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"
Kiss Of Death
Jadakiss Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The time is now, it's gonna be up in a minute
You look a nigga in the eye, you could tell if he tinted
These fake rappers getting by with these hell of a gimmicks
They act like it's all love, only love is your money
So when it's over nigga, are you a thug or a dummy
I'm neither, but I been hot so long, it feels like I got a lifetime fever
And I ain't gotta spit, I could cough and still eat ya
I'm a man first, tired of punching niggas, so I'ma shoot niggas cause my hands hurt
And God is great, guard ya space
One hand wash the other, both wash the face
And I head crack so much, it's hard to ace
.38 revolver flow, its hard to trace, what
Fuck that, pop off till nothing in the clip left (pop off)
Till nobody in his clique left (nobody)
Hole in the head, slashed or the split chest
If they asked what happened (tell 'emit's the Kiss Of Death)
Hustle hard till none of them bricks left (nothin left)
Stick it up till not a crumb on the strip left (take that, take that)
Make sure ain't a chain or a chip left (uh uh)
If they asked what happened (tell em' its the Kiss Of Death)
Tell 'emKiss (The kiss of death)
This is LOXville, and even white America'll let y'all negros know Jada got skill
You a jackass like Johnny Knoxville
So I can jus imagine how ya pops feel (damn)
And you ain't worth my shells, so you should just imagine how the Ak feel
A lot of niggas is thousandnaires, walking round town, fronting like they got mills
For what it's worth, I'm one myself, but my strength in the hood outruns my wealth
But you still might catch Kiss in some hot wheels, New Bentley coupe, with the stock wheels
Haha, look how I get back to it, I send my young niggas to do it, in the black Buick
I don't spit bars, I distribute the crack fluid
All I'm really waitin on is for niggas to act stupid
Fuck that, pop off till nothing in the clip left (pop off)
Till nobody in his clique left (nobody)
Hole in the head, slashed or the split chest
If they asked what happened (tell 'emit's the Kiss Of Death)
Hustle hard till none of them bricks left (nothin left)
Stick it up till not a crumb on the strip left (take that, take that)
Make sure ain't a chain or a chip left (uh uh)
If they asked what happened (tell em' its the Kiss Of Death)
Tell 'em Kiss (The kiss of death)
To all my real niggas, sorry for keeping you waiting
It's ironic, but the god was beefing with Satan
I love y'all tho, my niggas for even relating
This ain't Kiss talking neither, I'm speaking for Jason
When you a problem it's harder to keep them from hating
Niggas jaws, is like laws, don't easy to break 'em
If I wasn't on some shit, I'm getting on it, come to me with ya hand out to me, I'm spitting on it
I don't want to hear what happened, matter of fact, I don't even care what happened
Might as well declare the clapping, 'cause my bones is old
Gotta lot of wear and tear from scrapping
Hate a nigga that, ain't never there to see shit, but always hear what happened
The thing better than money, is respect
No love this time, nigga, Kiss Of Death, what
Fuck that, pop off till nothing in the clip left (pop off)
Till nobody in his clique left (nobody)
Hole in the head, slashed or the split chest
If they asked what happened (tell 'em it's the Kiss Of Death)
Hustle hard till none of them bricks left (nothin left)
Stick it up till not a crumb on the strip left (take that, take that)
Make sure ain't a chain or a chip left (uh uh)
If they asked what happened (tell em' its the Kiss Of Death)
Tell 'em Kiss (The kiss of death)
In the first verse of Jadakiss's song Kiss Of Death, he confidently states that he has learned the game and knows what he wants. He reveals that time is running out for those relying on fake personas and gimmicks to get ahead in the rap game. The rapper points out that actions speak louder than words and it's easy to determine which rappers are real and which are fake. Jadakiss seems to suggest that many rappers are only in the industry for the money, but when it's over, they aren't true thugs but rather dummies. He also boasts about his skill level, claiming that he's been hot for so long that it feels like he has a lifetime fever. Jadakiss believes he could do anything and still come out victorious, even if he merely coughed on the mic but the money is in his weed business. He goes on to explain that he's a man first and is tired of physically fighting other men, so he'll resort to shooting them if provoked.
In the second verse, Jadakiss continues to boast about his skills and wealth overtly. He asserts that he's better than other rappers who pretend to be millionaires when they only have a fraction of his wealth. The rapper reveals that his power in the hood surpasses his bank account. Jadakiss then talks about his cars and how he gets his young proteges to handle the street work while he sits back and collects the profits. He declares that he doesn't rap; he "distributes crack fluid." In the final verse, Jadakiss addresses his real fans, apologizing for keeping them waiting for new music. He shares a bit of his personal struggles with the industry and his resolve to keep going. The rapper emphasizes how hard it is to maintain respect and deal with fake people who are always trying to infiltrate your circle.
Line by Line Meaning
Uh, I learnt the game, I know what I want and I'm in it,
I have learned the rules to the industry and I am determined to succeed.
The time is now, it's gonna be up in a minute,
I am ready for success and it will not take long for me to achieve it.
You look a nigga in the eye, you could tell if he tinted,
It is easy to determine a person's true intentions just by looking into their eyes.
These fake rappers getting by with these hell of a gimmicks,
Some rappers are using fake personas to excel in the industry.
They act like it's all love, only love is your money,
These rappers pretend to show love, but in reality, they only care about money.
So when it's over nigga, are you a thug or a dummy,
When the fame and success are gone, will you still be a tough person or a loser?
I'm neither, but I been hot so long, it feels like I got a lifetime fever,
I am not a tough person nor a loser, but I have been successful for so long that it feels like a chronic condition.
And I ain't gotta spit, I could cough and still eat ya,
I am such a good rapper that even my coughs and sneezes could outperform others.
And fuck rap I make mills of reefer,
I do not rely solely on rap; I also make a lot of money from selling weed.
I'm a man first, tired of punching niggas, so I'ma shoot niggas cause my hands hurt,
Although I am a skilled fighter, I am getting tired of fighting with my hands, so I will start using guns instead.
And God is great, guard ya space,
God is powerful, so make sure to protect your personal space.
One hand wash the other, both wash the face,
If you scratch my back, I will scratch yours, and both of us will benefit.
And I head crack so much, it's hard to ace,
I am so good at verbally insulting others that it is difficult for them to beat me.
.38 revolver flow, its hard to trace, what!
My rap style is unpredictable and hard to imitate.
Fuck that, pop off till nothing in the clip left (pop off)
I will keep shooting until there is nothing left in my gun clip.
Till nobody in his clique left (nobody)
I will not stop until every member of the opponent's group is eliminated.
Hole in the head, slashed or the split chest
I will shoot my opponents in the head, slash them, or split their chest open.
If they asked what happened (tell em it's the Kiss Of Death)
If anyone asks what caused the violent outcome, tell them it was because of my presence and actions.
Hustle hard till none of them bricks left (nothin left),
I will work tirelessly until all the drugs I am selling are gone.
Stick it up till not a crumb on the strip left (take that, take that)
I am committed to robbing people until the street is completely empty.
Make sure ain't a chain or a chip left (uh uh)
I will steal everything of value from my victims, including their jewelry and electronics.
This is LOXville, and even white America'll let y'all negros know Jada got skill
This is the community where LOX (Jadakiss and his group members) are from, and even white Americans recognize Jadakiss's talent.
You a jackass like Johnny Knoxville,
You are doing something foolish and risky like the stunts on Johnny Knoxville's show.
So I can jus imagine how ya pops feel (damn!)
I can only imagine how disappointed your father must be feeling right now.
And you ain't worth my shells, so you should just imagine how the Ak feel,
You are not even worth the bullets in my gun, so you should imagine how worthless you are to me.
A lot of niggas is thousandnaires, walking round town, fronting like they got mills
Many people pretend to be millionaires, when in reality they only have a few thousand dollars in their bank account.
For what it's worth, I'm one myself, but my strength in the hood outruns my wealth
Although I am a millionaire myself, my influence and reputation in the community is more significant than my money.
But you still might catch Kiss in some hot wheels, New Bentley coupe, with the stock wheels,
I may drive expensive cars like a new Bentley, but I do not need to customize them with flashy wheels.
I don't spit bars, I distribute the crack fluid,
My rhymes are like drugs that I distribute to my fans.
All I'm really waitin on is for niggas to act stupid
I am just waiting for my enemies to do something foolish, so I can take them down.
To all my real niggas, sorry for keeping you waiting,
To all my loyal friends, sorry for making you wait for my success.
It's ironic, but the god was beefing with Satan,
It is ironic that despite being a successful rapper, I have been struggling with my inner demons.
I love y'all tho, my niggas for even relating,
I appreciate my friends and fans for understanding and relating to my struggles.
This ain't Kiss talking neither, I'm speaking for Jason,
I am not rapping as Jadakiss right now; I am rapping as Jason Phillips, my real name.
When you a problem it's harder to keep them from hating,
When you are successful and influential, it is difficult to not have enemies who hate you.
Niggas jaws, is like laws, don't easy to break em,
Some people are stubborn and difficult to change their minds or opinions, just like laws are difficult to break.
If I wasn't on some shit, I'm getting on it, come to me with ya hand out to me, I'm spitting on it,
If I were not already successful, I would have worked hard to achieve success. I do not tolerate people who expect handouts from me.
I don't want to hear what happened, matter of fact, I don't even care what happened,
I do not want to hear about your problems or excuses, and frankly, I do not care what happened.
Might as well declare the clapping, 'cause my bones is old,
I might as well resort to shooting because I am getting too old and weak to fight with my hands.
Gotta lot of wear and tear from scrapping,
My body has endured a lot of physical damage from fighting and rough activities.
Hate a nigga that, ain't never there to see shit, but always hear what happened,
I dislike people who were not present at an event, but still pretend to know what happened based on hearsay.
The thing better than money, is respect,
Respect is more valuable than money.
No love this time, nigga, Kiss Of Death, what!
There is no room for kindness or compassion this time, only violence and destruction.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Andy Thelusma, Jason Phillips, David Styles
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mazkebar
What an ABSOLUTELY underrated song!
Yt gamer
Fax
Snakepat
Underrated? That song made a lot of noise back then. Supa Mario from Whoo Kid was bumping hard!
masterd44
One of the best albums of this generation. And shout to sleeping dogs for putting this in the game.
ayWusgod
wouldn't have found this song without sleeping dogs, shoutout for sure
AusDiggzy1r
still killing the game! he's so tight I love it the chorus goes so fking hard much love Jada
JACO
Does it matter wether you're here because you like Jadakiss' music, or because of Sleeping dogs. Just enjoy this track that's all that matters
Jovohn Hawkins
Jada doesn't get the credit he deserves he still hot today and this is 11 years ago. Salute
Jordan Schembri
Jada been hot wrote so many peoples songs his first album is classic nobody alive can fuck wit him
Kori Glaze
The way Kiss jumps right in is crazy!!