The group formed in East Orange, New Jersey, and first appeared on the music scene in the late 1980's releasing an album titled The Independent Leaders, under their then name The New Style. The album generated the minor hit "Scuffin' Those Knees". After the release of their first album, the group was subsequently mentored by fellow New Jersey native Queen Latifah and consequently changed their name.
Their first hit as Naughty By Nature was a track titled "O.P.P." ("Other People's Parts"), which sampled the The Jackson 5's hit "ABC" and was released in 1991 on their self-titled debut album. The album also generated another hit titled "Ghetto Bastard" (the track is often referred to as "Everything's Gonna Be Alright"). Fellow New Jersey native Tony D, accused Naughty by Nature of stealing a sample from his breakbeat album Music Makes You Move and using it on their track "O.P.P.". The matter was settled out of court. Later they had multiple hits from their third and fourth albums, titled 19 Naughty III and Poverty's Paradise respectively.
"Hip Hop Hooray" was a success from the album 19 Naughty III. Its video was directed by Spike Lee and featured other hip-hop artists popular in the early 1990's, including Queen Latifah, Eazy-E, and Kris Kross.
The group also scored a major hit with the track "Uptown Anthem", from the soundtrack to the 2Pac movie Juice.
In later years, Naughty by Nature started their own music imprint, Illtown Records, and released an album from their proteges the Rottin Razkals. The group (mainly Kaygee) worked closely with a number of rnb groups over the years particularly Zhané and Next.
An ongoing dispute between Kaygee and Treach saw Kaygee leave Naughty by Nature in late 2000 to concentrate on his Divine Mill label. The remainder of the group released an album in 2002 titled IIcons, using a variety of different producers including Da Beatminerz - the album however received a lukewarm reception from the public. Treach is rumoured to be releasing a solo album soon. Kaygee has been extremely successful building his Divine Mill imprint with 2 platinum plus albums on both (Divine Mill acts) Jaheim and Next as well as songs on albums from Syleena Johnson and Charlie Wilson among others. In May 2006 Kay Gee reunited with Treach and Naughty by Nature at a concert at B.B. King's nightclub. They will be working together on their next album.
NOTHING TO LOSE
Naughty By Nature Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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Not yet
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(Get up)
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(Get up)
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(Get up)
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(Get up)
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(Get up)
How many niggas gettin' lye tonight?
How many niggas gettin' high tonight?
Jump
(Get up)
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(Get up)
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(Get up)
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(Get up)
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(Get up)
Na na na na
I say fight you holler a quarter day late
A dollar short, poppin' more corks and niggas don't get
Ya collared court, trife ass Whitney will you motherfuckin' mouth, aight
And change your life, we'll sell your life, and tape your fat ass tight
Must be just the master monk
The underhood, the underworld's under man
Motherfuck bein' understood, long as we understand
You can't twist the Treach [unverified] and mix his friends
Niggas over here don't switch and bitch and bend
All eyes on a prize, pimpin' it, and battle a million dollar chance
I glance and just take your tip
It's that last nine hundred and ninety nine thou'
And bowed and thanked the crowd bein' in style
And gimme all these boys a while, truth will tell, I ain't have skunk
Get 'em tough and guts, smoke from [unverified] and hand Treach
Get 'em out of grants that they owe, the top notch
Makin blocks flock, don't have to bust shots
I got props, I'm warning you like closing doors when cop knocks
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Not yet
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(Get up)
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(Get up)
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(Get up)
How many niggas gettin' lye tonight?
How many niggas gettin' high tonight?
Jump
(Get up)
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(Get up)
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(Get up)
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(Get up)
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(Get up)
Ha, now let me line this nigga up
How you soundin' talkin' plain wit' my name, man what the fuck?
Oh, you don't know, boom, bap, smack and there it is
How we dealin' wit' these frustrated niggas in the biz?
(What the fuck was he freakin'?)
I bring some drink in, just for fun
They be guzzlin' on gallons of that red ass rum
You might as well-a put a motherfuckin' bounty on your head
'Cos the drama's for your momma, till your bitch ass dead
Let those chickens, I see your mental picture clickin'
I know I only make it for the one-night stickin'
Phat, I take that back because I was not thinkin'
After one piece of my dick, your brain starts shrinkin'
How many niggas gettin' lye tonight?
How many niggas gettin' high tonight?
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(Get up)
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(Get up)
What? Check it, when the man ain't the man no more
We'll see which one of his men will withstand and be the man in the war
All that rah rah, I send that ass bye bye
After that I fly, I put that on the tatt on my neck, capital I, I
Serve those wit' the nerve to test this
Step and get'cha records clipped
Original is what you kick but I know you better quit
You analyse my click then go duplicate my shit
Discredit's what you get, 'cos you bit
Niggas get the hit-low and shit loads, I flip shows
If it goes to Glocks, we didn't have the blocks in your zip code
Keep hittin' knockers wit' the showstopper in this industry
For they hit us with the Hoffa or Kennedy remedy
That's when Vinnie will be
Lightin' shit up brighter than a bicentennial, see we
Sick of talkin' shit, niggas knowin' how we do
So if you don't fuck with us, we won't have to fuck with you
(We won't have to fuck wit' you)
Jump
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Not yet
Jump
(Get up)
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(Get up)
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(Get up)
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(Get up)
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(Get up)
How many niggas gettin' lye tonight?
How many niggas gettin' high tonight?
Jump
(Get up)
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(Get up)
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(Get up)
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(Get up)
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(Get up)
The song "Nothing to Lose" by Naughty By Nature is a rap song that explores themes of rebellion, freedom, and taking risks. The song encourages the listener to jump, get up and do something that makes them feel alive. The lyrics ask how many people are getting high tonight and suggests that it is okay to take risks and break free from society's expectations. The song is also focused on the idea of staying true to oneself and not bending or switching to fit in with others. It encourages the listener to keep their eyes on the prize and stay focused on their goals no matter what.
In the song, the rapper mentions the importance of understanding and being understood but suggests that it is not always necessary as long as you understand your own goals and values. The lyrics also reference the concept of competition within the music industry and calls out other artists for copying and biting their original style. The song emphasizes the importance of staying true to oneself and not selling out for success.
Line by Line Meaning
Jump
Begin the song with energy and enthusiasm
(Jump)
Repeat the previous line to reinforce the message
Not yet
Delay the start of the lyrics for a beat to create anticipation
(Get up)
Encourage the listener to get energized and involved in the song
How many niggas gettin' lye tonight?
Ask how many people are getting high on drugs tonight
How many niggas gettin' high tonight?
Repeat the previous line to emphasize the question
Na na na na
Repeat this sound as a catchy and memorable hook
I say fight you holler a quarter day late
If you wait to fight, you're already too late and things can escalate
A dollar short, poppin' more corks and niggas don't get
You're always short on money and just drinking more won't solve your problems
Ya collared court, trife ass Whitney will you motherfuckin' mouth, aight
You'll go to jail if you continue being disrespectful and talking back
And change your life, we'll sell your life, and tape your fat ass tight
We can either help you change your life for the better or expose your actions and exploit you
Must be just the master monk
An observation that someone is very skilled and experienced
The underhood, the underworld's under man
A reference to being part of the underworld, under the main boss or leader
Motherfuck bein' understood, long as we understand
We don't care if others understand us, as long as we understand each other
You can't twist the Treach [unverified] and mix his friends
You can't manipulate or deceive Treach and his friends
Niggas over here don't switch and bitch and bend
People on this side are loyal and won't change or complain
All eyes on a prize, pimpin' it, and battle a million dollar chance
We're focused on succeeding, making money, and taking risks in a competitive industry
I glance and just take your tip
I see what you're doing and will take advantage of your mistake
It's that last nine hundred and ninety nine thou'
We're only short of reaching one million dollars in earnings
And bowed and thanked the crowd bein' in style
We appreciate our fans and want to give them a great performance
And gimme all these boys a while, truth will tell, I ain't have skunk
Give us some time to prove ourselves, and we don't need drugs to succeed
Get 'em tough and guts, smoke from [unverified] and hand Treach
We'll toughen up, be brave, and support Treach
Get 'em out of grants that they owe, the top notch
We'll help people get out of debt and become successful
Makin blocks flock, don't have to bust shots
We can inspire and lead people without resorting to violence
I got props, I'm warning you like closing doors when cop knocks
I have respect and recognition, and I'm giving you a warning to listen and follow my lead
Ha, now let me line this nigga up
Let me prepare to confront and challenge this person
How you soundin' talkin' plain wit' my name, man what the fuck?
Why are you talking about me disrespectfully and casually like that?
Oh, you don't know, boom, bap, smack and there it is
You're about to experience the sound and impact of our music
How we dealin' wit' these frustrated niggas in the biz?
We're asking how we should handle people who are envious or angry in the music industry
(What the fuck was he freakin'?)
Short interjection to express disbelief or confusion
I bring some drink in, just for fun
I'm bringing some alcoholic drinks to share and have fun
They be guzzlin' on gallons of that red ass rum
They'll be drinking a lot of rum and getting drunk
You might as well-a put a motherfuckin' bounty on your head
You're attracting trouble and danger to yourself by acting foolishly
'Cos the drama's for your momma, till your bitch ass dead
The conflict and violence will affect you and your family until you die
Let those chickens, I see your mental picture clickin'
Let those who are scared and weak be intimidated, I can see them realizing the danger
I know I only make it for the one-night stickin'
I know I'm only interested in a one-night stand or casual sex
Phat, I take that back because I was not thinkin'
I take back what I just said because I wasn't thinking clearly
After one piece of my dick, your brain starts shrinkin'
After having sex with me once, your self-respect and intelligence will decrease
What? Check it, when the man ain't the man no more
Listen up, when someone loses their power or status
We'll see which one of his men will withstand and be the man in the war
We'll see who among his followers will step up and become a leader in the conflict
All that rah rah, I send that ass bye bye
I'm dismissing and ignoring all the bragging and boasting
After that I fly, I put that on the tatt on my neck, capital I, I
Then I leave quickly, I swear on my tattoo of the letter I
Serve those wit' the nerve to test this
I'll challenge and defeat those who have the courage to test me
Step and get'cha records clipped
Come forward and your career will be ruined
Original is what you kick but I know you better quit
You claim to be original, but I know you're copying and should stop
You analyse my click then go duplicate my shit
You're studying my group and then copying our style and content
Discredit's what you get, 'cos you bit
You'll get discredited and lose respect because you copied us
Niggas get the hit-low and shit loads, I flip shows
We get hit by bad luck and lots of problems, but we still put on great performances
If it goes to Glocks, we didn't have the blocks in your zip code
If it comes to using guns, we don't have to go to your area to get them
Keep hittin' knockers wit' the showstopper in this industry
We'll keep impressing and amazing people with our talent in the music industry
For they hit us with the Hoffa or Kennedy remedy
Before they assassinate or get rid of us like Jimmy Hoffa or John F. Kennedy
That's when Vinnie will be
That's when Vinnie will demonstrate his skills and expertise
Lightin' shit up brighter than a bicentennial, see we
We'll be successful and celebrated like a national anniversary
Sick of talkin' shit, niggas knowin' how we do
We're tired of people talking nonsense, they should know how we work and succeed
So if you don't fuck with us, we won't have to fuck with you
If you don't bother us, we won't bother you either
(We won't have to fuck wit' you)
Repeat the previous line to emphasize the message
Contributed by Elijah F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jordy van Houten
In my opinion one of the best sounding Hip-Hop tracks around.
MicroDotCotton
I have this on vinyl. Its such a banger.
giovanni muraca
What's the album called. I can't find it on Apple music
павел калмыков
Отличная группа !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nala Shakur
After watching Nothing To Lose with Martin Lawrence I always liked this song
Telly 26
Same, I just got that movie on DVD (I used to have it taped on VHS), and now I’m here listening to the soundtrack after rewatching one of my favorite 90s flicks.
illmatic 826
LEGENDARY!!!
Adil paris
Omg 😲😲 best track ever
Worn out Testicles
This used 2 be mad rare to find - Nothing To Lose '98!!!
Gare Bear's Gaming Ground
I remember first hearing this on the movie Nothing to Lose and going CRAZY wanting to find it haha.