Jean Grae and Quelle Chris have a considerable pedigree as soloists and col… Read Full Bio ↴Jean Grae and Quelle Chris have a considerable pedigree as soloists and collaborators. Since the early 2000s, Grae has been a force on the indie rap circuit, building a sizable rap archive highlighted by her oft-leaked, constantly changing opus Jeanius with 9th Wonder. Chris first broke out with the 2013 mixtape Niggas is Men, and has since carved out space as a rapper and beatmaker on Mello Music Group.

The Smoking Man
Jean Grae & Quelle Chris Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Who stopped Cosby from coppin' NBC? (they did)
Who shot your favorite emcee? (they did)
Escuche, my nigga said they did it
The ouija board said they did it, and I ain't even play with it
In broad day, you gon' let 'em get away with it? (they did it)

Tell me something I already know
A circus around every corner but I ain't compelled to go

Like Cool James without his radio
And every Eve, Dick and Teddy got a cameo
The Daily Hoe, be paleo
And come up off the bread and we GTG
LOL's for the ELE
Seventeen plus years post Busta Bust predictions
Err'body want a slice from the fruits of the labor pie
Plus the crust is hittin', or so I've been told
Or sold, one or the two
Might go back to some hood I don't rep and buy sodas for the youth
The oldest trick in the book, what a goof
Slip a ring off a star, while aloof
Tryna come up on a spirit dinner Groupon
Before the kids decided that I been rappin' too long
With money long and thick as udon
Hunched over walkin' like old white politicians
You know the zombies who lobbied to eat the president
Sweatin', watchin' they gene pool grow irrelevant
I ain't tryna be a halibut in this small pond
I prefer to evolve and get my walk on, greasy
Get a busted clone like Yeezy
Dye my hair blonde cryin' about how you need me
OKs over the eyes like MD throw Old Bay over the fries
Cigarette smokin' man in a long corridor eyeing
Knowing how the music can influence stark climates

Put on shades, amazing grace became "Obey"
Put on shades, amazing grace became "Obey"
Put on shades, amazing grace became "Obey"

Rappin' about Martians, unidentifiable large discs
Tall greys pop out like state-of-the-art tits
Tex Avery eyes, tongue out a like a carpet
Call Tommy-Lee Jones and Will Smith (ah shit)
Satellite feed of the sacrifice feast
Where elite pronouns and eat the weak for the harvest
Eyes wide shut, masked plutocrats
Ball that bohemian grove on the Google Map
Stupid stacks, you ain't that stupid, stupid
You know what's at the root of that (evil)
Entertainer, where they threw that at? (see ya)
Hack me, you gettin' dick pics and malware
Go 'head leak them bitches, matter fact I'll share
We can kazaam the whole zip for a file share
V for vendetta profile with the wild stare
I blame hip hop, the boule, the Masons
Mufon, Koch brothers, Coen brothers, single mothers
Stone cutters, CFR, nigga, Joan Rivers
The theys, the thems, the deys, and seys and Beys
Conspiracy craze, a wave, a phrase that pays
White collar suits that look like Dave Coulier

Who stopped Cosby from coppin' NBC? (they did)
Who shot your favorite emcee? (they did)
Escuche, my nigga said they did it
The ouija board said they did it, and I ain't even play with it
In broad day, you gon' let 'em get away with it?

Put on shades, amazing grace became "Obey"
Put on shades, amazing grace became "Obey"

Who stopped Cosby from coppin' NBC? (they did)
Who shot your favorite emcee? (they did)
Escuche, my nigga said they did it
The ouija board said they did it, and I ain't even play with it
In broad day, you gon' let 'em get away with it?

Put on shades, amazing grace became "Obey"
Put on shades, amazing grace became "Obey"
Put on shades, amazing grace became "Obey"
Put on shades, amazing grace became "Obey"
Put on shades, amazing grace became "Obey"
Put on shades, amazing grace became "Obey"
Put on shades, amazing grace became "Obey"

Put on shades, amazing grace became "Obey"
Put on shades, amazing grace became "Obey"

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "The Smoking Man" by Jean Grae Quelle Chris touch on a variety of topics, ranging from hip hop culture to conspiracy theories. The song starts with a question related to Bill Cosby and NBC, suggesting that someone or something intervened to stop Cosby from purchasing the network. The lyrics then move on to mention the death of favorite emcees and the singer's knowledge of who did it. The lyrics continue with references to pop culture figures, including Cool James (LL Cool J), Eve, Dick, and Teddy. The song's darkness is further amplified as the singer references putative elites who eat the weak for their harvest and masked plutocrats at the Bohemian Grove.

The singer then shifts to the impact of hip hop on society, attributing some conspiracy theories to the genre. The singer mentions organizations such as the boule, Masons, Mufon, and CFR, which the singer perceives as responsible for numerous perceived wrongs. The song ends on a powerful note, asking whether people will let "them" get away with what they did, before repeating the phrase "amazing grace became 'Obey'" several times.

The song's lyrics allude to different conspiracy theories and events that may have occurred in reality or are theories. The song references controversies related to Bill Cosby's attempted purchase of NBC, as well as his subsequent criminal trials. Additionally, the song refers to the death of beloved emcees, which could relate to the numerous rappers who have died in the course of hip hop history. Lastly, the lyrics reference several conspiracy theories, including organizations such as the boule, Masons, and CFR, which some believe have undue influence on society.

Jean Grae Quelle Chris's "The Smoking Man" song could not be found with its chord.

Line by Line Meaning

Who stopped Cosby from coppin' NBC? (they did)
The people in power prevented Cosby from obtaining NBC

Who shot your favorite emcee? (they did)
The people in power are responsible for the death of a beloved rapper

Escuche, my nigga said they did it
My friend informed me that the people in power committed these crimes

The ouija board said they did it, and I ain't even play with it
Even the Ouija board revealed that the people in power are guilty, without any manipulation from me

In broad day, you gon' let 'em get away with it? (they did it)
Are we going to allow the people in power to escape accountability for their actions, even though they committed these crimes in plain sight?

Tell me something I already know
Don't waste my time with obvious information

A circus around every corner but I ain't compelled to go
There is chaos and commotion everywhere, but I have no desire to partake in it

Like Cool James without his radio
Similar to how LL Cool J would be incomplete without his radio, I too feel incomplete without certain things in my life

And every Eve, Dick and Teddy got a cameo
Everyone wants to be in the spotlight, not just celebrities

The Daily Hoe, be paleo
Current media is archaic and needs to adapt to the changing world

And come up off the bread and we GTG
If you give us the money, we can get going

LOL's for the ELE
Laughing out loud to ease the end of the world

Seventeen plus years post Busta Bust predictions
Seventeen years after Busta Rhymes made predictions, they are still relevant

Err'body want a slice from the fruits of the labor pie
Everyone wants a piece of the success

Plus the crust is hittin', or so I've been told
The rewards of success are great, as rumored

Or sold, one or the two
Success may come through actual effort or deceitful means, but either way it is still success

Might go back to some hood I don't rep and buy sodas for the youth
I might return to an unfamiliar neighborhood and offer refreshments to the children

The oldest trick in the book, what a goof
The simplest trick is often the most effective

Slip a ring off a star, while aloof
Steal from a celebrity, while acting nonchalant

Tryna come up on a spirit dinner Groupon
Attempting to gain access to exclusive events, such as spiritual dinners, via a discount voucher

Before the kids decided that I been rappin' too long
Before the younger generation deems me irrelevant due to my tenure in the rap industry

With money long and thick as udon
My wealth is substantial and comparable to thick udon noodles

Hunched over walkin' like old white politicians
My posture emulates that of old white politicians

You know the zombies who lobbied to eat the president
The people in power are like mindless zombies, seeking to gain power by any means necessary including killing the president

Sweatin', watchin' they gene pool grow irrelevant
The people in power are becoming worried as their influence wanes with the coming generations

I ain't tryna be a halibut in this small pond
I refuse to be a complacent fish in a small environment

I prefer to evolve and get my walk on, greasy
I choose to grow and progress, even if it means getting my hands dirty

Get a busted clone like Yeezy
I don't want to imitate Kanye West or follow his footsteps

Dye my hair blonde cryin' about how you need me
I don't plan on altering my appearance or succumbing to public pressure

OKs over the eyes like MD throw Old Bay over the fries
I am confident in my abilities, as if I have approval from a doctor

Cigarette smokin' man in a long corridor eyeing
An ominous man, smoking a cigarette, stalking and scrutinizing his surroundings

Knowing how the music can influence stark climates
Realizing how music can shape and impact our society

Put on shades, amazing grace became "Obey"
When I wear sunglasses, even the holiest of things can seem like propaganda obediently accepted by the masses

Rappin' about Martians, unidentifiable large discs
Discussing extraterrestrials and UFO sightings

Tall greys pop out like state-of-the-art tits
Aliens with long, slender bodies and gray skin appear out of nowhere

Tex Avery eyes, tongue out a like a carpet
Eyes that resemble those in cartoons, with a tongue hanging out like a red carpet

Call Tommy-Lee Jones and Will Smith (ah shit)
Referring to the movie Men in Black, about a secret organization that monitors alien activity on Earth

Satellite feed of the sacrifice feast
Watching a ritualistic sacrifice taking place via a live satellite feed

Where elite pronouns and eat the weak for the harvest
The powerful use their status to oppress and exploit the vulnerable for their own gain

Eyes wide shut, masked plutocrats
The rich and powerful hide their true intentions behind a facade of secrecy

Ball that bohemian grove on the Google Map
Exposing the location of a secretive retreat for powerful individuals

Stupid stacks, you ain't that stupid, stupid
The wealthy may seem foolish, but they are smarter than they appear

You know what's at the root of that (evil)
The source of the wealthy's power is sinister and corrupt

Entertainer, where they threw that at? (see ya)
Entertainers are often exploited and discarded when no longer useful

Hack me, you gettin' dick pics and malware
Attempting to hack me will result in receiving inappropriate pictures and malicious software

Go 'head leak them bitches, matter fact I'll share
You can try to release embarrassing information about me, but I will just spread it myself

We can kazaam the whole zip for a file share
We can easily transfer large files online

V for vendetta profile with the wild stare
My online profile may be anonymous, but I am still a force to be reckoned with

I blame hip hop, the boule, the Masons
I place the blame for societal issues on hip hop culture, the wealthy class known as the Boule, and the secret society known as the Masons

Mufon, Koch brothers, Coen brothers, single mothers
A variety of groups and individuals who I believe play a role in societal issues

Stone cutters, CFR, nigga, Joan Rivers
More groups and individuals who I believe have an impact on society, including a secret society known as the Stone Cutters and the Council on Foreign Relations

The theys, the thems, the deys, and seys and Beys
Referring to a variety of groups and individuals who hold power in society

Conspiracy craze, a wave, a phrase that pays
The idea of conspiracy theories has become popular and profitable

White collar suits that look like Dave Coulier
The stereotypical appearance of powerful individuals, including a resemblance to comedic actor Dave Coulier

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