One Shot
Joell Ortiz Lyrics


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Listen, one shot, two shots, three shots oh!
Got us right to the morgue.
Four shots, five shots, six shots, Gees
That's for the wife and the kids!
I don't care about the money or the shit on your chest,
Niggas get killed for less!
And all that shit you've been talking,
Man we ain't impressed,
niggas get killed for less!

? in a high definition,
You could probably find me on the big screen ?
Ain't this a bitch, man
And all the dirty done, how the fucking it gets solved, nigger?
Get in line, I'm a ?on the table,
? make the competition hate you,
A couple guys on the block now they wait you,
? to pull the trigger if I say shoot.
One shot, two shots, another nigger down,
See us searching but its face is getting down, nigger.
See this crazy on the streets it's the Bronx, nigger
You hear the shots fire but police won't respond.
Where we are from niggas, ?
? your little sister right out in your face, nigger
?
niggas getting hot for twenty years still thirsty.
I guess
Now that's what I'll call ?
Get it?
Who else but cocaine and ? could have been my ?
Life is for the living, get a chauffeur,
Find yourself a bitch that the money ?
We set murder, use a victim, boy!
If that ass gets flashy, we'll stick it boy!

Listen, one shot, two shots, three shots oh!
Got us right to the morgue.
Four shots, five shots, six shots, Gees
That's for the wife and the kids!
I don't care about the money or the shit on your chest,
niggas get killed for less!
And all that shit you've been talking,
Man we ain't impressed,
niggas get killed for less!

So don't die over nothing, like ?your ass,
Cause on my block I was the doc before ?
I had to ?
See? this ain't no fabrication,
Never called me back, I filled so many applications,
Watching these corny niggas come back, that was aggravation,
So I hit the corner, told them, bit it like they masturbated.
I thought they had the patience,
? it took too long to respond, so I had to ?
He told me my dreams, they had to stay imagination,
Clear my ?from my graduation.
? screw my diploma, I'm going, but I can't ?
College is holic, cause every grade I had is amazing,
It was school books and school looks when I passed the ?
School girls are like I'm a girl, look who this bastard is ?
Long story short, man I have these ? hate me,

I come from a place where you get your ?
And a brook with the only thing shooks on a stove marinates you
So when they say congratulations,
Over to respect my paddy's game,
No, I'm not going back!
I'm aiming like

Listen, one shot, two shots, three shots oh!
Got us right to the morgue.
Four shots, five shots, six shots, Gees
That's for the wife and the kids!
I don't care about the money or the shit on your chest,
niggas get killed for less!
And all that shit you've been talking,




Man we ain't impressed,
niggas get killed for less!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Joell Ortiz's song Killed For Less reflect on the harsh reality of living in the Bronx, where violence and death are frequent occurrences. The opening lines “One shot, two shots, three shots oh! Got us right to the morgue. Four shots, five shots, six shots, Gees That's for the wife and the kids!” suggest that fatal shootings occur routinely, and families are often left shattered by the tragic loss of loved ones. Ortiz emphasizes that the motivation for these homicides is often trivial, with people losing their lives over small disagreements or perceived disrespect. He warns against the dangers of boasting and showing off wealth, as it can make individuals targets for violence.


The song's middle verses focus on Ortiz's personal journey and his struggles to make it in the music industry. He references his difficult background and the challenges he faced, such as struggling to get callbacks after filling out job applications. He also discusses the importance of perseverance and the need to stay patient when working towards achieving his goals.


Overall, Killed For Less is a gritty and hard-hitting song that exposes the harsh realities of inner-city life. It serves as a reminder that ignorance and ego can have severe consequences, with people losing their lives over trivial matters.


Line by Line Meaning

Listen, one shot, two shots, three shots oh!
A person is being shot multiple times.


Got us right to the morgue.
The victim(s) of the shooting are dead and being taken to the morgue.


Four shots, five shots, six shots, Gees
More people have been shot, likely killing the wife and kids of someone.


That's for the wife and the kids!
The shooting was meant to harm the family members of someone.


I don't care about the money or the shit on your chest,
The shooter doesn't care about the money or the belongings of someone.


Niggas get killed for less!
People can be killed over small reasons or conflicts.


And all that shit you've been talking,
The person who was shot may have been talking disrespectfully or negatively about others.


Man we ain't impressed,
The shooter and those around him are not impressed with the actions of the victim.


niggas get killed for less!
People can be killed over small reasons or conflicts.


? in a high definition,
The artist is visible and easily identifiable on a screen.


You could probably find me on the big screen ?
The singer is a well-known figure who appears on TV or movies.


Ain't this a bitch, man
The artist is expressing frustration or disappointment.


And all the dirty done, how the fucking it gets solved, nigger?
The singer is questioning how crimes get solved when the 'dirty work' is already done.


Get in line, I'm a ?on the table,
The singer is confident and in control, telling others to follow his lead.


? make the competition hate you,
The singer is finding success by making others envious or resentful.


A couple guys on the block now they wait you,
There are others waiting to take action against the artist or the artist's enemy.


? to pull the trigger if I say shoot.
The artist has others who are willing to carry out his orders.


One shot, two shots, another nigger down,
More people have been killed, possibly as a result of the singer's orders.


See us searching but its face is getting down, nigger.
The authorities are searching for those responsible for the shootings and the singer is trying to stay hidden.


See this crazy on the streets it's the Bronx, nigger
The artist is in a dangerous area in the Bronx where violence is common.


You hear the shots fire but police won't respond.
The police are not responding to the shootings, making it a more dangerous situation for everyone involved.


Where we are from niggas, ?
The artist and others are from a place where violence is common and people are killed over small reasons.


? your little sister right out in your face, nigger
The singer is implying that people where he is from would harm or kill someone's sister without regard for human life.


?
The meaning of this line is unclear.


niggas getting hot for twenty years still thirsty.
People in the singer's community are still thirsty for power, wealth, or success after years of trying to achieve it.


I guess
The singer is uncertain or unclear about something.


Now that's what I'll call ?
The singer is referring to something that he is impressed by but is not clear what that is.


Get it?
The artist is asking if the listener understands what he means.


Who else but cocaine and ? could have been my ?
The artist is implying that he had limited options to become successful besides using cocaine or something similar.


Life is for the living, get a chauffeur,
The singer is implying that one should enjoy life and indulge in luxuries.


Find yourself a bitch that the money ?
The singer is advising that one find a partner who is drawn to wealth and luxurious things.


We set murder, use a victim, boy!
The artist is suggesting that he and others plan or are responsible for murders and use someone else as the victim.


If that ass gets flashy, we'll stick it boy!
The artist and others will take action against someone who becomes too prideful or 'flashy'.


So don't die over nothing, like ?your ass,
The artist is advising someone not to die over something that is not worth dying for.


Cause on my block I was the doc before ?
The singer was a respected and powerful figure on his block before becoming even more successful.


I had to ?
The meaning of this line is unclear.


See? this ain't no fabrication,
The singer is suggesting that what he is saying is not a lie or fabrication.


Never called me back, I filled so many applications,
The singer is frustrated that he was not hired despite filling out many job applications.


Watching these corny niggas come back, that was aggravation,
The singer is frustrated with people who are not successful or respected who continue to come back.


So I hit the corner, told them, bit it like they masturbated.
The artist is describing how he dealt with his frustration by showing others he was in charge and they should follow him.


I thought they had the patients,
The artist believed that others would be more patient with him and eventually hire him.


? it took too long to respond, so I had to ?
The singer was not getting the response he wanted from someone or something so he kept pushing until he got what he wanted.


He told me my dreams, they had to stay imagination,
Someone in the singer's life tried to hold him down and said his dreams were not achievable.


Clear my ?from my graduation.
The meaning of this line is unclear.


? screw my diploma, I'm going, but I can't ?
The artist does not value his diploma or education but still cannot achieve his dreams.


College is holic, cause every grade I had is amazing,
The artist implies that college was too expensive for him and he is successful without it.


It was school books and school looks when I passed the ?
The singer is saying that he succeeded not because of his education but because of his appearance and charm.


School girls are like I'm a girl, look who this bastard is ?
The artist is saying that he was successful with young women despite not being well-educated.


Long story short, man I have these ? hate me,
The singer has achieved success and made enemies along the way.


I come from a place where you get your ?
The singer comes from a dangerous place where violence and fighting are common.


And a brook with the only thing shooks on a stove marinates you
The singer comes from a place where poverty is common and they are forced to use whatever ingredients they have to survive.


So when they say congratulations,
When others congratulate the artist on his success,


Over to respect my paddy's game,
The artist demands respect for his family and his upbringing.


No, I'm not going back!
The singer will not go back to his old life or the place he came from.


I'm aiming like
The singer is continuing to strive for success and aim high.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Cloud9, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRIANNA LEE PAOLINO, CLARK GESNER, CORTE O. ELLIS, MICHAEL AHMAD BURTON, OLIVIER CASTELLI, Armando Perez, Brianna Paolino, Corte Ellis, Joseph Cartagena, Michael Burton

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