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.
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Raekwon Lyrics
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What the fuck is that? Chill chill what up?
Stop playing, man, man, you know what it is, man
Fuck that, you know what it is, yo, nigga what up?
Where that money? Man, yo, yo, yo, come here!
Stop acting like you don't know, you already know
Aiyo, Indian head, jewelry
Spanking bracelet, rocking Asics
Trick bandit, Ghost is brick granite
At the U.S. Open with my whole len, slapping up fifty scramblers
Niggas said the II was classic, a lot of crack is in the game, yo
But your shit is the only 'lastic
C.R.E.A.M. rap, militant flow, combination with Swahilian dough
Guaranteed we do'se that, in the beast like pizzas
All I know is reefer and street stuff
Stay fly, moving in fleece, what?
Traveling the continents with confidence
Cuban Linx III coming, don't know when, but the time is running
Duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh, duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duhhhh
You bitch ass niggas
By any means on, Ron O'Neal lean on
Freestyle, you want it from Ghost? Then throw C.R.E.A.M. on
Suited up, smelling like Fahrenheit with jeans on
Knock the rice out a wedding, come and get your bling on
Next winter we in Allah cabins, small baggage, more savage
Central Park killas, that equals more stabbings
You read the papers, more horrors like Amityville
Profanity kills, you like lint on a raggety silk
We rock bulls, rock jewels, you heard the interludes
Blow up beds in a fifty yard swimming pool
Jumping out of planes for dough, Gucci parachutes
Abdul Raheem written across is the attribute
Suede loafers, 'Lo scarves, my little grandson want
The 20-10 Mercedes-Benz go kart
So he can pull out the lollipop keys on 'em
His pops'll push the Bugatti drop V on 'em
Stampede on 'em, Rap Playoffs got a three-nothing lead on 'em
Sparking MC's like we quoting our degrees on 'em
In this song, Raekwon and Ghostface Killah are rapping about their luxurious lifestyles that have been made possible by their success in the rap game, which they contrast with the realities of life for many other people who are forced to resort to selling things like drugs to make ends meet. Raekwon seems to be upset by this state of affairs, as he keeps asking his friend where the money is and why people are still selling drugs when they could be making money through their music. However, Ghostface Killah seems more interested in talking about his jewelry and other status symbols, like his Asics and spanking bracelet, as well as his experiences at the U.S. Open and his plans to travel the world. The chorus is a sample of a person muttering in annoyance to himself or others, possibly about the difficulty of making money in such a competitive environment.
The verses are packed with rhyming slang and dense wordplay, making them difficult to parse at times. However, the overall tone of the song is one of bravado and confidence, with the rappers boasting about their wealth, their connections, and their skills as MCs. They reference previous Wu-Tang Clan songs, such as "C.R.E.A.M." and "Wu Gambinos", as well as other cultural touchstones like the film Superfly and the designer fragrance Fahrenheit, in order to build up a sense of their own cultural significance and influence. The song ends with a series of metaphors comparing the rappers to powerful predators, suggesting that they are not afraid to use any means necessary to succeed in the rap game.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Spirit Music Group, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: COREY WOODS, DENNIS COLES, TARIK AZZOUGARH, CLIFFORD SMITH, DENNIS DAVID COLES, GARY E. GRICE, ROBERT F. DIGGS, RUSSELL T. JONES
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