave everyone we meet speechless
This is Theodore, best to tuck those Dana Dane's
I come from the Theodore Projects and it's best to watch your back here
See me comin' (blaow!) start runnin' and (blaow! blaow!)
If you see me walking towards you, you better run for your life
Ay yo (blaow! blaow! blaow!)
We're serious and you shouldn't mess with us
Who them fly niggaz when we walk through the party
Everyone knows who we are when we enter a party
Pimp talk with the Mac strapped to our body
We exude confidence and carry weapons to protect ourselves
Bartender's nervous, afraid to serve us, bad service
Bartenders are nervous around us and don't provide us with good service
Smacked him on purpose and see this drunk come and berp us
We don't hesitate to use violence when necessary and sometimes it attracts unwanted attention
Paper chasers, Starky stayed up in the makings
We're focused on making money and Starky is working hard to achieve his goals
Theodore conquer the four devils wit the patience
We have overcome difficult obstacles by being patient and persistent
Cellphones is blowin', the crews not available
Our phones are ringing off the hook but we're not available to answer them
Ask 'Donna, word in the town, we the realest dudes
Donna will confirm that we're the most authentic and true to ourselves
We don't need no diamonds rings
We're not materialistic and don't care about fancy jewelry
All we need is a drum, like, fuck it, he can rhyme, I'll sing
All we need is good music and we'll create our own lyrics and melodies
And in my Yankee hat, you can drop five beans
You can hide small amounts of drugs or money in my Yankee hat
And then run back to momma, like, all I know is
If you get caught, your only option is to run back to your mom for help
Holla holla holla, if you want to, I love you (I love you)
I'm calling out to anyone who needs love and support
When I walk through any function
Wherever I go, I command attention and respect
You bet your ass that the .45 will cook, fuck your wack looks
If you mess with me, I won't hesitate to use my gun and I don't care if you think I'm ugly
Fuck platinum, fuck, let me show y'all crooks
I'm not interested in achieving mainstream success and I'll expose anyone who tries to deceive me
This is legit rap, I.R.S. can suck my books
My music is authentic and the government can't take my money
I'm a family man, Clan mixed with Theodore
I prioritize my family and I come from a mix of Wu Tang Clan and Theodore Projects
My boots hang over the telephone wires on Broad'
My boots are too worn out to wear and I've decided to hang them over the telephone wires
Word to MetLife, Tony got insurance on his mics
We take extra precautions to protect our equipment, just like Tony does with his insurance policy
Smoke mad shit and still got endurance when he fight
We smoke a lot of weed but we're still capable of fighting when necessary
Both hands clusty, bank account dusty!
We may not have a lot of money but we're ready to fight with both of our hands
Ever, say, my name, again, you pussy!
Don't ever disrespect me again or I'll call you a coward
Like, an angry, cripple, man, don't push me!
I'm easily provoked and you don't want to see me angry
Dirty told me to rock the spot (yeah)
My friend Dirty encouraged me to perform well
Freak the beats 'cause the streets is raw (go 'head)
I'll do whatever it takes to make great music even if it's risky
Don't believe what you see, just watch (true)
Don't believe what you read or hear about me, just observe my actions
Speak to the seeds, give 'em lead on jobs (come on)
I want to inspire future generations and offer them guidance on career opportunities
Educate, keep it peace wit Gods (that's right)
I support education and encourage peaceful interactions with other cultures and religions
In return, happiness in globs (yeah)
If we prioritize education and peace, we'll achieve widespread happiness
We see the future like a psychic's palm
We have a clear vision of what the future holds and we're making positive strides towards it
The things I'm saying are true
I'm not lying or exaggerating about anything I've mentioned in this song
And the way I explain them to you, yes to you
I hope you understand my message and it resonates with you
Holla holla holla, if you want to, I love you (I love you)
I'm calling out to anyone who needs love and support
Holla holla holla if you want to, I love you (I love you)
I'm calling out to anyone who needs love and support
Lyrics Β© Spirit Music Group, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Thomas Randolph Bell, Dennis Coles, William Alexander Hart
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind