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.
Return Of The North Star
Raekwon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Damn, man, I heard all these things about you, man
Boy I heard you been doing your thing, man
Wait, wait, let me tap them pockets, man, them pockets fat?
You know I'mma get mine, yo, Rae, baby, check this out
Yo, we done went through so many trials and tribulations, man
It's a shame, man, but you know, I told you what the devil is, man
Always watch them people who lie to you, them people try and cheat you, man
Shit, man, what? You gon' let another nigga cheat you out your money, boy, you crazy?
Aight, watch the tricks, baby, cuz the trick is a lie
And a lie is a thief, trust me, baby
Knowhatimsayin, now give me a couple hundred, man
Time to go do my thing, man, I'm going on the road
When you get, when you, yo, I already had the vision
Yo, Rae, I had a vision, I seen you, man
At the, at Madison Square Garden, and I just came through
And you said "Yo", and it was real, son, and you took the world by storm
They didn't understand it, cuz they didn't see that far
They couldn't see the forest from the tree
But Rae, I'mma tell you, it's your time, man
Go get that paper, man, you understand?
Get that paper, man, cuz it belong to you, man
Allah is the God, trust, keep Allah in your heart, brother
And you won't fail, trust me, always remember
How far the thou travel, thou travel as far as the dimension he could see
What you see? That's all I can say baby, watch the liar, watch the cheat
We need more time, we need more crime, man
Damn, stop playing, what up nigga
Yeah, man, chill, stick around for a minute
There's alot of money out there
Trying to get alot of fold ups, captain
It's all real, lay the roof, I'll meet you there in a minute
Monkeys with the AK's is upstairs, stupid
It's all good, chill, close the cabinet, stupid
Relax, man, relax, you got shit showing, nigga
Aiyo, Chef, a nigga got all your jewelry on when you be out of town, my nigga
What the fuck is this nigga problem, son
Chill, baby... a lot of bread...
All you gotta do is stick around...
The lyrics to "Return of the North Star" by Raekwon seem to be a conversation between him and someone who is possibly a close friend or a business associate. The singer offers cheer and encouragement to Raekwon, telling him to always watch out for those who may deceive him in his business dealings. He also suggests that Raekwon is destined for greatness and urges him to keep Allah in his heart, as the only way he can fail is by losing faith in himself.
The lyrics may reflect the challenges and trials that Raekwon may have gone through in his career as a rapper, as well as the support and trust he received from those around him. The conversation between the two parties suggests a sense of camaraderie and loyalty, possibly from a fellow rapper or someone who has been in the music industry for some time.
In general, the lyrics speak to the themes of perseverance and self-belief in the face of adversity, while also warning against those who may try to deceive or cheat others in pursuit of their own goals.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo, Rae, that's you baby?
Hey Raekwon, is that you?
Damn, man, I heard all these things about you, man
Wow, I've heard a lot about you.
Boy I heard you been doing your thing, man
I heard you've been successful.
Wait, wait, let me tap them pockets, man, them pockets fat?
Can I check to see if you have a lot of money in your pockets?
You know I'mma get mine, yo, Rae, baby, check this out
I'm going to make sure I get what's coming to me, Raekwon.
Yo, we done went through so many trials and tribulations, man
We've been through a lot of difficult times together.
It's a shame, man, but you know, I told you what the devil is, man
It's unfortunate, but I warned you about the devil.
Always watch them people who lie to you, them people try and cheat you, man
Be wary of those who deceive and try to cheat you.
Out your money, I told you, you ain't let me cheat you out your money
I warned you not to let anyone cheat you out of your money.
Shit, man, what? You gon' let another nigga cheat you out your money, boy, you crazy?
Are you really going to let someone else cheat you out of your money? That's insane.
Aight, watch the tricks, baby, cuz the trick is a lie
Be careful of deceitful tactics, because they are built on lies.
And a lie is a thief, trust me, baby
Lies steal from you just like a thief would, believe me.
Knowhatimsayin, now give me a couple hundred, man
You know what I mean? Now give me a few hundred dollars.
Time to go do my thing, man, I'm going on the road
I'm heading out on tour to do my own thing.
When you get, when you, yo, I already had the vision
When you have success, remember that I had faith in you all along.
Yo, Rae, I had a vision, I seen you, man
I had a premonition that you would be successful.
At the, at Madison Square Garden, and I just came through
I saw you performing at Madison Square Garden and I was there to witness it.
And you said "Yo", and it was real, son, and you took the world by storm
You acknowledged me and it was authentic, and then you became incredibly successful.
They didn't understand it, cuz they didn't see that far
Others didn't understand your success because they couldn't see your potential.
They couldn't see the forest from the tree
They were too focused on the details to see the bigger picture.
But Rae, I'mma tell you, it's your time, man
But I'm telling you, it's finally your time to shine.
Go get that paper, man, you understand?
Go make that money, you know what I'm saying?
Get that paper, man, cuz it belong to you, man
Earn that money, because you deserve it.
Allah is the God, trust, keep Allah in your heart, brother
Allah is the almighty God, so have faith and keep him close.
And you won't fail, trust me, always remember
If you believe in Allah, you will always succeed. Trust me, and remember this.
How far the thou travel, thou travel as far as the dimension he could see
You can only go as far as you can imagine.
What you see? That's all I can say baby, watch the liar, watch the cheat
Use your intuition and be careful of those who deceive you.
We need more time, we need more crime, man
We need more time and more opportunities for success.
Damn, stop playing, what up nigga
Seriously, what's going on?
Yeah, man, chill, stick around for a minute
Relax and hang out for a bit.
There's alot of money out there
There's a lot of money to be made.
Trying to get alot of fold ups, captain
We're trying to make a lot of money, boss.
It's all real, lay the roof, I'll meet you there in a minute
It's a legitimate opportunity, and I'll be there soon to join in.
Monkeys with the AK's is upstairs, stupid
There are dangerous people with weapons upstairs.
It's all good, chill, close the cabinet, stupid
Don't worry, everything is fine. Just close the cabinet.
Relax, man, relax, you got shit showing, nigga
Calm down, you're revealing too much about yourself.
Aiyo, Chef, a nigga got all your jewelry on when you be out of town, my nigga
Hey Chef, I take your jewelry when you're not in town, my friend.
What the fuck is this nigga problem, son
What's wrong with this guy?
Chill, baby... a lot of bread...
Relax, my friend. There's a lot of money to be made.
Writer(s): COREY WOODS
Contributed by Anna N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Daily News Grind
"Thou travels as far as the dimension he can see..."
AnytimeTelevision
What you see??
RicheyLonewolf757
💯
Sahil Sharma
Watch the liar watch the cheat and watch the thief…
Jay Lopez
I like how he brought this track back from way back 1994 purple tape real hip hop here
Dj Marksman
hell yea!!!! dat wuz sum nostalgic shit right dere especially if u grew up to tha first Cuban Linx! bought u back to tha past & up to tha present
AnytimeTelevision
"WHAT YOU SEE...................?"
Lajikal N9NE
1995 respectively
Richard Were
R.I.P Poppa WU!!! The realest among the sheep....
Cool Mill
I came through and you said "Yo" and it was real son. I love that part. R.I.P Papa Wu