Obie Trice III was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan by his mother, along with three brothers. He is of African American and German descent. Trice was given a karaoke machine by his mother when he was eleven and he used it to rhyme over instrumentals from artists such as N.W.A. By the age of fourteen, he was attending rap battle spots around Detroit, notably including the Hip Hop Shop.
Obie Trice went by the name of Obie 1 during this time, but when he first met Proof, who was about to introduce him at the Hip Hop Shop, Proof asked him, "What's your name? Your real name, no gimmicks." He was then introduced as Obie Trice, and has kept his real name as his rap name. Trice was introduced to Eminem through D12 member Bizarre. Hot Rapper: Obie Trice. Rolling Stone. Accessed January 22, 2008. Later, Trice received a call from his manager informing him that he would be having dinner with Eminem, and later that night they went to a Kid Rock party.
Before first major release, early years on Shady Records
As an acquaintance of D12 member Bizarre, Obie was signed after a personal introduction to Eminem allowed him to impress the Detroit rap legend in-person. The general public were first introduced to Obie on D12's Devil's Night album on a skit. His one-line opener ("Obie Trice: Real name, no gimmicks" - taken from his song "Rap Name" and referring to the lack of a rap pseudonym) on Eminem's lead single; "Without Me", off the critically-acclaimed and commercially successful The Eminem Show increased public awareness of his name and slogan. Obie also appeared in the video for the song, body-slamming a dummy representing Moby. Appearances on DJ Green Lantern's official Shady Records Invasion mixtape series, allowed him to further his public recognition.
In 2002, Trice appeared in 8 Mile as one of the rappers in the Chin Tiki parking lot scene. Trice also has a featured appearance as Big Pimpin' in the Detroit made independent feature film Life Goes On, which will premiere at the Cannes International Film Festival in May 2006.
A short while before the first Invasion mixtape was released, he became involved in the Eminem-Benzino beef after being called out by Benzino with the line "Obie Trice/You's a buster" in a diss-track directed at Eminem and Shady Records. In response to Benzino, Obie released the track "Welcome to Detroit City" (a track over the beat from Cam'ron's song "Welcome to New York City") on the first Invasion mixtape. He also joined his label-mates in the highly publicised Ja Rule-50 Cent beef but never received a direct response from Ja Rule.
Cheers
His debut album Cheers was released on September 23, 2003 with its first single "Got Some Teeth" being well received on radio in a number of countries. He also released the songs "Don't Come Down" and "The Set Up". The album consists of 17 tracks with production from Eminem, Dr. Dre, Timbaland, Mike Elizondo, Emile, Fredwreck and Denaun Porter. Artists featuring on Cheers include Busta Rhymes, Eminem, Dr. Dre, Nate Dogg and D12 among others. The album was eventually certified platinum by the RIAA.
Second Rounds On Me
As of 2005 he has begun work on his second album, entitled 2nd Rounds On Me, which was expected later that year. Never making the 2005 calendar mark, Obie set sights on releasing it in 2006. Although the album will be released by Shady Records, it will feature a lineup primarily comprised of local Detroit rappers with decreased presence from Eminem and other Shady/Aftermath artists.
Shooting
On December 31, 2005, Trice was shot twice while driving on the Lodge Expressway by Wyoming Avenue in Detroit. One of the bullets entered his skull. Trice was able to drive off the expressway, where his girlfriend waved down police. He was taken to Providence Hospital and released later that day. Doctors are still contemplating whether or not to remove the bullet which entered his head, as it may be too dangerous to operate.
Leaving Shady Records, current situation
Obie Trice left Shady Records on June 26, 2008, because of a dispute because Interscope claimed they would not fund another Obie Trice CD. This news was first put into circulation by Hip-Hop blog Urban Lookout; a few days after they broke the news, a track (Giants) leaked confirming the rumor. Even though Obie has left Shady Records, Eminem's manager Paul Rosenberg says that Eminem and Obie are still close friends, and that Eminem will still work with Obie Trice on future projects.
Discography:
Cheers (2003) - Platinum
2nd Rounds On Me (2006) Released:August 15, 2006
Featured/Other songs:
"Doe Ray Me": D12 and Obie Trice
"Love Me": Eminem, 50 Cent and Obie Trice
"Drips": Eminem and Obie Trice
"Spend Some Time": Eminem, 50 Cent, Stat Quo and Obie Trice
"Adrenaline Rush": Obie Trice
"Fok de Macht": The Opposites and Obie Trice
"Loyalty": D12 and Obie Trice
"Doctor Doctor": Bizarre and Obie Trice
"72nd & Central": Proof, J-Hill and Obie Trice
"Stay Bout It": Obie Trice and Stat Quo
"Growing Up in the Hood": The Game and Obie Trice
"Hennessey": 2Pac and Obie Trice
"Drama Setter": Tony Yayo, Eminem, and Obie Trice
"It Has Been Said": Eminem, Diddy and Obie Trice
"War": Trick Trick and Obie Trice
"Hustler": 50 Cent and Obie Trice
"Get That Money": 50 Cent, Obie Trice, and Lloyd Banks
"Get That Money (remix)": 50 Cent, Obie Trice, Lloyd Banks, and Krondon
There They Go
Obie Trice Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ay, Em you ready?
Herk, you got them things, nigga?
You know
Detroit city
There they go, them D-Town boys, carry the Calico
Whenever there's war, you gots to know
Detroit make noise everywhere that we go
There they go, there they go
You are not convincin'
When Detroit blocks stay flocked with henchman
Niggas get popped for instance, infrared dot for distance
Get knocked by the cops, cop on some pen shit
Straight detention, a nigga doin' tension
Once released, he on that music business
From viewin' 106 in them cafeterias
Only to find that rap's actually serious
Deliriously resort back to crack and vigilance
Same shit that sent 'en upper Michigan
Us is pimpin', a difference from any city I've visited
It's that Detroit spirit and if we in it
Ballin' out 'til the end, period
Use O as the reference to that sentence
The message I'm sendin', you best just pay attention
There they go, them D-Town boys, carry the Calico
Whenever there's war, you gots to know
Them boys got toys, tear down the front door
Detroit make noise everywhere that we go
There they go, there they go
If you don't like how I act then blow me
I don't really give a shit, I represent the real cats who know me
Man, what's up with that scratch you owe me?
Now run my chips before we fall out like Shaq and Kobe
Big Herk on a track with Obie
When you come to the D, it's cutthroat, better be packin', homie
Where niggas get they shit split for actin' phony (yeah)
We're known for the Glocks and the choppers
These niggas'll rob you, leave you standin' in ya socks and ya boxers
We got real G's and lots of imposters
I smoke the real trees, see, I cop from the Rastas
Y'all niggas ain't impress me yet
Y'all yappin', not rappin', turn that shit off and press eject
See we known for the car shows, runnin' from the Narcos
Keep them bottles comin', we gon' pop 'em 'til the bar close
There they go, them D-Town boys, carry the Calico
Whenever there's war, you gots to know
Them boys got toys, tear down the front door
Detroit make noise everywhere that we go
There they go, there they go, there they go
There they go, there they go, there they go
Them D-Town boys, carry the Calico
Detroit make noise everywhere that we go
Meat cleaver, leave a gash in a bitch's ass
see her dreams of being an R&B singer diva
leave her face cut up from the waist up
man, what a waste of a pretty face
man, this place ain't just safe, it's just straight gangster
It ain't just New York or LA that bangs no more
There's Latin Coun' Kings here
Southside, four, Eastside and Gansen
nothin' but ganglands and spray paint cans
and when that van rolls up, man, they ain't glancin'
That window rolls down and that Trey 8's dancin'
And them shooters don't mis,s homie, man they hate chancin'
It's straight for the dome and it's vacate fast and
Get the fuck outta dodge 'fore that blue dodge flashin'
Red and blue lights, no ambulance, you got flattened
And this was not supposed to be no Detroit anthem
But just so you know if you see them D-Boys passin'
There they go, them D-Town boys, carry the Calico
Whenever there's war, you gots to know
Them boys got toys, tear down the front door
Detroit make noise everywhere that we go
There they go, there they go, there they go
There they go, there they go, there they go
Them D-Town boys, carry the Calico
Detroit make noise everywhere that we go
Here we go motherfuckers
This the motherfuckin' back atcha Trick
Don't even dream of fucking up in Detroit, bitch
This is where the real killers at
Detroit, motherfucker
Ain't never no difficulty smashing no bitch-ass niggas
Matter of fact, bring your bitch-ass to Detroit, nigga
We got something for your ass
The song "There They Go" features Obie Trice and Eminem rapping about the violent nature of their hometown of Detroit, Michigan. The opening verse talks about how the Detroit boys carry guns, specifically the Calicos, and will use them when faced with danger. The tone of the song is unapologetic and assertive, with the rappers asserting that their reputation precedes them in the city of Detroit. They speak about the atmosphere of gang violence and drugs that has taken over their city, with many young men turning to rap music as a way to escape their circumstances.
The lyrics then shift to talk about the rappers themselves and their careers. Eminem references his time spent in juvenile detention and how he turned to music as a way out. Obie Trice talks about the importance of paying debts and standing by one's word, as well as the cutthroat nature of the Detroit music scene. The chorus repeats the opening lines, emphasizing the violent nature of the Detroit boys and their tendency to carry guns.
The last section of the song talks about the dangers of Detroit's streets, with Eminem describing a brutal attack on a woman with a meat cleaver. He also mentions the various gangs that operate in the city and warns listeners to stay out of their way. The song ends with a call to arms, with the rappers promising to defend their city and each other from any threat.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah
Acknowledgment to start the song
Ay, Em you ready?
Asking Eminem if he's ready to start rapping
Herk, you got them things, nigga?
Asking Herk if he has the weapons
You know
Acknowledgment and anticipation for what's to come
Detroit city
Introduction to the subject matter of the song, the city of Detroit
There they go, them D-Town boys, carry the Calico
Referring to the Detroit gangsters who carry guns wherever they go
Whenever there's war, you gots to know
Warning to others that there may be trouble whenever these gangsters are around
Them boys got toys, tear down the front door
The gangsters are well equipped and can easily break into buildings
Detroit make noise everywhere that we go
Detroit is notorious and has a reputation for violence
If you don't like how I act then blow me
I don't care about other people's opinions, they can leave me alone
I don't really give a shit, I represent the real cats who know me
My loyalty is with the people who know me for who I am
Man, what's up with that scratch you owe me?
Asking someone to pay a debt they owe
Now run my chips before we fall out like Shaq and Kobe
Pay me or there will be consequences
Big Herk on a track with Obie
Announcement that Big Herk is also contributing to the song
When you come to the D, it's cutthroat, better be packin', homie
Detroit is a dangerous place and one should be prepared for anything
Where niggas get they shit split for actin' phony
People get hurt for pretending to be someone they're not
We're known for the Glocks and the choppers
Detroit gangsters are known for carrying guns everywhere they go
These niggas'll rob you, leave you standin' in ya socks and ya boxers
The Detroit gangsters are ruthless and will take everything from you
We got real G's and lots of imposters
There are many people pretending to be gangsters in Detroit
Y'all niggas ain't impress me yet
No one has impressed me with their skills yet
Y'all yappin', not rappin', turn that shit off and press eject
People are talking too much and not rapping enough, they should stop trying to impress me and leave
See we known for the car shows, runnin' from the Narcos
Detroit is also known for car shows and trying to avoid the police
Keep them bottles comin', we gon' pop 'em 'til the bar close
We're going to keep drinking and partying until the bar closes
Meat cleaver, leave a gash in a bitch's ass
Describing a gruesome act of violence
See her dreams of being an R&B singer diva
Commenting on how someone's dreams can be cut short by violence
Leave her face cut up from the waist up
Describing a brutal act of violence that disfigures someone's face
Man, what a waste of a pretty face
Expressing sadness over the destruction of someone's beauty
Man, this place ain't just safe, it's just straight gangster
Detroit is not a safe place, it's filled with gang activity
It ain't just New York or LA that bangs no more
Gang activity is not limited to big cities like New York or Los Angeles
There's Latin Coun' Kings here
There are Latin King gang members in Detroit
Southside, four, Eastside and Gansen
Different parts of Detroit where gang activity is high
Nothin' but ganglands and spray paint cans
Describing the areas of Detroit where gangs tag buildings and do other illegal activities
And when that van rolls up, man, they ain't glancin'
When a van pulls up, people don't just look at it, they know what's about to happen
That window rolls down and that Trey 8's dancin'
The people inside the van have guns and are ready to use them
And them shooters don't miss, homie, man they hate chancin'
The people with the guns are skilled and don't miss their targets
It's straight for the dome and it's vacate fast and
They aim for the head and you should run away as quickly as possible
Get the fuck outta dodge 'fore that blue dodge flashin'
Leave the area before the police arrive
Red and blue lights, no ambulance, you got flattened
The police will not come to help you, you are on your own
And this was not supposed to be no Detroit anthem
The song was not meant to be an anthem for Detroit
But just so you know if you see them D-Boys passin'
If you see the Detroit gangsters, be careful and avoid them
Here we go motherfuckers
Continuation of the song
This the motherfuckin' back atcha Trick
Introduction of the artist performing the song
Don't even dream of fucking up in Detroit, bitch
Warning to anyone who may try to start trouble in Detroit
This is where the real killers at
Detroit is filled with real killers who mean business
Ain't never no difficulty smashing no bitch-ass niggas
It's easy to take care of anyone who poses a threat
Matter of fact, bring your bitch-ass to Detroit, nigga
Challenging anyone who thinks they're tough to come to Detroit and see what happens
We got something for your ass
We have the means to take care of anyone who tries to start trouble
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Marshall B. Mathers, Obie Trice, Luis Edgardo Resto, Amery Dennard, Christian Anthony Mathis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind