Exhibit A
Jay Electronica Lyrics
When I was sleepin' on the train
Sleepin' on Meserole Ave out in the rain
Without even a single slice of pizza to my name
Too proud to beg for change, mastering the pain
When New York niggas were calling southern rappers lame
But then jacking our slang
I used to get dizzy spells, and hear a little ring
The voice of a angel telling me my name
Telling me that one day I'mma be a great mane
Transforming with the Megatron Don spittin out flames
I ain't believe it then, nigga I was homeless
Fightin', shootin dice, smokin weed on the corners
Tryna find the meaning of life in a corona
Till the 5 percenters rolled up on a nigga and informed him
You either build or destroy, where you come from?
The Magnolia projects in the 3rd ward slum
Its quite amazing that you rhyme how you do
And how you shine like you grew up in a shrine in Peru
Question 14, Muslim Lesson 2, dip diver, civilize a 85er
I make the devil hit his knees and say the "Our Father"
Abracadabra!
You rockin with the true and living
Shot out to Lights Out, Joseph I, Chewy Bivens
Shout out to Baltimore, Baton Rouge, my crew in Richmond
While y'all debated who the truth was like Jews and Christians
I was on Cecil B, Broad Street, Master, North Philly, South Philly, 23rd
Tasker, 6 mile, 7 mile, Hartwell, Gratiot
Where niggas really would pack a U-haul truck up
Put the high beams on
Drive up on the curb at a barbecue and hop out the back like what's up
Kill a nigga, rob a nigga, take a nigga, bust up
That's why when you talk the tough talk I never feel ya
You sound real good and you play the part well
But the energy you givin off is so unfamiliar
I don't feel ya
Nas hit me up on the phone, said what you waitin on?
Tip hit me up with a tweet, said what you waitin on?
Diddy send a text every hour on the dot sayin
When you gon drop that verse nigga you taking long
So now I'm back spittin that he could pass a polygraph
That Reverend Run rockin Adidas out on Hollis Ave
That FOI, Marcus Garvey, Niki Tesla
I shock you like an eel, electric feel, Jay Electra
They call me Jay Electronica
Fuck that
Call me Jay ElecHannukah
Jay ElecYarmulke
Jay ElectRamadaan
Muhammad Asalaamica RasoulAllah
Subhanahu wa ta'ala through your monitor
My uzi still weighs a ton, check the barometer
I'm hotter than the muthafuckin' sun, check the thermometer
I'm bringing ancient mathematics back to modern man
My momma told me never throw a stone and hide your hand
I got a lot of family, you got a lot of fans
That's why the people got my back like the Verizon man
I play the back and fade to black and then devise a plan
Out in London, smoking, vibin' while I ride the tram
Givin' out that raw food to lions disguised as lambs
And, by the time they get they seats hot
And deploy all they henchmen to come at me from the treetops
I'm chillin out at Tweetstock
Building by the millions
My light is brilliant
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Billy Stewart, David Henderson, Justin Smith, Sidney Pinchback Jr, Timothy Thedford, Warren Hagood
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
Timothy Elpadaro Thedford, better known by his fans as Jay Electronica, is an American rapper born on September 19, 1976. He originates from from the Magnolia Projects in New Orleans, Louisiana. He produced the first track, "Queens Get the Money", on the 2008 Nas album 'Untitled'. The unconventional nature of much of his music, and the lack of conventional release methods for that music, has since 2007 made him the object of much attention. He was perhaps best known for the piece of music Act 1: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge) Read Full BioTimothy Elpadaro Thedford, better known by his fans as Jay Electronica, is an American rapper born on September 19, 1976. He originates from from the Magnolia Projects in New Orleans, Louisiana. He produced the first track, "Queens Get the Money", on the 2008 Nas album 'Untitled'. The unconventional nature of much of his music, and the lack of conventional release methods for that music, has since 2007 made him the object of much attention. He was perhaps best known for the piece of music Act 1: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge), until the release of the Just Blaze-produced track "Exhibit C" in late 2009. Announced Friday, November 12, 2010, Jay is an official member of Jay-Z's Roc Nation.
Jay Electronica has yet to release a full-length album but has released two official singles to date, "Exhibit A" and "Exhibit C," which won a Sucker Free Summit Award for Instant Classic. His music so far has been made available through the internet, either through being leaked to what URB magazine describes as "obscure web forums", or through an appearing and disappearing MySpace page (currently two seem to be in existence, at /jayelect and at /jayelectronica). Erykah Badu has questioned whether he ever will release, in her words, "actual albums". From New Orleans, LA he has lived in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Denver, and Detroit, where he recorded his Style Wars-era music with several J Dilla beats, meeting the producer subsequently to ask for permission to use the recordings as a demo. Detroit is where Electronica met producer/engineer Mike "Chav" Chavarria, who introduced him to both J Dilla and Mr. Porter, and who is now a regular collaborator.
Jay Electronica first gained significant attention through Act 1: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge), made available on a MySpace page in 2007. It is 9:13 continuous minutes of music, without drums, built from Jon Brion's soundtrack to the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. There are five segments or movements, marked by changes in music and mood, raps by Electronica, and occasional snippets of sampled dialogue (children arguing in Kurdish, Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka). The first segment is spoken word by Just Blaze and Erykah Badu describing the artist over piano music. The nature of the piece of music, along with the nature of its appearance, led to a slow build-up of interest in Electronica as an enigmatic figure. Songs circulating online as the Style Wars EP gained wider circulation, and other songs, such as the dream-inspired "Dimethyltryptamine", soon appeared. In January 2008, Gilles Peterson's 90-minute Gilles Peterson Worldwide was devoted to the rapper. Hiphopdx.com in 2008 called him "arguably...the most talked about new emcee last year ... at times...more like a myth or urban legend than an actual rapper", and URB ran a cover story on the artist under the banner "Jay Electronica: A Spotless Mind:: An MC’s mystery revealed", which referred to his wanderings as his being "like some sort of hip-hop Jack Kerouac".
Jeff Weiss' piece for the L.A. Weekly, "Jay Electronica: Much Better Than His Name Would Suggest", acknowledged that the rapper could be fairly described as "one of the most buzzed about rappers of 2008", but attempted to temper the hype somewhat, describing Act 1... as "ambitious, wildly original, if not slightly pretentious", while endorsing only to an extent the comparisons URB had made (referencing an "abstract rhyming style") to rappers like Nas and Pharoahe Monch.
According to URB, Act II: Patents of Nobility will feature Nas, and will be the second of a putative trilogy. URB also reported that digital EPs with both Guilty Simpson and producer 9th Wonder were planned. His most recent music as of November 2008 is the Just Blaze-produced track "Exhibit A (Transformations)".
According to a Filter TV interview, Jay Electronica has partnered with Decon to release his debut project. It is being described as a multi-media release and footage from the project which was partially shot in Nepal and Dubai has begun to surface online. The first clip to leak is titled "Dear Moleskine" and can be found on YouTube, the track was produced by Just Blaze and the clip was directed by Jason Goldwatch from Decon. In June of 2009, Decon and Jay's "The Dogon Society" released "Exhibit A" digitally. "Exhibit C" was released on iTunes December 16, 2009 and quickly shot to the top 10 of the iTunes Hip-Hop charts. The following week it was chosen by Hot 97's DJ Enuff as the Heavy Hitter pick of the week. On February 9, 2010, it was announced Jay Electronica will appear at the 2010 Bonnaroo Music Festival. Further proof of the continuing buzz about this artist saw On Jay Electronica sell out 2 nights at the Jazz Cafe Jazz Café, London (UK) on Feb 17, 2010.
Jay Electronica continued his scattered release practice, dropping "A Million In The Morning" on April 4, 2010. The song features a weary Electronica trying to keep himself awake to escape his nightmares.
On April 30th, Jay Electronica debuted "The Ghost of Christopher Wallace" via his Twitter. The song features P Diddy and is produced by London beatsmith Quincey Tones, who is known for producing such acts as Young Jeezy and Royce da 5'9".
On 12th November 2010, Jay-Z announced that Jay Electronica was officially the newest member of his own 'Roc Nation' record label/management company, which boasts such acts as J. Cole and Willow Smith.
Jay has been travelling the world and was in London, United Kingdom for an extended period of time completing his debut album 'Act II: Patents of Nobility (The Turn)'.
Jay Electronica and Erykah Badu have a child together, a girl named Mars Merkaba, born on February 1, 2009.
Jay Electronica has yet to release a full-length album but has released two official singles to date, "Exhibit A" and "Exhibit C," which won a Sucker Free Summit Award for Instant Classic. His music so far has been made available through the internet, either through being leaked to what URB magazine describes as "obscure web forums", or through an appearing and disappearing MySpace page (currently two seem to be in existence, at /jayelect and at /jayelectronica). Erykah Badu has questioned whether he ever will release, in her words, "actual albums". From New Orleans, LA he has lived in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Denver, and Detroit, where he recorded his Style Wars-era music with several J Dilla beats, meeting the producer subsequently to ask for permission to use the recordings as a demo. Detroit is where Electronica met producer/engineer Mike "Chav" Chavarria, who introduced him to both J Dilla and Mr. Porter, and who is now a regular collaborator.
Jay Electronica first gained significant attention through Act 1: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge), made available on a MySpace page in 2007. It is 9:13 continuous minutes of music, without drums, built from Jon Brion's soundtrack to the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. There are five segments or movements, marked by changes in music and mood, raps by Electronica, and occasional snippets of sampled dialogue (children arguing in Kurdish, Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka). The first segment is spoken word by Just Blaze and Erykah Badu describing the artist over piano music. The nature of the piece of music, along with the nature of its appearance, led to a slow build-up of interest in Electronica as an enigmatic figure. Songs circulating online as the Style Wars EP gained wider circulation, and other songs, such as the dream-inspired "Dimethyltryptamine", soon appeared. In January 2008, Gilles Peterson's 90-minute Gilles Peterson Worldwide was devoted to the rapper. Hiphopdx.com in 2008 called him "arguably...the most talked about new emcee last year ... at times...more like a myth or urban legend than an actual rapper", and URB ran a cover story on the artist under the banner "Jay Electronica: A Spotless Mind:: An MC’s mystery revealed", which referred to his wanderings as his being "like some sort of hip-hop Jack Kerouac".
Jeff Weiss' piece for the L.A. Weekly, "Jay Electronica: Much Better Than His Name Would Suggest", acknowledged that the rapper could be fairly described as "one of the most buzzed about rappers of 2008", but attempted to temper the hype somewhat, describing Act 1... as "ambitious, wildly original, if not slightly pretentious", while endorsing only to an extent the comparisons URB had made (referencing an "abstract rhyming style") to rappers like Nas and Pharoahe Monch.
According to URB, Act II: Patents of Nobility will feature Nas, and will be the second of a putative trilogy. URB also reported that digital EPs with both Guilty Simpson and producer 9th Wonder were planned. His most recent music as of November 2008 is the Just Blaze-produced track "Exhibit A (Transformations)".
According to a Filter TV interview, Jay Electronica has partnered with Decon to release his debut project. It is being described as a multi-media release and footage from the project which was partially shot in Nepal and Dubai has begun to surface online. The first clip to leak is titled "Dear Moleskine" and can be found on YouTube, the track was produced by Just Blaze and the clip was directed by Jason Goldwatch from Decon. In June of 2009, Decon and Jay's "The Dogon Society" released "Exhibit A" digitally. "Exhibit C" was released on iTunes December 16, 2009 and quickly shot to the top 10 of the iTunes Hip-Hop charts. The following week it was chosen by Hot 97's DJ Enuff as the Heavy Hitter pick of the week. On February 9, 2010, it was announced Jay Electronica will appear at the 2010 Bonnaroo Music Festival. Further proof of the continuing buzz about this artist saw On Jay Electronica sell out 2 nights at the Jazz Cafe Jazz Café, London (UK) on Feb 17, 2010.
Jay Electronica continued his scattered release practice, dropping "A Million In The Morning" on April 4, 2010. The song features a weary Electronica trying to keep himself awake to escape his nightmares.
On April 30th, Jay Electronica debuted "The Ghost of Christopher Wallace" via his Twitter. The song features P Diddy and is produced by London beatsmith Quincey Tones, who is known for producing such acts as Young Jeezy and Royce da 5'9".
On 12th November 2010, Jay-Z announced that Jay Electronica was officially the newest member of his own 'Roc Nation' record label/management company, which boasts such acts as J. Cole and Willow Smith.
Jay has been travelling the world and was in London, United Kingdom for an extended period of time completing his debut album 'Act II: Patents of Nobility (The Turn)'.
Jay Electronica and Erykah Badu have a child together, a girl named Mars Merkaba, born on February 1, 2009.
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CLUTCH_AND STICK
(C'mon Bruh)
I'm a skilled practitioner yeah I got bars/ Truth told I'm nobody's fucking Superstar
The Music I love Business I hate because they try to use me a wheel when I'm trying to Roll Bounce Rock Skate
Not knowin' I'm the key to their fate they should feel something that elates
Still somehow I don't rate Even though I got all the right traits
Hood AF with a vocab like a Professor Athletic Even a sharp dresser
Somehow I'm lesser when I pray at night I want to be on the other side of the blessings
I got wants separate from needs that's how I didn't end up dead in the streets
I set the bar high, I ain't Jay Z at this shit but I still want the sky
So many 420 off that Buddah Thai but me.. I'm on a Natural High
Straight clownin like Bozo you know how my Flows Go
Chocolate and Cream like a F****in Ho Ho
Getting treated like Ho that's a No Go I do it in Slo Mo
or under a Strobe Light just so long as I get my flows right
MFers play me to the left because I'm Light Bright
Not knowin' I give MFer Nite Nites with lefts with rights
Upper Cuts Body Blows trying to play me like Glass Joe
IntroSpecktive
Life is like a dice game
One roll could land you in jail or cutting cake blowing kisses in the rice rain
Amphy292
@Amphibious Assault Cow no fucking way dude, sakurai the absolute madman
D Gayle
@Amphibious Assault Cow : im claiming him as my main
Amphibious Assault Cow
Jay electronica confirmed in Smash
Jeff
introspecktive is here?! i wouldve never thought you heard of jay.
IntroSpecktive
Burger The Black cutting cake blowing kisses in the rice rain is describing a wedding. In some weddings they throw grains of rice at newlyweds. So he’s saying that it’s just as easy to land in jail or do something great like getting married.
transcendentmuzic
This guy could have EASILY been one of the nicest rappers to EVER do it
Bball_Boyz
To never* do it 😭
Rolls Royce
@smh Facts....
Michael Booker
Smh