Throughout their whole career M.O.P. deliver the most hard, vicious and violent music hip hop could ever offer. They struck out in 1994. with To The Death, a dark, slow and raging LP that was fully produced by DR Period and featured one of the biggest hardcore rap anthems of the nineties, How About Some Hardcore, that's put by any hardcore rap fan in the same category with Onyx's Slam, Jeru The Damaja's Come Clean and Wu-Tang Clan's Shame On A Nigga.
In 1996 MOP released their second effort, the totally-sophomore-slump-free Firing Squad. Despite totally changing their production sources (the album was mostly produced by Gang Starr's DJ Premier and Fizzy Womack himself), M.O.P. continued torturing fans' ears with extremely hard, rhinocerously slow beats and ecstatic, rampant delivery. Subject matter is either battling with heavy use of criminal associations or serious talk about life in the ghetto.
Two years later M.O.P. hit the fans with a starter - an EP called Handle Ur Bizness and later that year released First Family 4 Life, working on the same formula as ever, again with heavy percentage of DJ Preemo's production, more gems produced by group member Lil Fame and proving that M.O.P.'s trademark is not only the hardest hardcore you can get but also consistency.
Most of M.O.P.'s work was considered underground until 2000, when they released Warriorz, their best work yet. Mainstream got the first hint with "Ante Up", a track produced by DR Period for first time in 6 years. But with self-produced Cold As Ice, a track that featured a rock-song sample (Cold As Ice by Foreigner), M.O.P. achieved major mainstream success, though the song's lyrics were explicit and raging as usual (the radio version edits out much lyrical content to comply with FCC regulations).
In a strange turn, M.O.P. featured on the title track of sugary-sweet boy band LFO's 2001 album Life is Good. Aside from the lack of profanity, M.O.P.'s short verse was rapped in their trademark loud, intense style. It is unclear how this unusual team-up was organized, but it is unlikely that this brief guest spot led to much crossover fan appeal for either group.
"Ante Up" was later remixed with added verse by Flipmodian Busta Rhymes and Terror Squad queen Remy Ma, and was released on the greatest hits record 10 Yearz And Gunnin'. Believe it or not, it is the last hip hop record from M.O.P. In the beginning of the century they switched labels from Loud to Roc-A-Fella in order to have more income and more creative control, but the long-awaited release is still on the shelves. M.O.P. also made a rock-rap album titled simply Mash Out Posse, but it received bad reviews from rap fans who wanted M.O.P. to just rap.
In June 2005, M.O.P. officially announced their signing with 50 Cent's G-Unit, at the same time as Queens rap duo Mobb Deep.
It's That Simple
M.O.P. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[Fame] Either you run wears or get ran the fuck down
[Will] It's that simple!
[Fame] Either you gunnin with us or get gunned the fuck down
[Will] It's that simple!
[Fame] So if you comin nigga then come the fuck now
[Will] C'mon, come
[Fame] Come the fuck now
[Fame] Or get gunned the fuck down
[Will] It's that simple!
[Verse One: Billy Danze]
Gimme a minute and I'm at it again
Forever rockin forever poppin!!!!
Criminal men with intention to win
M.O.! Y'all know my pedigree
I fire raps, I fire gats
My em-pire fire back
Mad at me I holds it down for Brownsville Academy
Get the (militant thugs) I be the gangsta ass I gotta be
The ground is filled with chalk (chalk!)
And the sky is always dark (dark!)
And your everyday street smarts, give you a deep thought
To reach his death be houndin me
Soldiers that's surroundin me
And cobras that fill in pounds, with rounds for downin me
On this rugged-ass, blacktop, black Glocks is issued
Around bodies crack spots, will pop shots and lift you
Where the YG'z and the OG'z get the same under they belt
Where the same hand was dealt (dealt!)
The same pain was felt (felt!)
The game ain't change itself (uh-uh) only the players
The 'Ville still roll, in rolls, waves and layers
[Hook]
[Verse Two: Lil' Fame]
I never forgot how to erase 'em
We raise 'em for the occasion
Hug the hammer like a child and pop it in confrontation
Ain't +No Limit+ to these streets, C-Murder style
We chalk 'em, get it gully when it get u-gly
Baby bubble we spark 'em
It's the Hilltop marksmen, back block enforcement
BK militant thugs, ever since {?} tossin
Cause life is a one-way street, with a lot of signs
And I got to grind
So I learned 'em like the alphabets and I mastered it
The twenty-five and older, consider yo'self a graduate
Ignorant minds, is in the kind of {?} that's in
(Cause) you know (you know) the phrase (the phrase)
Two wrongs (what) don't make a right
Cause it only take one time to fuck up and lose yo' life
See I done got those when they bucked those, ready or not
You better be ready or it gon' be trumpets at yo' burial spot
And I'll be (posted up) on the outside lookin in
Because them outlaws is in your in-laws
Better stand up and defend yours
[Hook]
It's that simple
C'mon, c'mon, it's that simple
It's that simple
The song "It's That Simple" by M.O.P. has a straightforward message - in the world of the streets, it's either kill or be killed. The hook is repeated throughout the song: "Either you run wears or get ran the fuck down / It's that simple! / Either you gunnin with us or get gunned the fuck down / It's that simple! / So if you comin nigga then come the fuck now / C'mon, come / Come the fuck now / Or get gunned the fuck down / It's that simple!" The message is that in this dangerous world, there is no room for hesitation or indecision. If you're not willing to fight, you'll either be run over or shot down.
The verses by Billy Danze and Lil' Fame expand on this theme. They describe a world where violence is everywhere, and anything can happen at any time. Billy Danze talks about his reputation as a gangster and how he's always ready to fight. He describes the streets of Brownsville as a place where danger is constant and where there's no room for weakness. Lil' Fame talks about the need to be prepared for anything and everything. He talks about the importance of being aware of the signs and signals of danger and being ready to strike when the time comes.
Overall, the song is a gritty and realistic portrait of life on the streets. M.O.P. paints a vivid picture of a world where violence is never far away and where survival requires constant vigilance and a willingness to fight.
Line by Line Meaning
[Fame] Either you run wears or get ran the fuck down
If you don't want to get left behind, you better keep up or suffer the consequences.
[Will] It's that simple!
The message is straightforward and easy to understand.
[Fame] Either you gunnin with us or get gunned the fuck down
Join us or be prepared to face the consequences of not being on our side.
[Will] It's that simple!
The message is straightforward and easy to understand.
[Fame] So if you comin nigga then come the fuck now
If you're going to join us, do it now without hesitation.
[Will] C'mon, come
Don't waste any time, join us now.
[Fame] Come the fuck now
Join us immediately without delay.
[Will] C'mon, come
Don't waste any time, join us now.
[Fame] Or get gunned the fuck down
If you don't join us, you'll face the consequences of being an enemy.
[Will] It's that simple!
The message is straightforward and easy to understand.
[Verse One: Billy Danze] Gimme a minute and I'm at it again Forever rockin forever poppin!!!!! Criminal men with intention to win M.O.! Y'all know my pedigree I fire raps, I fire gats My em-pire fire back Mad at me I holds it down for Brownsville Academy
I am a tough and skilled rapper, and I will do whatever it takes to win, including using weapons if necessary. I am proud of my roots in Brownsville and will always represent it.
[Verse One: Billy Danze] Get the (militant thugs) I be the gangsta ass I gotta be The ground is filled with chalk (chalk!) And the sky is always dark (dark!) And your everyday street smarts, give you a deep thought To reach his death be houndin me Soldiers that's surroundin me And cobras that fill in pounds, with rounds for downin me On this rugged-ass, blacktop, black Glocks is issued Around bodies crack spots, will pop shots and lift you Where the YG'z and the OG'z get the same under they belt Where the same hand was dealt (dealt!) The same pain was felt (felt!) The game ain't change itself (uh-uh) only the players The 'Ville still roll, in rolls, waves and layers
The streets are dangerous and violent, and I am constantly surrounded by danger. I represent my crew, the militant thugs, and will do whatever it takes to defend myself and my city. The same violence and danger have always been a part of the streets and will continue to be so.
[Verse Two: Lil' Fame] I never forgot how to erase 'em We raise 'em for the occasion Hug the hammer like a child and pop it in confrontation Ain't +No Limit+ to these streets, C-Murder style We chalk 'em, get it gully when it get u-gly Baby bubble we spark 'em It's the Hilltop marksmen, back block enforcement BK militant thugs, ever since {?} tossin Cause life is a one-way street, with a lot of signs And I got to grind So I learned 'em like the alphabets and I mastered it The twenty-five and older, consider yo'self a graduate Ignorant minds, is in the kind of {?} that's in (Cause) you know (you know) the phrase (the phrase) Two wrongs (what) don't make a right Cause it only take one time to fuck up and lose yo' life See I done got those when they bucked those, ready or not You better be ready or it gon' be trumpets at yo' burial spot And I'll be (posted up) on the outside lookin in Because them outlaws is in your in-laws Better stand up and defend yours
I am experienced and skilled in the use of weapons and violence, and I am always prepared to defend myself and my crew. The streets are dangerous and unpredictable, but I have learned to navigate them through hard work and experience. I know that I can't rely on anyone else to defend me or my people, so I have to be ready to stand up for myself. Violence only leads to more violence, and it's important to always be prepared for the worst.
[Hook] It's that simple C'mon, c'mon, it's that simple It's that simple
The message is straightforward and easy to understand. Join us or face the consequences.
Lyrics © THE ROYALTY NETWORK INC., Royalty Network
Written by: ERIC MURRY, JAMAL GRINNAGE, LAZE ELLIOT, ERIC MURRAY, JAMAL GERARD GRINNAGE, LAZE ELLIOTT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind