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.
My Favorite Dred
Raekwon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come here you oven head
Yo what's the word
Dred upstairs
Passing all packs escorted from Kinetta ear
Yo the nigga's name unknown
Kingston, had it sown
Never rocked the combs
Rob robs on the side , little lucky charm
Dred with jars , flooded graveyard
Brown clarks on
Playin feds in the shark bar (la la you ? ? star)
With another dred named Gov
Both diamond jimmed out
Rockin rentals, spittin phlegm out
Sucked his teeth, two fingers pointin down
What up bonna, passing marijuana to Tanya
CEO of Benny-Hanna, he fucked, sent her to Ghana
He's Benz nigga, rocked shorts, beige Tims nigga he real
Took us to Switzerland, dressed us all ill
Smoking ganja, rocked Anacondas, on next border Elantra
Sent it to his mama
Now that's a major move, the nigga love family
wouldn't hand me no drugs, showed me his jammi
Bulldog Stanley
Flexin on kinal, sit down, do it Chinese style
On graduation day he threw me a towel
He came through, heavy like fuck, suit flammable
Ill pair of gators he copped in Beirut
Had his man wit him, just stare , don't stand wit him
If assassination strike, he gotta make plans wit him
Roll a joint, keep him on point 'Don Troing poing coin'
Freaked it, members like that I want to join
The next day I heard he got knocked , fucked me all up
We felt it on the block, let the seeds rock
Peep what the nigga got rocked for
Smuggling dust in Rushmore, four more he went to war for
Moral of the storo, conspiracy smacked mortals
I'm outta here showin love like Zorro
The lyrics to Raekwon's "My Favorite Dred" tell the story of the artist's relationship with a man he knew only as "Dred." The song is centered around Dred's life of crime and drug-dealing, as well as the loyalty he showed to those around him. Dred is depicted as something of a kingpin in his community, with a powerful presence and significant connections.
In the first verse, Raekwon describes Dred as having a "big wig" and always wearing brown Clarks while hanging out at the Shark Bar. He also mentions that Dred had a friend named Gov and that they were both "diamond jimmed out." The second verse goes on to describe Dred's wealth and his generosity towards his friends. The line "He's Benz nigga, rocked shorts, beige Tims nigga he real" suggests that Dred drove a Mercedes-Benz and had a realness that made him stand out.
However, the final verse takes a dark turn, as Raekwon describes Dred's arrest and eventual imprisonment for smuggling cocaine. Despite this, the song ends on a message of solidarity and support, as Raekwon compares himself to the fictional hero Zorro and pledges to continue showing love to his community.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo
Hey there, I want to talk to you
Come here you oven head
Hey, come over here and let's talk
Yo what's the word
Hey, what's going on?
Dred upstairs
My friend is upstairs
Passing all packs escorted from Kinetta ear
Ignoring all the negative energy around us
Yo the nigga's name unknown
My friend is anonymous
Kingston, had it sown
My friend from Kingston was always in power
Never rocked the combs
My friend never cared about his appearance
His wig was big
My friend wore a large wig
Rob robs on the side , little lucky charm
My friend always carried a small charm for luck
Dred with jars , flooded graveyard
My friend carried jars with him and would go to the graveyard
Brown clarks on
He was wearing brown shoes
Playin feds in the shark bar (la la you ? ? star)
Acting like the FBI in the bar
With another dred named Gov
My friend was with another person called Gov
Both diamond jimmed out
Both of them had a lot of jewelry on
Rockin rentals, spittin phlegm out
Wearing rented clothing, spitting out phlegm
Sucked his teeth, two fingers pointin down
My friend made a disapproving sound with his mouth and pointed downwards with two fingers
What up bonna, passing marijuana to Tanya
Greeting someone named Bonna while passing marijuana to Tanya
CEO of Benny-Hanna, he fucked, sent her to Ghana
Telling someone about the CEO of a company and how he once had sex with a woman and then sent her to Ghana
He's Benz nigga, rocked shorts, beige Tims nigga he real
Talking about how my friend drives a Mercedes and wears shorts and beige Timbaland boots to show that he is real
Took us to Switzerland, dressed us all ill
Taking us to Switzerland and making sure we all dressed nicely
Smoking ganja, rocked Anacondas, on next border Elantra
Smoking marijuana and wearing Anaconda shoes, while planning to go to the next border in an Elantra car
Sent it to his mama
Sending something to his mother
Now that's a major move, the nigga love family
That was a big and important decision, showing that my friend values family
wouldn't hand me no drugs, showed me his jammi
My friend refused to give me drugs but showed me his gun
Bulldog Stanley
Referring to someone called Stanley, using the nickname 'Bulldog'
Flexin on kinal, sit down, do it Chinese style
Being proud in front of others, and sitting down in a certain way
On graduation day he threw me a towel
On the day of my graduation, my friend gave me a towel as a gift
He came through, heavy like fuck, suit flammable
My friend arrived in a powerful and impressive way despite wearing a flammable suit
Ill pair of gators he copped in Beirut
My friend had an amazing pair of shoes that he bought in Beirut
Had his man wit him, just stare , don't stand wit him
My friend had someone with him, but they were only allowed to watch and not participate
If assassination strike, he gotta make plans wit him
If something dangerous happens, my friend has to make plans with his companion
Roll a joint, keep him on point 'Don Troing poing coin'
Rolling a joint and keeping himself focused with a certain phrase
Freaked it, members like that I want to join
Impressing me and making me want to join his group
The next day I heard he got knocked , fucked me all up
The next day I heard my friend got arrested, which upset me a lot
We felt it on the block, let the seeds rock
Everyone in the neighborhood felt the impact of my friend's arrest
Peep what the nigga got rocked for
Finding out what my friend got arrested for
Smuggling dust in Rushmore, four more he went to war for
My friend got arrested for smuggling drugs and had previously been involved in similar situations
Moral of the storo, conspiracy smacked mortals
The story shows the dangers of conspiring with others
I'm outta here showin love like Zorro
I'm leaving but still showing my love and support for my friend, like the fictional character Zorro.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Corey Woods, Sean Kelly
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind