Recording as Akshen, he began his career recording solo for Rap-A-Lot Records, a local label in Houston, Texas. In the late 1980s, he joined the Geto Boys as they were forming and released We Can't Be Stopped, a highly successful LP that garnered the Geto Boys a large fanbase, in spite of their ultra-violent lyrics keeping them far from radio and MTV. Akshen changed his name to Scarface (he even changed his flow from a rapid-fire Kool G Rap-like delivery to normal flow, this time with a darker tone), after the film Scarface, saying he felt that the main character of the movie was just like him in many ways. Scarface soon released his debut solo album, Mr. Scarface Is Back. The album was a success, and Scarface's popularity soon overshadowed the other Geto Boys.
Scarface left the group and released a series of solo albums that kept him in the public view in spite of decreasing sales. He turned this around with 2000's Last of a Dying Breed, which received overwhelmingly positive reviews and sales, and earned him Lyricist of the Year at the Source Awards. In 2002 he released The Fix, the critically acclaimed follow up to Last of a Dying Breed. In 2007 he released Made which overall recieved very positive reviews.
Discography
1991 - Mr. Scarface Is Back (Rap-A-Lot)
1993 - The World Is Yours (Rap-A-Lot/Priority)
1994 - The Diary (Rap-A-Lot/Noo Trybe)
1997 - The Untouchable (Rap-A-Lot/Virgin)
1998 - My Homies (Rap-A-Lot/Virgin)
2000 - The Last Of A Dying Breed (Rap-A-Lot/Virgin)
2002 - The Fix (Def Jam South)
2003 - Balls And My Word (Rap-A-Lot)
2006 - The Product: One Hunid (Koch)
2006 - My Homies Pt. 2 (Rap-A-Lot Records)
2007 - Made
2008 - Emeritus
What It Do
Scarface Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Represent for the niggas in the hood and how they livin'
Heavy metal concealin'
Hustlin' 'til you touch a 9 to 5 of drug dealin'
It don't matter how I get it, I got it, fuck feelings
I don't have none, I'm 'bout my paper, nigga, ask 'em
Don't get confused on how the cash come
Never, by any means necessary better
Out in front your doorstep, when I brandish this .45th
You can make arrangements, you a dead man, a ghost
See I come from them cuts for real
Much long before this rap came, fuck the deal
I survived the game of life, nigga, fuck some skills
Crossin' me, get in the way, this pussy must get killed
I'm alive, he came, he bust 'til he left
I would have made for sure I was dead and fuck yourself
Yeah, cause now I'm at his ass with a vengeance
Blood in, blood out from the beginning to the ending
Real shit bein' spit, know your limits
It's best you mind your mothafuckin' business
If you ain't in it
So hard in these streets
Gotta pack a pistol plus talk to God in these streets
Go to church, Sunday, Monday, sellin' raw in these streets
Never took it home though, I left it all in these streets
Gotta do what I gotta do
I ain't promotin' no eviction notice on the door
Fuck it, I had to go for broke
Do what I gotta do
Hustle 'til I see the dirt
Riskin' 25 years just to see another verse
I was all alone, car full of niggas
How'd I get here? Car full of hittas
I was rollin' weed, they was snortin' blow
Such a cool breeze, heart so cold
Step up to the plate, where your money at?
Bobby Brown on cake with a hundred packs
New editions, Lisa Lisa
We were secret lovers, had to get a beeper
My Atlantic star, not a Notre Dame
Not a student loan, tried to motivate
Continental, my Bentley, this shit should be illegal
Selassie eye in the ghost, thousand bales of that diesel
Lord, go toe to toe with any pussy boy
Fuck, one time for facin' all the Boobie boys
26 inch plates on a 68
Where I'm from a half a key'll set a nigga straight
I just wanna make the car notes
Let mama make the pot roast
You should meet me at the car wash
Washin' all 8, that's inshallah
So hard in these streets
Gotta pack a pistol plus talk to God in these streets
Go to church, Sunday, Monday, sellin' raw in these streets
Never took it home though, I left it all in these streets
Gotta do what I gotta do
I ain't promotin' no eviction notice on the door
Fuck it, I had to go for broke
Do what I gotta do
Hustle 'til I see the dirt
Riskin' 25 years just to see another verse
Speakin' for those squeakin' in them cell blocks readin'
To blacks, whites and Puerto Ricans
Brothers with those ankle bracelets, impatient for their releasin'
To make it back to the block, the hatred, the priest hit
Time sure flies, look how many years went by
My young niggas already need hair dye
Alcoholic faces, women bad as a mug
Gettin' fat as fuck
Fried food be addin' up, the system thrives off its victims
They ask how this economic collapse
Can affect people all over the map
Tea party for tax reenactment is whack
The past the past, yo, to my vatos out in the East Los
Nietas on the east coast, shouts to Puerto Rico
Dominican Republic people, rep I
Brown and black, we must get it together
The prison industrial complex a fuckin' set up
The Aztec, almac, African settled on this land from the get up
I changed my aim, who I'm gon' wet up
When violence is resorted, knowledge is distorted
Unless it's payback for brutality
I'm more or less with that, get back
So hard in these streets
Gotta pack a pistol plus talk to God in these streets
Go to church, Sunday, Monday, sellin' raw in these streets
Never took it home though, I left it all in these streets
Gotta do what I gotta do
I ain't promotin' no eviction notice on the door
Fuck it, I had to go for broke
Do what I gotta do
Hustle 'til I see the dirt
Riskin' 25 years just to see another verse
In Scarface's "What It Do," the rapper showcases his gritty and aggressive style, which is representative of the violence that he sees and experiences in the hood. The song's lyrics detail Scarface's rise from humble beginnings and his experiences dealing drugs, which he sees as an inevitable part of life in the ghetto. Scarface is unapologetic about his criminal activities, explaining that he hustles "till you touch a 9 to 5 of drug dealin'" and that it doesn't matter how he gets his money, as long as he gets it. To Scarface, the only thing that matters is his paper, and he will do whatever it takes to get it.
The imagery in the song is vivid and disturbing, with Scarface threatening those who cross him with a .45th and describing the violent deaths of his enemies. In the chorus, Scarface emphasizes the difficulty of life in the ghetto and the necessity of carrying a gun and praying to survive. He speaks to the hypocrisy of going to church and then returning to sell drugs and the toll that living this life takes on individuals and communities.
Line by Line Meaning
I am ghetto, boy, chillin'
I am a boy from the ghetto, relaxing.
Represent for the niggas in the hood and how they livin'
I am representing the people from the hood and how they are living their lives.
Heavy metal concealin'
I am carrying a concealed weapon.
Hustlin' 'til you touch a 9 to 5 of drug dealin'
I am working hard until I make as much money as a 9 to 5 job by dealing drugs.
It don't matter how I get it, I got it, fuck feelings
I don't care how I make my money, I just have it. I don't care about emotions.
I don't have none, I'm 'bout my paper, nigga, ask 'em
I don't have any emotions, I am just focused on making money. Ask anyone who knows me.
Don't get confused on how the cash come
Don't be confused about how I made my money.
Never, by any means necessary better
I will do whatever I can to be successful.
Get up off your ass and get my money 'fore I stretch yah
You better get up and get my money before I hurt you.
Out in front your doorstep, when I brandish this .45th
I will come to your doorstep with a .45 gun.
You can make arrangements, you a dead man, a ghost
You can try to run, but you will be killed.
See I come from them cuts for real
I am really from the streets.
Much long before this rap came, fuck the deal
I was hustling and making money before I became a rapper. I don't care about record deals.
I survived the game of life, nigga, fuck some skills
I survived life in the ghetto, skills don't matter.
Crossin' me, get in the way, this pussy must get killed
If you cross me or get in my way, you will be killed.
I'm alive, he came, he bust 'til he left
I am alive and still here, while others have come and gone after busting their guns.
I would have made for sure I was dead and fuck yourself
If I didn't shoot and kill my enemies, I would be dead. And fuck anyone who thinks otherwise.
Yeah, cause now I'm at his ass with a vengeance
I am after my enemy with revenge on my mind.
Blood in, blood out from the beginning to the ending
Once you are in, you must stay until the end, even if it means sacrificing your life.
Real shit bein' spit, know your limits
I am speaking the truth, so be careful and know your limits.
It's best you mind your mothafuckin' business
You should stay out of my business.
If you ain't in it
If you are not involved.
So hard in these streets
Life is really difficult in the ghetto.
Gotta pack a pistol plus talk to God in these streets
I have to carry a gun for protection and pray to God for survival in the ghetto.
Go to church, Sunday, Monday, sellin' raw in these streets
I go to church on Sunday and sell drugs on Monday in the ghetto.
Never took it home though, I left it all in these streets
I never took my illegal money home, I left it in the streets.
Gotta do what I gotta do
I have to do what I have to do to survive in the ghetto.
I ain't promotin' no eviction notice on the door
I am not promoting getting evicted from your home.
Fuck it, I had to go for broke
I had to take a huge risk to make money.
Hustle 'til I see the dirt
I will keep hustling until I die.
Riskin' 25 years just to see another verse
I am risking going to jail for 25 years just to survive and make money to create more music.
I was all alone, car full of niggas
I was alone, but had a car full of friends.
How'd I get here? Car full of hittas
I am wondering how I ended up in a car full of dangerous people.
I was rollin' weed, they was snortin' blow
I was smoking weed, while my friends were snorting cocaine.
Such a cool breeze, heart so cold
I am calm, but my heart is cold and without emotions.
Step up to the plate, where your money at?
Show me your money.
Bobby Brown on cake with a hundred packs
I have a lot of drugs, like Bobby Brown.
New editions, Lisa Lisa
I have new batches of drugs, like the music group New Edition and singer Lisa Lisa.
We were secret lovers, had to get a beeper
I had secret clients who needed to contact me, so I got a pager.
My Atlantic star, not a Notre Dame
I do not have a college education from Notre Dame, but instead, I have an Atlantic Star music album.
Not a student loan, tried to motivate
I did not take out a student loan, as I had to motivate myself to make money.
Continental, my Bentley, this shit should be illegal
My Continental and Bentley cars are so nice, they should be illegal.
Selassie eye in the ghost, thousand bales of that diesel
I have a statue of Selassie and a lot of diesel drugs.
Lord, go toe to toe with any pussy boy
I can fight anyone, even if they are weak.
Fuck, one time for facin' all the Boobie boys
Shoutout to those who have faced the Boobie Boys gang.
26 inch plates on a 68
My car has 26 inch rims on a 1968 model.
Where I'm from a half a key'll set a nigga straight
In my hometown, half a kilo of drugs will make someone straight, or earn them a lot of money.
I just wanna make the car notes
I just want to make enough money to pay for my car.
Let mama make the pot roast
Let my mother cook food for me, as I am busy hustling.
You should meet me at the car wash
You should meet me at the car wash, where I will be cleaning my cars.
Washin' all 8, that's inshallah
I will be washing all eight of my cars, if God wills it (inshallah).
Speakin' for those squeakin' in them cell blocks readin'
I am speaking for those in jail, reading.
To blacks, whites and Puerto Ricans
To all races in jail.
Brothers with those ankle bracelets, impatient for their releasin'
Those with ankle bracelets (on house arrest) are waiting impatiently to be released.
To make it back to the block, the hatred, the priest hit
They want to make it back to their neighborhood to face the struggle of hatred and religion.
Time sure flies, look how many years went by
Time has passed quickly, and many years have gone by.
My young niggas already need hair dye
My young friends have already started going grey.
Alcoholic faces, women bad as a mug
People have faces that show their alcoholism, and women are looking bad (as in attractive) as ever.
Gettin' fat as fuck
People are getting really fat.
Fried food be addin' up, the system thrives off its victims
Eating too much fried food is contributing to people getting fat. The system (capitalism?) relies on exploiting its victims.
They ask how this economic collapse
People wonder how the economic collapse happened.
Can affect people all over the map
It affected people everywhere.
Tea party for tax reenactment is whack
The tea party movement to reenact taxes is stupid.
The past the past, yo, to my vatos out in the East Los
The past is the past, shoutout to my friends in East Los Angeles.
Nietas on the east coast, shouts to Puerto Rico
Shoutout to my friends on the East Coast and in Puerto Rico.
Dominican Republic people, rep I
Shoutout to the people of the Dominican Republic.
Brown and black, we must get it together
People of color (brown and black) need to work together and succeed.
The prison industrial complex a fuckin' set up
The prison system is designed to exploit and fail people.
The Aztec, almac, African settled on this land from the get up
The Aztecs, Almacs, and Africans were the first settlers on this land.
I changed my aim, who I'm gon' wet up
I changed my target, who I am going to kill.
When violence is resorted, knowledge is distorted
When violence is used, knowledge and truth become distorted.
Unless it's payback for brutality
The only time violence is justifiable is as payback for brutality.
I'm more or less with that, get back
I am generally okay with that, but you need to back off.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRAD JORDAN, JOSEPH JOHNSON, JOSEPH MCVEY, NASIR JONES, WILLIAM ROBERTS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind