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.
Musketeers Of Pig Alley )
Raekwon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Crack that pineapple open
Vision of break faces, gettin' money lay in the boats
Got big rifles, play the hood, ride Benz cycles
why'all mens are psycho, Killah Hill 'ciples
More fly generics, money make moves, forget it
We got this locked since nineteen-seven
So many rods and weapons, ain't no more reppin's
Meet the real, we lock the real, me/him lock the steel
Pop off, pull out, drop them bills
I run with all real killas, all for realers
Nikes on, awesome gorillas
Want more then kill 'em, front war, reveal 'em
I want him stretched out, listen, he lost the buildin'
All fly gangstas, more bankers, hundred wit' us
We ex-dust niggas, don't even touch my drink
Fuck around, get shanked, stabbed, shot and broke
Ya' yolked and he blast-es through you in the faint
All my niggas get paint, yo what's my name?
Lexus Diamond, Ice Water Inc
[Interlude: Masta Killa]
Huh.. (uh-uh-uh-uh)
Uh! Yeah!
Once again in the motherfuckin' place
Fix yo' motherfuckin' face, nigga
Yeah.. you know how we gets down
Me and this mixo, we so.. we so tight
Lex Diamond sound, and uh.
I bees the High Chief, Jamel Arief
Straight from East Medina
And uh.. yo.. yeah!
Yeah.. huh!
[Masta Killa]
They started jammin' in the park, just after dark
Two turntables and their DJ scratchin'
Words seemed to have an attraction when they rhymin'
Hip-hop caused the guns to start sparkin'
Temperature risin'
Drape a nigga up with the ratchet, less talkin'
Caught him on the 'nard, bomb like a G. hard
Explosion rocks the Promenade, I'm God
And he show and provin', 'knowledge how he movin'
Smift as the wisdom, move from my gate in a drunken state
I wrote this degree, adjust ya eyes in the light so you could see
Never fall victim, dictate the fate
Leave the bake for the snake
If he take than I take his head without question
In the one to fourteen check the Justice lesson
Now uh!
[Interlude: Inspectah Deck]
Uh! It's the pineapple Daquiri fuckin' up ya mindstate
Ya heard? (Yeah) Spread the motherfuckin' word
Yo!
[Inspectah Deck]
I'm from where it's real, niggas peal ya' orange
We want enough bricks that we could build apartments
I. General in the field of marksmen
The Bad Boys wit' me ain't Will or Martin
Feel what I'm droppin', I spit the ill doctrine
Spot him deep in the Killah Hill poppin'
Two feet dug in the dirt, up to the skirt
Spectator on the sideline lovin' the work
And my team ain't ya' average, CREAM we handle it
Fiends seekin' packages, beams and banana clips
Festo! If you wit' me, let's go!
The nymphos love me, X-O, X-O
Boy listen hard, think twice before you get involved
We hold the weight like cons in the prison yard
They call the riot squad, we live and in charge
why'all non-beleivers get reminded with scars
It's the pineapple, Rebel I. natural
Fine wine hundred proof, spittin' mine at you
(CHUH-PUGH! Nigga!)
The lyrics in Raekwon's song "Musketeers of Pig Alley" depict the harsh realities of street life and the violent world of gang wars. The opening lines of the song, "Crack that pineapple open, vision of break faces, gettin' money lay in the boats," suggest that the singer is preparing for a violent confrontation. The lyrics go on to describe the weapons at his disposal and the ruthlessness of his gang. Raekwon refers to his associates as "Killah Hill 'ciples," illustrating their dedication to the cause. He regards them as more than just mere acquaintances; they are his family.
Masta Killa's verse adds some context to the origins of hip-hop culture. He describes how two turntables and a mixer sparked a revolution and united people in the community. However, the same music that brought them together also caused the guns to start sparking. He also refers to himself as the "High Chief," emphasizing his leadership role and status in the group.
Inspectah Deck, in his verse, speaks of his experience growing up in the streets and how it toughened him up. His flow is aggressive and confrontational, with lines like "Think twice before you get involved, we hold the weight like cons in the prison yard." He also references his team's ability to handle their business effectively when he says, "CREAM, we handle it."
Overall, the song Musketeers of Pig Alley is a grim picture of life on the streets and the struggle for survival. The lyrics are unapologetic and raw, depicting violence as a way of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Crack that pineapple open
Let's begin this operation
Vision of break faces, gettin' money lay in the boats
We visualize earning money while causing destruction to our enemies
Got big rifles, play the hood, ride Benz cycles
We have powerful weapons and control the streets, cruising in luxury vehicles
why'all mens are psycho, Killah Hill 'ciples
Our crew is made up of ruthless, loyal disciples from Killah Hill
More fly generics, money make moves, forget it
We have a lot of money and make decisive moves; don't question it
We got this locked since nineteen-seven
We've had control since 1977
So many rods and weapons, ain't no more reppin's
We have an abundance of firearms and no need for bravado
Take the shit back, faggot, we hate that
We don't tolerate disrespect and will retaliate aggressively
Meet the real, we lock the real, me/him lock the steel
We associate with authentic, trustworthy people and carry guns for protection
Pop off, pull out, drop them bills
We'll engage in a gunfight and pay the penalty if necessary
I run with all real killas, all for realers
I only associate with genuine, lethal individuals
Nikes on, awesome gorillas
We dress well and are intimidating
Want more then kill 'em, front war, reveal 'em
We want to provoke a fight and have our enemies reveal themselves
I want him stretched out, listen, he lost the buildin'
I want to kill him and make an example of him
All fly gangstas, more bankers, hundred wit' us
Our crew is made up of stylish, powerful individuals and we have a lot of money backing us up
We ex-dust niggas, don't even touch my drink
We only associate with powerful individuals and don't want anyone to mess with our drinks
Fuck around, get shanked, stabbed, shot and broke
If you mess with us, you will be physically harmed and financially ruined
Ya' yolked and he blast-es through you in the faint
We'll shoot you while you're off guard and unaware
All my niggas get paint, yo what's my name?
My crew is well-armed and dangerous; what's my name?
Lexus Diamond, Ice Water Inc
My name is Lexus Diamond and I'm the leader of Ice Water Incorporated
They started jammin' in the park, just after dark
Hip-hop music started in parks during nighttime
Two turntables and their DJ scratchin'
The equipment for hip-hop was two turntables and a DJ scratching records
Words seemed to have an attraction when they rhymin'
There's something magnetic about rhyming words in hip-hop
Hip-hop caused the guns to start sparkin'
Hip-hop culture led to violence and gunfights
Temperature risin'
The situation is escalating
Drape a nigga up with the ratchet, less talkin'
We'll hold someone at gunpoint and won't waste time talking
Caught him on the 'nard, bomb like a G. hard
We caught him off guard and attacked him fiercely
Explosion rocks the Promenade, I'm God
Our violent outburst caused chaos and destruction that we relish in as if we're deities
And he show and provin', 'knowledge how he movin'
He's demonstrating his worth and wisdom through his actions
Smift as the wisdom, move from my gate in a drunken state
I'm quick and wise and can navigate well even when drunk
I wrote this degree, adjust ya eyes in the light so you could see
I wrote this profound message and you should pay attention to it
Never fall victim, dictate the fate
We won't let anyone overpower us and we control our destiny
Leave the bake for the snake
Let the schemers and betrayers suffer the consequences
If he take than I take his head without question
If someone tries to take what's mine, I'll kill them without hesitation
In the one to fourteen check the Justice lesson
In these lesson numbers of the Supreme Mathematics, learn about justice and fairness
I'm from where it's real, niggas peal ya' orange
I'm from a place where people are authentic and will rob you without hesitation
We want enough bricks that we could build apartments
We want to earn enough money from drug dealing to build a large property
I. General in the field of marksmen
I'm skilled at shooting firearms and lead a team of soldiers
The Bad Boys wit' me ain't Will or Martin
The people with me who carry guns are not the comedic actors Will Smith or Martin Lawrence
Feel what I'm droppin', I spit the ill doctrine
Listen to what I'm saying because I'm speaking knowledge
Spot him deep in the Killah Hill poppin'
We found someone causing trouble in Killah Hill and confronted him
Two feet dug in the dirt, up to the skirt
We're ready for a fight with our feet firmly planted
Spectator on the sideline lovin' the work
Someone is watching and enjoying our violent activities
And my team ain't ya' average, CREAM we handle it
My team is not average and we can handle any situation with skill and money
Fiends seekin' packages, beams and banana clips
Drug addicts are looking for drug packages and we're armed with laser sights and extended magazines
Festo! If you wit' me, let's go!
Let's go if you're with me
The nymphos love me, X-O, X-O
Women who love sex are attracted to me
Boy listen hard, think twice before you get involved
Don't mess with us without thinking twice
We hold the weight like cons in the prison yard
We have power and control like inmates in prison
They call the riot squad, we live and in charge
Even when law enforcement comes, we still have control
why'all non-beleivers get reminded with scars
Doubters will learn their lesson through physical harm
It's the pineapple, Rebel I. natural
It's me, Pineapple, a natural rebel
Fine wine hundred proof, spittin' mine at you
I'm like a good quality alcoholic beverage, strong and smooth, and I'm attacking you with my rhymes
(CHUH-PUGH! Nigga!)
(gunshots)
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: COREY WOODS, ELGIN EVANDER TURNER, JASON HUNTER, JASON S. HUNTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind