Ol' Dirty Bastard simultaneously brought a measure of humor and a touch of the absurd to the Wu-Tang Clan. Often noted for his unusual mic technique (critic Steve Huey writes of Jones's "outrageously profane, free-associative rhymes" delivered "in a distinctive half-rapped, half-sung style"), Jones's stage name came from a 1980 kung fu film entitled Ol' Dirty & The Bastard, the relevance of which was articulated by Method Man's assertion that there was "no father" to Jones's style.
After establishing the Wu-Tang Clan, Ol' Dirty Bastard went on to a successful solo career. However, his professional success was hampered by his erratic personal behavior and frequent legal troubles, including incarceration. He died in late 2004 of a drug overdose in a recording studio.
Life and Career
Ol' Dirty Bastard was born Russell Jones in Brooklyn in 1968, and grew up in the neighborhood of Fort Greene. As he got older, he started hanging out more and more with his cousins Robert Diggs and Gary Grice; they all shared a taste for rap music and kung-fu movies. Diggs, later to be known as the RZA, Grice, later the GZA, and Jones formed Force Of The Imperial Master, which subsequently became known as the All in Together Now Crew after they had a successful underground single of that name.
Wu-Tang Clan
The cousins soon added six more friends and associates to the Clan, and released their debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) in 1993 (1993 in music). 36 Chambers received enormous critical praise, and is now widely regarded as one of the best and most influential albums of any genre to be released in the 1990s, as well as one of the best hip hop albums of all time.
While most of the group's members received individual praise from critics and fans, Jones became perhaps the best-known member of the group. Armed with a seemingly crazed, slurred, often off-beat, half-sung half-rapped delivery, bizarre lyrics and humorous antics that were unlike anything ever heard before in rap, he seemed to encapsulate and personify the raw, unadulterated and innovative style of the group.
Ol' Dirty Bastard takes his name from the 1980 film by Meng-Hwa Ho called An Old Kung Fu Master, known also as Mad Mad Kung Fu and Ol' Dirty & The Bastard. The movie features Yuen Siu Tien aka Simon Yuen who can also be found in other classics such as Drunken Master. Yuen Siu Tien often played a character of an old drunkard who had mastered the martial art of Drunken Boxing.
Solo career
ODB's solo career began in 1995, the second member of the Wu-Tang Clan to release a solo album, following Method Man's 1994 effort, Tical. Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version, released on March 28, 1995, spawned the hit singles Brooklyn Zoo and Shimmy Shimmy Ya, and powered the album to gold status. The album's sound was as raw and gritty as 36 Chambers, producer RZA creating beats even more minimalist and stripped-down than on the group's debut.
That same year, he was featured on the remix of Mariah Carey's "Fantasy". What might have seemed like an unlikely pairing spawned a major hit song. "Fantasy" was among the first popular pop, R&B, and hip hop collaborations.
Around this time, Jones gained notoriety when, as he was being profiled for an MTV biography, he took two of his thirteen children by limousine to a New York State welfare office to pick up his welfare check while his latest album was still in the top ten of the US charts. The entire incident was filmed by an MTV camera crew and was broadcast nationwide.
In 1997, ODB appeared on the Wu-Tang Clan's second and most commercially successful album, Wu-Tang Forever. However, Jones appeared less often on the Clan's sophomore than on the debut; he contributed a solo track titled "Dog Shit" as well as hooks ("As High As Wu-Tang Get") and spoken introductions ("Triumph"), but other than these appearances and featuring prominently on the songs "Maria" and "Reunited," as well as delivering a very short verse on "Heaterz", he was absent.
In February 1998, Jones witnessed a car accident from the window of his Brooklyn recording studio. He and a friend ran to the accident scene and organized about a dozen onlookers who assisted in lifting the 1996 Ford Mustangโrescuing a 4-year-old girl from the wreckage. She was taken to a hospital with second and third degree burns. Using a false name, Jones visited the girl in the hospital frequently until he was spotted by members of the media.
The evening following the traffic accident, Jones rushed onstage unexpectedly during Shawn Colvin's acceptance speech for "Song of the Year" at the Grammy Awards, and began complaining that he had recently purchased expensive clothes in anticipation of winning the "Best Rap Album" award that he lost to Puff Daddy. Before being escorted off-stage, he implored the audience, "I don't know how you all see it, but when it comes to the children, Wu-Tang is for the children. We teach the children. Puffy is good, but Wu-Tang is the best. I want you all to know that this is ODB, and I love you all. Peace!" (He evidently was confused between Shawn Colvin and Sean Combs, Puff Daddy's real name). His bizarre onstage antics were widely reported in the mainstream media.
In April 1998, he announced his new stage name, Big Baby Jesus (the first of many alternate stage names; see the list below), but was never able to give a coherent explanation for the very brief switch.
In 1999, he found time to release Nigga Please between jail sentences, which received much success and was even more bizarrely warped than his debut. This release included the single "Got Your Money" which became extremely successful in the US and elsewhere; it was produced by The Neptunes, and its success would serve as one of the production group's main stepping stones to the superstardom they would later achieve. As well as the Neptunes, the single also put singer Kelis, who sang the chorus, on the map; she went on to have a successful solo career.
In 2001, with Jones again in jail for crack cocaine possession, his record company Elektra Records made the decision to release a greatest hits album (despite there being only two albums in ODB's back catalogue) in order to both end their contract with the unreliable, troubled artist as well as make some money off the publicity generated by his legal troubles. After the contract with Elektra was terminated, the label D-3 records released the album "The Trials and Tribulations of Russell Jones" in 2002, comprised of tracks put together without Jones's input, using the vocals he had recorded prior to his capture by authorities. The label recruited many guests including several Wu-Tang Clan affiliates, No Limit Records artist C-Murder, and the Insane Clown Posse. However, the album was critically panned and sales were poor.
The year 2003 brought a change in the life of Ol' Dirty Bastard however. The day he was released from prison, with Mariah Carey and Damon Dash by his side, Jones signed a contract with Roc-A-Fella Records, and began a new chapter in his life. Living at his mother's home under house arrest and with a court-ordered probation hanging over his head, he managed to star in a VH1 reality television series. He also managed to record a new album, scheduled to be released in 2006 through Dame Dash Music Group.
He had stated that he also planned on collaborating with artists in the electronic music genre, such as Carnage and The Fiasco, Fischerspooner, and possibly even Massive Attack.
Legal troubles
In 1993, ODB was convicted of second degree assault for an attempted robbery and in 1994, he was shot in the abdomen following an argument with another rapper.
In 1997, he was arrested for failure to pay child support for three of his thirteen children. His wife, Icelene Jones, claimed he had not paid any support in over a year.
In 1998, he pled guilty to attempted assault on his wife and was the victim of a home invasion robbery at his girlfriend's house. He was shot in the back and arm but the wounds were superficial.
In July 1998, only days after being shot in a push-in robbery at a cousin's house in Brooklyn, he was arrested for shoplifting a pair of $50 shoes in Virginia Beach, Virginia, although he was carrying close to $500 at the time. He was issued bench warrants by the Virginia Beach Sheriffs Department to stand trial after he failed to appear in court numerous times. He was arrested for criminal threatening after a series of drunken confrontations in Los Angeles a few weeks later, and was then re-arrested for similar charges not long after that.
During a routine traffic stop, the details of which remain clouded in multiple versions of events, he was arrested for attempted murder and criminal weapon possession. The case was later dismissed.
In February 1999, he was arrested for driving without a license and for being a convicted felon wearing a bulletproof vest (the first person arrested for this infraction under a new California law). Back in New York weeks later, he was arrested for drug possession of crack cocaine and for traffic offenses. With multiple cases in the past and present, he was arrested with marijuana and 20 vials of crack. After his arrest, ODB reportedly asked the police to "make the rocks disappear". During a court hearing, he once called a female prosecutor a "sperm donor."
This criminal record was commented on by Chris Rock in his 1999 spoken word song, "No Sex (In the Champagne Room)", with Rock asserting that "ODB couldn'tve possibly committed all those crimes. Coolio did some of that shit."
ODB entered rehab while still technically a fugitive from the law, but strange behavior during a subsequent court date sent him to jail for a brief period.
In October 2000, he escaped from his court-mandated drug treatment facility and spent one month as a fugitive. During his time on the run, he hooked up with the RZA and managed to log some time in the recording studio. He then appeared onstage swigging a bottle at a record release party for The W, a Wu-Tang Clan album. He was later arrested in a Philadelphia McDonald's parking lot while signing autographs, and extradited to New York City. A Manhattan court sentenced him to two to four years incarceration. Mental problems resulted in a suicide attempt not long after his sentencing.
In May 2003, Russell Jones was released from prison. It was said that long time friend, Mariah Carey, picked him up after his release.
At first, his legal troubles and odd behavior made Jones "something of a folk hero", according to The New Yorker writer Michael Agger. However, Huey writes that "it was difficult for observers to tell whether ODB's wildly erratic behavior was the result of serious drug problems or genuine mental instability ... the possibility that his continued antics were at least partly the result of conscious image-making disappeared as time wore on."
Russell Jones collapsed at approximately 5:29 p.m. on November 13, 2004 at Wu-Tang's recording studio (36 Records LLC on West 34th Street in New York City). He was pronounced dead less than an hour later. He was buried at Brooklyn's Christian Cultural Center.
A statement was released on Saturday (November 13, 2004) evening by his mother Cherry Jones:
"This evening, I received a phone call that is every mother's worst dream," she said. "My son, Russell Jones, passed away. To the public, he was known as Ol' Dirty Bastard, but to me, he was known as Rusty, the kindest, most generous soul on earth. I appreciate all the support and prayers that I have received. Russell was more than a rapper, he was a loving father, brother, uncle, and most of all, son."
A statement was also released by Damon Dash, who signed ODB to Roc-A-Fella Records in the fall of 2004:
"All of us in the Roc-A-Fella family are shocked and saddened by the sudden and tragic death of our brother and friend. Russell inspired all of us with his spirit, wit and tremendous heart. He will be missed dearly, and our thoughts, prayers and deepest condolences go out to his wonderful family. The world has lost a great talent, but we mourn the loss of our friend."
The cause of death remained unknown until December 15, 2004; although he reportedly complained of chest pains prior to collapsing, a heart attack was not listed as the cause of death. During the initial autopsy of the 35-year-old rapper, a doubled plastic bag containing cocaine was discovered in his stomach. Final results from an autopsy show he had a lethal mixture of the prescription painkiller Tramadol and high amounts of cocaine in his system at the time of his death, which was ruled an accidental overdose by the New York Medical Examiner's Office.
Snakes
Ol' Dirty Bastard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He was known as the snake spirit
He had the speed of a snake
Niggas is like serpents out there
(Snake style, no one could compete)
Serpents will bite
Lay outside, and then they roll back into they holes
Slither in the streets, of Manhattan
In the streets of Queens, streets of the Bronx
Streets of Staten Island
Wherever you see 'em they slither
Whoever, yo
Fearsome shit, check it out
Yo, yo
It broke me up when they pat me on my shoulder
Said stay strong 'cause his life is now over
I flash back to the heathens that he roll with
They shot him up and down nobody knows shit
My peers, little ears
Came up to me with a eye full of tears
Last night we was shootin' dice and gettin' nice
Kid rolled us, played us for our merchandise
We were in the hallway all day
Me, Steve, and Little Ray
Probably at first they tried to rob me
Back me in the lobby, pull out the shotty
Then came Scotty, fragile body
My first impression, he returned from a party
He was just stagger, smellin' like Bacardi
The Dragon, braggin', how he was fuckin mad hotties
Pressed on the elevator button, then all of a sudden
He licked off, about a dozen
Slugs from the cannon, that ripped through my cousin
Nobody was standin' when the nigga started bustin'
Blood started to flood the floors, by the elevator doors
That's the last thing that I saw
Damn, we plan to make grands of our home
(Number two)
Jagged edge, rockin' God, hard as Stonehenge
Pledged whoever crossed his path get scrapped with a sledge
Hammer, he didn't give a damn about the manor
And on the block he was called by the momma's and the grandma's
Indecent, heathen, juvenile delinquent
His weekends was frequently, locked inside the precinct
His most recent cape for catchin' papes
Was snatchin' up snakes on a roof butt-naked hang em off like drapes
Then ask what's the combination to the safe, with the brace
And those who didn't reply they fell straight to their face
Razor blade sharp who invades the dark
And raid more spots than Spays and NARCS iron heart like Tony Starks
A fierce lion, who never leave the crib without the iron
And on the block he be slingin' rocks and duckin' from the sirens
Greetin' niggas he loved with a pound, and a bear hug
Those who wanted life, they catch a slug from the snub
A Five Percent, who all knew was one to ten
He loved the Gods with his heart but his brain was filled with sin
And when he came through niggas be lookin' out
Hopin' he gets shot or tooken out, or locked the fuck up in Brooklyn House
In PC, on a liquid diet, but he was louder than a riot
(Number two, the snake)
Do the knowledge to a nigga named Trigga
Bad rude boy from the land of Jamaica
With visions to venture, to the U.S.
To receive the gold that he couldn't achieve
In his country, even though he sold mad weed
For the next man, who was the Don of the clan
Niggas actin' like they got the block locked
Like I can't sling drug raps and eat food
But I be the rudest, bad boy steppin' gun totin'
Shots lash out like a violent explosion
At the nigga, who tries to stop my production
Intervene the scene and slow up the CREAM
None of that black, East New York, gun talk
Niggas I extort from Baltic to Boardwalk
Memories of injuries wounds and burns
Walkin' through the streets of Medina I stand firm
'Cause I know this, which means I can hold mine down
Without a doubt, niggas who front, get snuffed out
Justice must be born there's no escape
'Cause a snake can't be reformed so I wait
Comin' in the name to proclaim your fame for protection
And you don't know no fuckin' lessons?
(Number two, the snake)
Bad, bad, Leroy Brown
Baddest man in the whole damn town
Badder than the deep blue sea
Badder than you and me
Niggas comin' thru the trees, like a salamander, bitin'
Like a piranha, but I'm bitin you back, like a black panther
The style I'm ampin' the, fuck my name, who I be?
Fuck the game, it's all about the money!
Sometimes I get high with the Meth
Then I turn to the Killah Priest
When it comes twelve o'clock
I turn into the demon beast, yo
Yo fuck that shit!
(Number two, the snake)
Yo, show these motherfuckers what time it is
(Number two, the snake)
Who's the bad ass?
Who's the bad ass?
(Now number two)
(He practiced the snake style
He was known as the snake spirit) Yeah
Lyrics, never waitin', twelve days, penetrated
When I come with the ruffness, mad niggas try to rush this
Slip into my killings, then I slays and you're helpless
When I try to stay sick, it's Yakub grafted six
Calm for the kill, knowing the style that's ill
When I drop, lyric skills, brothers say, Buddah chill!
I don't need to rhyme no more, niggas know, yo!
To all the Wu-Tang Clan members
The Ghostface Killer, the GZA, the RZA, the Ol Dirty Bastard
The Method Man, the Chef, Raekwon, Inspector Deck, U-God
Yo
The song "Snakes" by Ol' Dirty Bastard depicts the harsh reality of the streets of New York City characterized by violence, betrayal, greed, and destruction. The lyrics present three different stories, each of whom depicts people who practice the ways of the snake. The first scene is of a young man who is quick and agile and practices the snake style of fighting. The next scene tells the story of a teenage boy known as Hamma who was violent, dangerous, and frequently arrested. The last scene revolves around Trigga, a Jamaican drug dealer who seeks to move to the US for more significant gains in his trade while battling with other gangs.
The lyrics offer insight into the life of crime, with each character taking on the persona of a snake, which gradually reveals the various guiles they use to lure their victims before pouncing on them. The snakes' symbolism draws on the common characterizations of these reptiles as crafty, deceptive, and dangerous creatures. The lyrics reflect real-life challenges facing young people in the cities plagued with poverty, drug addiction, and street violence.
The song's lyrics are underpinned by a sinister melody, drums, and additional music that gives the composition a feeling of tense suspense. The tempo of the composition varies to reflect the different plot points for each character. In essence, "Snakes" epitomizes the social chaos that characterizes the inner cities in America.
Line by Line Meaning
Now number two, practiced the snake style
He honed his skills in the art of deception and sneakiness
He was known as the snake spirit
His true nature was cunning and deceitful
He had the speed of a snake
He moved swiftly and unpredictably, like a snake
Niggas is like serpents out there
People are deceitful and treacherous in the world
(Snake style, no one could compete)
His deceptive tactics were unmatched and unbeatable
Serpents will bite
Deceitful people will harm and betray others
Lay outside, and then they roll back into they holes
They lay in wait, observing, and then retreat to safety
They slither, in the streets of Brooklyn, New York
These deceitful individuals move stealthily through the streets of Brooklyn
Slither in the streets, of Manhattan
They move slyly and covertly through the streets of Manhattan
In the streets of Queens, streets of the Bronx
They operate clandestinely in both Queens and the Bronx
Streets of Staten Island
Their deceitful actions extend to the streets of Staten Island as well
Wherever you see 'em they slither
These treacherous individuals can be found wherever you look
Whoever, yo
Anyone and everyone can fall victim to their deceit
Fearsome shit, check it out
Their deceptive actions are something to be feared and taken seriously
It broke me up when they pat me on my shoulder
I was devastated when they comforted me with false sympathy
Said stay strong 'cause his life is now over
They advised me to remain resilient in the face of my loved one's death
I flash back to the heathens that he roll with
I reminisce about the deceitful individuals he associated with
They shot him up and down nobody knows shit
They ruthlessly attacked and killed him, and no one has any information
My peers, little ears
My friends and acquaintances, young and naive
Came up to me with a eye full of tears
They approached me with tear-filled eyes, saddened by the loss
Last night we was shootin' dice and gettin' nice
We were gambling and enjoying ourselves the previous night
Kid rolled us, played us for our merchandise
A young person deceived and took advantage of us, stealing our possessions
We were in the hallway all day
We spent the entire day in the hallway
Me, Steve, and Little Ray
Myself, Steve, and Little Ray were present
Probably at first they tried to rob me
Initially, they likely attempted to commit a robbery against me
Back me in the lobby, pull out the shotty
They cornered me in the lobby and brandished a shotgun
Then came Scotty, fragile body
Then Scotty appeared, physically weak and vulnerable
My first impression, he returned from a party
My initial thought was that he just returned from a party
He was just stagger, smellin' like Bacardi
He was noticeably unsteady on his feet, reeking of alcohol
The Dragon, braggin', how he was fuckin mad hotties
Scotty, also known as the Dragon, boasted about his sexual conquests
Pressed on the elevator button, then all of a sudden
He pushed the elevator button, and suddenly
He licked off, about a dozen
He fired off around twelve shots
Slugs from the cannon, that ripped through my cousin
Bullets from the gun tore through my cousin
Nobody was standin' when the nigga started bustin'
Everyone scattered when the man started shooting
Blood started to flood the floors, by the elevator doors
Blood began pooling on the floor, near the elevator entrance
That's the last thing that I saw
That was the final image imprinted in my mind
Damn, we plan to make grands of our home
We had aspirations to make a significant amount of money in our neighborhood
Jagged edge, rockin' God, hard as Stonehenge
He was rough and rugged, as hard as the ancient Stonehenge monument
Pledged whoever crossed his path get scrapped with a sledge
He promised to confront and harm anyone who crossed his path
Hammer, he didn't give a damn about the manor
He had no concern for manners or proper behavior
And on the block he was called by the momma's and the grandma's
The mothers and grandmothers in the neighborhood referred to him with respect
Indecent, heathen, juvenile delinquent
He was immoral, wild, and a troublemaker
His weekends was frequently, locked inside the precinct
He often spent his weekends locked up in the police station
His most recent cape for catchin' papes
His latest endeavor to make money
Was snatchin' up snakes on a roof butt-naked hang em off like drapes
He would strip naked and hang deceitful people off rooftops, like curtains
Then ask what's the combination to the safe, with the brace
Afterward, he would demand the safe's combination, using physical force
And those who didn't reply they fell straight to their face
Anyone who refused to cooperate would be violently subdued
Razor blade sharp who invades the dark
He was quick and deadly, intruding on the shadows
And raid more spots than Spays and NARCS iron heart like Tony Starks
He would target and rob more locations than the police or undercover agents, showing no mercy
A fierce lion, who never leave the crib without the iron
He was like a ferocious lion, always carrying a firearm
And on the block he be slingin' rocks and duckin' from the sirens
He would sell drugs on the street while evading police sirens
Greetin' niggas he loved with a pound, and a bear hug
He would warmly greet his trusted friends with a fist bump and a tight hug
Those who wanted life, they catch a slug from the snub
Anyone who posed a threat to his livelihood would meet a bullet from his short-barreled gun
A Five Percent, who all knew was one to ten
He identified as a member of the Five Percent Nation, known for their knowledge and wisdom
He loved the Gods with his heart but his brain was filled with sin
He had deep respect for his fellow members of the Five Percent Nation, but his thoughts were corrupted
And when he came through niggas be lookin' out
When he approached, people would be on high alert
Hopin' he gets shot or tooken out, or locked the fuck up in Brooklyn House
They wished for him to be injured, killed, or arrested and imprisoned in a local correctional facility
In PC, on a liquid diet, but he was louder than a riot
If he were to be held in protective custody, consuming only liquids, his rebellious nature would still persist
Do the knowledge to a nigga named Trigga
Here's some insight into a man named Trigga
Bad rude boy from the land of Jamaica
He was a tough, disrespectful individual from Jamaica
With visions to venture, to the U.S.
He had aspirations of moving to the United States
To receive the gold that he couldn't achieve
He sought to attain wealth that he couldn't acquire in his home country
In his country, even though he sold mad weed
Despite his success in selling large quantities of marijuana in his homeland
For the next man, who was the Don of the clan
He would sell drugs for the leader of his criminal organization
Niggas actin' like they got the block locked
Some individuals acted as if they controlled the entire neighborhood
Like I can't sling drug raps and eat food
As if he couldn't both rap about selling drugs and make a living
But I be the rudest, bad boy steppin' gun totin'
He was the most disrespectful, dangerous individual, armed and ready
Shots lash out like a violent explosion
He would fire shots with the force of a powerful explosion
At the nigga, who tries to stop my production
He would target anyone who attempted to impede his drug-selling operation
Intervene the scene and slow up the CREAM
Those who tried to interfere would disrupt his cash flow
None of that black, East New York, gun talk
He dismissed anyone who talked tough about the dangerous streets of East New York
Niggas I extort from Baltic to Boardwalk
He would use intimidation to extract money from individuals in the entire neighborhood, from Baltic to Boardwalk
Memories of injuries wounds and burns
He had vivid recollections of his own sufferings and physical harm
Walkin' through the streets of Medina I stand firm
As he walked through the streets of Medina (a metaphor for his dangerous neighborhood), he stood strong and resolute
'Cause I know this, which means I can hold mine down
He possessed knowledge and awareness, allowing him to defend himself
Without a doubt, niggas who front, get snuffed out
Anyone who falsely pretended to be tough would face serious consequences
Justice must be born there's no escape
Wrongdoers must face the consequences of their actions, with no means of avoiding it
'Cause a snake can't be reformed so I wait
Deceitful individuals cannot change, so he patiently waits for their downfall
Comin' in the name to proclaim your fame for protection
He arrives with the intention of using a respected name to safeguard himself
And you don't know no fuckin' lessons?
And yet, you remain ignorant and unenlightened?
Bad, bad, Leroy Brown
An infamous and dangerous individual named Leroy Brown
Baddest man in the whole damn town
The most feared and ruthless man in the entire town
Badder than the deep blue sea
Even more fierce and dangerous than the vast ocean
Badder than you and me
Far more ruthless and menacing than any of us
Niggas comin' thru the trees, like a salamander, bitin'
Deceitful individuals approach from unexpected places, like stealthy creatures, ready to harm
Like a piranha, but I'm bitin you back, like a black panther
He fights back against those who try to harm him, fierce and retaliatory, like a black panther
The style I'm ampin' the, fuck my name, who I be?
The aggressive and powerful style I possess, disregarding my name, who I am
Fuck the game, it's all about the money!
He has no regard for the rules of the game, only focused on acquiring wealth
Sometimes I get high with the Meth
At times, he indulges in drug use with Method Man
Then I turn to the Killah Priest
Then he changes his focus and mindset to that of Killah Priest
When it comes twelve o'clock
When midnight arrives
I turn into the demon beast, yo
He undergoes a transformation into a fearsome and vicious creature
Yo fuck that shit!
Disregard and reject that nonsense!
(Number two, the snake)
Referring to himself as the snake, as previously established
Yo, show these motherfuckers what time it is
Assert yourself and reveal your true power, demonstrating superiority
(Number two, the snake)
Referring to himself again, reiterating his nature as the snake
Who's the bad ass?
Who is the most dangerous and formidable individual?
Now number two
Referring to himself as the second most powerful
(He practiced the snake style
He trained and perfected his deceptive techniques
He was known as the snake spirit) Yeah
His reputation as a cunning and deceitful individual was widely recognized
Lyrics, never waitin', twelve days, penetrated
His lyrics are constantly flowing, penetrating the minds of listeners without delay
When I come with the ruffness, mad niggas try to rush this
When he delivers his rough and aggressive style, many individuals try to challenge him
Slip into my killings, then I slays and you're helpless
He effortlessly transitions into destructive behavior, overpowering and defeating his opponents
When I try to stay sick, it's Yakub grafted six
When he aims to remain intimidating, he becomes like Yakub, the mythical figure in Nation of Islam theology
Calm for the kill, knowing the style that's ill
He remains composed and focused before delivering a deadly blow, knowing his style is unmatched
When I drop, lyric skills, brothers say, Buddah chill!
When he reveals his intricate and powerful lyrics, others are left astounded and tell him to calm down
I don't need to rhyme no more, niggas know, yo!
He suggests that he has nothing left to prove with his rhymes, as everyone is already aware of his talent
To all the Wu-Tang Clan members
He sends his greetings and acknowledgments to the other members of the Wu-Tang Clan
The Ghostface Killer, the GZA, the RZA, the Ol Dirty Bastard
He specifically mentions Ghostface Killah, GZA, RZA, and himself, Ol' Dirty Bastard
The Method Man, the Chef, Raekwon, Inspector Deck, U-God
He also acknowledges Method Man, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck, and U-God
Yo
An exclamation to grab attention or express agreement
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Robert F. Diggs, Russell T. Jones
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Marty McFly
THIS ALBUM IS CERTIFIED CLASSIC...10/10..NO QUESTION ABOUT IT... THAT SOUND ISN'T TO BE REPLICATED... ODB WAS A LIVE WIRE AND WITH RZA HARNESSING THE VOLTAGE... THE OUTCOME WAS BEAUTIFUL.
Jay Yarnold
Marty McFly agreed
Scoobert Scooby Doo
@ Marty McFly This has to be one of the most unique rap albums Iโve ever heard..๐ฅ
Dick Dastardly
Walkmandays!
hiden name
Crack was harnessing the voltage lol
Hydra11B __
1:56 Rza verse still gives me chills to this day. Wu-Tang forever..
Mia Porche
โค๏ธ
Michael Houchen
A fierce lion will never leave the block without an iron
stevenking812
Imagine listening to this with headphones on at full blast, tripping balls on 2 hits of blotter acid, and your sister comes in the room with your best friend's obituary in the newspaper. This happened to me in November of 95. I get emotional every time I hear this!
DoriD TV
so sorry bro, may they rest in peace.