Learning from their cohort Lord Finesse, the two started an underground buzz by street promoting their demos then selling the tapes out of the trunks of their cars. The street sales helped them polish their debut single "Soul Clap" b/w "Party Groove," a cut that banged dance clubs and got love on Yo! MTV Raps for many a week, a self-titled EP was released in March of 1992. Their debut album, Runaway Slave, followed in the fall and is seen as an early-'90s hip-hop essential. The album brought a bouncing hardcore sound of crisp, jazzy horns, stiff drum kicks, and snapping snares that could get a party hopping but could also satisfy the non-dancing purist nodding his head in the back of the club. The album truly is a D.I.T.C. family affair and introduced such legendary names as the late Big L, Fat Joe, and Diamond D, whose classic debut solo album Stunts, Blunts, and Hip Hop dropped the same week in 1992.
The albatross of making unadulterated rap music is that it sometimes costs a crew acclaim, for Show and A.G. are some of rap's disturbingly underrated. The sequel to their raw, stripped sound came in 1995 with the under-appreciated Goodfellas and the two were major contributors to D.I.T.C.'s eponymous debut album in 2000.
Hard To Kill
Showbiz & A.G. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Before becoming a runaway slave, here's a taste of
mental slavery. A backtrack...
("You don't catch hell because you're a Methodist or a Baptist
You don't catch hell because you're a Democrat or Republilcan
You don't catch hell because you're a Mason or an Elk
And you sure don't catch hell because you're an American
You don't catch hell because you're a black man.")
Check it, many try to come close
Rest in peace to the deceased and the rest are comatose
I'm not a joke and I go for broke
And while I'm laughing you'll be gagging from the motherfucking gunsmoke
Walk the streets and I play for keeps
And while I entertain suckers stay six feet deep
It was good while it lasted
Broken bones and asses, tombstones and caskets
I got fleeced, I'm not strapped, I'm a get you back
Me saying "Mayday" with an AK, picture that
Getting my props while you're propless
And if you try and escape, we'll take grandma for hostage
I carry my joint
Hoping to smoke a sucker just to keep on point
When Dre's team goes to extremes call up an M.D.
Wetting a strip til my whole clip is empty
Oh-ops and tecs ready to wreck the site
Whoever's next to step is knifed in broad daylight
Don't try to run, you'll get blocked off
I got spotted by a cop, so now that cop is knocked off
if I get back I get out with the quickness
The D.A., the judge and the jury's on my hitlist
Dressed in black with a hoodie and a low hat
(What you did?) Spoke to the witness, now the witness don't know jack
The Giant and his crew are ill
We're sick-ass convicts, we're hard to kill
My boys from New York (Is hard to kill)
The brothers from Jersey (Is hard to kill)
I say out in Philly (Is hard to kill)
And the brothers in Boston (Is hard to kill)
To all my peeps in Cali (Is hard to kill)
Don't forget about Atlanta (Is hard to kill)
To all my boys in Connecticut (Is hard to kill)
To my crew in Texas (Is hard to kill)
I'm around the way, 141st and 3rd
40 bottles on the curb and my man got the bag of herb
Another brother tried to get ill
And try to take me out on my block, he forgot I was hard to kill
I ran for cover so the brother missed
He hit my man in the head, now Ed is dead, yo what is this?
I won't stop until I see him rest
He got popped by the cops, too late for the EMS
Ain't no chance for survival (Why's that?)
He tried to go head on, now he's dead on arrival
Now you know I don't play around
Cause the clown is face down and uptown is his burial ground
You want beef? Well the more the merrier
And I'm a bury that man's clan in the same area
My entourage is fully strapped
Turning your hard bodyguards to wussy, and pussy cats
You know how we do it
Putting the glock to the test, go get your vest, I'm going right through it
He survived in intensive care
Did the impossible in the hospital (Knocked him off right there)
I'm an expert at disposal
You see, everyone goes, on foes I'm killing hoes too
Nobody takes the witness stand
Your ass is out, I'm cleaning niggas out like Spic 'n' Span
You want beef with a mastermind?
But it's fine, pass the nine, now it's disaster time
I love conflict and confrontation
Killing enemies worse than Kennedy's assassination
But that's not my style
I just got buckwild so I could prove I was versatile
Styles go on and on
A.G. is all about peace, speaking of peace, now I'm gone
To the brothers in D.C. (Is hard to kill)
And the brothers in VA (Is hard to kill)
Down in North Carolina (Is hard to kill)
How about the brothers in Maryland? (Is hard to kill)
The lyrics of Showbiz & A.G's song "Hard to Kill" tell the story of a rapper who has experienced both mental and physical slavery. He speaks of overcoming these obstacles and becoming a force to be reckoned with. The verses detail his experiences walking the dangerous streets, carrying a gun, facing death and violence with the odds stacked against him. He boasts of being hard to kill, of making enemies disappear, and of his prowess with a gun. The chorus lists various locations throughout the U.S. where the men are "hard to kill." Despite the violent content of the song, A.G ends on a message of peace.
The song offers deep insights into the life of Black Americans in inner cities struggling against forces beyond their control. It illustrates the harsh reality of gang violence and street life and reflects on the experiences of many young Black people in America. The lyrics also highlight the importance of survival skills in Black communities and the difficulty many face in simply surviving. However, the song's ending, which is about peace, offers a glimmer of hope, suggesting that it is possible to rise above the challenges one faces.
Line by Line Meaning
Before becoming a runaway slave, here's a taste ofmental slavery. A backtrack...
Don't think that you are immune to mistreatment or discrimination just because of your religion, political affiliation, or nationality. This is especially true for black people who are often victims of mental slavery, and it's time to face it.
Check it, many try to come close
Rest in peace to the deceased and the rest are comatose
I'm not a joke and I go for broke
And while I'm laughing you'll be gagging from the motherfucking gunsmoke
Don't try to challenge me because you will fail. People have tried before and perished, and those who are still alive are merely existing without really living. I don't play games and will do whatever it takes, even if it means killing you.
Walk the streets and I play for keeps
And while I entertain suckers stay six feet deep
It was good while it lasted
Broken bones and asses, tombstones and caskets
I walk around town armed and dangerous, and those who dare to cross me end up dead. Even though I have some fun while taking care of business, the result is often gruesome- broken bones, disability or death.
I'm an expert at disposal
You see, everyone goes, on foes I'm killing hoes too
Nobody takes the witness stand
Your ass is out, I'm cleaning niggas out like Spic 'n' Span
I am good at getting rid of dead bodies and have done it many times. Whether it's enemies, women or anyone who's seen too much and could be a potential witness, they all have to go. I take care of the evidence and clean up so well that it's like nothing ever happened.
My entourage is fully strapped
Turning your hard bodyguards to wussy, and pussy cats
You know how we do it
Putting the glock to the test, go get your vest, I'm going right through it
I have a team that's fully armed and can take on anyone, even the toughest bodyguards. We're not afraid to use our guns and will shoot through anything, including body armor. It's how we roll and it's best if you don't get in our way.
To all my peeps in Cali (Is hard to kill)
Don't forget about Atlanta (Is hard to kill)
To all my boys in Connecticut (Is hard to kill)
To my crew in Texas (Is hard to kill)
This applies to all my people in various cities across the country. We're hard to kill no matter where we go, whether it's California, Atlanta, Connecticut, Texas or anywhere else. It's just who we are and how we've survived this long.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ANDRE BARNES, JOSEPH L KIRKLAND, RODNEY LEMAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind