He jumped right back in the studio and recorded "The Hustle Continues" under Get Low/ Priority Records. At age 18, Quinn had been featured on multiple Gold Certified albums, put out 3 solo albums, and was part of the group: G.L.P. Quinn was at a turning point when he released "17 Reasons" in 1997 which featured a star cast of bay area all stars. The album sold 65,000 units independently. After the success of the compilation he and his cousin Messy Marv joined together and put out Explosive Mode in 1998. The album sold 20,000 independently and gained a lot of respect throughout the industry. For the next couple years he went on tour and performed with names like Jay-Z, Master P, and Monica.
Quinn's mission became clear- he decided to do whatever it took to bring San Francisco and the bay area to the forefront of the music industry. In 1998 he started Done Deal Entertainment with Charles Kelley. In 2001 Quinn put out "The Mighty Quinn" under Champeli Entertainment. The album featured the song "Give It Up" which brought back the resurgence of radio play in the bay area. Then, "Come See Us" with KNT and "Welcome to the Bay" with Bailey, Willie Hen, and Big Rich. Done Deal Entertainment started putting out mixtapes and collaboration albums to bring their buzz up even more. In 2004, Done Deal collaborated with NBA superstar and longtime friend J.R. Rider to release "I Give U My Word". It sold over 13,000 copies to date, which was very impressive because they had no distribution for the album. Quinn's success has translated not only into record sales, but record breaking, as well - Quinn is actually featured in the Guinness Book of World Records for appearing on the most albums of any rap artist.
Quinn recently released the highly anticipated album: "The Rock-Pressure Makes Diamonds." of the album, he says "The Rock is a defining moment in San Francisco rap history. I feel like the timing's right and my situation's right and I made an album that reflects that." When asked about the title, the rapper responds "That's how I feel - isolated, standing alone out in the Bay Area. All these hard muthafucka's done came up off that rock (Alcatraz) and I breathe the same air." And like diamonds, the album shines.
Playin' By The Rules
San Quinn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Crooked cats, our neighborhood jacks, bare facts
We back, got scratch, no scratch, broke flat
Abidin' by the rules, survivin' not to lose the game played
Hustlers stayin' paid, hit the cuts doin' raids
Snitches is viscous, talkin' bout the guidelines
Slidin' down the side sidelines being blocked by the rollers
Hold up, hold on, it's crucial in the drug zone with different mugs on
Must us deal with bustas causin' ruckus for the come up?
Violatin', I'm just statin', by the regulations you really should be playin'
Instead of fakin', man, that's real hatin'
Then we gettin' only the perpatratin'
[Chorus:]
I refuse to lose, I paid dues in the game
And won't nuthin' change
Takin' tricks on worldwide trips ain't my M.O.
Fame came back from demos
When I first enkindled with baby boo's with new shoes
New doo's and spandex dresses
All in the Hunter's Point section of the city
Pretty momma lookin' proper
But she walkin', tennis shoes talkin'
Often cats stay scratched cuz they have no other leisure
Time but to trust in a skeezer
Not every lady, but I know a few diggers
Who dealt with niggas cuz of they figures, and stripped 'em clean
With the 17 heat to the cheek, don' t speak
Caught with a leak, drippin', lay it down
Folks is broke and playin' round
Jokin', get fooled not knowin' the rules
Everything ain't cool cuz you got a piece
Put away with ya own tool, now you deceased
Learn the rules
[CHORUS]
Haters stop hatin', playas keep playin'
The hustle goes on, paper flows long
My grip's so strong I cannot let go of ghetto activities, robberies and
Mobbin' deep
Big Caddie's 93, now what you tellin' me?
Envy has you plannin' on spillin' me
Once a close comrade, blew bomb sacs together
Now it's mortal combat, you down for whatever?
Switchin' outta jealousy, smilin' but backstabbin'
Mack assassinatin' over the skills I be havin'
Conversatin' with these hoodrats, should stack your paper
Saltshaker, woof, the broad taker, wannabe gangsta
Gossipin', followin' crowds, breakin' rules, way foul
It ain't my style to be dealin' with chumps
Only deal with the real scrill, put the real raps over real funk
[CHORUS]
The lyrics to San Quinn's song "Playin' By The Rules" speak to the gritty realities of life in San Francisco's Fillmore neighborhood. The first verse describes the struggles of those living in the area, where people are either making money or barely getting by. The rules of the game are clear: hustlers need to stay paid, but they also need to be cautious of snitches and law enforcement. The chorus, "I refuse to lose, I paid dues in the game, and won't nuthin' change," emphasizes the importance of staying true to oneself and abiding by the rules to succeed in life.
The second verse talks about the temptations of easy money and the dangers of being involved with someone who only wants you for your financial resources. San Quinn warns that not every lady is trustworthy, and that some will take advantage of you if you're not careful. He then underscores the importance of learning the rules of the game, both in life and on the streets.
The final verse speaks to the betrayal and envy that can arise among friends, and emphasizes the need to stay true to oneself and deal only with the "real scrill." Throughout the song, San Quinn delivers raw, unapologetic lyrics that paint a picture of life in the Fillmore neighborhood.
Line by Line Meaning
Get Low Playa, San Francisco, California, home is Fillmoe
San Quinn is a representative of Fillmore, San Francisco and he puts his hometown on the map.
Crooked cats, our neighborhood jacks, bare facts
There are some corrupt people in the neighborhood that are out to cause trouble.
We back, got scratch, no scratch, broke flat
They have wealth at some moments but at other times, no fortune or they have nothing at all.
Abidin' by the rules, survivin' not to lose the game played
They survive by playing according to the rules to avoid making mistakes that could cost them the game.
Hustlers stayin' paid, hit the cuts doin' raids
Hustlers make money and gain influence by competing and being aggressive in their dealings.
Snitches is viscous, talkin' bout the guidelines
Informants are ruthless and they know the rules and the trends very well, bragging about their knowledge.
Slidin' down the side sidelines being blocked by the rollers
Trying to navigate through life while evading trouble from law enforcement.
Hold up, hold on, it's crucial in the drug zone with different mugs on
It's important to stay alert and careful in an area associated with drug activity.
Gangstas, hustlers, playas
Different kinds of people that are playing the same game of life but with different tactics and views.
Must us deal with bustas causin' ruckus for the come up?
Do they have to put up with people who make noise to get attention and are too ambitious?
Violatin', I'm just statin', by the regulations you really should be playin'
The rules exist to be followed and failing to do so can lead to trouble.
Instead of fakin', man, that's real hatin'
Rather than pretending, why not just be honest and accept the consequences?
Then we gettin' only the perpatratin'
When they pretend or act out of character, it only leads to them committing wrongdoing.
[Chorus:]
I refuse to lose, I paid dues in the game
And won't nuthin' change
He has worked hard to get where he is and he is not going to let anyone or anything take away his accomplishments.
Takin' tricks on worldwide trips ain't my M.O.
He is not interested in traveling just to scam people out of their money.
Fame came back from demos
He gained fame or recognition from his demos or demos he has done.
When I first enkindled with baby boo's with new shoes
New doo's and spandex dresses
When he first started dating young women who were well-dressed with new hairstyles, he was living in the Hunter's Point neighborhood of San Francisco.
All in the Hunter's Point section of the city
These events occurred while he was living in the Hunter's Point area of San Francisco.
Pretty momma lookin' proper
But she walkin', tennis shoes talkin'
She looks nice from the outside, but her shoes reveal that she might not be as wealthy as she appears.
Often cats stay scratched cuz they have no other leisure
Time but to trust in a skeezer
People sometimes have no other option but to trust a person regarded as suspicious in order to have fun or leisure.
Not every lady, but I know a few diggers
Who dealt with niggas cuz of they figures, and stripped 'em clean
With the 17 heat to the cheek, don' t speak
Caught with a leak, drippin', lay it down
There are some women who seek men with money and will stop at nothing to take that wealth, even if it means resorting to violence.
Folks is broke and playin' round
Jokin', get fooled not knowin' the rules
Everything ain't cool cuz you got a piece
Put away with ya own tool, now you deceased
Learn the rules
People who are broke might be just fooling around, unaware that it's not all fun and games as they could be putting themselves in danger. They need to learn the rules and be aware of their environment because even owning a weapon might not always be enough to protect themselves from harm.
[CHORUS]
Reaffirming that he is determined to keep playing by the rules and not let his successes be undone by anyone or anything.
Haters stop hatin', playas keep playin'
Haters need to stop being envious and playas need to keep playing the game of life.
The hustle goes on, paper flows long
The game of life continues and money keeps on coming in.
My grip's so strong I cannot let go of ghetto activities, robberies and Mobbin' deep
He is still so firmly tied to his old neighborhood that he cannot let go of its culture and way of life, even though it includes criminal activity.
Big Caddie's 93, now what you tellin' me?
Referring to a 1993 Cadillac, he questions what anyone could possibly tell him about this classic car.
Envy has you plannin' on spillin' me
Others are jealous of him and have plans to harm him.
Once a close comrade, blew bomb sacs together
Now it's mortal combat, you down for whatever?
There was a time when he was close to someone who used to smoke marijuana with him, but now they are at war and the person is willing to do anything to hurt him.
Switchin' outta jealousy, smilin' but backstabbin'
Mack assassinatin' over the skills I be havin'
People are pretending to like him but are really just envious and would not hesitate to betray him. He also references the seductive power he has over women as someone with skills.
Conversatin' with these hoodrats, should stack your paper
Saltshaker, woof, the broad taker, wannabe gangsta
Instead of spending time talking to unimportant women, he should be working to make money. He also refers to someone who talks without acting tough.
Gossipin', followin' crowds, breakin' rules, way foul
It ain't my style to be dealin' with chumps
Talking behind someone's back and following the crowd is completely against his principles and values. He also does not like to spend time with people who don't matter.
Only deal with the real scrill, put the real raps over real funk
He only deals with real money and his music always reflects real-life situations and feelings.
Contributed by Alice N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.