Read Full Bio ↴There are (or have been) at least five artists called The Diplomats.
1. The by far most popular group called The Diplomats (also known as Dipset) are a Harlem, New York-based group who previously signed to Roc-A-Fella Records, but now are signed to own label Diplomats Record. Founded by rappers Cam'ron and Jim Jones, the group released their debut album Diplomatic Immunity under their imprint Diplomat Records.
Diplomat Records also distribute artist Cam'ron through Asylum Records. Under Koch Entertainment, Jim Jones, Juelz Santana, 40 Cal., Freekey Zekey, J.R. Writer, Hell Rell, Un Kasa and Jha Jha are also signed on as members of The Diplomats record label. London-based duo, S.A.S, are also part of The Diplomats. Another member, Jay Bezel, is signed to Sure Shot Records. The group's sophomore album Diplomatic Immunity 2 was released under Koch Entertainment. Juelz Santana currently is the only member still signed to Diplomat Records and Def Jam Records.
One of the defining elements of the Diplomats' music is the innovative slang they have incorporated into their lyrics. The broader hip-hop community has accepted and utilized many of their terms, including "doggie,", "no homo", "piff," "huff," "u mad?", "move the movement", "off' wit' Ya' Kufi Smacker", "goonies goo goo,", "duck tales", "family matters", and "coochie rap". They also coined the greeting, "What's Really Good?". Many of the rappers were signed, and were premiered in mixtapes, but the Diplomats did not become exclusive until 2003 with their cd Diplomatic Immunity. In previous music videos when Cam'ron was starting his career you could see fellow diplomats like Jim Jones or Freeky Zeeky. The Diplomats have also gained notable street credability through their mixtapes, especially in New York, and have made a small fortune through mixtape sales. They also have their own brand of Liquor, Sizzurp.
2. The Diplomats were a mid-90's pop band from Roanoke, Virginia Heavily influenced by Big Star.
3. The Diplomats is also an avant jazz project consisting of Rob Brown (as), Steve Swell (tb) and Harris Eisenstadt (d).
4. The Diplomats were a soul group of the 1960s from Washington DC, United States, very popular in the United Kingdom during the Northern Soul boom of the 1970s. They would later become the New York-based Skull Snaps.
5. The Diplomats were a short-lived British rock band from Yorkshire, who released a self-funded single during the Mod revival of the early 1980s: 'Memories Of You' b/w 'I'll Keep On Holding On' (the latter being a cover version of the Marvelettes' original. The Diplomats were fronted by Andy Welsh, who later joined The Scene.
40 CAL
The Diplomats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Aiyo, the heat do spray
Oh dough, too cheap, toupee
I just blow his wig off like a C2K
I don't care what ya people say
When ya whole team fags, call your crew B2Gay
What you know about Couversier and the Denali gray
Halle Berry, Halle Robertson, that's how a holiday
See the gun, put ya hands up like hip hop hooray
I'm a Dr. Dre, stacks is high
Niggaz comin' at me wrong, and I ask 'em why
And they don't have the right answer, like Allen I.
Then put ya hands between ya legs, kiss ya ass goodbye
And get ya, squad aware, Harlem's here
And if we ain't got Roc on, we got Rob 'Em Wear
Cardiare, army's, safari gear
With coke, will line up more heads than a barber chair
Them my fiend niggaz
[Chorus 2x: 40 Caliber]
This is 40 Cal., and the forty thou'
Every forty miles and running, screaming shorty wild
Laugh, flows, crack on the stove
When you hear that 4-0, act like you know
[40 Caliber]
40, I can show you how to get a mean stack
Supply you with crack that'll get your fiends back
Trust me, so keep talking and get ya team clapped
Gun smoking so much, it need a nicotine patch
And I'mma chain smoker, you got a chain, I smoke ya
Throw 'em on the M track, that's how I train doja's
Broke niggaz lie and steal, I leave 'em lyin' still
You got a watch, you dead, that's time to kill
It ain't right and when I show 'em the iron pills
I'mma bomb threat, you just a little fire drill
I buy out deals, why? Cuz I rhyme reals
So don't think it's millions, when I hit you with the 9 mil'
I'm like a mind field, niggaz scared to step to me
Drop two freestyles, already want the best of me
See what the Roc cooking up, this the recipe
Dipset Byrdgang, told you, consectively
[Chorus 2x]
[40 Caliber]
Touch my jewels, niggaz love to palm a grenade
My gun hold twelve shells, like a carton of eggs
Ya'll know dudes from Harlem get paid
But I ain't talk about money, when it cost you an arm and a leg
Sparking up haze in the Garcia Veg', have you cleaning my house
That's the one way ya squad'll be me
Sparkin' the gaze, like barbers that fade
I turn ya head to the Red Sea, and I put a part in ya waves
I'm why niggaz smoke a carton a day, I blow ya father way
Just to make you go, farther away
Cuz in my hood, you try to floss fresher than Manny
You be sweet Vicks like the cough medicine candy
You mad my tom' heavy and fancy
Your money come in light bills, like ConEdison family
Tuck whammies in a mini hoster, so when I hit you with the grand slam
Fuck Sammy, call me Semi Sosa
[Chorus 2x]
The Diplomats released the song 40 CAL in 2004 as part of their album Diplomatic Immunity 2. The lyrics talk about the gang's love for guns, their readiness to use them, and their disdain towards those they consider to be lesser than themselves. The track opens up with a boast about their readiness to use guns and willingness to kill people who stand in their way. The Diplomats are unapologetic about their violent ways and make it clear that they are not afraid of anyone who crosses them.
Throughout the song, they also make references to their luxurious lifestyle, mentioning brands such as Courvoisier and safari gear. They also flaunt their wealth by describing their ability to acquire both drugs and guns at any time, and the power that money gives them to control those around them. The Diplomats are almost nihilistic, embracing the idea that they must use violence and aggression to succeed in life, and that those who are weaker than them are not worth their time.
Line by Line Meaning
Aiyo, the heat do spray
I am ready to shoot my gun relentlessly
Oh dough, too cheap, toupee
Money is not an issue, I can afford anything including hairpieces
I just blow his wig off like a C2K
I easily shoot off a person's wig like flipping a light switch
I don't care what ya people say
I don't give a damn about what others think or say about me
When ya whole team fags, call your crew B2Gay
If your whole team is homosexual, then you should call them B2Gay
What you know about Couversier and the Denali gray
Do you have any knowledge about a type of cognac and a specific color of Denali truck?
Halle Berry, Halle Robertson, that's how a holiday
Celebrating holidays with Halle Berry and Halle Robertson is a dream come true for me
I play the dotty way, bring it where ya mommy stay
I use guns to solve problems and will bring it to where a person's mother lives
See the gun, put ya hands up like hip hop hooray
When someone sees my gun, they should put their hands up just like in the old rap song Hip Hop Hooray
I'm a Dr. Dre, stacks is high
Like the famous producer Dr. Dre, I have a lot of money
Niggaz comin' at me wrong, and I ask 'em why
If anyone confronts me in the wrong way, I will question them
And they don't have the right answer, like Allen I.
If the person has no valid response, just like Allen Iverson during his infamous press conference, they are in trouble
Then put ya hands between ya legs, kiss ya ass goodbye
If they don't have the right answer, they should put their hands between their legs and say goodbye to their life
And get ya, squad aware, Harlem's here
Letting everyone know that Harlem is present and a force to be reckoned with
And if we ain't got Roc on, we got Rob 'Em Wear
If we don't have Roc-A-Fella merchandising, we will take it from others
Cardiare, army's, safari gear
Wearing high-end designer clothing such as Balenciaga, Armani and safari style clothing is what we do
With coke, will line up more heads than a barber chair
We sell coke and will make more money than a barber with a line of people waiting for their haircut
Them my fiend niggaz
These are my closest friends who share my lifestyle and values
[Chorus 2x: 40 Caliber]
Refrain
This is 40 Cal., and the forty thou'
40 Caliber and his followers love guns and carrying $40,000 at all times
Every forty miles and running, screaming shorty wild
They drive around every 40 miles, making noise and acting crazy
Laugh, flows, crack on the stove
They enjoy laughing, freestyling and cooking crack cocaine
When you hear that 4-0, act like you know
When they mention 40, people should recognize their movements and reputation
40, I can show you how to get a mean stack
40 Caliber can show people how to make a lot of money illegally
Supply you with crack that'll get your fiends back
He provides crack cocaine that will bring back customers who have bought from others
Trust me, so keep talking and get ya team clapped
People should trust him or they will suffer the consequences
Gun smoking so much, it need a nicotine patch
His gun is frequently used and would require something as strong as a nicotine patch to stop smoking
And I'mma chain smoker, you got a chain, I smoke ya
He smokes chains like cigarettes
Throw 'em on the M track, that's how I train doja's
Send them to the criminal underworld to train them on how to sell drugs
Broke niggaz lie and steal, I leave 'em lyin' still
People who are financially struggling will do anything to survive, but he will make them pay the price
You got a watch, you dead, that's time to kill
If someone has a valuable watch, he will kill them for it
It ain't right and when I show 'em the iron pills
It's not a fair practice, but he will use a gun to make people submit
I'mma bomb threat, you just a little fire drill
He poses an actual threat to others and they are just practicing for the real thing
I buy out deals, why? Cuz I rhyme reals
He makes a lot of money because he is a talented rapper
So don't think it's millions, when I hit you with the 9 mil'
People should know that he can afford a 9mm gun but that doesn't mean he's a millionaire
I'm like a mind field, niggaz scared to step to me
He is a danger to others and people are afraid to confront him
Drop two freestyles, already want the best of me
He is so talented that just by freestyling twice, others immediately want to compete with him
See what the Roc cooking up, this the recipe
They are following the plans of Roc-A-Fella Records and Dipset Byrdgang
Touch my jewels, niggaz love to palm a grenade
People shouldn't touch his expensive jewelry, or they might accidentally detonate a grenade that he has concealed
My gun hold twelve shells, like a carton of eggs
His gun can hold twelve bullets just like a carton of eggs
Ya'll know dudes from Harlem get paid
People know that individuals from Harlem make a lot of money
But I ain't talk about money, when it cost you an arm and a leg
Money is not what he means by getting paid. He means it could cost someone their limbs
Sparking up haze in the Garcia Veg', have you cleaning my house
Smoking marijuana indoors from a specific brand while someone cleans his house is something he enjoys doing
That's the one way ya squad'll be me
This is the only way that someone's team could be on his level
Sparkin' the gaze, like barbers that fade
He is like a barber who is able to ignite a stare in others the same way they cut hair
I turn ya head to the Red Sea, and I put a part in ya waves
He will hit someone so hard that they will have a red mark and their hair will be parted in a different direction
I'm why niggaz smoke a carton a day, I blow ya father way
He causes people to become heavy smokers and has the potential to blow someone's father away
Just to make you go, farther away
He will do anything to make someone leave him alone and go away from him
Cuz in my hood, you try to floss fresher than Manny
In his neighborhood, people try to show off by dressing better than famous rapper, Manny Fresh
You be sweet Vicks like the cough medicine candy
You would be easy to defeat or take advantage of, like candy flavored cough drops
You mad my tom' heavy and fancy
You are envious of his heavy and expensive jewelry
Your money come in light bills, like ConEdison family
You are not wealthy and resemble a family that can only afford light bills from ConEdison
Tuck whammies in a mini hoster, so when I hit you with the grand slam
He will try to shoot someone successfully by concealing a small gun in a holster
Fuck Sammy, call me Semi Sosa
Fuck Sammy Sosa, I want to be compared to the great hitter, Sammy Sosa
[Chorus 2x]
Refrain
Contributed by Victoria S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.