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.
It
Raekwon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let's go nigga, let's go
You know what it is man (c'mon love let's go)
No love for crow dads, them wheels is old mags
Factory joints, I sit back in gold glasses
Count mine out on the grind, slow motion
Blunts lit, guns is big, strong noses
Got my knife out, chopping through duffle bags of haze
Pack the money, talking shit, watching Netflix, vibin'
My bitch is a Grecian, four five beside me
You know the drawer full of that cocaine
Ten thousand square feet of lab, I live with a cold flame
Her nickname is Cashis, her ass is Jurassic (what else?)
Black cards, wet clit, she classy (that's right)
Know we from where the drugs be flown in
It's like Medellín here, you might get left in the cold wind
Bloodline is gangster, you niggas is wanksters
We kill for real, keep it moving and drink piss
I could never hate a man for being himself
I wish you nothing but the best in sickness and health
Through the battles and the travels and everything else
I call it how I see it, yeah
Best believe I always say it 'cause it's true
(It's all real) no need to sugar coat it
We only say it 'cause it's true
(Live good, eat well)
(Classified what up?)
Yeah, aha
Don't care whose eyes are on me, I'll air all my dirty laundry
I try to keep it classy, they try to say it's raunchy
They call me bald honky, eye brows like Sean Connery
But either way I get that thumbs up like Fonzie (aye)
All the way across seas, to the Long Beach palm trees
To the New York concrete, there ain't a place beyond reach
I planted seeds and my crop finally started sproutin'
I learn the art of rap, you learn the art of chokin'
You'll never see this artist frozen like the Arctic Ocean
With every rhyme I've spoken, I put my heart and soul in
I'm too intelligent to say you fin to dumb it down
They tryna shut me up but every show I shut it down
How's that work, I go all out, I'm all in
In the jungle, late night
burning my stripes, diggin' my claws in (what you sayin'?)
I'm a tiger that's been brought up in a lion's den
But I'm still a product of my environment
I could never hate a man for being himself (nah)
I wish you nothing but the best in sickness and health
Through the battles and the travels and everything else
I call it how I see it, yeah
Best believe I always say it 'cause it's true
(It's all real) no need to sugar coat it
We only say it 'cause it's true
(Live good, eat well)
Kuniva what's up?
They said D12 was a joke until we reached a million
Did it two more times, they sick we in the building
Can't stop momentum, no matter what you'll be kill 'em
Love to ODB, D12 is for the children (yes sir)
Can't knock 'cause Kuniva's only speaking the doctrine
From the prophet's point of view
That'll only strengthen your conscience
Still enjoy when the bad chicks in my boxers
And hit the king off with some monster, that is proper
Can't snap out of my ghetto ways
A product of my environment, Fords and Chevrolets
And still manage to get caught up where the metal sprays
Cemetery where cold bodies and rose petals lay
It's all the same, worldwide, so the Henny gets swallowed
Back with the chaser, holler back with your paper
That's the only way they gonna hear ya, better yet, fear ya
Real recognize real and class is looking real familiar
Know this your brother right here
Raekwon the chef nigga (for sho)
It's all real
Make it happen, you heard?
One hunnid (yes sir)
I could never hate a man for being himself
I wish you nothing but the best through sickness and health
Through the battles and the travels and everything else
I call it how I see it, yeah
Best believe I always say it 'cause it's true
No need to sugar coat it
We only say it 'cause it's true
The song “It” by Raekwon, a rapper from America’s East Coast, is a fast-paced rap that features introspective and honest lyrics. In the first verse, Raekwon shares his experiences with a luxurious lifestyle involving women, drugs, and money. He describes himself as living without love for anyone but himself, but also relishes in his extravagant surroundings. In the chorus and throughout the song, he claims to be someone who speaks his mind and doesn't sugarcoat the truth, celebrating his authenticity and independence.
The second verse of the song features Kuniva from the rap group, D12. They discuss the group’s success despite being initially dismissed by critics, highlighting the band’s momentum and the strength of their bond as a team. They also mention their roots in the ghettos of America and how their life experiences have shaped their worldview. Much like the first verse, the chorus is reiterated to emphasize their authenticity and realness.
Overall, Raekwon’s “It” emphasizes the importance of being true to oneself and not being afraid to speak honestly about one’s own experiences. It is a song that celebrates authenticity, independence and the experiences that shape us.
Line by Line Meaning
No love for crow dads, them wheels is old mags
I disregard people who pose as tough because their cars are old and run-down.
Factory joints, I sit back in gold glasses
I smoke factory cigarettes and relax while wearing expensive glasses.
Count mine out on the grind, slow motion
I carefully count my money while slowly grinding up weed.
Blunts lit, guns is big, strong noses
I am smoking large cigars while carrying big guns and displaying my intimidating personality.
Drinking Don Julio, playing spades
I am drinking Don Julio tequila while playing cards with friends.
Got my knife out, chopping through duffle bags of haze
I have a knife out and I am opening bags filled with marijuana.
Pack the money, talking shit, watching Netflix, vibin'
I pack my money while casually chatting and watching Netflix, feeling good.
My bitch is a Grecian, four five beside me
My girl is Greek and I have my .45 gun next to me for protection.
You know the drawer full of that cocaine
I have a secret stash of cocaine hidden away in a drawer.
Ten thousand square feet of lab, I live with a cold flame
I live in a huge lab with a cold blue flame where I keep my drugs.
Her nickname is Cashis, her ass is Jurassic (what else?)
My girl's nickname is Cashis and she has a big, round butt.
Black cards, wet clit, she classy (that's right)
She has a black credit card and is sexually confident and classy.
Know we from where the drugs be flown in
We come from a place where drugs are frequently transported into.
It's like Medellín here, you might get left in the cold wind
It's a dangerous place like the city of Medellín and you could end up dead.
Bloodline is gangster, you niggas is wanksters
Our family background is full of gangsters while other people are frauds.
We kill for real, keep it moving and drink piss
We are violent and constantly moving while not caring about what people think.
I could never hate a man for being himself
I'm not judgmental towards people who are being authentic.
I wish you nothing but the best in sickness and health
I wish good health upon others regardless of their past.
Through the battles and the travels and everything else
Through all the hardships, experiences, and others things one encounters in life.
I call it how I see it, yeah
I'm honest, straightforward, and say what I think.
Best believe I always say it 'cause it's true
You can trust me because everything I say is true.
(It's all real) no need to sugar coat it
Everything I say is genuine with no need to embellish or lie.
We only say it 'cause it's true
We speak the truth without any falsehoods.
(Live good, eat well)
Take care of yourself and eat healthy.
(Classified what up?)
This is something not to be shared with others.
Don't care whose eyes are on me, I'll air all my dirty laundry
I don't care who is watching, I will confess all of my embarrassing secrets.
I try to keep it classy, they try to say it's raunchy
I attempt to maintain a good image but others perceive me as vulgar.
They call me bald honky, eye brows like Sean Connery
People refer to me as a bald, white man with eyebrows like Sean Connery.
But either way I get that thumbs up like Fonzie (aye)
Regardless, I still receive approval from others like Fonzie from the Happy Days TV show.
All the way across seas, to the Long Beach palm trees
From across seas to the palm trees in Long Beach, my reach is widespread.
To the New York concrete, there ain't a place beyond reach
Even in New York City, with its iconic concrete landscape, there is no limit to my influence.
I planted seeds and my crop finally started sproutin'
I've invested in my future and my hard work is finally paying off.
I learn the art of rap, you learn the art of chokin'
I am mastering rap while others are failing at something else.
You'll never see this artist frozen like the Arctic Ocean
I am never stagnant and constantly evolving unlike a frozen arctic ocean.
With every rhyme I've spoken, I put my heart and soul in
I pour my complete self into every line of music I create.
I'm too intelligent to say you fin to dumb it down
I consider myself too smart to cater to those with lower intelligence.
They tryna shut me up but every show I shut it down
People may try to quiet me but I continue to leave my mark on every performance.
How's that work, I go all out, I'm all in
I go all in and put maximum effort into everything I do.
In the jungle, late night burning my stripes, diggin' my claws in (what you sayin'?)
Late at night, I am deeply invested in a brutal environment, sharpening my claws.
I'm a tiger that's been brought up in a lion's den
I am a fierce tiger that has grown up in a challenging, unfamiliar, and hostile environment.
But I'm still a product of my environment
Despite my experiences, I still am influenced by the environment in which I grew up.
They said D12 was a joke until we reached a million
People thought our group D12 was a joke until we sold a million records.
Did it two more times, they sick we in the building
We continued selling records and our success continues to annoy our critics.
Can't stop momentum, no matter what you'll be kill 'em
My momentum continues regardless of what people say and I will continue to succeed.
Love to ODB, D12 is for the children (yes sir)
I show respect to Old Dirty Bastard and my group D12 is for younger generations to enjoy.
Can't knock 'cause Kuniva's only speaking the doctrine
Kuniva's only speaking truth and people shouldn't criticize him for that.
From the prophet's point of view
Kuniva is speaking from a view that is inspired and righteous.
That'll only strengthen your conscience
Kuniva's words will only make your conscience stronger and more aware.
Still enjoy when the bad chicks in my boxers
I still enjoy the company of attractive women when they are wearing my boxer shorts.
And hit the king off with some monster, that is proper
I get high on weed and pass it around to others because it is a proper way to smoke.
Can't snap out of my ghetto ways
I can't change my upbringing and mannerisms because they are ingrained in me.
A product of my environment, Fords and Chevrolets
I come from a blue-collar background and my surroundings have influenced my preference for Ford and Chevrolet vehicles.
And still manage to get caught up where the metal sprays
Despite my success, I still get caught up in dangerous situations involving guns.
Cemetery where cold bodies and rose petals lay
In some neighborhoods, the cemetery is a common final resting place where cold and lifeless bodies adorned with roses lay.
It's all the same, worldwide, so the Henny gets swallowed
Around the world, people face similar difficulties and share similar habits, often involving drinking Henny (Hennessy cognac).
Back with the chaser, holler back with your paper
After taking a shot of liquor, someone should repost by taking a sip of a mixer, and after finishing your money, you should get more.
That's the only way they gonna hear ya, better yet, fear ya
People will only start listening to you when they fear you.
Real recognize real and class is looking real familiar
People who are genuine recognize others who are genuine, and I see that in this situation.
Know this your brother right here
Understand that I am your brother and that we should support each other.
Raekwon the chef nigga (for sho)
I am Raekwon the Chef and that is for sure.
It's all real
Everything I do and say is authentic.
Make it happen, you heard?
Take action and ensure success.
One hunnid (yes sir)
100%, without a doubt.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cory Woods, David Christensen, Jake Boyd, Luke Boyd, Mike Boyd Jr, Von Carlisle, Mark Pellizzer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
RZARECK36 777
The way this movie portrayed the culture was fire 🔥
Gothia Dhome
Most underrated movie of all time ! The best 💥
Hayyu Katabay
Rae’s flow is insane 🤯🤯🔥🔥
Ant Brown
I remember renting this movie just to hear this track back then
Damin Harris
Track was fireeee n supa slept on jus gav me da hip hop chills lol
Ready Rahh Tv
Rest in power lord superb 🙏🏿🙏🏿💯
DF1234567
Great way to end the movie
sound SHAPE
Power & Rae... they banging together in the Hulu series
spearPYN
Who would've thought at the time they were observing the death of this art form... In 99 noone expected that everything including even fashion like baggy jeans would die in just a few years.... and even half of the team Raekwon rolled with at the time and portrayed here is dead now too (Banks and Lord Superb). Crazy if you think about it.
This wasnt the beginning of a new chapter in their careers like they were thinking at the time. It was the end.
rgw1380rw
The big baggy jeans was a fad that ran its course. As far as Hip Hop, it didn't die. It was just swept into the underground where it originally came from.