Sky's the Limit
Notorious B.I G Lyrics

Good evenin' ladies and gentlemen
Notorious B.I.G. starts off with a formal greeting to his listeners.

How's everybody doin' tonight?
He inquires about the audience's wellbeing, setting a friendly tone.

I'd like to welcome to the stage, the lyrically acclaimed, ha
B.I.G. introduces himself as a skilled rapper, who is confident in his abilities.

I like this young man, because, when he came out
B.I.G. appreciates a fellow rapper who went from a low-level status to success.

He came out wit the phrase, he went from ashy to classy
B.I.G. admires the other rapper's journey and the phrase he coined to describe it.

Ha, I like that
B.I.G. expresses his appreciation for the other rapper's catchphrase.

So everybody in the house, give a warm, round of applause for
B.I.G. invites the audience to show appreciation for him, preparing for his performance.

The Notorious B.I.G.
He repeats his stage name, establishing it as a powerful icon in the hip-hop industry.

The Notorious B.I.G. ladies and gentlemen give it up for him y'all
B.I.G. requests for the audience to cheer for him before performing his song.

Uh, a nigga never been as broke as me, I like that
B.I.G. expresses his pride in overcoming his impoverished past.

When I was young I had two pair of Lees, besides that
He reminisces about when he had a limited wardrobe, except for two pairs of jeans.

The pin stripes and the gray (Uh-huh)
He describes the two pairs of Lees he possessed as having a distinct pinstripe and gray color.

The one I wore on Mondays and Wednesdays
B.I.G. explains how he would rotate between the two pairs of Lees, one for Monday and the other for Wednesday.

While niggas flirt, I'm sewing tigers on my shirt
B.I.G. contrasts himself with others who waste time, saying he is productive by sewing tigers on his shirt as a fashion statement.

And alligators
He adds that he also sews alligator designs on his shirt.

Ya wanna see the inside, huh, I see ya later
He teases those curious about his shirt design, implying he will not show them.

Here come the drama, oh, that's that nigga wit the fake, blaow!
B.I.G. senses trouble is coming at the sight of someone with a fake character or behavior. He imitates the sound of a gunshot, which might suggest the beginning of a conflict.

Why you punch me in my face, stay in ya place
He confronts the person who punched him and tells him to stay in his place.

Play ya position, here come my intuition
B.I.G. implies that he trusts his instincts and that the person who hit him will now have to face the consequences.

Go in this nigga pocket
He commands his crew to steal from the person they confronted earlier.

Rob him while his friends watchin'
He instructs his people to rob the person in front of his friends to assert dominance.

That hoes clockin', here comes respect
He observes someone who may be interested in him or his wealth while his reputation is more widespread in his community, also associating respect with his power.

His crew's your crew, or they might be next
B.I.G. warns the person observing him that you either join his side or become his enemy.

Look at they man eye, BIG man they never try
He reveals that he is respected because nobody dared to confront him.

So we roll wid 'em, stole wid 'em
B.I.G. says he gained trust among his crew by engaging with them in criminal activities such as stealing.

I mean loyalty, niggas bought me milks at lunch
He shows what loyalty means to him, giving examples of how his friends supported him by buying him food.

The milks was chocolate, the cookies, buttercrunch
He mentions the specific type of milk and cookies, maybe for authenticity or nostalgia.

In gear, Oshkosh with blue and white ducks
B.I.G. describes what clothing he wore, OshKosh overalls and blue and white shoes.

Pass the blunt
He asks his friends to give him the marijuana joint.

Sky is the limit and you know that you keep on
B.I.G. transitions into his chorus, singing about how anything is possible and encouraging his listeners to persevere.

Just keep on pressin' on
He repeats his message of determination and hard work.

Sky is the limit and you know that you can have
B.I.G. reinforces the concept of limitless opportunities, stating that anyone can achieve their goals.

What you want, be what you want
He urges his audience to achieve their goals and become who they want to be.

What you want, be what you want, have what you want, be what you want
He repeats his message, emphasizing freedom and potential.

Uh-huh, I was a shame, my crew was lame
B.I.G. reflects on his past, admitting that he was ashamed of himself and his crew.

I have enough heart for most of 'em
He expresses confidence in his own courage and resilience, saying he only needs himself.

Long as I got stuff from most of 'em
Although he does not require emotional support, he still benefits materially from his connections.

It's on, even when I was wrong I got my point across
B.I.G. shares that he always gets his message across, even if he is wrong, because of his authority and confidence.

They depicted me the boss, of course
He reveals that his community identifies him as the head of his crew.

My orange box-cutter make the world go 'round
He brags about his weapon of choice and how it represents his power and ability to instill fear.

Plus I'm fuckin, bitches ain't my homegirls now
He talks about his personal life, implying that women are not his friends but rather sexual partners.

Start stackin', dabbled in crack, gun packin'
He admits to his involvement with illegal activities such as drug dealing and having a gun.

Nickname Medina, make the seniors tote my ninas
He reveals his nickname and how he got older people to carry his guns for him as a sign of respect.

From gym class, to English, pass off a global
B.I.G. brags about his intelligence, stating that he excels academically in both physical education and language arts.

The only nigga wit a mobile, can't you see like Total
He takes pride in owning a cellphone, which at the time was not widely used. He also references the R&B group Total, saying that he is always aware of his surroundings.

Gettin' larger in waist and taste
He references his physical and material growth, indicating the acquisition of wealth and indulgent desires.

Ain't no tellin' where this felon is headin', just in case
He talks about his criminal actions and how they might lead to danger, always making sure to be prepared for anything.

Keep a shell at the tip of your melon, clear the space
He advises his listeners to keep a gun in their possession and to make sure they have space to shoot if necessary.

Ya brain was a terrible thing to waste
B.I.G. references an anti-drug campaign to encourage education and discourage drug abuse and dangerous behavior.

Eighty-eight long gates, snatch initial name plates
He recounts how he would steal jewelry with his crew, particularly chain necklaces with engraved initials.

Smokin' spliffs wit niggas, real life beginner killers
He describes his social habits, smoking marijuana with new or young criminals who aren't necessarily experienced killers yet.

Prayin' God forgive us for being sinners, help us out
He acknowledges the nature of his actions and asks for forgiveness and support.

After realizin', to master enterprisin'
B.I.G. shares his self-awareness, realizing he can flourish in entrepreneurship.

I ain't have ta be in school by ten, I was in
He admits to skipping school and choosing other endeavors before the required time to attend school.

Began to encounter, wit my counter-parts
He details his personal and professional encounters with peers and rivals.

On how to burn the block apart, break it down into section
B.I.G. conspired with others on how to dominate the drug trade in their neighborhood, separating the market in specific pockets.

Drugs by the selection
He talks about the variety of drugs available to sell in his area, portraying the marketability of such goods.

Some use pipes, others use injections
He mentions the different ways drugs are ingested, highlighting dangerous drug use practices.

Syringe sold seperately, Frank the deputy
He makes a reference to a criminal enterprise, hinting at the involvement of government law enforcement in such activities.

Quick to grab my Smith & Wesson, like my dick was missin'
He shows his readiness for confrontation, comparing it to how he responds when he lacks sexual gratification.

To protect my position, my corner, my layer
B.I.G. elaborates how he would use his gun to wield power over his territory and to stay safe from opponents.

While we out here, say the hustlas prayer
He refers to a culture of praying for those in the criminal world, who participate in illegal and high-risk situations.

If the game shakes me or breaks me
He talks about the dangers of his business, explaining how it can overwhelm or potentially kill him.

I hope it makes me a better man
He shows his desire to learn and grow from the challenges and hardships he faces.

Take a better stand
He encourages his listeners to take a stronger stance in life, showing confidence and willpower.

Put money in my moms hand
He sets a goal of earning enough money to support his mother financially.

Get my daughter this college plan, so she don't need no man
He also talks about his plans of setting his daughter up for success and independence by paying for her education without requiring a man to do so.

Stay far from timid
He reiterates the importance of bravery, reminding his listeners to stay away from timidity.

Only make moves when your heart's in it
He emphasizes the need for passion and purpose when making choices or taking actions.

And live the phrase Sky's The Limit
B.I.G. reinforces the importance of perseverance and ambition by repeating the song's title.

Motherfucker, see you chumps on top
He ends the song with a censored expletive and a message of hopelessness to those who are currently in power, implying that they will someday lose their position atop the hierarchy.