By the age of twelve, Jadakiss was a freestyle rapper, engaging in competitions. He and some of his friends were given the opportunity to compete in the "Jack the Rapper Competition" in Florida, where Jadakiss was noticed for his battle rap ability. He met Dee and Wah of the Ruff Ryders (then a management company), and began hanging out and battling outside of the Ruff Ryders' studio where artists like DMX made their first hits.
Jadakiss founded the rap group the Warlox in 1994 with friends Jamaal, Sheek Louch, and Styles P. They later signed to Bad Boy Entertainment, where it was suggested that they change their name simply to "The LOX", which came to stand for Living Off eXperience. They made their first appearance on The Main Source's 1994 LP "Fuck What You Think" on the track "Set it Off".
The group, especially Jadakiss, developed a close relationship with The Notorious B.I.G., during which time Jadakiss was taken under Biggie's wing. The LOX's first multi-platinum hit was the tribute to Biggie called "We'll Always Love Big Poppa" (the B-side to Puff Daddy's "I'll Be Missing You") in 1997. In 1998, the LOX released Money, Power, Respect. Following this album, they left Bad Boy Records.
Jada's debut solo album, Kiss the Game Goodbye, was released in August 2001 under the Ruff Ryders/Interscope label. The album featured popular guests and producers such as Snoop Dogg and Swizz Beatz, but was written off as repetitive and uninspired. Jadakiss has acknowledged the criticism as, generally speaking, valid, saying the record was done less out of inspiration and more out of contract obligations to Bad Boy. The album produced the single "Put Ya Hands Up" with the chorus "Put ya hands up/nah, f**k that/ Put ya hands down" reflecting Jada's distance from the album.
Jadakiss' second album, Kiss of Death, was released in June 2004. Prior to the release, his fans were polled, and most claimed the rapper wasn't personal enough in his lyrical stylings.[citation needed] As a result, Jadakiss released the song, "Why?", which bared his innermost thoughts,[citation needed] and it became one of the biggest hits of that year, spawning a remix featuring Styles P, Common, Nas, and Anthony Hamilton. It remains as his biggest hit, peaking at #11 on the Hot 100. Another single from the record, "You Make Me Wanna" featured Mariah Carey and was a much more commercially driven love song. Kiss of Death did not reflect the popularity of its lead single, but it was better-received than his first effort, eventually achieving platinum-selling status.
Recently, in late 2007, Jadakiss signed to Jay-Z's Roc-a-Fella Records, a move Jay had been trying to arrange for a long period of time. He reportedly will have an as-yet-untitled album on Roc-a-Fella in 2008, executive produced by both Jay-Z and the Ruff Ryders CEOs/management team of Dee and Wah. The move comes on the heels of increased D-Block/Roc-a-Fella collaborations; in 2006, Kiss and former rival Beanie Sigel collaborated on DJ Khaled's album Listen..., and in 2007, on Freeway's album Free At Last, while Styles P has appeared on a radio freestyle with Freeway and Sigel. He has also appeared briefly in Jay-Z's latest video for his American Gangster second single, Roc Boys, in which he appears throwing up the famous Roc-a-Fella sign, "the Diamond."
On May 26th 2008, The New York Post reported in its Page Six section that Jadakiss has signed on to play a gang leader in Russell Costanzo's provocative movie-directing debut, "The Tested"
I'm A Gangsta
Jadakiss Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm a gangsta
Yeah, motherfucker
I'm a thug
Uh, please believe
I'm a pimp girl
See man, let's go
And I'm a hustler, a hustler
Yo, I'm a gangsta, 'cause I do gangsta shit
Matter fact from now on call me gangsta Kiss
You already know I handle my business
Slay you then your man before the first candle's finished
Feel good when I walk through the hood
Best part is, I don't gotta flow I just talk to the hood
And I do a lot of reading, and only eat pasta
Shrimp fettuccine, and pine a la vaca
Came here talking slick, all that real shit
That's why I'm something to deal wit
Even though I wanted Gore to win
I can fuck with Bush though, cause he going let the raw come in
Bigger the boss, bigger the picture
Bullets is bisexual, 'cause they hit niggas and bitches
In a Deville with dubs in the back on a cell phone riffin
I'm all of the above just listen
[Chorus]
Yo, I'm a thug so I blow on weed
Get money like it grow on trees
Have all these hoes roll on E
Some of my niggas even stole on D's
Work 12 hour shifts, just gimme the word
I get 12 cowards hit, never giving a fuck
18's on the Coupe, deuce O's on the truck
Tell P hold the hammer while I handle the dice
Shoot him in his bandanna he ain't gambling right
I need a 360 Medina, charcoal gray
Treat my guns like my dogs, let 'em bark all day
In a three floor condo with the spiral stairs
Made it past the front desk, then the rifle's here
I'm the motherfucking big shot, I get down
Wit a 17, 16, 10 and a six shot
Fuck with Kiss get your wig rocked
And if you're smart you'll bounce when my motherfucking shit drop
[Chorus]
Yo, I'm a pimp girl
Catch me at the bar with a bottle of Cuervo
Mami's rubbing my webo
And this is what got me the ass
Honey said her drink was hot so I put my watch in her glass
Then she ain't even want to get breakfast
She just want to hop right up in the truck and get reckless
Top from the club all the way to the exit
Ask me her name, couldn't tell you if I guessed it
My bitches don't know nothing, don't say nothing
And they pay for everything, I don't pay nothing
I'm a white tee pimp, fresh headband
Dirty denim, Timberland, or a Nike pimp
I like to eat shrimp, and I don't keep a broad long enough to love 'em
Now dog that's some deep shit
Cause I don't believe in hoes exploring
No matter how bad you are you gone in the morning
[Chorus]
In the song "I'm A Gangsta," Jadakiss identifies himself as a gangster by describing his penchant for gun violence, his ability to handle business and eliminate adversaries quickly, and his disdain for mainstream politics, including both Democrats and Republicans. He also identifies himself as a thug, highlighting his involvement in illegal activities such as drug dealing and robbery. Furthermore, he characterizes himself as a pimp, detailing his experiences with women, including engaging in sexual acts with them and using them to get ahead.
Jadakiss also boasts of his superior intelligence, stating that he does a lot of reading and only eats certain foods. In addition, he is not afraid to get violent, describing how he handles those who cross him. He is shown to have a love for expensive things and big luxury cars.
Overall, the song is a detailed account of what it means to be a gangster and all the trappings that come with it. It shows how Jadakiss uses his streetwise smarts to navigate the harsh world of crime, making it clear that he is not to be messed with.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm a gangsta
I am involved in gangster activities
Yeah, motherfucker
I am asserting my dominance and confidence
I'm a thug
I behave like a violent criminal
Uh, please believe
I am emphasizing the truth of my statements
I'm a pimp girl
I am involved in sex work and have many female partners
See man, let's go
I am urging someone to follow me or act quickly
And I'm a hustler, a hustler
I am involved in illegal or shady business practices
Do it, do it, do it
I am encouraging action or effort
Yo, I'm a gangsta, 'cause I do gangsta shit
My actions and behavior aligns with that of a gangster
Matter fact from now on call me gangsta Kiss
I am asserting my gangster identity
You already know I handle my business
I am competent in my criminal activities
Slay you then your man before the first candle's finished
I am capable of severe violence and can act quickly
Best part is, I don't gotta flow I just talk to the hood
My reputation speaks for itself, I am well-respected in my community
And I do a lot of reading, and only eat pasta
I am intelligent but have simple tastes
Came here talking slick, all that real shit
I speak candidly and honestly
That's why I'm something to deal wit
My reputation makes me a force to be reckoned with
Even though I wanted Gore to win
I have political preferences
I can fuck with Bush though, cause he going let the raw come in
I believe the current political climate will benefit my criminal activities
Bigger the boss, bigger the picture
The higher up the criminal hierarchy, the more profitable the operation
Bullets is bisexual, 'cause they hit niggas and bitches
The indiscriminate violence associated with my lifestyle affects all genders
In a Deville with dubs in the back on a cell phone riffin
I am driving a luxurious car, multitasking and chatting on the phone
I'm all of the above just listen
I embody all the characteristics mentioned before and others, pay attention
Yo, I'm a thug so I blow on weed
I use drugs to enhance my criminal lifestyle
Get money like it grow on trees
I am highly successful in my criminal business
Have all these hoes roll on E
I am in control of many women who have been drugged
Some of my niggas even stole on D's
Some of my associates have violently attacked the police
Work 12 hour shifts, just gimme the word
I have people who work long hours for me and follow my instructions
I get 12 cowards hit, never giving a fuck
I am capable of violent retribution and have no remorse
18's on the Coupe, deuce O's on the truck
My vehicles are expensive and customized
Tell P hold the hammer while I handle the dice
I am multitasking and asking someone to keep watch while I gamble
Shoot him in his bandanna he ain't gambling right
Violent punishment will be administered for those who cheat or displease me
I need a 360 Medina, charcoal gray
I want a specific type of car in a certain color
Treat my guns like my dogs, let 'em bark all day
My guns are valuable assets and I take good care of them
In a three floor condo with the spiral stairs
I have a luxurious and multi-level living space
Made it past the front desk, then the rifle's here
I have access to weapons and have bypassed security measures
I'm the motherfucking big shot, I get down
I am an important and powerful figure in my criminal circle
Wit a 17, 16, 10 and a six shot
I own multiple guns for different purposes
Fuck with Kiss get your wig rocked
It is unwise to oppose or challenge me
And if you're smart you'll bounce when my motherfucking shit drop
I am warning potential adversaries to leave before I take action
Yo, I'm a pimp girl
I am involved in sex work and have many female partners
Catch me at the bar with a bottle of Cuervo
I can be found in bars drinking alcohol
Mami's rubbing my webo
A woman is engaging in sexual activity with me
And this is what got me the ass
This action led to me having sex with someone
Honey said her drink was hot so I put my watch in her glass
I behaved inappropriately and possibly engaged in non-consensual activity
Then she ain't even want to get breakfast
The woman I had sex with did not want to continue any sort of relationship or contact with me
She just want to hop right up in the truck and get reckless
The woman I had sex with was interested in engaging in more risky behavior
Top from the club all the way to the exit
Sexual activity occurred from the club to the car or outside the club
Ask me her name, couldn't tell you if I guessed it
I don't remember or care about the names of the women I engage with
My bitches don't know nothing, don't say nothing
The women who work for me keep quiet and are obedient
And they pay for everything, I don't pay nothing
The women who work for me pay for their own expenses and contribute to my profits
I'm a white tee pimp, fresh headband
I dress in a specific style associated with my role as a pimp
Dirty denim, Timberland, or a Nike pimp
I wear different brands, but they align with my image as a pimp
I like to eat shrimp, and I don't keep a broad long enough to love 'em
I have simple tastes and do not form emotional attachments to the women I engage with
Now dog that's some deep shit
This information is profound or insightful
Cause I don't believe in hoes exploring
I do not condone or believe in women trying to escape or challenge their roles as sex workers
No matter how bad you are you gone in the morning
Regardless of how skilled or experienced a woman is, she will inevitably be replaced or discarded
[Chorus]
Repeating the assertions made in the chorus
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANTHONY FIELDS, SHANDEL GREENE, JASON PHILLIPS, JASON T PHILLIPS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind