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.
Oasis
Shabazz the Disciple Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We came a long way up from fighting court cases
Running the streets dirty with guns on our waists
Tryna be a man feed a fam and build a basis
Treaded the sandhills, hip hop is my oasis
[Verse One]
It all began up in 100 dwight
At 13 years old, I realized it was a road
And at the end I would win lots of pots of gold
Never lost the flame, never divorced the game
Everybody who know me know I paid the cost for fame
To be a billionaire, the god struggled for years
Some nights I shed tears when I said my prayers
Been shot at a lot of times for slinging nickels and dimes
On the road to the riches that was paved with crime
I was sought of caught in between the streets and a mic
Niggaz never touched the knuckles
Cause they knew I could fight
Red Hook was one projects easy to get killed in
My mother always told me stay from underneath them buildings
I scrambled all my life, finally I found my purpose
I'ma be a disciple to hip hop long as the earth twist
[Chorus]
[Verse Two]
My mother and Mrs. Irene had me, Klief, and Elliot sing
+Rappers Delight+ by the Sugarhill Gang, at her baby shower
Now I realize that's what gave me power
At 8 years old that was my first hip hop encounter
Then I went on playing keyboards with adam ellis
Only 12 but we could play whatever people tell us
In the halls of Red Hook, I was the king of the beat box
Back when me and Mr. Ice walked around singing rock box
He was the nicest emcee in the hook on Red Hook day
When niggaz saw us behind the ropes they were shook
We feint to lace the mic and young always allowed us
Used to go from block to block to battle
And people would crowd us
On staircases with rah and sha the ganja would spark me
I was fiending to battle dougie fresh, buff and biz markie
Was always a ghetto star and highly respected
Lashawna always asked me when I'm gonna make a record
People seen something in me I didn't see in myself
Shit I was only having fun, niggaz loved how it felt
My 2 daughters denysha, yay-yay, my whole family
I dedicate this to y'all for believing in me
[Chorus]
[Verse Three]
I come from humble beginnings, a project apartment
7 kids on 2 beds, the rest on the carpet
My mother raised her brothers and sisters on welfare
As well as her own kids, and she didn't have any healthcare
Now we tryna get houses with cars in garages
Manage twa's, bubble hot tub massages
Laughing all the way to the bank with my goddess
Tryna put gold bars in the safe, platinum artist
No longer settling for the crumbs on the cake
No more embezzling or we running from jake
Shopping sprees copping threes rocking designer things
No more selling poppy seeds or hocking diamond rings
Celebration of life, everyday's like christmas
Taking my baby girls on trips, and fulfilling their gift list
Sending my ol' earth on vacation on the love boat
After a cruise around the world she comes home to a fur coat
Relax with black sand all up between her toes on beaches
Enjoying the breeze from palm trees, sipping crushed peaches
Shit, back in the days the only island niggaz been on was rikers
Doing pushups with them lifers!
[Chorus]
Shabazz The Disciple's song "Oasis" is a reflection of the artist's journey from a life of crime to becoming a disciple of hip hop. The chorus repeats the line "hip hop is my oasis," which implies that music was his salvation and a way out of a life of violence and danger. The first verse details Shabazz's experiences growing up in Red Hook, one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Brooklyn, and his decision to pursue music as a career. He describes the obstacles he faced, including being shot at while dealing drugs, but never losing his passion for music. In the second verse, Shabazz talks about his early experiences with hip hop, including performing at his mother's baby shower and playing keyboards with Adam Ellis. He also talks about his battles with other aspiring MCs, including Doug E. Fresh, Buff, and Biz Markie. The final verse is a reflection on how far he has come and the success he has achieved. Shabazz talks about his desire to provide for his family and enjoy the fruits of his labor, including vacations, fine clothing, and luxury items.
Line by Line Meaning
We came a long way up from fighting court cases
We have overcome legal issues and come a long way.
Running the streets dirty with guns on our waists
We used to be involved in criminal activities while carrying weapons.
Tryna be a man feed a fam and build a basis
We were trying to become responsible adults by taking care of our family and building a foundation.
Treaded the sandhills, hip hop is my oasis
Hip-hop has been a source of inspiration and respite from the struggles of life.
It all began up in 100 dwight
It started in the area known as 100 Dwight.
When my uncle younganutt handed me my first mic
My uncle, Younganutt, gave me my first microphone.
At 13 years old, I realized it was a road
At the age of 13, I realized that pursuing a career in hip-hop was my calling.
And at the end I would win lots of pots of gold
I knew that if I continued to work hard, I would achieve great success and wealth.
Never lost the flame, never divorced the game
I never lost my passion for hip-hop and was always dedicated to the craft.
Everybody who know me know I paid the cost for fame
Those who know me understand the sacrifices I made to achieve success in the industry.
To be a billionaire, the god struggled for years
I have faced many challenges and obstacles on my journey to becoming a successful artist.
Some nights I shed tears when I said my prayers
I have had moments of doubt and fear, but I have always remained committed to my faith.
Been shot at a lot of times for slinging nickels and dimes
I have been in dangerous situations due to my involvement in selling drugs.
On the road to the riches that was paved with crime
My path to success was not without its illegal activities.
I was sought of caught in between the streets and a mic
I had to balance my life on the streets with my passion for music.
Niggaz never touched the knuckles cause they knew I could fight
People respected my fighting skills and never tried to start a physical altercation with me.
My mother always told me stay from underneath them buildings
My mother warned me to stay away from dangerous areas, such as the housing projects.
I scrambled all my life, finally I found my purpose
I have faced many challenges and struggles, but I have found my true passion and purpose in life.
I'ma be a disciple to hip hop long as the earth twist
I will remain dedicated to hip-hop for the rest of my life.
My mother and Mrs. Irene had me, Klief, and Elliot sing
My mother and Mrs. Irene had me and my siblings perform at her baby shower.
+Rappers Delight+ by the Sugarhill Gang, at her baby shower
We performed the popular hip-hop song, +Rappers Delight+, by the Sugarhill Gang.
Now I realize that's what gave me power
My early exposure to hip-hop helped me realize my potential as an artist.
Only 12 but we could play whatever people tell us
Despite our young age, my friend and I were skilled musicians who could play any song on command.
In the halls of Red Hook, I was the king of the beat box
I was known throughout the Red Hook housing complex for my incredible beatboxing skills.
Back when me and Mr. Ice walked around singing rock box
My friend, Mr. Ice, and I would walk around singing the song, Rock Box, by Run-DMC.
He was the nicest emcee in the hook on Red Hook day
Mr. Ice was the most talented rapper in Red Hook during their annual community day.
When niggaz saw us behind the ropes they were shook
Other aspiring artists were intimidated by our talent and stage presence during community events.
We feint to lace the mic and young always allowed us
We would pretend to take over the microphone, and the adults in the community would encourage us to continue performing.
Used to go from block to block to battle
We would travel to different neighborhoods to compete in rap battles.
And people would crowd us
Our performances would attract large crowds of people to watch us compete.
On staircases with rah and sha the ganja would spark me
On occasion, I would smoke marijuana with my friends, Rah and Sha, while sitting on the stairs in the housing complex.
I was fiending to battle dougie fresh, buff and biz markie
I was eager to compete against some of the most talented and respected rappers of the time, such as Doug E. Fresh, Buff, and Biz Markie.
Was always a ghetto star and highly respected
Despite my young age, I was already well-known in the community and was respected for my talent.
Lashawna always asked me when I'm gonna make a record
One of my friends, Lashawna, would frequently ask me when I was going to record my own music.
People seen something in me I didn't see in myself
Others recognized my talent and potential before I was even aware of it.
Shit I was only having fun, niggaz loved how it felt
Despite the competitive nature of the rap battles, I was enjoying myself and people appreciated my performances.
My 2 daughters denysha, yay-yay, my whole family
I dedicate my success to my two daughters, Denysha and Yay-Yay, as well as my entire family.
I come from humble beginnings, a project apartment
I grew up in a low-income housing complex.
7 kids on 2 beds, the rest on the carpet
There were numerous family members living on just a few beds and the floor due to limited space.
My mother raised her brothers and sisters on welfare
My mother assumed responsibility for caring for her siblings while relying on government assistance for financial support.
As well as her own kids, and she didn't have any healthcare
My mother not only cared for her siblings and her children but did so without access to healthcare.
Now we tryna get houses with cars in garages
We are now working to own our own homes and garages for our cars.
Manage twa's, bubble hot tub massages
We are now wealthy enough to afford luxuries such as owning private jets, a hot tub, and massages.
Laughing all the way to the bank with my goddess
We are now incredibly wealthy and enjoy laughing all the way to the bank with our significant other.
Tryna put gold bars in the safe, platinum artist
We are working towards storing and accumulating large amounts of valuable assets and achieving platinum record status as an artist.
No longer settling for the crumbs on the cake
We are no longer content with settling for less or small amounts of success.
No more embezzling or we running from jake
We are no longer involved in criminal activities or running from the police.
Shopping sprees copping threes rocking designer things
We now enjoy shopping sprees, buying multiple designer items, and living a lavish lifestyle.
No more selling poppy seeds or hocking diamond rings
We are no longer involved in selling drugs or selling stolen jewelry.
Celebration of life, everyday's like christmas
We celebrate life and enjoy each day as if it were a holiday.
Taking my baby girls on trips, and fulfilling their gift list
We enjoy taking our daughters on trips and fulfilling their wishes by giving them gifts.
Sending my ol' earth on vacation on the love boat
We are now able to afford sending our loved ones on vacations, such as on a cruise ship.
After a cruise around the world she comes home to a fur coat
Upon returning from her vacation, she is gifted a fur coat as a sign of appreciation and gratitude.
Relax with black sand all up between her toes on beaches
Our loved ones can now relax on beaches with black sand, and we are able to provide them with a luxurious lifestyle.
Enjoying the breeze from palm trees, sipping crushed peaches
Our loved ones now enjoy the luxuries of being in a tropical paradise, with palm trees, and drinking peach-flavored drinks.
Shit, back in the days the only island niggaz been on was rikers
Many of us were once incarcerated on Rikers Island, and our life circumstances were much different.
Doing pushups with them lifers!
We were doing pushups in prison alongside other inmates serving life sentences.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHRISTOPHER IRFANE KHAN, DAVID COLLINS, GEOFFREY MUSSSARD, J. DOS SANTOS, MARCEL CHRISTOPHER WHARTON, MELANIE WHARTON, ROBERT ZEMICHIEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind