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
Man Up
Ghostface Killah Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where the DJ's at? (Yeah) that's right
What's the deal y'all? (Theodore, nigga)
Theodore's in the building, Staten Island stand up
(That's right, Gatten Island) Word up
(I'm like Ray Charles, nigga
Pay me my motherfuckin' bread in singles)
That's what I'm try'nna tell ya, it's real
[Chorus 2X: Trife Da God (Solomon Childs)]
(Man up) Somebody gon' get laid down
(Man up) Whether music or four pounds
(Man up) Ain't no need to know me well
We can get the drama popping, homey, I won't tell
[Trife Da God]
This is my year, eating like a baby in a high chair
Fly gear, versace eye wear, we the pioneers
I fuck bitches sipping on dry beer
Only rock Timbs and Air Forces, yo, oc', give me like 5 years
Fresh out the box with it, Chicago Sox fitted
Uh, if the product is banging, first hit the block with it
Set the drug charges and my criminal formula
O-5 black suburban straight from General Motors
Walk through give the niggaz the shoulder
Just fucked this bitch on the sofa
Twisted the chocha, me'll flip on the culture
Had the bird niggaz shittin' in peels, clippin' your tail
Let the four-five kiss ya, as I'm liftin' your bail
Put a hundred wolves on you, have them pick up the trail
While I'm in the honeycomb, weighing bricks on the scale
Sippin' old M.A., me and my protege's, cause even on the coldest day
Your boy stil shine, giving off solar rays
[Chorus 2X]
[Ghostface Killah]
What you know about stepping out heavy, Just' jewels, no crew hurry
My inside pants leg, I'm packing like two machetes
One ratchet, two gloves and a mask
Jumping out of green rover, niggaz ballin' me down
That's when I reached over, figured they ain't go no matters
Young boys round here, they don't know my status
And niggaz looking for a full time jack move
But they don't know, that these blades here, crack dudes
Give it to 'em quick, something like fast food
Take a nigga gun, like 'you gonna blast who?'
Cinderella girl frontin' in them glass shoes
Homo thug bitch ass nigga, I'll smash you
You mad, cause you rockin' the shit bag
Smellin' like piss, when it popped your click ran
You fucking with powerful niggaz, devour your business
It ain't gravy, you pussy niggaz, you the Avon lady, fuck you
[Chorus 2X]
[Sun God]
Niggaz better stay in they place
Cuz when I stash the plastic mask on, leave a hole in your face
Who this young dude holding the weight
Got every drug from dope to bud, even small package your face
Niggaz bam, look God in the face, can't look in my eyes
I tell you why, cause this thing on my waist
Bread and butter, got it all for sale, and I'm duckin' the cops
On every block, I ain't going to jail
I ain't the type that'll rot in the cell
Never talk or fist fight, with drama, I'll be popping these shells
Hit your chest and your flesh get, hotter than hell
Them hollow tips make it hard to inhale, you not worthy
Vest and a white tees, and throwback jerseys
Julius Irvings, black suburban
Twisted off one-five-one, my whips swerving
Try'nna see that chips, full clips, no splurging
[Chorus 2X]
[Outro: Ghostface Killah]
That's right, yeah, another Theodore production
Yeah, Anthony Acid on the beats, y'all
Ones and twos y'all, yeah, that's right
Big Ghost in the building, Staten Island in the mother-f'ing building
Nigga, yeah, man up, bitch...
The song "Man Up" by Ghostface Killah feat. Trife Da God & Sun God is a rap song that talks about the struggles and aspirations of a drug dealer. The song emphasizes the need to be resilient and courageous in life, whether it's facing a violent conflict or dealing with personal struggles. The chorus is a call to action to "man up" and face whatever challenge life throws at you head-on, without fear. The verses talk about the lifestyle of a drug dealer, from the fly gear to the luxury cars, and the risks associated with that lifestyle, from drug charges to gun violence.
The lyrics of "Man Up" are quite explicit, talking about drugs, violence, and sex, but they also capture the gritty reality of life in a poor neighborhood. Ghostface Killah's powerful flow and tone capture the intensity and gravity of these themes, making the message of the song quite impactful.
Line by Line Meaning
Where the DJs at? (Yeah) that's right
Ghostface is trying to locate the DJs so that he can start the music
What's the deal y'all? (Theodore, nigga)
Ghostface greets everyone in the building and shouts out their label name 'Theodore'
Theodore's in the building, Staten Island stand up
Ghostface acknowledges his label's presence and his hometown, Staten Island
(That's right, Gatten Island) Word up
Ghostface emphasizes Staten Island and acknowledges it by its colloquial name 'Gatten Island'
(I'm like Ray Charles, nigga
Pay me my motherfuckin' bread in singles)
Ghostface compares himself to Ray Charles, a legendary musician, and demands to be paid in singles like a stripper
That's what I'm try'nna tell ya, it's real
(Heard me) Big Tone Starks in the building, now, come on
Ghostface is emphasizing his seriousness and highlighting the presence of Big Tone Starks in the building
(Man up) Somebody gon' get laid down
(Man up) Whether music or four pounds
(Man up) Ain't no need to know me well
We can get the drama popping, homey, I won't tell
Trife Da God is urging everyone to be brave and ready for any confrontation that may arise, even if it involves violence
This is my year, eating like a baby in a high chair
Fly gear, Versace eye wear, we the pioneers
Trife Da God is expressing his confidence and comfort in his current year, along with his fashionable clothing choices
I f**k bitches sipping on dry beer
Only rock Timbs and Air Forces, yo, oc', give me like 5 years
Trife enjoys the company of women while drinking non-alcoholic beer and prefers a particular type of shoes for the next five years
Fresh out the box with it, Chicago Sox fitted
Uh, if the product is banging, first hit the block with it
Trife Da God is emphasizing the importance of fresh products and how he tests them on the streets before widely releasing them
Set the drug charges and my criminal formula
O-5 black suburban straight from General Motors
Trife's drug operation is expertly crafted, including the right amount of risk-taking, and he owns a black suburban made by General Motors
Walk through give the niggaz the shoulder
Just f**ked this bitch on the sofa
Trife Da God had sex with someone on the sofa and does not want to interact with anyone who crosses his path
Twisted the chocha, me'll flip on the culture
Had the bird niggaz shittin' in peels, clippin' your tail
Trife Da God brags about his sexual prowess and how he manipulates others, causing them to panic and run away
Let the four-five kiss ya, as I'm liftin' your bail
Put a hundred wolves on you, have them pick up the trail
Trife Da God is threatening to use his gun and his network to take revenge on those who cross him
While I'm in the honeycomb, weighing bricks on the scale
Sippin' old M.A., me and my protege's, cause even on the coldest day
Your boy stil shine, giving off solar rays
Trife Da God is content with his job of weighing bricks of drugs and spending time with his proteges while staying optimistic about his future
What you know about stepping out heavy, Just' jewels, no crew hurry
My inside pants leg, I'm packing like two machetes
Ghostface Killah is describing his appearance, wearing lots of jewelry and carrying hidden weapons
One ratchet, two gloves and a mask
Jumping out of green rover, niggaz ballin' me down
Ghostface Killah is describing his method of ambushing others by concealing his identity and using a stolen car
That's when I reached over, figured they ain't go no matters
Young boys round here, they don't know my status
Ghostface Killah takes advantage of others' ignorance, knowing that they do not know his reputation
And niggaz looking for a full time jack move
But they don't know, that these blades here, crack dudes
Ghostface Killah warns others who try to take advantage of him and reveals that he is willing to fight using knives
Give it to 'em quick, something like fast food
Take a nigga gun, like 'you gonna blast who?'
Ghostface Killah is boasting about his speed and how he disarms his opponents before they can do any harm
Cinderella girl frontin' in them glass shoes
Homo thug bitch ass nigga, I'll smash you
Ghostface Killah is calling out those who pretend to be someone they are not or try to act tough, threatening to hurt them
You mad, cause you rockin' the shit bag
Smellin' like piss, when it popped your click ran
Ghostface Killah is mocking someone who smells bad and behaves in a cowardly manner when confronted
You f**king with powerful niggaz, devour your business
It ain't gravy, you pussy niggaz, you the Avon lady, f**k you
Ghostface Killah warns others not to mess with him and his associates as they will defeat them and mocks them by calling them a cosmetic salesperson
Niggaz better stay in they place
Cuz when I stash the plastic mask on, leave a hole in your face
Sun God is threatening those who dare to challenge him and warns them of what will happen if they do
Who this young dude holding the weight
Got every drug from dope to bud, even small package your face
Sun God is introducing himself as the individual with a lot of drugs and can even provide small quantities on request
Niggaz bam, look God in the face, can't look in my eyes
I tell you why, cause this thing on my waist
Sun God is so intimidating that people do not dare to look directly at him and he reveals that he carries a weapon on his person
Bread and butter, got it all for sale, and I'm duckin' the cops
On every block, I ain't going to jail
Sun God is confident about his drug business and is constantly on the lookout for police intervention
I ain't the type that'll rot in the cell
Never talk or fist fight, with drama, I'll be popping these shells
Sun God is stating that he is not the one who will remain in jail and will rather resort to violence if he needs to protect himself
Hit your chest and your flesh get, hotter than hell
Them hollow tips make it hard to inhale, you not worthy
Sun God brags about how his gunshots make the flesh of his targets extremely hot and that his bullets make it hard to breathe
Vest and a white tees, and throwback jerseys
Julius Irvings, black suburban
Sun God is describing his clothing styles and the car he drives
Twisted off one-five-one, my whips swerving
Try'nna see that chips, full clips, no splurging
Sun God is drunk while driving and is focused on making more money and is willing to use his weapons to achieve it
(That's right, yeah, another Theodore production)
Yeah, Anthony Acid on the beats, y'all
Ghostface Killah acknowledges that this song was produced by his label Theodore and credits Anthony Acid for the music production
Ones and twos y'all, yeah, that's right
Big Ghost in the building, Staten Island in the mother-f'ing building
Nigga, yeah, man up, bitch...
Ghostface Killah greets the DJ and reminds everyone that Staten Island is present and urges them to be more confident and brave
Contributed by Max A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.