Ice-T started in 1982 out with other West Coast rap pioneers such as Kid Frost, DJ Flash, and The Egyptian Lover with Electro recordings. Later on, he changed his style and was the first West Coast rapper to be accepted by the East Coast. 6 'n The Mornin is sometimes seen as the track that triggered the whole gangster rap movement. It was produced by The Unknown DJ, who produced electro funk tracks before and went on to produce Compton's Most Wanted. The song was inspired by Schoolly D's "P.S.K. What Does It Mean?" and became itself the inspiration for Eazy-E and N.W.A's Boyz-N-The-Hood. Ice-T went on to work with Afrika Islam, the man behind the beats on 1987's Rhyme Pays, 1988's Power and 1989's The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech... Just Watch What You Say.
He also is a star in Law in Order: Special Victims Unit.
In 1992 he created the crossover band Body Count with 4 other black musicians.
Lethal Weapon
Ice-T Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Layin down the dope groove, smokin those who disapprove
Wreckin the deck, you'll regret if you cross punk
Rollin like a Mack truck, waxin those who talk junk
Violent your end, I got your face in my crosshairs
Wanna see your dome bust sucker cause I don't care
Nuttin bout you, your crew, because you talk shit
I'm the Lethal Weapon boy, ridin the apocalypse
Violence is my business fool, the microphone of doom
Mission that's to cure all punks as I bust caps
Peelin your back, my ammunition hollow-point raps
You try to run, that makes it even more fun
I just cold lamp and vamp you with the shotgun
Cops try to flex.. but guns they'll never find..
My Lethal Weapon's my mind!
A lethal weapon..
A lethal weapon..
A lethal weapon..
An assassinator, if the people ain't steppin
A lethal weapon..
A lethal weapon..
A lethal weapon..
An assassinator
You hit the deck, as rap busts from my lips
You think I'm finished - I load another clip
Look in my face, I crack an evil grin
Lyrics bring death from the microphone Mac-10
Sucker MC's, you ain't down with the Syndicate
Try to kick game, but end up talkin weak shit, yo
You're weak, you're wack, you need to quit you lil punk bitch
Go and freak your mother, go dig a damn ditch
Get out my face, I'm tired of the press too
You write about me, I write about you
You think I'm violent, but listen and you will find..
My Lethal Weapon's my mind!
A lethal weapon..
A lethal weapon..
A lethal weapon..
An assassinator, if the people ain't steppin
A lethal weapon..
A lethal weapon..
A lethal weapon..
An assassinator
Up against the wall - it's Valentine's Day
The Massacre's about due for a replay
I'm about to explode - like a hand grenade
Evil E do damage on the crossfade
Cuts like a battleaxe
You try to bite, get iced, my raps are boobytraps
Claim of mine, designed by the Ice himself
You beg for mercy as you read the hand you're dealt
Ah ahh ahh AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
Cause there's no let up, you walked into a set up
It's suckin you down and now you can't get up
Why because you froze the moment we met up
And I never run punk, I go head up
I ain't no fool and new jack poppin fake rap
I rap from the heart and soul, where only facts are kept
Many rappers sell-out pop and other MC's slept
I ain't in no playin mood, so nigga watch your step
Cause if you cross the boss, you go to bed quick
Know my situation boy, don't diss the Syndicate
cause when we chose to move, you're gone
and no remains they'll find..
My Lethal Weapon's my mind!
A lethal weapon..
A lethal weapon..
A lethal weapon..
An assassinator, if the people ain't steppin
A lethal weapon..
A lethal weapon..
A lethal weapon..
An assassinator
More bodies than John Gotti, the Lethal Weapon is slaying
Just open any book, that's ammo to the brain
What really matters, is how well is your weapon trained
Some would say genius, while others would say insane
The Weapon power has been witnessed upon my page
From Martin Luther's "dream", to Hitler's psycho rage
What's more powerful - the brain or a twelve gauge?
The words I speak have scared many people to this stage
But promote violence, I really have to disagree
It's entertainment, like "Terminator" on TV
But some'll never see, you're stupid ignorant and blind
The Lethal Weapon's the mind!
A lethal weapon..
A lethal weapon..
A lethal weapon..
An assassinator, if the people ain't steppin
A lethal weapon..
A lethal weapon..
A lethal weapon..
An assassinator
The mind..
Think!
The mind..
YouknowhatI'msayin?
I got my jammy with me at all times, youknowhatI'msayin?
They can't take this one thing away from me
that's got more power, than any gun in the world, youknowhatI'msayin?
I'm talkin bout brain power homeboy
They can't mess with me cause I'm too smart for them out there
youknowhatI'msayin? Fully strapped, always packed
Go to the library and get some more ammo, youknowhatI'msayin?
In Ice-T's "Lethal Weapon," he raps over a groovy beat about his proficiency with guns and his powerful rhymes. He and his partner Evil E intend to take out anyone who doesn't appreciate their music, bragging about their ability to wreck decks and leave haters in their crosshairs. Ice-T's a self-proclaimed Lethal Weapon, an assassin, who coasts through life without a care, using his microphone to peel back the skin of anyone who crosses his path. He slyly delivers effortless rhymes, taking down punk's one after the other, his every word more potent than any weapon at his disposal. He reserves the right to pop a cap in his enemies, stuffing hollow-point ammunition into his rhymes and bringing about the apocalypse wherever he goes.
Ice-T's lyrics primarily focus on the potency of his words. He implies that while others may resort to using weapons, his mind is all he requires to take anyone down. He posits a debate on which is more powerful: brain power or a twelve-gauge. Ice-T reminds the audience that his lyrics are not promoting violence but are just entertainment, similar to Terminator. He's not one to mess with, and nobody can take away his brainpower. The song rests on a varied soundscape, with sinister backing vocals adding to the overall darkness that envelopes the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
E-V-I-L E and Ice-T are on a jack move
Evil E and Ice-T are up to no good
Layin down the dope groove, smokin those who disapprove
Creating great music and taking out anyone who doesn't like it
Wreckin the deck, you'll regret if you cross punk
Destroying the competition and punishing anyone who challenges them
Rollin like a Mack truck, waxin those who talk junk
Moving forward boldly and defeating anyone who talks negatively about them
Violent your end, I got your face in my crosshairs
You're going to meet a brutal end and I'm aiming right at you
Wanna see your dome bust sucker cause I don't care
I want to see your head explode because I have no sympathy for you
Nuttin bout you, your crew, because you talk shit
I don't care about you or your crew because you talk too much
I'm the Lethal Weapon boy, ridin the apocalypse
I'm a powerful force to be reckoned with, taking on the end of the world
If you're in my way, then lay beneath the ground soon
If you get in my way, you'll soon be lying underground
Violence is my business fool, the microphone of doom
I thrive on violence and my music brings destruction
Mission that's to cure all punks as I bust caps
My goal is to eliminate all inferior rappers as I shoot them down with my rhymes
Peelin your back, my ammunition hollow-point raps
My words penetrate deep and leave a lasting impact
You try to run, that makes it even more fun
Trying to escape only makes it more enjoyable for me
I just cold lamp and vamp you with the shotgun
I quickly and decisively take you out with my powerful music
Cops try to flex.. but guns they'll never find..
The police can search all they want, but they'll never find my true weapon - my powerful mind
My Lethal Weapon's my mind!
My greatest asset is my sharp, powerful intellect
A lethal weapon..
I possess a powerful and deadly talent
An assassinator, if the people ain't steppin
I am killing the competition and taking over the industry
You hit the deck, as rap busts from my lips
I bring down my competition with my powerful rhymes
You think I'm finished - I load another clip
You may think I'm done, but I just keep coming with more powerful music
Look in my face, I crack an evil grin
I show my pleasure in taking out the competition with a twisted smile
Lyrics bring death from the microphone Mac-10
My words are so powerful, they can bring about death just like a deadly weapon
Sucker MC's, you ain't down with the Syndicate
Inferior rappers have no chance of joining the powerful group I'm a part of
Try to kick game, but end up talkin weak shit, yo
You try to talk tough, but your words are weak and ineffective
You're weak, you're wack, you need to quit you lil punk bitch
You're completely inferior and need to give up and go away
Go and freak your mother, go dig a damn ditch
You don't deserve to be in this industry, you should go do something else
Get out my face, I'm tired of the press too
I'm sick of dealing with the media as well as inferior rappers
You write about me, I write about you
If you want to talk about me, then I'll talk about you too
You think I'm violent, but listen and you will find..
My music may seem violent, but if you listen closely it has deep meaning
Up against the wall - it's Valentine's Day
I have you cornered, and you're not going to enjoy what's coming next
The Massacre's about due for a replay
I'm about to take down the competition once again
I'm about to explode - like a hand grenade
I'm getting ready to take over the industry and explode with power
Evil E do damage on the crossfade
My DJ is relentless and powerful in his music mixing
Cuts like a battleaxe
My rhymes are sharp and powerful, cutting down the competition with ease
You try to bite, get iced, my raps are boobytraps
If you try to challenge me, you're going to come up short and get taken out
Claim of mine, designed by the Ice himself
My unique style and powerful rhymes are mine and mine alone
You beg for mercy as you read the hand you're dealt
When you hear my powerful music, you'll cower in fear and beg for mercy
Ah ahh ahh AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
My powerful music is so intense, it brings a guttural scream
Cause there's no let up, you walked into a set up
There's no stopping my powerful music, and you fell right into my trap
It's suckin you down and now you can't get up
My music is overwhelming and you're unable to escape its power
Why because you froze the moment we met up
You were completely unable to react when you first met me
And I never run punk, I go head up
I'm not intimidated by anyone and I always go head-to-head
I ain't no fool and new jack poppin fake rap
I'm not interested in the inferior new generation of rappers and their fake music
I rap from the heart and soul, where only facts are kept
My powerful music comes from deep within me and is only based on the truth
Many rappers sell-out pop and other MC's slept
The majority of other rappers sell out and make shallow, meaningless music
I ain't in no playin mood, so nigga watch your step
I'm not in the mood for games, so don't test me
Cause if you cross the boss, you go to bed quick
Don't cross me or you'll be taken out quickly
Know my situation boy, don't diss the Syndicate
Understand who I am and what I represent, and don't disrespect my group
cause when we chose to move, you're gone
When my group decides to take action, you'll quickly be eliminated
and no remains they'll find..
You'll disappear without a trace because of our powerful influence
More bodies than John Gotti, the Lethal Weapon is slaying
I'm taking out more competition than the notoriously violent mob boss John Gotti
Just open any book, that's ammo to the brain
Knowledge is power and I have plenty of it in reserve
What really matters, is how well is your weapon trained
What truly matters is how well your skills are developed and honed
Some would say genius, while others would say insane
My powerful mind is either seen as brilliant or completely crazy by different people
The Weapon power has been witnessed upon my page
My powerful rhymes showcase the true force of my talent
From Martin Luther's "dream", to Hitler's psycho rage
My music has encompassed both positive messages and dangerous, extremist ones
What's more powerful - the brain or a twelve gauge?
Which is more effective, my intellect or a deadly weapon?
The words I speak have scared many people to this stage
My powerful music has struck fear into the hearts of many people
But promote violence, I really have to disagree
Despite the violent nature of my music, I don't truly promote violence in reality
It's entertainment, like "Terminator" on TV
It's just entertainment and shouldn't be taken too seriously
But some'll never see, you're stupid ignorant and blind
Some people will never understand and are just ignorant and close-minded
The Lethal Weapon's the mind!
My true strength and power comes solely from my sharp intellect
The mind..
Once again, my powerful mind is the key to my success
Think!
Use your intellect and think deeply to truly understand my music's power
YouknowhatI'msayin?
Do you understand what I'm trying to say?
I got my jammy with me at all times, youknowhatI'msayin?
I am always carrying my powerful music with me, never without it
They can't take this one thing away from me
My talent and unique style is something no one can take from me
that's got more power, than any gun in the world, youknowhatI'msayin?
My powerful music is more effective than any weapon known to man
I'm talkin bout brain power homeboy
Once again, my greatest strength is my powerful intellect
They can't mess with me cause I'm too smart for them out there
No one can challenge me because I'm too intelligent and powerful for them
youknowhatI'msayin?
Do you understand what I'm telling you?
Fully strapped, always packed
I am always fully ready and prepared for any challenge
Go to the library and get some more ammo, youknowhatI'msayin?
I am constantly seeking knowledge and new ways to improve my talent
Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHARLES ANDRE GLENN, ICE T
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
El Asso Wipo
It's true. Ice can play any crowd. Metalhead here and I love old school rap. Body Count!
larry b
Same here
Jheri Curl Jankins
Ice straddled that fine line between East Coast gritty lyricism and West Coast smooth pimp/gangsterism. This song is a perfect example of Ice flexing his superior lyricism.
Phillip
Well said. I always considered him to be the West Coast version of Mele Mel.
Jason Dashney
That straddling the line is a really good way to put it. Never thought of that before.
GEMIMAN 57
A kick ass tune with great lyrics
Rizzo
Positive lyrics!
Ross Ross
Ice T had an extremely strong body of work in the 80/90βs. One classic after another. From βRhyme Paysβ to βReturn Of The Realβ quality real hip hop.
MSwain84
Love ice-t, he got me into hip hop. I love how his songs and albums generally have a message behind them. Remember all the beef he used to get from the establishment about his music, but if you listen to his lyrics heβs always trying to not glamorise the gang life and to better yourself somehow, and if it was gangster shit he always died at the end or something bad would happen to his homies or some shit. Not a lot of mcs like that these days, I got mad love for the ice berg. Peace
Kinta Lea
Ice IS THE ORIGINAL GANGSTA of Hip-Hop!πππ