After hooking up with the Wu-Tang, Shabazz made two guest appearances on the first Gravediggaz album 6 Feet Deep in 1994, and then he signed to the GZA Entertainment management agency. He remained an official member of Sunz Of Man until just before the group released its debut LP The Last Shall Be First; his best-known solo track "Death be the Penalty" was originally intended to be a Sunz of Man track on the B-side to their single "Soldiers of Darkness," but the other members were so impressed with his contribution he was given the track for himself. This track was met with mixed emotions mainly because many felt it was extremely self righteous and incredibly hypocritical.
In the mid-90s Shabazz released a handful of singles, such as "Death be the Penalty", "Crime Saga", "The Lamb's Blood" and "Street Parables", in anticipation of his planned 1998 debut LP which was scrapped after GZA/Genius' GZA Entertainment label folded. Due to that deal folding, Shabazz's Wu affiliation (along with the affiliation of his close friend Killah Priest, also a GZA Entertainment refugee) began to wane. Around this 1996/1997 period, Priest and Shabazz both began to clash with RZA, and both had since all but cut their Wu-Tang ties. After unsuccessful attempts by the pair to create new post-Wu Tang crews (Priest proposed a crew called the Maccabeez which would include himself, Shabazz and Timbo King among others, while Shabazz proposed a group including himself and Priest called the Sunz Of Thunder) they both effectively went their separate ways, recording solo projects and in Shabazz's case recording as Celestial Souljaz with his cousin Freestyle (of non-Wu Tang crew The Arsonists). Shabazz is also known for being an influence on the late Big Pun.
In recent years, Shabazz has began to rediscover his Wu-Tang roots and performed on a Killa Beez tour as well as doing shows in Europe with Killah Priest (who has also recently been repairing his links with the Wu-Tang). After the death of Poetic, he has been rumored to be part of a new incarnation of Gravediggaz though Prince Paul has stated that a revival of the group is unlikely. He also announced in early 2003 that he has returned to Sunz Of Man as an official member.
In 2003, Shabazz finally released his solo debut "The Book of Shabazz (Hidden Scrollz)", the album featured his past singles "The Lamb's Blood," "Crime Saga," "Street Parables," and "Organized Rime Part 2," as well as the single "Red Hook Day" b/w "Thieves in da Nite (Heist)." Two years later he returned with The Passion of the Hood Christ in mid-2006.
In 2008, Shabazz formed the group T.H.U.G. Angels with fellow Sunz of Man member Hell Razah and producer Ayatollah. The group's debut, Welcome to Red Hook Houses, was released July 8, 2008, on Babygrande Records.
Thieves In Da Nite
Shabazz The Disciple Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Uses to stalk like a hawk pon the sidewalk looking for my prey
Sometimes I hit the subway, schemin to catch a jackpot
Shit is hot too many cops, I think I'll run up in a crack spot
I start on my mission and yo I'm scrambling
Approach a group of shorties who were gambling
I play it off and ask one of them a question
Yo shorty I'm lost, yo help me out with some directions
I looked at his hand it was a ring full of diamonds
Evil was my level of thinking
Get all I can get and leave my victims dead and stinking
I drew the guns from the holsters on my sides
This is a stickup, don't make it a fucking homicide
Give me the cash quick fast or my nine'll blast
They gave it up and did the 100 yard dash
I left shorty on the ground face down
Shitting and pissing and under pressure from the 3 pound
I cold stripped his ass, pistol whipped his ass
Robbed him blind and left his head all gashed
Committing armed robberies, we be committing armed robberies
Committing armed robberies
Trying our best to live phat - fuck poverty!!!!!!
[Chorus: Killah Priest]
The shootouts over dice
The sirens and the lights
The late night heist
The thieves in da nite
[Verse 2]
Continued on my mission, I went to the corner to the phone booth
And called preme and the troops
I told preme the plan and what to carry
Cause where we going tonight yo it's kinda scary
I told him bring grenades and extra drivers
To pull this shit off right, we can't leave survivors
We reached the scene of the crime got on the job
Dressed to rob was the motherfucking mad mob
We left the driver with the engine running
Ran up in the building, on our way to make a killing
Reached the floor, I rang the bell on the door
Cocked the .44 ready to bring them brothers war
I rang the bell once more a brother opened the door
Bup! bup!, we put his brains on the floor
We ran up in the spot letting off mad shots, until the last brother dropped
And when he dropped, I realized it was Klein
I said to myself, yeah this nigga ass is mine
Slapped him with the magnum, knocked him out dragged him
Tied him to a motherfucking chair and I gagged him
Torture motherfuckers, preme you know how we do
Cut off all his fingers and then drugged him with a needle
When he recuperated then he cooperated
He started singing where his drugs were being operated
Buck to the chest, bang to the head
Preme shot him in the ear to make sure he's dead
The next thing on my mind yo it was leaving
But first I gotta make sure no one else is breathing
We dragged Klein down the fire escape
Stripped him of his gun, then we grabbed the safe
With help from Supreme and my cousin Pumpster
We bagged him in a body bag and dumped him in a dumpster
Left his ass in the garbage all smothered
Threw a grenade in the window and ran for cover
We saw a witness on our way out the gutter
My little cousin pump slit his throat with a box cutter
While he was laying there gagging, I put the tool to his head
And blew that shit up with lead
Emptied the clip in my nine out
Jumped in the bema with the safe, then we headed to the hideout
I was thinking bout that fucking catastrophe
We left at least 10 or more casualties
Splattered around but naked
The only means of identity was their motherfucking dental records
Committing armed robberies, we be committing armed robberies
Committing armed robberies
Trying our best to live phat - fuck poverty!!!!!!
[Chorus]
[Verse 3: Lil' Dap]
Yo I walk down the block, gun shots follow the block
Mom dukes is a maid, I think this shit is a raid - check it out
I'm living this low-budget violent lifetime
Watch me break it down, start to kill these rhymes
Lifting pockets was a sport just to get respect
Little nigga little brother watch shorty with the tec
Snatching weight across the land to kill the wicked man
No one could hold me down, no one can even stop me
Weight taped to my leg ready to see poppi
Walking through the doors and I'm scared to death
Trigger finger's on my right incase they tried to flex
Seeing weight, cream and dream niggaz they start to skeem
What's life after this, should we break shit down
Let these brothers know around town that we do get down
East New York style, hold me back one time
Busting shots in the air, cause the world was mines
Check it out...
Committing armed robberies, we be committing armed robberies
Committing armed robberies
Trying our best to live phat - fuck poverty!!!!!!
[Chorus] - 2X
The song "Thieves in Da Nite" by Shabazz The Disciple is a vivid portrayal of the lives of young African American men who turn to crime as a means of survival in impoverished communities. The lyrics illustrate the mindset of the singer who is clearly comfortable with committing violent crimes to achieve his goals. He stalks the street like a hawk, looking for victims to rob. The song depicts him robbing a group of young people, with one of them being held up at gunpoint while his companions run away. The singer strips him of his ring and money, then proceeds to beat him senselessly, leaving him injured and humiliated. The singer then calls his accomplices to bring grenades and more weapons to carry out a bigger robbery. They later attack a drug dealer's den, where they gun down all his guards and torture the main dealer before killing him too. The violence in the song is vividly described, and the lyrics depict the real-life situations many people in the singer's community face daily.
The lyrics of the chorus of the song emphasize the narrative's acts of thieves in the night. The line, "the late-night heist, the thieves in da night," highlights the actions of these criminal characters who roam during the night to commit their crimes. Their search for easy wealth and better lives leads them to these nefarious deeds.
Line by Line Meaning
Uses to stalk like a hawk pon the sidewalk looking for my prey
I used to prowl around the streets like a hawk, searching for my victims
Sometimes I hit the subway, schemin to catch a jackpot
I sometimes took the subway, planning to rob someone big
Shit is hot too many cops, I think I'll run up in a crack spot
There are too many cops around, so I'll go to a crack house to rob it
Evil was my level of thinking
I was full of evil thoughts and intentions
Give me the cash quick fast or my nine'll blast
Give me the money quickly or I'll shoot you with my gun
I cold stripped his ass, pistol whipped his ass
I stripped him of everything he had and beat him with my gun
The shootouts over dice
Fights over gambling sometimes turn into gunfights
Reached the floor, I rang the bell on the door
I went to the right floor and rang the bell of the door I was planning to rob
Bup! bup!, we put his brains on the floor
We shot him twice in the head and killed him
Cut off all his fingers and then drugged him with a needle
We cut off all his fingers and drugged him to make him talk
Preme shot him in the ear to make sure he's dead
My partner shot him in the ear to make sure he was dead
My little cousin pump slit his throat with a box cutter
My cousin slit the throat of a witness with a box cutter
Emptied the clip in my nine out
I shot my gun until it was empty
Lifting pockets was a sport just to get respect
I robbed people to gain respect
No one could hold me down, no one can even stop me
No one could control me, and no one could stop me
What's life after this, should we break shit down
What will happen after we commit this crime? Should we keep going?
East New York style, hold me back one time
I represent the violent culture of East New York, so someone should hold me back before I act out
Contributed by Layla O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@frankbooth2879
amazing storyteller combined with a sick flow
@joshuakithyoma9575
Big pun stole his flow 100%
@henriquesbaptistamacuvele9367
4real! Flow thight like your paints are!(sean price)
@josephalacs3777
I can't stop listen to this junt, Shabazz have one of the sickest flow i ever Heard, this album is a classickkk 🔥
@isaacwillis8735
I used to stalk like a hawk on the sidewalk. One of the best real lyrics. Keep up the good work.
@morekk
nothing to say! one of the best real lyrics i have ever listen to! underground forever!
@DaREDrobberZ
one of my fav songs from Shabazz.
@EM-BRANZ_TV
shabbazz always kickin that raw shit. salute my g
@melanatedqueen4630
Sick classic 🔥🔥🔥🔥❤❤💣
@bombcaryah
shabazz sends a message that 85% of the population would either disagree or be to blind to take any acknowledgement,,,, this is the reason this ARTIST gets no radio play,,,now people like solder boy and lil wayne come on to the scene and rap about money,cars girls,bling and get all of the promotion,,,the thing is REAL ARTIST'S like shabazz will never get out there as he talks about REAL events and possibility's,,, ARTIST'S like shabazz have made me open my eyes!!!!!