He began his career as a member of the Juice Crew alongside artists such as Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap, and MC Shan. For Khadafi's debut album, he worked with Queensbridge influential producer Marley Marl and went under the alias Intelligent Hoodlum. His self-titled debut, Intelligent Hoodlum, released in 1990, was full of political commentary and heady messages in tracks such as "Arrest The President" and "Black & Proud." He returned in 1993, releasing his sophomore album, Saga Of A Hoodlum which would be his last album under the alias Intelligent Hoodlum.
Khadafi continued to record throughout the remainder of the 1990s, most notably on Capone-N-Noreaga's debut album, The War Report in which he actually appears more on the album than official group member Capone. Khadafi then severed ties with the group. Khadafi's third album, Against All Odds, was scheduled to drop in 1999, but conflict with his label stifled the release. Against All Odds was released in 2001 followed by Still Reportin'... in 2003. In 2005, he released Thug Matrix independently, and his group album with the Black Market Militia. Khadafi's latest releases, Blood Ballads and Thug Matrix 2 were both released in 2006.
Street Life
Intelligent Hoodlum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gotta take care of a newborn child and
All alone because the fathers out whilin
No time for school, she dropped that lesson
I guess you can say, the schools out of the question
Moms flipped at her, put the girl on the street and
Huntin the baby, aint got shit too eat and
No one's around when the chips is down and
Ran the game that all guys aint the same
Left her with a baby for a bitch with no brain
Can't take stress, so she picks up the pipe
High in front of the kid.now that aint right
Saying too herself, one day she'll quit
But it's day after day, and hit after hit
Met a crack-head who claimed that he loved her
Just another trick-slick full of game-brother
Pipe got her hyped, coke took her mind
Had her on the corner, playing hooker at no time
Another good sister straight down the train and
Another poor child full of sorrow and pain
After Allah, after Jehovah, after the Guru, lies the truth
And the truth is, god on a white horse
Riding inside you, over you, under you
Everything living is dying
After the dying is a routing
After the routing ?
Every black man wants money and fame and
This black man gets in the drug game and
Hustle with the muscle, collectin endz
Drivin up town, in a kidded up Benz
Crazy money, with the cash non-stoppin
Too the hooker turns, and more "to needle poppin"
Went through the vein, and up to the brain and
Now he's a victim, caught in the game
Used to weight, two fifty, man he was a threat
Now he don't even weight forty pounds, wet
Back in the days the kids were all on him
Now they got big, sending pit bulls on him
The HIV gave him AID
Now he's history, in the cemetery
Rollin strong and had it going on and
But now, the money and the girls is gone and
He's buried in the dirt.Boy does that hurt
Reach out (Scratching).Reach out for me baby
A Kid named Peace on the block-in (Peace God)
Wants to be a hard rock, starts hard rockin
Doing crime, no one could ever stop him
Even old friends on the block ?
He was well known for his robbin and stickin
Kept a fat 9 with the big fat clip in
Thought he was fly-in, no one would ever try him
'Till one day he robbed the wrong guy and
Hot summer day-in, kids were out play-in
Cars rolled by and the bullets started spray-in
Went through the west and hit him in the chest and
Rest in peace, cuz peace is now restin
That's how it is when your living in the city and
Everybody says it's just such a pity and
Always wondered why, the man didn't learn his lesson
I strive to survive and live life as a blessin
After Allah, after Jehovah, after the Guru, lies the truth
And the truth is, god on a white horse
Riding inside you, over you, under you
Everything living is dying
After the dying is a routing
After the routing?
But thou shall not now it, for thou shall be dead
The lyrics of Intelligent Hoodlum's "Street Life" paint a vivid picture of the harsh realities of life in the inner city. The song tells the story of three individuals, a teenage mother struggling to survive, a drug dealer caught in the game, and a young street thug who meets a violent end. These individuals are all victims of the environment they were born into, a place where poverty, crime, and desperation rule.
The first verse tells the story of a young mother who finds herself alone with a newborn child after the father abandoned them. She has no education and is forced to take to the streets to provide for her child. She turns to drugs to cope with the stress and eventually becomes a prostitute. The second verse follows a drug dealer who rises to the top of the game but eventually falls victim to his own addiction. The third verse tells the story of a young street thug who is killed in a drive-by shooting.
Line by Line Meaning
A baby has a baby and she's wonderin how and
A teenage girl becomes pregnant and is struggling to understand how it happened
Gotta take care of a newborn child and
She is now responsible for taking care of a baby
All alone because the fathers out whilin
The father of the baby is not there to help her
No time for school, she dropped that lesson
She has to prioritize taking care of the baby over her education
I guess you can say, the schools out of the question
Going back to school is not an option for her right now
Moms flipped at her, put the girl on the street and
Her mother was angry with her and kicked her out of the house
Huntin the baby, aint got shit too eat and
She is struggling to find food for herself and the baby
No one's around when the chips is down and
She is alone and struggling when things get tough
Poor baby's father, nowhere too be found and
The father of the baby is absent and not contributing to their well-being
Ran the game that all guys aint the same
She realizes that not all men are trustworthy or responsible
Left her with a baby for a bitch with no brain
The baby's father left her for someone who was not as responsible as she was
Can't take stress, so she picks up the pipe
She turns to drugs to cope with the stress and responsibilities of motherhood
High in front of the kid.now that aint right
She is using drugs in front of her baby, which is not healthy or safe
Saying too herself, one day she'll quit
She promises herself that she will stop using drugs one day
But it's day after day, and hit after hit
Quitting drugs is difficult and she struggles with it every day
Met a crack-head who claimed that he loved her
She meets a man who is also struggling with addiction and claims to love her
Just another trick-slick full of game-brother
He is not sincere and is just manipulating her for his own gain
Pipe got her hyped, coke took her mind
Her addiction to drugs is getting worse and is affecting her mental well-being
Had her on the corner, playing hooker at no time
She turns to prostitution to support her drug habit
Another good sister straight down the train and
She is another example of someone who fell victim to addiction and prostitution
Another poor child full of sorrow and pain
The cycle of poverty and addiction continues, and another child suffers as a result
Every black man wants money and fame and
Many black men are driven by a desire for wealth and recognition
This black man gets in the drug game and
He turns to selling drugs as a way to make money
Hustle with the muscle, collectin endz
He works hard to sell drugs and make a profit
Drivin up town, in a kidded up Benz
He uses his drug money to buy an expensive car
Crazy money, with the cash non-stoppin
He is making a lot of money selling drugs and it seems like it will never stop
Too the hooker turns, and more "to needle poppin"
He starts using drugs and becomes addicted to them
Went through the vein, and up to the brain and
He injects drugs directly into his bloodstream and becomes severely addicted
Now he's a victim, caught in the game
His drug addiction has made him a victim of the very game he was playing
Used to weight, two fifty, man he was a threat
He used to be physically intimidating and a threat to others
Now he don't even weight forty pounds, wet
His addiction has caused him to lose a lot of weight and become physically weak
Back in the days the kids were all on him
He used to be popular and well-liked when he had money and drugs to share
Now they got big, sending pit bulls on him
Now that he is no longer a supplier of drugs, people are turning against him and even becoming violent
The HIV gave him AID
He contracts HIV, likely as a result of sharing needles while using drugs
Now he's history, in the cemetery
He dies as a direct result of his addiction and drug use
Rollin strong and had it going on and
He used to have a lot of money and was living a lavish lifestyle
But now, the money and the girls is gone and
As a result of his addiction and death, he no longer has any money or relationships
He's buried in the dirt.Boy does that hurt
He is dead and buried, and his loss is deeply felt by those who knew him
A Kid named Peace on the block-in (Peace God)
Another character is introduced: a young man named Peace
Wants to be a hard rock, starts hard rockin
Peace wants to be tough and starts engaging in criminal activity
Doing crime, no one could ever stop him
Peace is very successful in committing crimes and evading the law
Even old friends on the block ?
Peace's former friends no longer associate with him because of his criminal behavior
He was well known for his robbin and stickin
Peace's reputation is built on his ability to steal and commit acts of violence
Kept a fat 9 with the big fat clip in
He carries a large gun with a high-capacity magazine
Thought he was fly-in, no one would ever try him
Peace believes he is untouchable and too powerful to be challenged
'Till one day he robbed the wrong guy and
Peace's arrogant behavior finally catches up with him and he picks the wrong target to rob
Hot summer day-in, kids were out play-in
The setting is a hot summer day with children playing in the streets
Cars rolled by and the bullets started spray-in
As Peace is committing a robbery, a car drives by and someone inside starts firing bullets
Went through the west and hit him in the chest and
One of the bullets hits Peace in the chest and kills him
Rest in peace, cuz peace is now restin
Peace is dead and people are wishing him a peaceful rest in death
That's how it is when your living in the city and
The violence and danger of the city is a common theme throughout the song
Everybody says it's just such a pity and
People feel sorry for those who get caught up in the cycle of poverty, addiction, and violence
Always wondered why, the man didn't learn his lesson
Despite the fact that many people fall victim to addiction and violence, others wonder why more people do not learn from these experiences
I strive to survive and live life as a blessin
The singer is expressing his own personal goal to survive and live life in a positive way
Reach out (Scratching).Reach out for me baby
The song ends with a repeating refrain asking someone to reach out for help or companionship
After Allah, after Jehovah, after the Guru, lies the truth
This line suggests that there is a universal truth that transcends specific religious beliefs or practices
And the truth is, god on a white horse
The truth is that the concept of God or a higher power exists within each of us
Riding inside you, over you, under you
God or a higher power is ever-present in our lives, guiding us from within
Everything living is dying
This line reflects a fundamental truth about mortality
After the dying is a routing
After we die, our physical remains are dealt with in a final process
After the routing?
The song ends on this ambiguous note, suggesting that even after death and the finality of physical remains, there is an unknown future beyond that point
Contributed by Lincoln V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@TysonArmageddonHBW95
This is one of those songs that futher proves that old school will always surpass new school Word is Bond!
@shawnallen5579
This song always had a haunting sound to it. Same with Lyrics To Go. That Minnie Ripperton loop is genius.
@mileekwood8179
A Hidden Classic Classic
@DonnieDarko1
❤❤👍👍👍
@DonnieDarko1
Thank you so much for putting this on your playlist, its been decades but I've finally found it thanks to you.
I would drive around, and sing and contemplate upon the lyrics but oddly could never find this song through Google search.
"Joy and pain sunshine and rain as the world turns, life will remain the same”
@djmsup
Return of the life.....return of the life.....return of the life......return of the life!!!!!!!!!!!!
@michaeltukes6757
Been looking for this for 20 years.
@RwandaBob
this is underrated asf
@ryco87e
This the shit right here real Hip-Hop
@SonOfDune
this is such a well produced track from the lyrics to the beat. this is what makes me love hip hop.