Rakeem Calief Myer, better known by his stage name Roc Marciano, is an Amer… Read Full Bio ↴Rakeem Calief Myer, better known by his stage name Roc Marciano, is an American rapper, songwriter and producer from Hempstead, Long Island, New York.

Originally a member of Busta Rhymes' crew, Flipmode Squad becoming the sixth member after the departure of Lord Have Mercy, (aside from other flipmode acts Serious and Show Money) Roc Marciano left in 2001 to form the U.N., a hardcore underground hip hop group consisting of three other MCs (Dino Brave, Laku & Mic Raw) with whom he released an album on Carson Daly's 456 Entertainment in 2004. Notably, Roc Marciano appeared in the 2005 Wu-Tang Clan compilation album, Wu-Tang Meets the Indie Culture, and in Pete Rock's 2008 album, NY's Finest, drawing acclaim for such performances. Since 2008, Roc Marciano has been working on his solo career, and to widespread internet acclaim, released his entirely self-produced debut album, Marcberg in 2010.
In 2011, Roc Marciano collaborated with Gangrene, the duo of rapper/producers Oh No and The Alchemist, to release the collaborative EP Greneberg. His second solo album, Reloaded, was released in November 2012, which Allmusic described as "Grim and exultant at once, this is low-profile hustling on wax at its finest."

Even a cursory glance at the history of Strong Island reveals that its produced more than its fair share of innovative verbal technicians over the years. One of the most original MCs to hail from its shores in recent times has been Roc Marciano from The UN crew. Initially put on by fellow L.I. resident Busta Rhymes, it wasn’t until Marcy and his crew lent their vocals to three tracks for Pete Rock’s Petestrumentals project that the world really took notice. Utilizing a stream-of-consciousness technique that sounds effortless but is actually very precise in terms of timing and cadence, Marciano is in a class of his own right now.

Power
Roc Marciano Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Cash niggas gotta get
Check the bag, that shit kinda big
Bitches out here trying to sabotage a pimp
I spit form the passenger side of the whip
Splash the shit
That's a big reminder, daddy, that I'm not your friend
Maserati drop top not bad for some project kids
Got a stash spot to keep the product in

Rock designer, I'm the Prada King
It's all simple math, mami, this not geometry
You printing money, I'm the dollar tree
They praise the God, it's like idolatry
When the waters got choppy, I was in the driver's seat
Steer my family our of poverty
Now my links entwined within' my taco meat
Niggas beats and rhyme flows is cheap like so Paco Jeans
Catch me standing over pots whipping these nar-collard greens
Chopping game with no Karate gi
Beat the pussy up like Rodney King
Chopper hiding in the closet like some kind of freak mind
Ma, I call it Bobby V
If you love me then buy me a V
Was never blood, why would I be naive? (Why?)
My team, we got it out the mud
Y'all niggas got y'all money clean
Behind the scenes, niggas funny, son
Shit was never chummy-chummy like it seem

Lil' monkeys trying to front, I thought I told you not to speak
Lil' monkeys trying to front, I thought I told you not to speak

Overall Meaning

In "Power," Roc Marciano presents his life experience as a former drug dealer in a hard-hitting manner. The verse "Cash niggas gotta get" represents his dedication and hard work ethic to earn money in the drug trade, and "Check the bag, that shit kinda big" represents the prominence of the money involved. The phrase "Bitches out here trying to sabotage a pimp" portrays his experience of women trying to interfere in his drug business. He further depicts his street credibility with the line "I spit from the passenger side of the whip" while he's probably watching the surroundings for any dangers. The line "That's a big reminder, daddy, that I'm not your friend" may indicate how his money and success separated him from others, and he can no longer associate himself with people whom he knows he can't trust.

Roc highlights his success and prosperity in the following lines, such as "Maserati drop top not bad for some project kids" and "Got a stash spot to keep the product in." He is taking pride in the fact that he, who was born in a less-privileged neighbourhood, could afford such luxurious cars on his drug earnings. The second half of the verse talks about Roc Marciano's talent and skill as a rapper. He boasts of his fashion sense as the "Prada King" and signals his exceptional abilities to manage his money as compared to others. According to Roc, he is printing "dollar tree" money while others are just "printing money," indicating his high-quality work. The line "When the waters got choppy, I was in the driver's seat" tells how Roc prevented himself and his family from falling apart when things went tough. He further talks about the risks and dangers of his trade, such as hiding the "chopper" in the closet and avoiding the police. He uses a wordplay on the singer Bobby V's name to signify that he is more talented as compared to other rappers.

Line by Line Meaning

Cash niggas gotta get
People need money.

Check the bag, that shit kinda big
Make sure to get a big amount of money.

Bitches out here trying to sabotage a pimp
Women are trying to ruin the life of a pimp.

I spit form the passenger side of the whip
I rap while someone else is driving the car.

Splash the shit
Make a big impact with my music.

That's a big reminder, daddy, that I'm not your friend
I am on a different level and not just your friend.

Maserati drop top not bad for some project kids
Owning a fancy car is unexpected for people from a rough neighborhood.

Got a stash spot to keep the product in
Have a secret place to hide illegal items.

Rock designer, I'm the Prada King
Wearing expensive fashion brands and being in charge.

It's all simple math, mami, this not geometry
Life is straightforward, unlike a complex math problem.

You printing money, I'm the dollar tree
You are making some money, whereas I am making a lot of money.

They praise the God, it's like idolatry
People worship me like a god.

When the waters got choppy, I was in the driver's seat
I was in control when things got difficult.

Steer my family our of poverty
I helped my family get out of poverty.

Now my links entwined within' my taco meat
My expensive jewelry is a part of my image.

Niggas beats and rhyme flows is cheap like so Paco Jeans
Other rappers' music is cheap and low quality.

Catch me standing over pots whipping these nar-collard greens
I am cooking drugs and making money.

Chopping game with no Karate gi
Winning at the drug-dealing game without any special preparation.

Beat the pussy up like Rodney King
Having sex aggressively like Rodney King was beaten.

Chopper hiding in the closet like some kind of freak mind
Keeping a gun hidden in the closet like it's a taboo secret.

Ma, I call it Bobby V
I refer to the gun as Bobby V because it is my valued possession.

If you love me then buy me a V
If you care about me, you will buy me a gun.

Was never blood, why would I be naive? (Why?)
I was never related to anyone in this game, so I am not naive to their motives.

My team, we got it out the mud
My team comes from a rough background and had to work hard to get where we are now.

Y'all niggas got y'all money clean
Other people got their money legally or have no connection to illegal activities.

Behind the scenes, niggas funny, son
People behind the scenes of the music industry are not trustworthy.

Shit was never chummy-chummy like it seem
The music industry is not filled with good friendships.

Lil' monkeys trying to front, I thought I told you not to speak
People are trying to act tough or pretend to be something they are not, but I told them it's better to be quiet.

Contributed by Owen O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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