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
What's Up Wit' That
Rah Digga Lyrics
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First and only female representin', yeah
Rah Digga comin' through you know what I'm sayin'
Uh, uh, uh, yeah like what, what
Now I'ma tell it like it ain't never been told
With the rhyme mechanism that boost me ten fold
Spend dough in pubs, sayin' no to scrubs
Now wassup, if by some haphazard
You see me in Rolling Stone or down the rap master
Up in the slot where you used to rock
Your shit suddenly drop and like Wall Street stop
Now, the part that thrill me, what's up with that
Cats that didn't wanna feel me, yo, what's up with that
Ha, ha, ha, ha that's fine, that's funny
Now they ass catching bricks like the fuckin', crash dummies
I'm makin', hits like the oldies, what's up wit' that
Cats be frontin', like they know me, yo, what's up wit' that
You gone say what's up and I'ma say nothin', strangers
My interest strictly record sales and tunnel bangers
'Cuz that's how shit be, what's up wit' that
The Rah D I G, yo what's up wit' that
I'm writin' rhymes lovely, what's up wit' that
And how I rep Jersey, yo what's up wit' that
I wreck shop crazy, what's up wit' that
And radio plays me, yo
You gone say what's up and I'ma say nothin' strangers
My interest strictly record sales and tunnel bangers
Verse dentin, worse than Armageddon
Worse than them kids runnin' around bomb settin'
Mind threatenin', like a couple hits of mescaline
Comin' up with documents to cover the embezzlin'
Educated, rhymes pre-meditated
Over niggas heads while they out percolatin'
Spot datin', block money I could take in
Drops on the box like I was ovulatin'
Now, for all the cats wildin', what's up wit' that
You best better throw your towel in, yo, what's up wit' that
'Cuz the real rap bitch that step foot on the scene
Will put a rapper on his ass like warm milk and Oval tine
Yeah, yeah, now what you done lately, what's up wit' that
And now you wanna hate me, yo what's up wit' that
Sweetest person, and I'm still the grimy queen
Wit' a half ounce of goodies stashed in my Tommy Jeans
'Cuz that's how shit be, what's up wit' that
The Rah D I G, yo what's up wit' that
I'm writin' rhymes lovely, what's up wit' that
And how I rep Jersey, what's up wit' that
I wreck shop crazy, what's up wit' that
And radio plays me, yo what's up wit' that
Sweetest person and I'm still the grimy queen
Wit a half ounce of goodies stashed in my Tommy Jeans
In '99 baby hold your stuff
I be that seventh sign wit' no more souls in the guff
Focus your attention as I make my mark
'Cuz I get the party jumpin' like your hoopty won't start
Got a bad attitude and a worse disposition
Corny niggas get the boot, for endangerin' the mission
Believe all you rap specimens, need to proofread my rap reference
'Fore you're left hangin' from your vest
Definitely, gettin' severance pay
While my joint moves 20,000 units every day
Official, ever since an itty bitty youngun
Before the first kiss when I didn't put my tongue in
Now, I'm kickin' all type of lingo, what's up wit' that
I make the shit into a single, ha, what's up wit' that
You gone say what's up and I'ma say nothin' papi
Go cop my shit, because you can't get a copy
'Cuz that's how shit be, what's up wit' that
The Rah D I G, yo what's up wit' that
I'm writin' rhymes lovely, what's up wit' that
And how I rep Jersey, yo what's up wit' that
I wreck shop crazy, what's up wit' that
And radio plays me, yo what's up wit' that
You gone say what's up and I'ma say nothin' papi
Go cop my shit, because you can't get a copy
'Cuz that's how shit be, what's up wit' that
The Rah D I G, yo what's up wit' that
I'm writin' rhymes lovely, what's up wit' that
And how I rep Jersey, yo what's up wit' that
I wreck shop crazy, what's up wit' that
And radio plays me, yo what's up wit' that
You gone say what's up and I'ma say nothin' chico
I hold shit down for all my rhyme writin' people
'Cuz that's how shit be, the Rah D I G
I'm writin' rhymes lovely and how I rep Jersey
In Rah Digga's song "What's Up Wit' That", the artist is announcing herself as the first and only female rapper who is representing her art form with style and skill. In the first verse, she highlights her superior "rhyme mechanism" and the fact that she spends money in pubs rather than hanging around with "scrubs". She also emphasizes her deep and crisp voice that she emphasizes through overdubs. The chorus is a rallying cry against those who didn't want to acknowledge her skills, as she asks "what's up with that?" She continues to list her accomplishments as a lyricist, from making hits to getting radio airtime. She also emphasizes that her interests are in record sales and "tunnel bangers", rather than socializing.
In the second verse, Rah Digga continues to assert her dominance as a rapper. She compares her ability to "make my mark" in a way that jumpstarts the party to that of someone needing to jumpstart their stalled car. She refers to herself as the "seventh sign wit' no more souls in the guff," which may be a reference to the Book of Revelation, and further emphasizes her own importance. She also has harsh words for those who endanger her mission or challenge her lyrical prowess. She ends the verse with a message to her fans: "Go cop my shit, because you can't get a copy."
Line by Line Meaning
Ha, once again
Starting off with the same confidence as always
First and only female representin', yeah
Proudly representing as the only female in the game
Rah Digga comin' through you know what I'm sayin'
Introducing herself in a confident manner
Uh, uh, uh, yeah like what, what
Expressing her excitement for what's to come
Now I'ma tell it like it ain't never been told
Introducing a new perspective on things
With the rhyme mechanism that boost me ten fold
Boasting about her impressive skills
Spend dough in pubs, sayin' no to scrubs
Preferring to spend time and money in quality places
With the crisp deep voice I lace with overdubs
Describing the unique combination of her voice and the audio effects added to it
Now wassup, if by some haphazard
Asking what people think about her recent success
You see me in Rolling Stone or down the rap master
Noting her popularity and presence in the music industry
Up in the slot where you used to rock
Referring to a location that used to be popular for others, but now belongs to her
Your shit suddenly drop and like Wall Street stop
Describing the impact of her success on other artists
Now, the part that thrill me, what's up with that
Delighted by how others reacted to her success
Cats that didn't wanna feel me, yo, what's up with that
Calling out those who didn't believe in her potential
Ha, ha, ha, ha that's fine, that's funny
Laughing off the doubters and haters
Now they ass catching bricks like the fuckin', crash dummies
Humorously comparing their downfall to a car crash
I'm makin', hits like the oldies, what's up wit' that
Proud of her successful music career
Cats be frontin', like they know me, yo, what's up wit' that
Calling out those who pretend to be her fans
You gone say what's up and I'ma say nothin', strangers
Preferring to focus on her music and not random interactions with fans
My interest strictly record sales and tunnel bangers
Stating her priorities as an artist
'Cuz that's how shit be, what's up wit' that
This is how things are in the music industry
The Rah D I G, yo what's up wit' that
Referring to herself and asking what people think of her
I'm writin' rhymes lovely, what's up wit' that
Proud of her writing skills
And how I rep Jersey, yo what's up wit' that
Representing her hometown of New Jersey
I wreck shop crazy, what's up wit' that
Making a big impact in the music industry
And radio plays me, yo
Noting her popularity and frequent airtime on the radio
Verse dentin, worse than Armageddon
Describing the impact of her verses
Worse than them kids runnin' around bomb settin'
Comparing her impact to dangerous situations
Mind threatenin', like a couple hits of mescaline
Describing her lyrics as thought-provoking and intense
Comin' up with documents to cover the embezzlin'
Creating lyrics that cover controversial topics
Educated, rhymes pre-meditated
Crafting her lyrics with intention and thoughtfulness
Over niggas heads while they out percolatin'
Writing intricate lyrics that many people may not fully understand
Spot datin', block money I could take in
Making a lot of money from her popular music
Drops on the box like I was ovulatin'
Describing the large amount of airtime her music gets on the radio
Now, for all the cats wildin', what's up wit' that
Asking about the behavior of some of her competitors
You best better throw your towel in, yo, what's up wit' that
Encouraging them to give up trying to compete with her
'Cuz the real rap bitch that step foot on the scene
Referring to herself as an authentic and talented rapper
Will put a rapper on his ass like warm milk and Oval tine
Showing her confidence in her ability to defeat other rappers
Yeah, yeah, now what you done lately, what's up wit' that
Asking what others have accomplished recently
And now you wanna hate me, yo what's up wit' that
Noticing negative attitudes from others
Sweetest person, and I'm still the grimy queen
Acknowledging her kind personality but also her status as a powerful rapper
Wit' a half ounce of goodies stashed in my Tommy Jeans
Humorously describing her ability to hide things in her clothing
In '99 baby hold your stuff
Referring to the year as a time when she was making a lot of music
I be that seventh sign wit' no more souls in the guff
Referring to herself as a unique and powerful force in the music industry
Focus your attention as I make my mark
Asking others to pay attention to her and her music
'Cuz I get the party jumpin' like your hoopty won't start
Proud of her ability to get people dancing and enjoying her music
Got a bad attitude and a worse disposition
Acknowledging that she can sometimes be difficult to work with
Corny niggas get the boot, for endangerin' the mission
Not tolerating those who don't take her music and career seriously
Believe all you rap specimens, need to proofread my rap reference
Calling out her competition for not being as good as her
'Fore you're left hangin' from your vest
Warning them of the consequences of trying to compete with her
Definitely, gettin' severance pay
Acknowledging her success as a musician
While my joint moves 20,000 units every day
Proudly noting her album sales
Official, ever since an itty bitty youngun
Acknowledging that she's been serious about music since she was young
Before the first kiss when I didn't put my tongue in
Humorously indicating that she's been serious about music since before her first romantic experiences
Now, I'm kickin' all type of lingo, what's up wit' that
Showing off her ability to adapt and grow as a musician
I make the shit into a single, ha, what's up wit' that
Proudly turning her music into hits
You gone say what's up and I'ma say nothin' papi
Preferring to focus on her music instead of interacting with random people
Go cop my shit, because you can't get a copy
Encouraging people to buy her albums
You gone say what's up and I'ma say nothin' chico
Continuing her point about preferring to focus on music instead of interactions with fans
I hold shit down for all my rhyme writin' people
Acknowledging her fellow musicians and supporting them
'Cuz that's how shit be, the Rah D I G
Describing the reality of the music industry and referring to herself
I'm writin' rhymes lovely and how I rep Jersey
Proud of her writing skills and her home state of New Jersey
Lyrics © JELLYBEAN MUSIC GROUP, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DOMINICK LAMB, RASHIA TASHAN FISHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind