The incident was a major setback that suspended his dream of becoming a filmmaker. Although dismayed and discouraged, SLAINE was determined to prevail, and began a new pursuit towards his entertainment goal… Music.
His discovered his love for hip hop early in his life. "I started writing rhymes when I was nine years old, I use to record on my boom box with a pair of headphones plugged into the microphone jack. I felt they were just words on a page because I didn’t have an outlet to perform them.” Determined and focused, SLAINE spent his nights as a club promoter to survive in the hard lonely streets of New York City, while at the same time, recording and being managed by hip-hop legend MC Shan. While recording a demo in a studio operated by the Lordz of Brooklyn, SLAINE was introduced to Danny Boy O'Connor of House of Pain.
That introduction led to a production deal with DJ Lethal of House of Pain, which in turn led to the mix tape release ‘The White Man is the Devil: Volume 1’ and the formation of the group Special Teamz, with Boston rap legends Edo G and Jaysaun. Special Teamz dropped a self-titled street CD, which garnered critical acclaim and allowed the group to tour in Europe. In a very short time, SLAINE had gone from living in poverty with a drug habit to traveling the world and working with hip-hop icons such as DJ Premier, Ill Bill, House of Pain, Cypress Hill, The Alchemist, and a host of other talented artists. He also became part of the collective LA COKA NOSTRA, alongside Ill Bill and all three members of House of Pain - Everlast, DJ Lethal, and Danny Boy. La Coka Nostra’s debut album, "A Brand You Can Trust" debuted at #84 on the Billboard Top 200 and #6 on the Rap charts, sending a message to the masses that the group’s brand of gritty hip-hop was exactly what fans of the genre had been waiting for.
SLAINE's name continued to grow far past his hometown of Boston due to the exposure he has received in publications such as The Source, XXL, The New York Times, The Boston Herald, and his sold out performances across the globe. SLAINE has been nominated for a Boston Music Award and received 4 trophies at The Mass Industry Committee's hip-hop awards, including and award for Best Lyricist.
As his music career expanded, a personal battle with drugs became a focal point that reared its ugly head. After overdoses, hospital visits and a whirlwind of drugs and violence, SLAINE finally checked into rehab. Instantly, he found himself with homeless drug addicts and realized he was no different than any of them. "Everybody had a story to tell. That was where the idea and the hunger for "The White Man is the Devil" was born. "The White Man" is a cocaine reference, not a declaration of self hate."
Since conquering his addiction, SLAINE has been presented with many new and exciting possibilities… such as acting. A chance of a lifetime presented itself through an unexpected ally, hometown hero and Academy Award winner Ben Affleck. SLAINE made his acting debut with his portrayal of Bubba Rogowski in Affleck's return to screenwriting and directorial debut "Gone Baby Gone". The film was critically acclaimed and led to a larger role in the blockbuster “The Town” featuring Ben Affleck, Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker), and Jon Hamm (Mad Men). He is also been in films, “The Crack Down” and “Bad Blood” and in the upcoming movie “Cogan’s Trade” with Brad Pitt, Ray Liotta and James Gandolfini.
While Slaine’s acting career has allowed him to blaze new paths, his venomous lyrical attack burns hotter than ever on his debut solo album, "A World With No Skies 2.0", which drops August 16th , 2011 through Suburban Noize Records. With hard-hitting lyrical content, and a vicious delivery, "A World with No Skies 2.0" instantly takes hip-hop back to its grimy roots on the streets. To execute his dark musical vision, Slaine enlisted the help of his La Coka Nostra brothers Everlast and ILL BILL, as well as Cypress Hill’s B-Real and Vinnie Paz of Jedi Mind Tricks, to create a dark hip-hop album that hits squarely in the jaw. "Even though I started my career as a solo artist by hustling my ‘The White Man is the Devil’ mixtapes, I think people are more familiar with me from Special Teamz and La Coka Nostra,” commented Slaine. “With this album I set out to create a soundscape that brings you into my world as an individual which is a bad place to be. The record is hard, dark and aggressive, from the beats to the lyrics. It’s a deeply personal trip through my life and the things that made me who I am today. A ‘World with No Skies’ is a look into my psyche and a vision of my dreams, nightmares, and realities."
Despite ups and downs throughout his career, SLAINE is living his life to the fullest. "I love making music that means something to me, I am grateful for all the experiences that I have had—good and bad. I am lucky to be alive, but my past also made me who I am today.”
Citizen Caine
Slaine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey yo put me in line, I'm chock-full for your nostril
I'll make you motherfucking hostile
Not till sunrise will some eyes let their lids down
I've been there for you and I'm sure to get your kids down
In Midtown I get down, skyrise enterprise
Little white lies, your wives don't know nothing
I've been there for years, they smoke me and blow me
Uptown I travel in packs put flames to my backs
Rock me and lock me in caps and sell me to blacks
Rap cats claim to sell me before they sold their soul
The goals of those put me up in their nose
So I take control, impose my will, I'm I'll
Got to spill mad shit for bags of plastic
Drastic measures of grams in the hands of triple beams
The shit behind their little schemes are crippled dreams
Sicker teams'll bring pain but I just want to party
Maybe nobody somebody from Scarface to John Gotti
Drip down the throat to your body
Kids'll stick you to get me so get your body a shotty
Make a whore from a hottie, flush me down in the potty
When the five hits talking that jive shit
Searching for me cause I'm the live shit
I'm Citizen Cane, I'm Citizen Cane
[Chorus: Scratching]
Hit me with a razor, hit me with a straw
Your heart's beating quicker now, I'm fucking with your jaw
[Verse 2:]
There's a cocaine rain that drips when I sniff
It's like an icicle trickling it's freezing my lips
So in between the uneven breathing it slips
Numbing my teeth leaving me up all evening with skips
See I've been handcuffed by the devil's dandruff
On my shoulder, I just can't kick the damn stuff
I get older stuck with these sick dreams
That I had to fuck with since a time of fifteen
Trying to get my shit clean but I love the speed
I can never get when I only fuck with weed
I took one sniff and my body just agreed
With the liquor in me saying this is what you need
So tell me how you're supposed to hit the skids with the wiz
Still want the I'll though you know what it is
That we started off doing blow when we're kids
Running in the streets sneaking home to the crib
So now I gotta live with the shit in my brain
Littered with pain and driven insane by Citizen Cane
As soon as it's gone I wanna get it I'm sayin
Cause my dome is just screaming to get wetted with rain
So before this triple six makes me hate ya all
I'm a commit the seventh sin and make this late call
It's like I got nine lives the way I do eight balls
So I guess the corner pocket is where my fate falls
[Chorus]
The first verse of the song "Citizen Caine" by Slaine talks about cocaine addiction and how it affects people. It describes how the drug makes the users aggressive and hostile, and their eyes will not close until sunrise. The rapper also talks about how he is an integral part of people's lives, and he can make kids sleep. This is a reference to the fact that the drug is often used as a sedative. He mentions how he has been in people's lives for years, and their wives smoke and blow him. However, when bad things happen, everyone pretends they don't know him.
The second verse delves deeper into the physical and psychological effects of cocaine addiction. The rapper talks about how cocaine makes him numb his teeth and leaves him up all evening with skips, making him unable to sleep. He mentions that he has been struggling with addiction since he was fifteen and that he cannot kick the habit by himself. He speaks to his love for the high that cocaine gives him, and he can never get enough of it. The rapper acknowledges that cocaine has taken a toll on his life and has littered his brain with pain and driven him insane. However, he still craves the drug, and he is unsure how he will continue living with it in his life.
Overall, the song is a commentary on the allure of cocaine and its devastating effects on people's lives. The lyrics paint a picture of the drug as a powerful and addictive substance that can entrap people, leaving them with crippling physical and mental effects.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey yo put me in line, I'm chock-full for your nostril
Citizen Caine is cocaine, and the song is invoking the drug as a character. The line is saying that the drug is ready to be consumed and promises the user a high.
I'll make you motherfucking hostile
The drug makes the user hostile, aggressive and impulsive.
Not till sunrise will some eyes let their lids down
The drug is so powerful that the user may stay up all night, and only when the drug wears off, they will be able to fall asleep.
I've been there for you and I'm sure to get your kids down
The drug promises to be a reliable and loyal companion but warns the user that the addiction may affect their parental responsibilities.
In Midtown I get down, skyrise enterprise
The drug is prevalent in urban areas and is consumed by people from all walks of life.
Little white lies, your wives don't know nothing
Drug users tend to be deceitful and hide their addiction from their loved ones.
I've been there for years, they smoke me and blow me
The drug has been around for a long time, and users consume it by snorting it. There is a sense of dependency and addiction being shown.
But when shit go down everybody act like they don't know me
Drug users are neglected and ostracized by society when problems arise, and people distance themselves.
Uptown I travel in packs put flames to my backs
The drug is consumed in groups and often has a risky effect on users.
Rock me and lock me in caps and sell me to blacks
Drug dealers package and sell the drug to buyers.
Rap cats claim to sell me before they sold their soul
Drug use and addiction are celebrated in pop culture and music.
The goals of those put me up in their nose
Drug use is a means to achieving certain goals for some users.
So I take control, impose my will, I'm I'll
Drug users have lost control, and the addiction has overtaken their lives.
Got to spill mad shit for bags of plastic
Users trade their sense of morality and dignity for drugs.
Drastic measures of grams in the hands of triple beams
Drug dealing has become a complex business, and the purity and quantity of drugs are measured with advanced technology.
The shit behind their little schemes are crippled dreams
Drug dealing involves exploitation and greed, and it ruins people's lives.
Sicker teams'll bring pain but I just want to party
Drug users are not thinking of the consequences of their actions and decisions, but only the immediate pleasure they get from the drug.
Maybe nobody somebody from Scarface to John Gotti
Drug use and addiction have been a part of criminal culture and history.
Kids'll stick you to get me so get your body a shotty
Drug use can lead to dangerous situations, and users must protect themselves from other users.
Make a whore from a hottie, flush me down in the potty
Drug users objectify women and treat them poorly, and the drugs themselves are disposable.
When the five hits talking that jive shit
When the drug wears off, the user experiences withdrawal symptoms and tries to justify their addiction to themselves and others.
Searching for me cause I'm the live shit
The drug promises to be the ultimate high and the user's main source of pleasure and satisfaction.
I'm Citizen Cane, I'm Citizen Cane
The drug is the singer of the song, and its effects and consequences are being explored.
Your heart's beating quicker now, I'm fucking with your jaw
The chorus describes the intense physical effects of the drug on the user's body.
There's a cocaine rain that drips when I sniff
The drug is described as a natural phenomenon and a meteorological event.
It's like an icicle trickling it's freezing my lips
The drug causes the user's mouth to go numb and adversely affects their sense of taste and smell.
So in between the uneven breathing it slips
The drug causes irregular breathing and can be life-threatening in large doses.
Numbing my teeth leaving me up all evening with skips
The drug has various side effects on the body, and the user may have trouble sleeping.
See I've been handcuffed by the devil's dandruff
The drug is powerful and addictive, and the user feels trapped and helpless.
On my shoulder, I just can't kick the damn stuff
The drug has taken over the user's life, and they find it hard to quit.
I get older stuck with these sick dreams
The drug affects the user's mental health and causes nightmares and disturbed sleep.
That I had to fuck with since a time of fifteen
The user started using drugs at a young age and has become addicted now.
Trying to get my shit clean but I love the speed
The user wants to quit drugs, but the high and the addiction is too powerful to overcome.
I can never get when I only fuck with weed
The user has tried to find a substitute for the drug, but nothing matches the high and satisfaction the drug gives.
I took one sniff and my body just agreed
The drug is too powerful to resist, and the user feels compelled to consume it.
With the liquor in me saying this is what you need
Alcohol and drugs often go hand in hand, and the user may consume both to intensify the high.
So tell me how you're supposed to hit the skids with the wiz
The user is struggling to find a way out of their addiction but is unable to do so.
Still want the I'll though you know what it is
The user is aware of the drug's negative effects but still wants to consume it.
That we started off doing blow when we're kids
The user's addiction started at a young age, and they have been using drugs for a long time now.
Running in the streets sneaking home to the crib
The user's early experiences with drugs involved illegal and risky behavior.
So now I gotta live with the shit in my brain
The user has become addicted to the drug, and it has permanently affected their mental and physical health.
Littered with pain and driven insane by Citizen Cane
The drug has caused the user immense pain, and they are struggling with mental illness now.
As soon as it's gone I wanna get it I'm sayin
The user is addicted and longs for the high even when they don't have the drug.
Cause my dome is just screaming to get wetted with rain
The user's mind craves the high, and they feel like they need the drug to function normally.
So before this triple six makes me hate ya all
The user is becoming increasingly hostile and aggressive towards others because of their addiction.
I'm a commit the seventh sin and make this late call
The user is aware of the consequences of their addiction, but they are willing to take the risk to satisfy their craving.
It's like I got nine lives the way I do eight balls
The user is pushing their limits and taking risks despite knowing the consequences of their actions.
So I guess the corner pocket is where my fate falls
The user's addiction has caused them to lose control of their life, and they feel powerless to change this.
Contributed by Caroline K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@user-ii9rq9cs7j
0:00 - 1. On the Third Day
1:06 - 2. Cocaine and Blue Eyes
2:54 - 3. Say I Was Slaine
5:57 - 4. Citizen Caine
9:00 - 5. Jewelz (Ft. Bad Newz)
13:40 - 6. Problemz (Ft. Larry Cheeba)
18:03 - 7. Bad Man
21:41 - 8. Yosemite Sam
24:32 - 9. Still East Coast
28:12 - 10. Just Anotha Bitch
33:13 - 11. XXX
40:00 - 12. Touch The Sky
43:05 - 13. Conman
45:53 - 14. Get Outta My Way [La Coka Nostra]
49:58 - 15. Fuck Tony Montana (Ft. Sick Jacken & B-Real) [La Coka Nostra]
53:59 - 16. Slip the Clip In (Ft. Diego of Crime Rime)
56:59 - 17. Stop the Violence
1:01:54 - 18. Race Riot [Special Teamz]
1:05:46 - 19. The City is a Jungle
1:09:02 - 20. Claxx On The Traxx
1:13:57 - 21. Angel Dust
@fulljuggaloalbumz2691
Legendary
@bryandonoghue1454
Man what a classic. Love this joint as much as the day I heard it way back when. Great Mc, solid guy
@markrobertson2052
You don't whiter than me kid
@tylersmith8189
😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊@@markrobertson2052
@bankal1442
Wo man great upload, was just browsing through Slaines stuff again :) :) :)
@latdomaktakommainhalldeman9143
This mixtape is greatly underrated!
@williammaass293
⁰0😁😁😁😁
@markgillan3750
Have we a picture hear 2nd tyhme
@e.n.existentialnevertobere9385
My favourite. why is this not on slaines Spotify!!!
@brianburnett118
No they rather promote killer dumb down lyrics to young people