Joell Ortiz is a Puerto Rican American rapper from Brooklyn, New York forme… Read Full Bio ↴Joell Ortiz is a Puerto Rican American rapper from Brooklyn, New York formerly signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment record label. He was featured in the Unsigned Hype column of the March 2004 issue of The Source Magazine and was also selected as Chairman's Choice in XXL Magazine. During the same time Joell also went on to win the 2004 EA Sports Battle which earned his song Mean Business a spot on the NBA Live 2005 soundtrack. The same year he was offered a contract to Jermaine Dupri's So So Def label. The deal quickly went sour which caused Joell to start a beef with Jermaine. Joell has since collaborated with KRS-One and Kool G. Rap as well as working on his first album on Aftermath.

Joell will release his street album called "The Brick (Bodega Chronicles)" April 24 on Koch Records. The album was recorded while Joell was trying to get signed and going through some tough times personally. Even though he is signed to Aftermath Entertainment, Dr.Dre allowed him to release the street album on Koch Records. The Brick will feature productions from DJ Premier, Showbiz, The Alchemist, Domingo, Ho Chi from Killahertz Productions, Lil' Fame of M.O.P., Novel, and Moss, among others. Guest spots will include Big Daddy Kane, Styles P, Big Noyd, M.O.P, Akon, Immortal Technique, Grafh, Ras Kass, Stimuli, and Novel.

He is currently part of the hip-hop supergroup Slaughterhouse

Love is Love
Joell Ortiz Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh, we still street
Oh yeah (yeah)
Let's not get that fucked up
(Heatmakerz, crack music)
Yeah (woo)

Who would've thought 2020 the whole Earth'll go viral?
That's dangerous, the man behind this mask is homicidal

So now ain't the time to play tough guy, slugs fly, revolvers
You'll never find prints where ever doves cry
Joell, was really in them streets? Oh, was I
We poured privilege out when my plug died
We used to cut the dog food with horse tranq'
Had the feens leanin' near the store blank
Wiggin' like the Warden off a Shawshank
Crack rock in black tops, stink chick in the alley givin' mad top
Used to call her Doody like Black Ops
Territorial, you want my tutorial on that block?
Well then drop ya laptop on the floor, 'cause my MAC popped
And that was just the cans I got hands too, let's slap box
They called me Lil' Quik in that sandbox
Case the newer fans wanted the drop on me, I just gave y'all the backdrop
Now fast forward, boy be in that black drop
Speed demon I'm veein'
Flee head to feet fleein', this machine is European
Got all the bells and whistles like it's refereein'
Find me in green rooms peein' semen in a models mouth
Pourin' bottles out like we hood grievin' (ayy)
Don't walk around like there's a S on ya chest
'Cause I'll put tefs through ya vest
'Til you get less and less breath
I ain't tryna promote violence, I suggest you step
You act too fly, you'll die quick and be fresh to death
You give respect you get respect
You disrespect and I'll eject the TEC
Hear the second word in the triumph verse from Inspectah Deck (baow)
Head and neck, you'll never resurrect (never)
And I ain't got no shooters, my nigga, I cut myself the check

Love is love, when it's real, nothin' else to say
But who, what, when and where and, yeah, I'm on my way
Only thing I'm contemplatin' is chopper or Fif
Headshot or drop like everybody out that bitch

Love is love, when it's real, nothin' else to say
But who, what, when and where and I'm on my way
Only thing I'm contemplatin' is chopper or Fif (D-Block)
Headshot or drop like everybody out this bitch (Donnie)

Glock loaded I'm watchin' niggas from far away (facts)
We met before but I still be like who the fuck are they?
Trust issues I done been through a lot as a kid
Clapped niggas, had to think about what I done did (ow)
New niggas, y'all could never be on the same page (yeah)
No TikTok, I made cassettes around the same age (remember that?)
Writin' graffiti on the wall in the same cage (C.O.)
Two parents but one of 'em was hooked on that beige
XXL or Source tryna get mics (got mics)
Now these niggas a film a body tryna get likes (damn)
Huffys and 10-speeds we was wheelin' bikes
Shorty ca ball like a dude, she was fuckin' with dykes
Multi platinum, my career been hit after hit (facts)
By myself or wit' the Lox on some Benjamins shit (L.O.X.)
In the hood you used to see a nigga every day (I was out there)
But now I'm tryna avoid that shit in like every way
These niggas younger than me and they got heavy grey (what's wrong with that nigga?)
She was dope in high school now what the fuck she weigh? (That's shorty?)
D-Block, Sheek Louch, I'm just shootin' the breeze
One call and I'm there for Joell Ortiz

Love is love, when it's real, nothin' else to say
But who, what, when and where and, yeah, I'm on my way
Only thing I'm contemplatin' is chopper or Fif
Headshot or drop like everybody out that bitch

Love is love, when it's real, nothin' else to say
But who, what, when and where and I'm on my way

Only thing I'm contemplatin' is chopper or Fif
Headshot or drop like everybody out this bitch

Overall Meaning

The song "Love is Love" by Joell Ortiz and Sheek Louch is a reflection of their experiences growing up in the streets and how they have developed a sense of loyalty to those who have been with them through thick and thin. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of their life in the streets, such as how they used to cut dog food with horse tranq, and mentions of violence as a means of survival. Ortiz and Louch reminisce about their past, talking about times when they had to fight for their lives and situations that forced them to be street smart.

The chorus "Love is love, when it's real, nothing else to say" highlights the importance of genuine relationships and how true friends will always have your back no matter what. The contemplation of chopper or fifteen (referring to a gun) and headshot or drop exemplifies the harsh realities of the streets and how individuals will do anything to survive.

Overall, the song is a reflection of their experiences and how they have grown from their past while staying true to their roots.

Line by Line Meaning

Who would've thought 2020 the whole Earth'll go viral?
The unexpected global pandemic in 2020 is dangerous and shows the homicidal nature of the unknown person behind the mask.

So now ain't the time to play tough guy, slugs fly, revolvers
During this dangerous time, it's important to not act like a tough guy and take unnecessary risks with firearms.

You'll never find prints where ever doves cry
There are no fingerprints left behind when someone is killed with a revolver.

Used to call her Doody like Black Ops
A woman in the alley was called Doody, just like the character in the game Black Ops.

And that was just the cans I got hands too, let's slap box
In addition to using firearms, the artist is also skilled in hand-to-hand combat.

Speed demon I'm veein'
The singer is driving recklessly and at high speeds in his European car.

Flee head to feet fleein', this machine is European
The singer is driving a European car and is fleeing from something or someone.

You act too fly, you'll die quick and be fresh to death
If someone acts too arrogant or cocky, they may end up dying quickly and looking good in their fresh outfit.

You give respect you get respect
If you show respect to others, you are more likely to receive respect in return.

And I ain't got no shooters, my nigga, I cut myself the check
The artist doesn't have any hired guns but collects his own money.

Only thing I'm contemplatin' is chopper or Fif
The only thing the singer is thinking about is whether to use a machine gun or a semiautomatic pistol.

Headshot or drop like everybody out that bitch
The artist is deciding between shooting someone in the head or making them drop to the ground.

Trust issues I done been through a lot as a kid
The singer has trust issues due to past experiences during childhood.

Now these niggas a film a body tryna get likes
People today are filming dead bodies to try and gain social media attention and likes.

Shorty ca ball like a dude, she was fuckin' with dykes
A girl who played basketball like a guy was hanging out with lesbians.

D-Block, Sheek Louch, I'm just shootin' the breeze
The artist is casually hanging out and chatting with members of D-Block and Sheek Louch.

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Joell Ortiz, Sean Divine Jacobs, Gregory Green

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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