Establishing his own spot amongst the ranks of East Coast hip-hop's seminal… Read Full Bio ↴Establishing his own spot amongst the ranks of East Coast hip-hop's seminal figures, DJ/producer Statik Selektah utilized his turntabling skills and ingenuity in PR and promotions to break some of the region's most promising artists, bearing his own influence on the national mixtape circuit. Born January 23, 1982 in Lawrence, MA, Patrick Baril was exposed to production equipment at a very early age, tinkering with his parents' eight-track machine, cassette recorders, and turntable. By middle school, he was already DJing school functions, but he was inspired to be a true wheels-of-steel artiste after hearing DJ Premier scratch and mix records on Funkmaster Flex's Hot 97 radio show. Soon after, at 14 years old, he purchased his first turntables and mixer. Calling himself DJ Statik (the "Selektah" surname came later), he started to work clubs and private parties up and down the New England coast.
In 2000, after living in New Hampshire, he moved back down to Massachusetts to enroll in the audio production program at Boston's New England Institute of the Arts. That same year, Selektah started putting out mixtapes, namely his Spell My Name Right series. With his mixtapes and DJ gigs, Selektah never passed up the opportunity to champion local hip-hop from Boston and the surrounding New England area. In particular, Selektah was responsible for introducing fellow Lawrence, MA, native Termanology to the world, helming his Hood Politics mixtapes in the mid- to late 2000s. Managing all of these tasks became much easier when he established in 2003 his own PR/marketing firm ShowOff.
In 2006, he turned ShowOff Records into an official record label, with Termanology & Producer DC's Out the Gate LP as its first release. By this time, though, Selektah's prestige had grown considerably. His radio shows were playing in several places, from London to Mobile, AL; he produced beats for many artists, including Foxy Brown, AZ, and Joell Ortiz; and most importantly, the DJ dished out tons of mixtapes with big name and up-and-coming artists, such as Nas, Q-Tip, John Legend, Royce da 5'9" (The Bar Exam, co-hosted with DJ Premier), and Saigon.
Statik dropped his first LP, Spell My Name Right in 2007, and his follow up Stick 2 the Script album in 2008. Other artists he has produced for following that include Talib Kweli, Bun B, Styles P, Consequence, Freeway, M.O.P., and Jadakiss. Rockstar games reached out for Statik in late 2008 to enlist him as DJ and producer of the Grand Theft Auto IV update "the Lost and Damned", as well as 2 songs for Midnight Club: Los Angeles.
In March 2008, Selektah and Saigon recorded All In A Day's Work in a 24 hour period, and was acclaimed by critics. He also DJed for Q-tip on his 2009 Renassaince World Tour. Statik just dropped his third studio album, 100 Proof: The Hangover on Showoff/Brick Records.
In 2010 Statik Selektah released his fourth album, Population Control, on Duck Down Records to critical acclaim boasting features from a mix of up and coming MC's and well established veterans.
Statik's fifth album, Extended Play, was released on June 18, 2013, and features Joey Bada$$, Action Bronson, Raekwon, Sean Price, Mac Miller, Black Thought, Noreaga, Lecrae, Lil' Fame, Styles P, Mike Posner, Termanology, Freddie Gibbs, Bun B, Joell Ortiz, Posdnuos of De La Soul, Talib Kweli, Troy Ave., Hit-Boy, Smif-N-Wessun, Flatbush Zombies, and many many more.
In 2000, after living in New Hampshire, he moved back down to Massachusetts to enroll in the audio production program at Boston's New England Institute of the Arts. That same year, Selektah started putting out mixtapes, namely his Spell My Name Right series. With his mixtapes and DJ gigs, Selektah never passed up the opportunity to champion local hip-hop from Boston and the surrounding New England area. In particular, Selektah was responsible for introducing fellow Lawrence, MA, native Termanology to the world, helming his Hood Politics mixtapes in the mid- to late 2000s. Managing all of these tasks became much easier when he established in 2003 his own PR/marketing firm ShowOff.
In 2006, he turned ShowOff Records into an official record label, with Termanology & Producer DC's Out the Gate LP as its first release. By this time, though, Selektah's prestige had grown considerably. His radio shows were playing in several places, from London to Mobile, AL; he produced beats for many artists, including Foxy Brown, AZ, and Joell Ortiz; and most importantly, the DJ dished out tons of mixtapes with big name and up-and-coming artists, such as Nas, Q-Tip, John Legend, Royce da 5'9" (The Bar Exam, co-hosted with DJ Premier), and Saigon.
Statik dropped his first LP, Spell My Name Right in 2007, and his follow up Stick 2 the Script album in 2008. Other artists he has produced for following that include Talib Kweli, Bun B, Styles P, Consequence, Freeway, M.O.P., and Jadakiss. Rockstar games reached out for Statik in late 2008 to enlist him as DJ and producer of the Grand Theft Auto IV update "the Lost and Damned", as well as 2 songs for Midnight Club: Los Angeles.
In March 2008, Selektah and Saigon recorded All In A Day's Work in a 24 hour period, and was acclaimed by critics. He also DJed for Q-tip on his 2009 Renassaince World Tour. Statik just dropped his third studio album, 100 Proof: The Hangover on Showoff/Brick Records.
In 2010 Statik Selektah released his fourth album, Population Control, on Duck Down Records to critical acclaim boasting features from a mix of up and coming MC's and well established veterans.
Statik's fifth album, Extended Play, was released on June 18, 2013, and features Joey Bada$$, Action Bronson, Raekwon, Sean Price, Mac Miller, Black Thought, Noreaga, Lecrae, Lil' Fame, Styles P, Mike Posner, Termanology, Freddie Gibbs, Bun B, Joell Ortiz, Posdnuos of De La Soul, Talib Kweli, Troy Ave., Hit-Boy, Smif-N-Wessun, Flatbush Zombies, and many many more.
For The City
Statik Selektah Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴
You are now about to witness the strength of street knowledge
Livin just another
Livin just for the city
Livin, livin, livin, just another
Livin, livin, livin, just for the city
Ba-bap, ba-bap, ba
Showoff, Showoff, Showoff, Showoff
Statik Selektah
(Uh huh), yeah, M.O.P.
Yeah, Showoff
Yo, who that?
Fame, bitch out on the East coast, I'm (ultra), the flow is mad get us
And y'all prosthetic
Don't sleep 'cause I'm jumbo ho, I got a hook like medics
You get your ass with-up, with-up, with-with-up
The fuck up, like J. Lo and Ben Affleck-etic
And I ain't athletic (uh uh)
I bring it to your front door like FedEx
Drop two shots off (pep, pep)
Too many killers in the house, take a day off
Everybody's a baller, what the fuck is it, the playoffs?
Naw nigga (uh uh), this is ""New Jack City"" (YEAH)
Gritty (YEAH), grimey (YEAH), fo real-y (YEAH)
It's Fizzy, (Fizzy, Fizzy)
You know there's killers in the house (LIE DOWN!), I got Brooklyn with
Me
So chill, or they gon' put your house on chilly
That's how the homies get down, you feel me?
'Cause we just
(Yeah!)
(OH!)
A haha
Yeah
Okay
Uh
Haha!
Uh, yeah, yo
Bullets, gun smoke and cocaine residue
Leave me the fuck alone, that's what you better do
Funerals stay on schedule
And I don't even care about the charges, if they ain't federal
Get a call home, somethin happen
Big chrome clappin, way before ring tone rappin
Left homes with half his dome in a napkin
For sayin ""what's poppin? "", when he asked 'em ""what's crackin? ""
The O.G.'s is gettin money and relaxin
Some niggaz front and some is lookin for action
But it's not the season, can't stop the heathen
Wearin all of this tight shit to stop the bleedin
Violate me, when you die, we even
When this rap well run dry, we thievin
Livin rich or livin poor
Still be livin raw as long as you know what I'm livin for, what?
Yeah
Yeah
Right, right, right (right, right, right)
Gates (Gates)
This how it's goin down
Statik Selektah, what up?
You see me ease through the town homie, with two hands full of (GET
BACK!)
Them niggaz spit raps, my niggaz split racks
You overdue with your (GANGSTA!), when you hit tracks
Playin another nigga's hand, 'cause your shit whack
And if that Henny got you lookin at me wet
Like I'm a ho ass nigga, who never did it for my set
Double up the plate in your vest
Or fuck around and get your spine bone blown through your chest
Think of a low class nigga who's not gettin checks
With a military gun connect and no respect
That A.D.D. can only see above your neck
He (M.O.P.), real niggaz hold the deck
And his name is embedded in the streets you fear
The projects is the boardroom (gangsta), I'm here
Yeah, y'all niggaz confuse it with music
Your boy Bill'll lose it, the truth is (come on), homie is
""Statik Selektah""
""M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M.O.P.""
""J-A-D-A, 'Kiss""
""For the-the-the-the-the city"" (the city...)
Livin just another
Livin just for the city
Livin, livin, livin, just another
Livin, livin, livin, just for the city
Ba-bap, ba-bap, ba
Showoff, Showoff, Showoff, Showoff
Statik Selektah
(Uh huh), yeah, M.O.P.
Yeah, Showoff
Yo, who that?
Fame, bitch out on the East coast, I'm (ultra), the flow is mad get us
And y'all prosthetic
Don't sleep 'cause I'm jumbo ho, I got a hook like medics
You get your ass with-up, with-up, with-with-up
The fuck up, like J. Lo and Ben Affleck-etic
And I ain't athletic (uh uh)
I bring it to your front door like FedEx
Drop two shots off (pep, pep)
Too many killers in the house, take a day off
Everybody's a baller, what the fuck is it, the playoffs?
Naw nigga (uh uh), this is ""New Jack City"" (YEAH)
Gritty (YEAH), grimey (YEAH), fo real-y (YEAH)
It's Fizzy, (Fizzy, Fizzy)
You know there's killers in the house (LIE DOWN!), I got Brooklyn with
Me
So chill, or they gon' put your house on chilly
That's how the homies get down, you feel me?
'Cause we just
(Yeah!)
(OH!)
A haha
Yeah
Okay
Uh
Haha!
Uh, yeah, yo
Bullets, gun smoke and cocaine residue
Leave me the fuck alone, that's what you better do
Funerals stay on schedule
And I don't even care about the charges, if they ain't federal
Get a call home, somethin happen
Big chrome clappin, way before ring tone rappin
Left homes with half his dome in a napkin
For sayin ""what's poppin? "", when he asked 'em ""what's crackin? ""
The O.G.'s is gettin money and relaxin
Some niggaz front and some is lookin for action
But it's not the season, can't stop the heathen
Wearin all of this tight shit to stop the bleedin
Violate me, when you die, we even
When this rap well run dry, we thievin
Livin rich or livin poor
Still be livin raw as long as you know what I'm livin for, what?
Yeah
Yeah
Right, right, right (right, right, right)
Gates (Gates)
This how it's goin down
Statik Selektah, what up?
You see me ease through the town homie, with two hands full of (GET
BACK!)
Them niggaz spit raps, my niggaz split racks
You overdue with your (GANGSTA!), when you hit tracks
Playin another nigga's hand, 'cause your shit whack
And if that Henny got you lookin at me wet
Like I'm a ho ass nigga, who never did it for my set
Double up the plate in your vest
Or fuck around and get your spine bone blown through your chest
Think of a low class nigga who's not gettin checks
With a military gun connect and no respect
That A.D.D. can only see above your neck
He (M.O.P.), real niggaz hold the deck
And his name is embedded in the streets you fear
The projects is the boardroom (gangsta), I'm here
Yeah, y'all niggaz confuse it with music
Your boy Bill'll lose it, the truth is (come on), homie is
""Statik Selektah""
""M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M.O.P.""
""J-A-D-A, 'Kiss""
""For the-the-the-the-the city"" (the city...)
The lyrics to Statik Selektah's "For The City" reflect the strength and knowledge gained from experiencing life on the streets. The repetition of "Livin just another, Livin just for the city" emphasizes the everyday struggles and challenges faced in urban environments. The song opens with a confident introduction, stating that the listener is about to witness the power of street knowledge.
The first verse, delivered by M.O.P., highlights the rawness and intensity of their East coast rap style. They boast about their flow and bring a sense of urgency with lines like "Don't sleep 'cause I'm jumbo ho, I got a hook like medics" and "I bring it to your front door like FedEx." Their aggression is evident as they emphasize their presence and ability to deliver impactful lyrics. They also reference movies like New Jack City, indicating the gritty and real nature of their experiences.
The second verse, delivered by Jada Kiss, continues the theme of street life. He mentions bullets, gun smoke, and cocaine residue, illustrating the dangerous environment that he navigates. He emphasizes his indifference towards legal repercussions if they are not federal charges, indicating that he has accepted the risks of his lifestyle. He highlights the violence and consequences that come with crossing lines and disrespecting his crew. Ultimately, Jada Kiss asserts that he will continue living his truth, regardless of his circumstances.
Overall, "For The City" is a bold and unapologetic portrayal of street life, showcasing the strength and resilience acquired from surviving in urban environments.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Patrick Baril
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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