Kardinal started rapping at the age of eight, and was winning competitions by the time he was 12. Also at the age of 12, Kardinal performed live and on stage for the first time, with Nelson Mandela in attendance during his first visit to Toronto.[2] By 1993, he decided to drop his alias "KoolAid", and went by the moniker Kardinal Offishall after being inspired by the great 17th century French politician Cardinal Richelieu.
Kardinal was signed to a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music Canada at the age of 20. In 1996, he released his first single "Naughty Dread", which was featured on the Rap Essentials Volume One compilation and earned him a Juno Award nomination for Best Rap Recording. In 1997, Kardinal released his debut album Eye & I on Capitol Hill Music. The only single from the album, "On Wit Da Show", had considerable video play on MuchMusic. Kardinal was also credited as a major contributor to the late 90's renaissance of Canadian hip hop. In 1998, he was featured on the Juno-winning single "Northern Touch" with the Rascalz, Choclair, Checkmate and Thrust.
In 2000, Kardinal signed with MCA Records. He released the album Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1 in 2001, which spawned the hits "BaKardi Slang" and "Ol' Time Killin'". The album earned a gold certification in Canada. After MCA folded in 2003, Kardinal's highly anticipated follow up album Firestarter Vol. 2: F Word Theory was shelved along with the single/video for "Belly Dancer" featuring Pharrell, and Kardinal eventually found himself without a label. Had the album been released, there would have been production from Timbaland and The Neptunes among others. He released an independent mixtape titled Kill Bloodclott Bill in 2004 with his production company, The Black Jays, and he also released his second major-label album titled Fire and Glory in 2005, through Virgin Records in Canada only. Hits on Fire and Glory include "Everyday (Rudebwoy)" and "Heads Up".
Kardinal has also produced many songs, including the hit single "Let's Ride" by Choclair, whose album Ice Cold went gold in 35 days and would win them a Juno in 2000. However, it was with the Black Jays team when Kardinal received notoriety for his production work. In 2004, Kardinal and Solitair of the Black Jays created a remix version of Jay-Z's The Black Album and called it The Black Jays Album. Kardinal also did some production on Kill Bloodcott Bill and produced 9.5 out of the 14 tracks on Fire and Glory.
He is one of the few Canadian hip hop artists that have an international audience and has collaborated with artists such as Busta Rhymes, Method Man, Sean Paul, Spragga Benz, Bounty Killer, Little Brother, Stat Quo, Pharoahe Monch, Vybz Kartel, Rihanna, Snow, Pete Rock, Lil Wayne and Akon. A-List producers, The Neptunes requested Kardinal appear on the remix to their smash hit production βGrindin'β with Clipse. The remix was well received across North America, particularly in New York City.
To date, Kardinal is the only Canadian urban act to appear on BETβs Rap City (even freestyling in the booth with Big Tigger), and on MTVβs Advance Warning (which introduces the world to artists on the verge of breaking big, like former guest Kanye West). Kardinal has made brief guest appearances in Rihanna's "Pon De Replay" music video, and Sean Paul's "Get Busy" video, which was shot in Woodbridge, Ontario (a Toronto suburb). He has also appeared on mixtapes from Clinton Sparks and DJ Green Lantern.
In 2006, Kardinal collaborated Akon, Cipha Sounds, DJ Whoo Kid, and various members of the Black Jays family among others. At the 2006 MuchMusic Video Awards, Kardinal walked away with 3 awards for "Everyday (Rudebwoy)", including Best Video, Best Director (RT!) and VideoFACT Award. At the MMVA's, he announced that he had an upcoming collaboration with the Canadian Reggae Band Bedouin Soundclash, now known as the single "Last Standing Soldier" (Remix).
Ol' Time Killin'
Kardinal Offishall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
E'rebody ah talk 'bout sound killing
When they dun know, we are original sound killer
Fassyhole you know we
Anytime we start dance-dance a fi lock
Girl follow back a we
We have e'rething pon cock
Can't chant to we
Pick a only firefighter a we collect
A dub plate we have
Anytime we drop Kardinal, IRS and Wio
A blood clot big tune dat
[Kardinal Offishall]
Yes
Oh me oh me oh my (what)
Them a try run Mr. Kardi-ni, flavours you can't deny (what)
'Cause them Circle cats rhyme so fly
Them tracks stay do or die and (what) as (what)
When them write a murder song before a cats can't turn around
I jump and beg for they live (what)
Lick off a style, me-a-fi put dem all back
Rap from T-dot to the Bronx and Bricks and come back
(Will you wake me up?)
[Wio-K]
If an emcee step outta line,I feel them affi get cut up
But up, lick up, fist up, sound get brek up
Beat up and kick up until they boy start hiccup
(Girlfriend what's your name?)
How ya look, so sweet with your horse legs acting like you're strange
It's full time, now you come off on dat range
My name's Wio, bareback rhyming in the plains
[Allistair]
Blessin' this, effortless, mess with this, eff with this
If you think you got a chance to dance with your devilish messages
Stressing this can only lead to battery
You rattle me, request to battle me I take as flattery
I see ya, grip your bible,I'm the lyrically homicidal idol
Who's liable to take your title with a single recital, it's vital
You respect the steez, I get vexed with ease
Don't make me ask you to respect me please
CHORUS [Jully Black & BlackKat?]
It's an old time, ol' time killing
We a deal with, run and get your money clip
For another day in another way
De man dem, nuh take the ray ray
We are a murderahs
Killas...murder
[BlackKat]
Yo, 1-8-7
Cold blood I meant to do it ruthless
Knew it was murder since Da Grassroots produced it
Now we got some ax-murderers upon the track
Burning murder onto wax
So you can witness the attack, it's Black... Kat
The nigga who writes to burn flavour
So hype the Source should give us 5 mics and 2 turntables
We spitting this with beats so ridiculous
And rhyme style limitless, let's see if they can get with this
[Kardinal Offishall]
Wio - you're crazy, your tough talk don't amaze me
Imaginary gats busting just don't faze me
Lick a shot, wave your flag, gunfinga in the air
Headstone on your 12" says Mr. Kardinal and the Monolith was there
From '94 to now, the beats run wild in the East
Leaving 'nuff man decease, I got two middle fingers that's made for 5-0
Babylon fi get dust and let my people dem go
[CHORUS]
[Kardinal Offishall]
Call me a sound (killa), gut (filla), rhyme (spilla)
Don't date vanilla, hip hop guerilla
Mind (chilla), don't drink Miller Lite
Night thrilla, spite might fill ya
Bite and you invite with a recite to kill ya
[Wio -K]
The tox licker, shot licker
Girls flock quicker, since my crop got bigger
Get yanked like a glock trigger, just to make the plot thicker
Girls got thicker, I'm run up in the spot quicker
(Don't let them watch me so)
I'm the nigga your son really wants to chill with and know
You must think it's me that make that nigga act so
Vexed 'cause your church friends gossip on the low
(Wio - let me say)
Now for the people who don't know what's gwaning
They sleeping on the whole city, stretching in your heart
Not knowing that T-dot's about to shake your ass out your dreams
So (wake up) before you end up in a pine box
Seen
[CHORUS]
You better run go and get your money clip
[Jully Black]
Run go get your money clip
Run go get your money clip
The emcee killa, killa killa
The song "Ol' Time Killin'" by Kardinal Offishall is a classic example of conscious rap lyrics. The song represents the lyrical prowess of Kardinal Offishall and his fellow Canadian rap artists. The lyrics aim to highlight the differences between true sound killers, who have been in the game for many years, and fake ones who are imposters. It is a message of wokeness to the up and coming artists who have no respect for the hip hop culture's classics.
Kardinal Offishall starts the rap by saying that the circle cats, who created the style, speak rhymes so fly that their tracks stay do or die. The development of the style and its influence in the hip hop scene is apparent in the song. He also adds that people write murder songs all the time, but they can't even turn around. He is quick to remind them of their place in the game by saying, "I jump and beg for they live." This is a response to imposters who want to be in the limelight but have no real talent.
Line by Line Meaning
E'rebody ah talk 'bout sound killing
Everyone is talking about sound killing
When they dun know, we are original sound killer
But they do not know that we are the original sound killer
Fassyhole you know we
You know we are the best
Anytime we start dance-dance a fi lock
Every time we start to dance, we dominate the floor
Girl follow back a we
Girls want to be with us
We have e'rething pon cock
We have everything under control
Can't chant to we
No one can compete with us
We start dance from 19-o-long
We have been dancing since the 90s
Pick a only firefighter a we collect
We only pick the best music
A dub plate we have
We have unreleased music
Anytime we drop Kardinal, IRS and Wio
Every time we play Kardinal, IRS, and Wio's music
A blood clot big tune dat
It's a really good song
Them a try run Mr. Kardi-ni, flavours you can't deny
They are trying to challenge Kardi-ni's music, but his style is undeniable
'Cause them Circle cats rhyme so fly
Because the Circle cats rhyme so smoothly
Them tracks stay do or die and (what) as (what)
Their music is either really good or really bad
When them write a murder song before a cats can't turn around
They write songs about murder that are so fast-paced, others cannot keep up
I jump and beg for they live
I get so into the music that I start jumping and begging for more
Lick off a style, me-a-fi put dem all back
I have a unique style of rapping that sets me apart from others
Rap from T-dot to the Bronx and Bricks and come back
I have rapped from Toronto to the Bronx and back again
If an emcee step outta line, I feel them affi get cut up
If anyone tries to challenge me, I will take them down
But up, lick up, fist up, sound get brek up
I am so good that I can easily defeat anyone who tries to challenge me
Beat up and kick up until they boy start hiccup
I will continue to beat and kick anyone who tries to challenge me until they give up
How ya look, so sweet with your horse legs acting like you're strange
You look sweet but act unfamiliar, like a horse walking in a strange way
It's full time, now you come off on dat range
It is time for you to leave this place
My name's Wio, bareback rhyming in the plains
My name is Wio, and I rap with passion
Blessin' this, effortless, mess with this, eff with this
My music is a blessing, and I make it effortlessly
If you think you got a chance to dance with your devilish messages
If you think you can compete with me and my music that promotes negativity
Stressing this can only lead to battery
Fighting with me can only lead to physical harm
You rattle me, request to battle me I take as flattery
You challenge me, and I take it as a compliment
I see ya, grip your bible,I'm the lyrically homicidal idol
I see you, holding your bible, but I am the idol of deadly lyrics
Who's liable to take your title with a single recital, it's vital
I can defeat you and take your title in a single performance
You respect the steez, I get vexed with ease
You should respect my music style, but I get angry easily
Don't make me ask you to respect me please
Do not make me ask you to respect me
It's an old time, ol' time killing
This is an old-school style of killing it
We a deal with, run and get your money clip
We are doing well, so go get your money and enjoy the music
For another day in another way
Enjoying the music in different ways every day
De man dem, nuh take the ray ray
We do not care about others' opinions
We are a murderahs
We are amazing at rapping
Killas...murder
We are killers of the music scene
Cold blood I meant to do it ruthless
I am ruthless and meant to kill it
Knew it was murder since Da Grassroots produced it
I knew it was going to be amazing since Da Grassroots produced it
Now we got some ax-murderers upon the track
Now we have some amazing rappers performing
Burning murder onto wax
We are expressing our amazing music on wax
So you can witness the attack, it's Black... Kat
You can see our attack in action, it is Black...Kat
The nigga who writes to burn flavour
I write amazing music that sticks in your mind
So hype the Source should give us 5 mics and 2 turntables
Our music deserves all the highest recognition and awards
We spitting this with beats so ridiculous
We are rapping with ridiculous beats
And rhyme style limitless, let's see if they can get with this
Our rhyming style is limitless, and we challenge others to match it
You're crazy, your tough talk don't amaze me
Your tough talk does not impress me
Imaginary gats busting just don't faze me
Imaginary guns do not intimidate me
Lick a shot, wave your flag, gunfinga in the air
Shoot some guns and wave your flag if you love our music
Headstone on your 12" says Mr. Kardinal and the Monolith was there
Our music is incredible, and you should put it on your 12-inch records
From '94 to now, the beats run wild in the East
Our music has been amazing since 1994, and it will continue
Leaving 'nuff man decease, I got two middle fingers that's made for 5-0
Our music is amazing, and it leaves people in awe. We do not care about the police
Babylon fi get dust and let my people dem go
The authorities should back off and let us be
Call me a sound (killa), gut (filla), rhyme (spilla)
You can call me the sound killer, gut filler, and rhyme spiller
Don't date vanilla, hip hop guerilla
Do not settle for anything less than amazing hip hop music
Mind (chilla), don't drink Miller Lite
Stay calm and do not drink mediocre beer
Night thrilla, spite might fill ya
Our music will excite you, but it may also make you upset
Bite and you invite with a recite to kill ya
If you challenge us, we will destroy you with our amazing music
The tox licker, shot licker
I am addicted to toxic substances
Girls flock quicker, since my crop got bigger
Girls are attracted to me more now because my music is a hit
Get yanked like a glock trigger, just to make the plot thicker
I am rapping so fast, it is like pulling a gun's trigger. This makes the music more intense
Now for the people who don't know what's gwaning
For those who do not understand what is going on
They sleeping on the whole city, stretching in your heart
They are not aware of how incredible our city's music scene is
Wake up before you end up in a pine box
Realize the amazing music around you before it is too late
You better run go and get your money clip
You need to go get your money and come enjoy our music
The emcee killa, killa killa
We are rappers that dominate the scene indefinitely
Lyrics Β© O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: LAWRENCE KRSONE PARKER, SLY DUNBAR, ROGER PERRY, JASON HARROW, DOMINGO F. PADILLA, KEVIN COLEY, KORRY MARCUS DOWNEY, ALWYN CHRISTOPHER PHILLIPS, EVERTON BONNER, JOHN CHRISTOPHER TAYLOR, LLOYD OLIVER WILLIS, CLEMENT DODD, DAVE KELLY, BARRINGTON LEVY AINSWO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
TRE 99 ATLAS
tired of being what you want me to be
Feeling so faithless, lost under the surface
Don't know what you're expecting of me
Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes
Every step that I take is another mistake to you
(Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow)
I've become so numb
I can't feel you there
Become so tired
So much more aware
I'm becoming this
All I want to do
Is be more like me
And be less like you
Can't you see that you're smothering me
Holding too tightly, afraid to lose control?
'Cause everything that you thought I would be
Has fallen apart right in front of you
Every step that I take is another mistake to you
(Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow)
And every second I waste is more than I can take
I've become so numb
I can't feel you there
Become so tired
So much more aware
I'm becoming this
All I want to do
Is be more like me
And be less like you
And I know
I may end up failing too
But I know
You were just like me with someone disappointed in you
I've become so numb
I can't feel you there
Become so tired
So much more aware
I'm becoming this
All I want to do
Is be more like me
And be less like you
I've become so numb
I can't feel you there
(I'm tired of being what you want me to be)
I've become so numb
I can't feel you there
(I'm tired of being what you want me to be)
Martin
The era of Canadian Hip Hop were against all odds and little recognition, they actually did aight! These rappers put in so much work for future Canadian artists that will never have to go through this grind. Respect.
JahRandom
Saukrates too. He's one of my all time favorites. So much classic heat from them brothas.
BIGFELLA2015
This entire album was a classic and he doesn't get enough props. Yeah..props I said it!!
Hassan Hamilton
Agreed! I still got my CD
Carlos Paul
Llllllllllllll
MythTheLegend
@WHOA! What happened to Mastro Fresh West?
WHOA!
T.dot king. hate when people say Drake put us on. This man alone was the 6ix/T.dot
aceassn716
I still proudly own Quest For Fire Vol 1 and plan on coppin whatever 20th Anniversary I can, always needed this on vinyl
SAM
This song is so ahead of its time. And you can hear itβs influence in the songs that have directly sampled it/interpolated it. Remarkable.
0:01 - All Me - Drake
2:55 - Mercy - Good Music
3:25 - Bam - Jay-Z
Patrick Shipman
Who remembers watching this video on "Rap City" back in the day?