Rae's groundbreaking debut album helped to bring the flavour of flossing to wax as well as the use of the moniker among Wu brethren and other prominent emcees. The single "Verbal Intercourse" featured the first appearance of Nas Escobar, Nas' alter ego. Similarly, Raekwon and Ghostface Killah, who served as Rae's partner in rhyme throughout the entire Cuban Linx album, also developed a slew of other identities. Identities like Lex Diamond, one of the flashy, witty and intellectually stimulating personas of the multifaceted Raekwon.
In the years after the release of Cuban Linx, Raekwon continued to record several albums with the Clan including the platinum Wu-Tang Forver (1997) and The W (2000), as well as the gold Iron Flag (2001). He also starred in the critically acclaimed film Black and White, before releasing his second solo album, Immobilarity in 1999. Four years later, it's time for another masterpiece from Raekwon.
The Lex Diamond Story, Raekwon's forthcoming third solo album is that desperately needed effort. This new LP is as much a reflection of his first musical triumph Cuban Linx, as it is a manifestation of the future and what is to come from this great emcee. Raekwon is like the E.F. Hutton of hip-hop: when he speaks, everyone listens. The current void in hip-hop is filled with this rap veteran's
crafty verbal gymnastics and artistic form of storytelling. The Lex Diamond Story takes the top shelf elements of the Wu's first album and the finest sentiments of Raekwon's debut and joins them together to deliver another classic album to the masses.
A lyrical gourmet meal, The Lex Diamond Story shows that The Chef still possesses the recipe to cook up a jambalaya of words with the main ingredient being superior skills. Animated and intense, Raekwon's stealth delivery is filled with emotion, skilled cadence and an array of diverse stories, hooks, and topics. The track, "All Over Again (The Way We Were)" touches on the flavour of "Can It Be All So Simple" with its tale of street survival. Meanwhile, "Pit Bull Fights" is reminiscent of the ferocious lyrical beating inflicted on "Incarcerated Scarfaces." Raekwon is indisputably at his creative beast. Unchained and uninhibited, he is assertive with his music and focused on his goals.
Baggage Handlers
Raekwon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[Intro: sample from Scarface]
You got to be kiddin', five hundred?
Who you think we are, baggage handlers?
The goin' rate on a boat, is a thousand a night, man
You know that (first you got to work your way up to 500, cedigo)
Ok, what I did for you guys in Freedomtown, what was that?
[Raekwon]
Return of the kitchen kid, with the axe
All I know is real detail, coke, lasagna and them E pills
Million dollar merchandise, we on, get ya groove back
A hundred yukons, we all moving crack
All my soldiers got big rank, pa, Sicily money
Y'all had a bitch that got pregnant in Iraq
What's the movement? Superman money in the Ooh building
A few dudes who make a lotta rules sayin' 'you get it'
Right, wavy hair, all my niggaz is polic'
You stay off the roof, or jakes see the crib
No snitchin', this Amityville detention
Might fuck around, get caught, or shot down, play position
Yeah, here they come, sizin' them up, you know my status
This is raw way, lookin' in his eyes, and he butt
Yo, what's happenin'? I heard you got the streets back, captain
Yup, all niggaz is dead, unless they team clappin' something
He felt the generals plans, recognize, we going all out
I might throw three in his man
Had the slick look, looking all Cubaned up
Don't get it twisted, nigga we'll swiss swish you up, what?
[Chorus: Raekwon (Busta Rhymes)]
From all day to morn', noon, night
Recognize we gotta re-up (Yo, it's Cuban Link 2, motherfucker)
You all listen, pay attention
Word to the team, we gonna key up (Yo, it's Cuban Link 2, motherfucker)
Get ya birds off, playground
Yo, stay out my business, you gon' see us (Yo, it's Cuban Link 2, motherfucker)
For all them real Cash Rule Everything Around Me
Niggaz get y'all stee up (Yo, it's Cuban Link 2, motherfucker)
[Raekwon]
The kid that endorse Maxmaris, shorty show support
Take your sweatpants off, fix your mascara
Four hundred nineteen ounces, out in Long Island
Twelve strong bitches that's real, who not scared of housing
Yes, throw on them raccoon, chinchilla feathers
Let it drag on my boots, the jean burned leather
Jog through the back of the building, drop the L
Got the scope on your nosey ass mother, fuckin' up sales
Forty karat locked in, bowtie, chillin' at the Democrat party
Yo, Chef, your coat, got it poppin'
Coming soon, Purple Tape, circle up the city let 'em know I'm back
Four hundred bricks, and yup, the kids stance
Sponsored by my cousin in Stan', maintainin'
Got the call from Tony Young Montana, my son campaignin'
Yup, I'm not no fuckin' bellboy, I war anything out there
The ring is mine, you can tell Roy
That's when I was hit with the call, your whole motto is get tour
Drug rap owner, you will rip all
Live like the pope, and get a big hall
Flipped them a claren, the front, like the Jag back like the store
[Chorus]
[Outro: Raekwon (Scarface sample)]
Yea, we back in the motherfuckin' staircase, nigga
You know that kid is coming, Cuban Linx, nigga
Louis Rich, the signature, bitch
(Every dog has his day, huh, Mel?
You wanna job Ernie? Ok, then, you call me tomorrow)
The song Baggage Handlers features Raekwon and Busta Rhymes. The song opens with a sample of a Scarface clip, where the character expresses his disbelief about the amount offered, $500, not being enough to buy freedom aboard a boat. Raekwon jumps right in with his verses, stating that he is the "kitchen kid with an axe." He goes on to emphasize how his soldiers have good ranks and he has money coming in from Sicily. He also says that he'll throw three in someone's man if they mess around with the "raw way." Busta Rhymes joins in to say "it's Cuban Link 2, motherfucker." Raekwon later talks about how he is backed up by his cousin in Stan when necessary and that he's not going to war with mere "bellboys." He’s definitely doing anything and everything possible for his ring and will be living life like ‘Roy’ after he wins.
The song's title refers to the act of handling baggage, and may be metaphorically alluding to the illegal handling of drugs. The theme of the song revolves around drugs and their associated criminal activities. Raekwon and Busta Rhymes throw out a lot of slang and metaphors creating complex images of gangsters running their criminal enterprises, with no interference from the law.
Line by Line Meaning
Return of the kitchen kid, with the axe
Raekwon is back in the game, dealing cocaine
All I know is real detail, coke, lasagna and them E pills
Raekwon is experienced in selling drugs like cocaine and E pills, as well as cooking lasagna
Million dollar merchandise, we on, get ya groove back
Raekwon and his comrades are making a lot of money selling drugs and are feeling good about it
A hundred yukons, we all moving crack
Raekwon and his gang are all involved in the distribution of crack cocaine
All my soldiers got big rank, pa, Sicily money
Raekwon's associates have high status, and they are making a lot of money like how the Sicilian Mafia
Y'all had a bitch that got pregnant in Iraq
Raekwon implies that his competitor had a female drug dealer who got pregnant while on a military tour in Iraq, which is disgraceful
No snitchin', this Amityville detention
Anyone who snitches will end up in trouble like in the movie Amityville Horror
Might fuck around, get caught, or shot down, play position
Raekwon might end up in jail, dead or in a bad position if he keeps playing this dangerous game
From all day to morn', noon, night
Raekwon and his associates sell drugs all day, every day
Get ya birds off, playground
Raekwon wants his competitors to stop their drug sales game in his territory
For all them real Cash Rule Everything Around Me
Raekwon is referring to Wu-Tang Clan's hit song 'C.R.E.A.M', which means that all he wants is money
The kid that endorse Maxmaris, shorty show support
Raekwon endorses expensive Italian fashion brand Maxmaris and is encouraging his female supporters to wear their clothes
Four hundred nineteen ounces, out in Long Island
Raekwon is dealing with a significant amount of drugs, which are located in Long Island
Jog through the back of the building, drop the L
Raekwon is on the move, running through the back of the building to throw away some drugs (weed)
Forty karat locked in, bowtie, chillin' at the Democrat party
Raekwon has a 40-karat diamond necklace on, wearing a bowtie and attending a Democratic Party event
Yo, Chef, your coat, got it poppin'
Raekwon tells someone (the Chef) that his clothes look good
Coming soon, Purple Tape, circle up the city let 'em know I'm back
Raekwon is planning to release a new album called Purple Tape and promote it in the city to let everyone know he's still in the game
Sponsored by my cousin in Stan', maintainin'
Raekwon's cousin from an unknown place is supporting him and helping him maintain his drug operation
The ring is mine, you can tell Roy
Raekwon has control of the game, and he's telling someone to inform Roy that he is in charge
Flipped them a claren, the front, like the Jag back like the store
Raekwon is driving a McLaren car, which has characteristics of both a Jaguar and a store (which means it's as impressive as a luxury store)
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind