Heltah Skeltah first appeared on Smif-N-Wessun's album Dah Shinin' in 1995, appearing on the tracks "Wontime (LP Version)", "Cession at da Doghillee (LP Version)" and "Let's Git It On". Later in 1995, they grouped up with fellow Boot Camp members O.G.C. to form The Fab 5 (another nod to The Beatles), and released a surprise hit single, "Leflaur Leflah Eshkoshka". Out of The Fab 5 members, Rock and Ruck received the most amount of attention, due to their notable charisma and chemistry. The duo released their anticipated debut Nocturnal in June 1996, which included "Leflah", as well as the singles "Operation Lock Down" and "Therapy". The album sold over 250,000 copies in the United States, and has become a classic in the underground hip hop scene because of its grimy, basement sound and strong lyrics.
The duo released a group album with the Boot Camp Clik in 1997, then followed in 1998 with their second effort Magnum Force. The album's lead single, "I Ain't Havin' That" (sampled from the A Tribe Called Quest track "Hot Sex"), became a Hot 100 hit. Despite the single's success, most critics slammed the album due to its lighter content. Ruck and Rock seemed disillusioned with their lack of sales, and split in 2000. Rock began having problems with Duck Down Records, and split with the label, signing to DJ Lethal's Lethal Records. He planned to release an album titled Planet Rock, but the label folded and the album disappeared. Sean Price stuck with the Boot Camp for their second group effort The Chosen Few in 2002.
Heltah Skeltah reunited in 2005, making appearances on Sean Price's solo album Monkey Barz and Smif-N-Wessun's Reloaded album. The duo continued work with the Boot Camp for their third group effort The Last Stand, released in July 2006. According to both members, they are also currently working on another Heltah Skeltah album, tentatively titled D.I.R.T., an acronym for Da Incredible Rap Team. Rock is also planning to release his solo debut, tentatively titled Monstah Music, sometime in 2007. In 2007, Heltah Skeltah will appear on Chinga Chang Records March 5th Release The "Official Joints" compilation, a collection of previously unreleased songs by NYC rappers.
Intro
Heltah Skeltah Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[Intro: Sean Price (Rock)]
Damn... you miss me? I miss you, too
I know it's been a while...
But I got plans for you...
But first thing I plan on doing...
Is fucking smacking your head off
R&B singer? Huh?
It's fucking gorilla rap right here, nigga
Heltah Skeltah, you punk bitch
(There these niggas go with that rugga retarded shit again
B-C-C, excuse me while I get my N.W.A. on for a song
Yeah! Magnum Force in this muthafucka!
Black Mafia for life
Down with some real niggaz for life! Ha hah
Aiyo, yo, Jamon, tell them niggas what we here for...
Well all rite ya'll, N.Y.C., Brownsville
East, New Rulers, all across the muthafucking U.S.A.
They know I walk through the valley of the real, nigga
I should fear no man and no muthafucking clan
Cause I done been through the mountain top
And I done see through the eyes of a real nigga
Hit me one time Alkatraz
Aiyo they make some of the coolest shit I done never heard!
Yeah BummyFlyJab, I must give it up
To the Boot Camp muthafucking gorillas
Some of the realest, the realest niggas you gone ever see
You understand? We fear no mob
Because you scared, man, you scared, man, you scared!
You don't understand, you making two words, you make 'em say
You scared, man, buck buck buck, keep Babylon on the run, shit
Bringing forth Heltah Skeltah!)
[Rock:]
You ask for it, who want beef? Well you got it!
It's poppin', we locking and loading, and, you drop it
Pop lock and drop it, them niggaz from the Grimeyville
Ain't nobody fighting fair, throw ya fucking mom down a flight of stairs
So let the D.I.R.T. doing begin
It's truly "DA BEGINNING OF DA END" for you and your mens
It's hot, we cooking "APE FOOD" up in "HELLZ KITCHEN"
Son ain't feeling your heat neither, can't you tell, we "TWINZ"
This ain't crunk, not hypthy, not snap
Not screw, not pop, not quite boom bap
It's rugga, "SMACK MUZIK", bang ya head music
Niggas with "WMD's" bang ya lead to it
Peep "THE ART OF DISRESPEKINAZATION", niggas be "SO DAMN TUFF"
But then they be snitching, "THAT'S INCREDIBLE" ain't it?
It's "INSANE", I see how niggas "RUCK N ROLL"
Don't flip hoes, that's bad luck, I split ya fucking dome
Everybody do a little bit of "D.I.R.T."
Dude just a hater, snatch you up ya little sister shirt
Give yo bitch ass lashes til ya back for my belt
Til it welt pump, "EVERYTHING IS HELTAH SKELTAH"
The opening lines of Heltah Skeltah's song Intro set a confrontational tone, with rapper Sean Price threatening violence against an unnamed woman who he refers to as a "stupid bitch." He makes it clear that this is not R&B music, but "gorilla rap." The song goes on to introduce the group's members and their affiliations, including Magnum Force and Black Mafia. Rock takes the lead on the verses, boasting about their toughness and warning their enemies that they are coming for them. The refrain "Everything is Heltah Skeltah" emphasizes the group's unity and reinforces their reputation as a force to be reckoned with in the rap game.
The lyrics of Intro reflect the tough, aggressive style of rap that was popular in the 1990s, particularly in New York City where Heltah Skeltah was based. The group was part of a larger collective known as Boot Camp Clik, which included other popular rappers such as Smif-n-Wessun and OGC. The song was featured on the group's debut album, Nocturnal, released in 1996. The album was critically acclaimed and helped establish Heltah Skeltah as one of the leading rap acts of the time.
Line by Line Meaning
Damn... you miss me? I miss you, too
It's been a long time since we've heard from each other, I hope you've been well.
I know it's been a while...
It's been a while since we've communicated.
But I got plans for you...
I have something to say to you, something I need to do.
But first thing I plan on doing...
Before I say or do anything else, there's something else I need to take care of.
Is fucking smacking your head off
I'm going to physically assault you in a very violent way.
You stupid bitch, fuck I look like R&B singer? Huh?
I'm not some soft, romantic singer - I'm a hard-core rapper who will physically harm you.
It's fucking gorilla rap right here, nigga
This is not gentle, easy listening - this is rough and tough hip hop.
Heltah Skeltah, you punk bitch
The band name is Heltah Skeltah, and anyone who doesn't like it is a coward.
(There these niggas go with that rugga retarded shit again
People often make fun of the rough, raw sound of our music.
B-C-C, excuse me while I get my N.W.A. on for a song
B-C-C is the name of our group, and we're going to get even more aggressive with this song than N.W.A.
Yeah! Magnum Force in this muthafucka!
This song is from our album Magnum Force, and we're not holding back on this one.
Black Mafia for life
We are fully committed to our gang, the Black Mafia, and will always represent it.
Down with some real niggaz for life! Ha hah
We only associate with real, true gang members and will always have their backs.
Aiyo, yo, Jamon, tell them niggas what we here for...
Jamon is going to explain to everyone the meaning behind our music and what we stand for.
Well all rite ya'll, N.Y.C., Brownsville
We represent New York City, specifically the neighborhood of Brownsville where we grew up.
East, New Rulers, all across the muthafucking U.S.A.
Our influence extends across the United States and we're proud to represent where we come from.
They know I walk through the valley of the real, nigga
I have been through difficult, dangerous situations and can handle anything.
I should fear no man and no muthafucking clan
I'm not intimidated by anyone, no matter what gang or group they're a part of.
Cause I done been through the mountain top
I've experienced the highest highs in life and faced many struggles along the way.
And I done see through the eyes of a real nigga
I have a unique perspective on life because of everything I've been through.
Hit me one time Alkatraz
Alkatraz, start the music.
Aiyo they make some of the coolest shit I done never heard!
We make music that is unlike anything else I've ever heard - it's really cool and unique.
Yeah BummyFlyJab, I must give it up
Shout out to BummyFlyJab for making great music.
To the Boot Camp muthafucking gorillas
We're part of the Boot Camp group of rappers and we're tough, fearless like gorillas.
Some of the realest, the realest niggas you gone ever see
We are truly authentic, with no pretensions, and that's why we resonate with our fans.
You understand? We fear no mob
We're not afraid of any other gang or group.
Because you scared, man, you scared, man, you scared!
Other people are scared of us because they know we mean business.
You don't understand, you making two words, you make 'em say
Some people may not understand our music, but we want them to feel the energy of it anyway.
You scared, man, buck buck buck, keep Babylon on the run, shit
If people are scared of our music, that's okay - we want them to feel the energy and keep moving forward in life.
Bringing forth Heltah Skeltah!
We're excited to introduce ourselves, Heltah Skeltah, and our intense style of hip hop to the world.
You ask for it, who want beef? Well you got it!
If someone wants to start a fight or cause trouble, we're ready for them - bring it on.
It's poppin', we locking and loading, and, you drop it
We're armed and ready to go - if anyone tries to mess with us, they're going to get hurt.
Pop lock and drop it, them niggaz from the Grimeyville
Our style of music is aggressive and intense - we're from the rough neighborhood of Grimeyville.
Ain't nobody fighting fair, throw ya fucking mom down a flight of stairs
We're not interested in playing by the rules - our violence knows no bounds.
So let the D.I.R.T. doing begin
Let's start getting dirty, let's start fighting and causing chaos.
It's truly "DA BEGINNING OF DA END" for you and your mens
This is the beginning of the end of whoever tries to challenge us.
It's hot, we cooking "APE FOOD" up in "HELLZ KITCHEN"
Our music is like cooking up violent, intense energy in the chaos of Hell's Kitchen.
Son ain't feeling your heat neither, can't you tell, we "TWINZ"
None of us are intimidated by anyone else's style of music - we're all equally intense and aggressive.
This ain't crunk, not hypthy, not snap
Our music doesn't fit into any of the popular genres right now.
Not screw, not pop, not quite boom bap
Our music also isn't quite like any of the traditional hip hop styles.
It's rugga, "SMACK MUZIK", bang ya head music
Our music is raw, gritty, and physical - it makes you want to move and fight.
Niggas with "WMD's" bang ya lead to it
We're like soldiers, wielding weapons of mass destruction, ready to take on anyone who challenges us.
Peep "THE ART OF DISRESPEKINAZATION", niggas be "SO DAMN TUFF"
We take disrespect very seriously, and our tough demeanor and fearless attitudes back that up.
But then they be snitching, "THAT'S INCREDIBLE" ain't it?
People who talk big and tough often end up snitching and betraying the people they once fought alongside - it's ironic and disappointing.
It's "INSANE", I see how niggas "RUCK N ROLL"
The world can be crazy and violent, and we're not afraid to fight and roll with the punches.
Don't flip hoes, that's bad luck, I split ya fucking dome
Don't mess with women or things will go badly for you - I will physically hurt you if you do.
Everybody do a little bit of "D.I.R.T."
Everyone needs to get down and dirty sometimes - we're all capable of being fierce and aggressive.
Dude just a hater, snatch you up ya little sister shirt
There are always going to be people who try to bring us down, but we won't let them - we'll even retaliate against their family members.
Give yo bitch ass lashes til ya back for my belt
We will punish anyone who crosses us, even if it means lashing them with a belt.
Til it welt pump, "EVERYTHING IS HELTAH SKELTAH"
Even when it hurts, even when things get tough, we are always true to ourselves and our rough, raw sound.
Contributed by Liliana B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Sean Faunce
on gettin ass gettin ass
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Sean Faunce
on gettin ass gettin ass
aight aight girl I aint doin nothin ether, maybe we could do somethin ya meen,
come through i got the trees ya know, i got the fat bootleg joint ye know what im sayin, new jackie chan joint
I got it on video tape yee know what im sayin? come through
ya never know what could happen ya know what im sayin it might get a little physical ya know
i think im ready to make that move ya know what im sayin like whyyy cant wee go alll the wayy