A New Jersey native, Rah Digga attended private school in Maryland where she graduated as salutatorian, then studied electrical engineering at the New Jersey Institute Of Technology. She started rapping after being inspired by artists of hip hop's "golden age" such as Rakim, Kool G. Rap and Queen Latifah, eventually joining the group Twice the Flavor and then Jersey's Outsidaz clique. A Tribe Called Quest's Q-Tip negotiated her a deal with Elektra Records after being impressed by a performance at New York City's Lyricist Lounge (at which time Digga was eight months pregnant). Q-Tip also introduced her to Busta Rhymes, who invited her to join his newly-formed Flipmode Squad crew. The deal with Elektra soon collapsed however and Digga signed to Flipmode Entertainment. She made guest appearanes on Busta's 1997 album When Disaster Strikes as well as the Lyricist Lounge, Vol. 1 compilation (on the track "Be OK", a two-hander with Bahamadia), the first installment of the Hip Hop For Respect anti-police brutality project in memory of Amadou Diallo, and the Fugees track "Cowboys", before joining up with the Flipmode Squad for The Imperial Album (1998). Anticipation mounted for further output, and she recorded tracks with legendary producers Pete Rock and DJ Premier. These and others were included on her solo album Dirty Harriet in 2000.
The follow-up to Dirty Harriet was originally intended to be a duet album with Digga's husband, Young Zee of the Outsidaz. However, this was eventually put on hold for a fully-fledged solo album. However, it was long delayed, partly due to Digga switching labels from J Records to the independent Koch Records; currently a February 2006 release is planned, with the album titled Sucker Free. A single, which may or may not resurface on the album, is "Party Gets Hot Tonight" featuring Akon. Her follow up album that was supposed to be released on J Records was titled Everything Is a Story, and was originally scheduled to be released February 10, 2004. During the time between her first and second solo albums Digga made numerous high-profile guest appearances, including on Busta Rhymes' hit single "I Know What You Want" and on albums by Talib Kweli, Bless, Masta Ace and Jamelia.
Rah Digga can be seen in Busta's latest (and polemical) video, "Touch It Remix", that features Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott, Lloyd Banks, Papoose and DMX.
Rah Digga also stars as (Maggie Bess) in the 2001 re-make of the sci-fi chiller Thirteen Ghosts
Do The Ladies Run This
Rah Digga Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Hell yeah)
Do the ladies run this motherfucker?
(Hell yeah)
Put it down for the bitches all across the map
All the real live bitches all across the map
Go ahead, go ahead, go ahead, go ahead
Flow gutter, fuck what a bitch going through
Do or die is what you gon' do
I warn you it's gonna get you and your guys killed
With my skills stay on your toes like high heels
And handle bars like bikes 'bout to blow like innertubes
See me in the tube in the views to interludes
Never see me in the nude, Blade gon' bend the rules
Lock the street coming through with more rocks than Pete
I'm into jewels I will not repeat
Y'all obsolete, Sonya Blade y'all
It's murder when they drop the beat
I spit it once, I'm hungry spit at lunch
One take, I hate boxes so I don't punch
I got a hunch, y'all figure, y'all gon' stop my figgas
Get on some rah-rah with Eve and Rah Digga
But these my niggas so please my niggas
Stop the Blade from where you don't know nann nigga
Do the ladies run this motherfucker?
(Hell yeah)
Do the ladies run this motherfucker?
(Hell yeah)
Put it down for the bitches all across the map
All the real live bitches all across the map
Go ahead, go ahead, go ahead, go ahead
Yo, yo now why y'all wanna make me get raw
This bitch gon' split ya, get tha picture
Call yourselves emcees, titles don't even fit ya
How they gonna stop us Digga?
Tryna shine, the rest of them bitches
Is past tense and out of time
'Cause my time line consists of many dreams shattered
Trying to run up with two ryders deep as if it mattered
When real bitches get to rockin', heads knockin'
All dem chickens in their coupe gon do is get to squawkin'
All the hating do is feed my temper, let me live
Ice grillin' eyein' my clothes, I'm eyein' the crib
E V E spell it out when you speak about her
The only one out the bunch to hate
The rest gon' crowd around her
Majority rules, it's our time, back the fuck up
'Cause the shit you sayin' out your mouth
Make me crack the fuck up
Laugh hard 'cause we pass y'all so dash broad
Lay my shit by myself in the booth
While y'all need flash cards
Do the ladies run this motherfucker?
(Hell yeah)
Do the ladies run this motherfucker?
(Hell yeah)
Put it down for the bitches all across the map
All the real live bitches all across the map
Go ahead, go ahead, go ahead, go ahead
Yeah, check it out now, like that y'all
Watch me sink three points
Smash your whole LP with just my lead joint
It's the rhyme super bitch gon' stay forever wildin'
Smooth with the pen, Shakespeare, Edgar Allen
Hot chick, catastrophic, blast the hot shit
Your whole verse whack and bare no facts or logic
Smash your clique in, y'all niggas only heard tidbits
I put that on Gabana every rhyme I done spitted
One two, one two, your whole crew I dismantle
Rock fly gear and stay clear of sex scandals
With drogues to spark wait for shows to start
My put my niggas down if they know their parts
Caramel give 'em hell from Bricks to Anadel
Rappers tryna compete get ate like Samuel
By a sister who twist a few L's rip it dually
The song say It Ain't My Fault like Mystikal
Do the ladies run this motherfucker?
(Hell yeah)
Do the ladies run this motherfucker?
(Hell yeah)
Put it down for the bitches all across the map
All the real live bitches all across the map
Go ahead, go ahead, go ahead, go ahead
Do the ladies run this motherfucker?
(Hell yeah)
Do the ladies run this motherfucker?
(Hell yeah)
Put it down for the bitches all across the map
All the real live bitches all across the map
Go ahead, go ahead, go ahead, go ahead
In Rah Digga's song "Do the Ladies Run This..." the rapper pays homage to powerful women, specifically women within the hip-hop industry. The repeated question "Do the ladies run this motherfucker?" challenges the notion that male rappers are the only successful ones and asserts that women are just as capable, if not more so, within the genre. Rah Digga praises her skills as a rapper, warning that those who underestimate her will not come out unscathed. She also calls out fellow female rapper Eve and implies that she is the only one among them who hates on other women in the industry.
Overall, the song celebrates intersectional feminism, highlighting the strength and talent of women from all walks of life. The repeated refrain of "put it down for the bitches all across the map" reinforces the message that women deserve respect and recognition, and that they are a force to be reckoned with.
Line by Line Meaning
Do the ladies run this motherfucker?
As a woman, am I powerful enough to control this situation?
(Hell yeah)
Absolutely yes.
Put it down for the bitches all across the map
Representing and showing support for all the strong, real women from everywhere.
All the real live bitches all across the map
All the strong, independent women from all corners of the world.
Go ahead, go ahead, go ahead, go ahead
Keep going and don't let anyone stop you.
Yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, I'm on the roll like butter
I'm on a winning streak and making everything look easy.
Flow gutter, fuck what a bitch going through
My flow is gritty and raw, and I don't care about anyone else's struggles.
Do or die is what you gon' do
This is a life-or-death situation, and you better step up to the challenge.
I warn you it's gonna get you and your guys killed
I'm warning you that if you can't handle the heat, you and your crew will suffer the consequences.
With my skills stay on your toes like high heels
My skills are sharp and unpredictable, so always be prepared for what's coming.
And handle bars like bikes 'bout to blow like innertubes
I'm in complete control and ready to explode at any moment.
See me in the tube in the views to interludes
You can see me in various media, including videos and intermissions between events.
Never see me in the nude, Blade gon' bend the rules
I'm bending the rules by keeping my clothes on and not conforming to the typical music industry standards.
Lock the street coming through with more rocks than Pete
I'm making a grand entrance with an abundance of jewelry, more than Pete (presumably aka someone well known for wearing a lot of jewelry).
I'm into jewels I will not repeat
I have expensive taste and won't settle for anything less.
Y'all obsolete, Sonya Blade y'all
You all are outdated and no longer relevant, I'm the one in charge.
It's murder when they drop the beat
My rhymes are so killer that the beat can't handle them.
I spit it once, I'm hungry spit at lunch
I only need one take to spit my rhymes, and I'm constantly craving more to continue my success.
One take, I hate boxes so I don't punch
I refuse to be labeled or boxed in by anyone or anything.
I got a hunch, y'all figure, y'all gon' stop my figgas
I have a feeling that you think you can stop my crew and me, but you're wrong.
Get on some rah-rah with Eve and Rah Digga
Get excited and hype up with Eve and Rah Digga (aka herself).
But these my niggas so please my niggas
These are my people and they have my back, so respect them.
Stop the Blade from where you don't know nann nigga
Don't even bother trying to stop me, you have no idea what you're dealing with.
Now why y'all wanna make me get raw
Why are you trying to provoke me and make me get aggressive?
This bitch gon' split ya, get tha picture
If you mess with me, I will destroy you. Do you understand?
Call yourselves emcees, titles don't even fit ya
You're not even worthy to be called true emcees.
How they gonna stop us Digga?
How are you going to stop us, who are being led by Rah Digga herself?
Tryna shine, the rest of them bitches
They're trying to shine and compete, but they're just a bunch of lesser women.
Is past tense and out of time
Their time to shine is already over and they're not relevant anymore.
'Cause my time line consists of many dreams shattered
My personal history is full of failed dreams and broken aspirations.
Trying to run up with two ryders deep as if it mattered
They try to impress with their crew or posse, but it's ultimately meaningless.
When real bitches get to rockin', heads knockin'
When real women take action and get things done, others are left in awe.
All dem chickens in their coupe gon do is get to squawkin'
All their followers and supporters are just going to make noise and complain.
All the hating do is feed my temper, let me live
The more people who hate on me, the more I'm motivated to keep going and succeed.
Ice grillin' eyein' my clothes, I'm eyein' the crib
People are staring at me with disapproving looks, but I'm only focused on achieving my goals and living well.
E V E spell it out when you speak about her
Make sure to spell out 'Eve' properly when talking about her, she's that important.
The only one out the bunch to hate
Eve is the only one who has something against me, everyone else supports me.
The rest gon' crowd around her
The rest of the group will just follow Eve's lead and go along with whatever she says.
Majority rules, it's our time, back the fuck up
Women are the majority and it's our time to shine, so back off and let us lead.
'Cause the shit you sayin' out your mouth
What you're saying is complete bullshit.
Make me crack the fuck up
What you're saying is so ridiculous it makes me laugh.
Laugh hard 'cause we pass y'all so dash broad
We're laughing at how much better we are than you and how easily we're passing you.
Lay my shit by myself in the booth
I don't need anyone's help to make amazing music and create something great.
While y'all need flash cards
Others need help and support to create something great, while I can do it all on my own.
Yeah, check it out now, like that y'all
Listen up, because here I come.
Watch me sink three points
Watch me succeed and make something great happen with ease.
Smash your whole LP with just my lead joint
I can destroy your entire album with just one of my songs.
It's the rhyme super bitch gon' stay forever wildin'
I'm the greatest and will stay wild and amazing forever.
Smooth with the pen, Shakespeare, Edgar Allen
I'm a smooth and skilled writer, and can be compared to famous writers like Shakespeare and Edgar Allen Poe.
Hot chick, catastrophic, blast the hot shit
I'm a sexy and powerful woman who is capable of creating some seriously amazing music.
Your whole verse whack and bare no facts or logic
Your entire verse is terrible and doesn't make any sense.
Smash your clique in, y'all niggas only heard tidbits
I can destroy your entire crew and what you've created with ease, and all you've heard of me is just a taste.
I put that on Gabana every rhyme I done spitted
I swear on my expensive fashion items that every rhyme I've ever spit is pure fire.
One two, one two, your whole crew I dismantle
I can take down your entire crew just by myself.
Rock fly gear and stay clear of sex scandals
I always wear amazing outfits and stay out of any sort of sex scandals or drama.
With drogues to spark wait for shows to start
I always have drugs to get me hyped up and ready for shows to start.
My put my niggas down if they know their parts
I'm always supportive of my crew as long as they know their role and execute it well.
Caramel give 'em hell from Bricks to Anadel
As a woman of color, I'm giving everyone a hard time and proving that women of color can succeed anywhere.
Rappers tryna compete get ate like Samuel
Anyone trying to compete with us will be destroyed and eaten alive, like Samuel being devoured by lions in the Bible.
By a sister who twist a few L's rip it dually
A powerful woman like myself can twist a few L's (presumably joints) and still create great music.
The song say It Ain't My Fault like Mystikal
My song will claim that it's not my fault, similar to Mystikal's song of the same name.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Eve Jeffers, Michael A. Gomez, Rashia Tashan Fisher, Sonja Shenelle Holder
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind