His first tracks were produced by The Unknown DJ who also produced Ice T's earliest gangsta rap tracks. He has collaborated with artists such as Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Rappin' 4-Tay, B-Legit, Ice-T, and Masta Ace. He also worked with other producers such as DJ Pooh, Marley Marl, Ant Banks, E-Swift of Tha Alkaholiks and Madlib.
Although he helped launch the career of Tha Alkaholiks, who became popular in their own right, Tee's own career didn't fare quite so well. His highest charting album, Tha Triflin' Album, peaked at #95 on the Billboard 200 while his other albums scraped the bottom of the chart.
Dr. Dre tried to help revitalize Tee's career by signing him to Aftermath Records. He appeared on Dre's albums, Dr. Dre Presents...The Aftermath and 2001, and recorded his own album. But Tee was eventually dropped from the label. Nevertheless, the album he recorded for Aftermath, Thy Kingdom Come was released in 2002 on a German independent label. It featured guest appearances by Dre, Ice T, Too $hort, MC Ren, DJ Quik, Kool G Rap, Shaquille O'neal, Kid Frost, El DeBarge, and others.
Those that have followed gangster rap since its roots will credit King Tee with being one of the leading founders helping gangster rap build credibility and eventually helping to open doors for some of today's biggest names in hip-hop. He is also cited as being one of the biggest inspirations for popular East Coast rapper The Notorious B.I.G., whose early style bore a striking resemblance to that of King T.
Ya Better Bring a Gun
King Tee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They live on the street and they hustle for fame
Some kill for a livin, some sling cocaine
Because it's now a lifestyle and a full-time job
And if you live in compton, it's like at mccobb
From block to block everybody's bad
And if you don't know where you're at, then your life's been had
Cause they walk in the street with intentions to meet
And if you try to act tough, well mr. tough, you're through
Cause everybody's a family, if not, they're a crew
I'm here to give some advice advice (run!)
Cause if you're ever in compton, you better bring a gun
Yo, here come my homeboy mixmaster spade
Man, what's up, man?
Hey man, ain't you from compton, man?
(ah yeah)
Alright man, tell em what's up, man
What you used to do
[ verse 2: mixmaster spade ]
I used to cut up the beat on the two turntables
Now I'm rappin on the mic, cause I'm willin and able
When I'm on the mic I take no slack
And everytime that you see me I'm tearin a gat
I got .380s and .22s
You messs with me, I'm gonna bust on you
I got a .357 and a m-16
They call me master spade, and tee's the king
Now compton is the city where the homeboys stay
Rollin in a different car everyday
Can't roll too hard, gotta watch my back
Cause if I don't, I just might get jacked
Now compton is a city of a lotta fun
(can't walk down the street
(can't walk down the street
Can't walk down the stree without my gun)
[ female voice ]
Now you know this just don't make no kinda sense
[ verse 3: king tee ]
Now the next place is kinda risky if you're walkin with your mother
Y'all can get shot if she wears the wrong color
They're all from the old school, nobody's modern
The place I'm talkin 'bout is the nickerson gardens
You can get away with murder, cause they murdered the cops
Cause they said they tried to run a bumrush on watts
But they took control, slingers walk real tall
While real down gangbangers write their set on the wall
If I was you I wouldn't visit here, it's like hell
And if you get robbed, who you gonna tell?
I'm only here for advice advice (run!)
And if you're ever in watts, you better bring a gun
[ verse 4: king tee ]
Now you got a nice car with a brand-new paintin
Rag top convertable with all-gold daytons
You decide to take a ride down the crenshaw strip
You stop at the fat burgers to feed your lip
You got your sounds bumpin, playin zapp and vibe
A skeezer comes your way, you say, "let's take a ride"
So you're cruisin crenshaw with her, you're goin to bail
A brown cutlass pulls up, they put a gauge to your head
They say, "(get our your car) if you value your life
(and leave your money) if you love your wife"
Now you're standin in the street lookin like you're on crack
And you say to yourself: I can't believe I got jacked
You call the police because your car they stole
But when you get in touch with them, they put you on hold
Your car is gone, nothin could be done
So next time you cruise crenshaw, you better bring a gun!
Alright, I wanna thank mixmaster spade for comin out to rock with me
(and greg mack) the mack attack
And I also wanna thank j-ro and sweet tooth for comin out rockin
(and dj [name])
And I wanna thank scotty d, cold-crush chris
And dj pooh, the hip-hop gangster
(when he say beat em up he don't be bluffin)
Word
And oh yeah, I forgot somebody
Unknown!
(yo man
Who blew up that mcdonald's on central and rosecrans, do? )
The song “Ya Better Bring a Gun” by King Tee is a cautionary message for those who live or visit Compton and Watts, two neighborhoods of Los Angeles known for high crime rates and gang activity. The first verse sets the tone, emphasizing the violent and dangerous nature of the area, where people are engaged in illegal activities like drug dealing and killing for a living. In addition to that, gangs form alliances or crews, making it difficult to look for help in case of trouble. The chorus takes the form of advice to anyone who may want to venture into these areas, telling them to carry a gun or else they would be making a lethal mistake. The second verse is delivered by Mix Master Spade, who talks about his past, as he used to be a DJ who has now become a rapper who is armed with various guns. He also emphasizes the need for protection, considering the dangers of living in Compton. In the third verse, King Tee describes Nickerson Gardens, an area where gangs are known to kill cops and anyone who poses a challenge to their power. Despite the risks, however, gang slingers still roam free, with no fear of being arrested, and bangers writing their sets on walls. The final verse narrates the story of a person who gets robbed while driving on Crenshaw Strip, a street known for its nightlife but also for violent carjacking. The victim is left helpless, realizing too late that in Compton, “you better bring a gun.”
Line by Line Meaning
They live on the street and they hustle for fame
People out here live on the streets and do whatever they can to become famous.
Some kill for a livin, some sling cocaine
Some people make their living by doing illegal things like murders and drug dealing.
Because it's now a lifestyle and a full-time job
Since committing these illegal acts has become so common, it's now a lifestyle for some people to do so as a full-time job.
And if you live in compton, it's like at mccobb
If you live in Compton, you might feel like you're living in a dangerous place.
From block to block everybody's bad
Every street in Compton has people who are either bad or up to no good.
And if you don't know where you're at, then your life's been had
If you're not aware of where you are in Compton, you might end up in a life-threatening situation.
Cause they walk in the street with intentions to meet
People walk in the streets of Compton with the intention of meeting other people for various reasons.
Some sappy lookin punk with fila on his feet
Some people on the street may look innocent, but they could be up to no good.
And if you try to act tough, well mr. tough, you're through
Acting tough in front of these people won't help you, and it could lead to danger.
Cause everybody's a family, if not, they're a crew
Everyone on the street is either part of a family or a group known as crew.
I'm here to give some advice advice (run!)
The singer is advising listeners to run if they're ever in trouble in Compton.
Cause if you're ever in compton, you better bring a gun
If you plan to visit Compton, it would be wise to bring a gun for your own protection.
Now compton is the city where the homeboys stay
Compton is where young male residents stay and live.
Rollin in a different car everyday
The young males in Compton drive different cars every day, most likely to show off.
Can't roll too hard, gotta watch my back
People in Compton are cautious when showing off because they are aware of the danger surrounding them.
Cause if I don't, I just might get jacked
If they don't watch their back, they could get robbed or attacked.
Now compton is a city of a lotta fun
Compton is a place with a lot going on, but some of it could be dangerous.
Can't walk down the street without my gun
The singer can't walk down the street without his gun for his own protection.
Now the next place is kinda risky if you're walkin with your mother
The next place the singer mentions is risky, especially if you're with someone like your mother.
Y'all can get shot if she wears the wrong color
If the artist's mother wears the wrong color, they could get shot, indicating a lot of tension and danger in that location.
They're all from the old school, nobody's modern
The people in this area are old-school and not particularly modern in their beliefs and values.
You can get away with murder, cause they murdered the cops
They murdered police officers, meaning that getting away with murder in this area is not out of the ordinary.
If I was you I wouldn't visit here, it's like hell
The singer suggests that they wouldn't suggest anyone visit this place because of the danger.
And if you get robbed, who you gonna tell?
If anything happens, there is no one they can really turn to for help.
I'm only here for advice advice (run!)
The singer is again giving advice to run from this area.
And if you're ever in watts, you better bring a gun
If you're ever in Watts, you better bring a gun for your own safety because of the danger in the area.
You got your sounds bumpin, playin zapp and vibe
The singer is describing a situation where they were listening to loud music with the track 'Zapp and Vibe' playing.
A skeezer comes your way, you say, "let's take a ride"
A woman approaches the artist, and they decide to drive together.
They say, "(get our your car) if you value your life
The robbers demand that the artist gets out of their car if they value their life.
Now you're standin in the street lookin like you're on crack
After losing the car, the singer is in shock and looks like they're on drugs.
And you say to yourself: I can't believe I got jacked
The singer expresses disbelief at being robbed of their car.
But when you get in touch with them, they put you on hold
When trying to get help, they can get put on hold for a long time, highlighting some inefficiencies in the system.
So next time you cruise crenshaw, you better bring a gun!
The artist is advising that it's safer to bring a gun with you next time you're out cruising in Crenshaw.
Lyrics © AAT MUSIC
Written by: KING TEE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind