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.
TAKE EM TO CHURCH
The Diplomats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Get ready for the winter music right here, this what it is [Incomprehensible]
You know me dog, I just wanna keep the peace
But sayin' my name that's only gon' lead to beef
Tell my niggaz chill but they wanna heat the streets
Or do it on record check it we spit heat to beats
He wasn't welcome in the first place, how we welcome him back?
Gimme that Mack, let me work him wit that
Tell Mr.Rogers I'll leave his brain on the trolley track, now prolly that
Listen, y'all stop it, I know you appalled dot it
But this my call by the false Prophet, all Prophet
Harlem hustle, I can't at all knock it
But you hard when you go in the Lords pocket
What you offerin' put it right in offerin'
They take it all, cash, credit, silver down the porcelain
Look at the Porche he's in and give a portionin'
No handicap, Annie you're orphan friend, friend
But the sizzurp I'm drinkin' on, birds I'm bankin' on
Get Cha Kirk Franklin on, word, so get ya Ben Franklin on
Just when you think it's wrong, one blink he's gone
Father forgive us but we gon' take 'em to Church
Father forgive us and the truth it hurts
Father forgive us and that won't work
No, no, no, no, noway
Yo, you try to handle us, get on the air and damage us
Screamin' out Harlem world, like you ain't just abandon us
Well, let me fill you in, now it's a whole clan of us
Blink so mad he went and beat us Cannibus
Zeek got shot then Zeek locked up
E got killed, be popped up but be hopped up
And still poke out his chest
I'm probation, Doe on house arrest
Right out the flesh, sit in the house rest
He don't pout get 'em gear, in the house we fresh
Not that you care, just get it clear and think
One glare and wink, everyone wearin' pink
I'm the reason that ya two rings are clear, yeah
I'm the reason that ya earrings are square, ya hear
Now, we take trips, casinos' the lovely homes
We check on Lodi mom's, Meano, Huddy Combs
Huh, you tryna' fake wit Cardan, Pardan
We gon' leave him naked like Tarzan
[Incomprehensible]
But we gon' take 'em to Church
Father forgive us and the truth it hurts
Father forgive us and that won't work
No, no, no, no, noway
No, no, no, no, noway
Yo, I kill diamonds get wit pearls, I ain't tryna kid the world
I ain't got beef, when I do I say, get 'em girls
Not at this dog, we just heard the frontin'
Do Harlem a favor, give the churches somethin'
A rec' center, in the winter where the youth can play
They don't even shoot the J, sell drugs shoot his spray
I'm no better still move a duece a day that's two keys, I still move VA
Found the new away, my crew do and say
Fists fights to shoot outs, we won't move away
All my niggas who held it down the last half a decade
My nigga Gruff, Bad 140th, 139th, Black Tone, White Tone
142nd Rell Street and 141st, Tito, my Jamaicans, my Belegians
33 33, Polo grounds, St.Nick Colonial Jurist, Lincoln
Tab, Forster, Johnson, Jeff Wagner, Wilson
East River, The 9, 145th St.Nick, 145th Broadway
Lukas, Taliban, 135th, 118th Manhattan
134th and 8th, powerful what's really popping
Sarge hold your head, Freaky Seeky hold your head
The OBBO, 151st Amsterdam holla at your boy
A.K. Jackie Rob, all my niggas in Harlem
Get your hustle on keep your muzzle strong
I know about the blocks you hustle on
[Inaudible]
The Diplomats' song "Take 'Em to Church" is about the group's struggle to maintain peace and avoid conflict. The song starts with a call to attention and a warning that the music is from Harlem and not for the faint of heart. The lyrics discuss their commitment to keep the peace but acknowledge that sometimes people want to heat the streets. They go on to criticize those who pretend to be welcoming but were never accepting in the first place. They also address their struggles and losses within their community and their commitment to continue hustling and surviving.
The song portrays an honest and raw perspective of their experiences growing up in Harlem. The Diplomats use clever wordplay and descriptive imagery to paint a vivid picture of their surroundings, struggles and determination. The refrain "father forgive us and the truth it hurts" is a powerful recognition of their own flaws and the challenges they face in their community. The song is a call to action for the church, community leaders, and politicians to support and aid Harlem youth with positive programs and opportunities.
Line by Line Meaning
Uh, this that Harlem music right here, this that Diddy Bop
This is a song from Harlem that represents the area's unique style and flavor.
Get ready for the winter music right here, this what it is [Incomprehensible]
Prepare for the music of the season with this song.
You know me dog, I just wanna keep the peace
I'm a peaceful person who avoids conflict.
But sayin' my name that's only gon' lead to beef
Using my name in a negative way will cause conflict.
Tell my niggaz chill but they wanna heat the streets
I encourage my friends to calm down, but they want to continue the conflict.
Or do it on record check it we spit heat to beats
We use our music to express the heat of conflict.
Everybody welcomin' this, welcomin' that
Everyone is accepting newcomers to the area.
He wasn't welcome in the first place, how we welcome him back?
But we may not want to welcome someone back who was not originally welcome here.
Gimme that Mack, let me work him wit that
Pass me the gun, I'll handle the situation with it.
Tell Mr.Rogers I'll leave his brain on the trolley track, now prolly that
I'll leave him in bad shape and his mind won't be there anymore.
Listen, y'all stop it, I know you appalled dot it
Listen everybody, stop the bad actions you're doing that gross me out.
But this my call by the false Prophet, all Prophet
However, my actions are influenced by my own false beliefs.
Harlem hustle, I can't at all knock it
I can't say anything against the unique and powerful hustle of Harlem.
But you hard when you go in the Lords pocket
But don't be proud when you are only acting in the interest of the Lord.
What you offerin' put it right in offerin'
If you want to give something, put it in the offering plate.
They take it all, cash, credit, silver down the porcelain
The church will accept anything you offer, including cash, credit, or silver jewelry.
Look at the Porche he's in and give a portionin'
Look at the nice car he has and give him a small portion of your offering.
No handicap, Annie you're orphan friend, friend
You don't need any help, my friend, and you're not alone.
But the sizzurp I'm drinkin' on, birds I'm bankin' on
I am investing in codeine cough syrup and gambling on birds to make money.
Get Cha Kirk Franklin on, word, so get ya Ben Franklin on
Listen to Kirk Franklin's gospel music and bet on Benjamin Franklin on the hundred-dollar bill.
Just when you think it's wrong, one blink he's gone
Just when you think things are going wrong, they can quickly change for the better.
Father forgive us but we gon' take 'em to Church
We ask for forgiveness, but we also want to bring people to the church (likely through our music).
Father forgive us and the truth it hurts
We're sorry, but the truth about our past actions is painful to accept.
Father forgive us and that won't work
Apologies are not enough when our actions are harmful.
Yo, you try to handle us, get on the air and damage us
You may try to attack us through the media, but we won't let it harm us.
Screamin' out Harlem world, like you ain't just abandon us
You claim to represent Harlem, but you've also turned your back on us in the past.
Well, let me fill you in, now it's a whole clan of us
Let me update you - there's now a large group of us who are united.
Blink so mad he went and beat us Cannibus
Blink is so angry he could beat the rapper Canibus.
Zeek got shot then Zeek locked up
Zeek was shot and later incarcerated.
E got killed, be popped up but be hopped up
E was killed, but someone else (Be) shows up bringing energy to the situation.
And still poke out his chest
Be is still standing strong and confident.
I'm probation, Doe on house arrest
I'm currently on probation and my friend Doe is under house arrest.
Right out the flesh, sit in the house rest
I'm recuperating, but still taking care of my home.
He don't pout get 'em gear, in the house we fresh
He doesn't complain and wears fresh clothing while staying inside.
Not that you care, just get it clear and think
I know you don't care, but you need to understand and think about the situation.
One glare and wink, everyone wearin' pink
With just one look, all my friends will be wearing pink.
I'm the reason that ya two rings are clear, yeah
I'm the reason your two rings (likely referring to the Harlem World Entertainment logo) are iconic.
I'm the reason that ya earrings are square, ya hear
I'm also the reason your earrings represent the square shape.
Now, we take trips, casinos' the lovely homes
Now, we travel to casinos for fun and entertainment.
We check on Lodi mom's, Meano, Huddy Combs
We visit the mothers of Lodi, Meano, and Huddy Combs (all in jail).
Huh, you tryna' fake wit Cardan, Pardan
You may try to fake with Cardan or Pardan (other rappers), but you won't get far with that.
We gon' leave him naked like Tarzan
We are going to expose him to everyone like Tarzan in the jungle.
[Incomprehensible]
This line is incomprehensible, so there is no meaning we can gather from it.
Yo, I kill diamonds get wit pearls, I ain't tryna kid the world
I want to be honest - I kill it when it comes to diamonds and pearls.
I ain't got beef, when I do I say, get 'em girls
I don't have beef with anyone in particular, but when I do, it's time for action (and I involve women too).
Not at this dog, we just heard the frontin'
Not in this situation, we're just hearing all the talk.
Do Harlem a favor, give the churches somethin'
Donate to a church in Harlem to do something nice for the community.
A rec' center, in the winter where the youth can play
A recreation center would be great for Harlem youth during the winter months.
They don't even shoot the J, sell drugs shoot his spray
The kids aren't even playing basketball - they're getting involved in drug sales and using guns.
I'm no better still move a duece a day that's two keys, I still move VA
Despite my not-so-great situation, I'm still selling drugs (two keys a day).
Found the new away, my crew do and say
We have a different way of life now, and my crew follows my lead.
Fists fights to shoot outs, we won't move away
We won't back down from a fight or shootouts - we will stay put.
All my niggas who held it down the last half a decade
Shoutout to my friends who have been loyal and stayed strong for the past five years.
My nigga Gruff, Bad 140th, 139th, Black Tone, White Tone
Here are the nicknames of some of my loyal friends.
142nd Rell Street and 141st, Tito, my Jamaicans, my Belegians
More nicknames and shoutouts to my people from different backgrounds.
33 33, Polo grounds, St.Nick Colonial Jurist, Lincoln
More Harlem neighborhoods and streets.
Tab, Forster, Johnson, Jeff Wagner, Wilson
Even more people and streets in my Harlem community.
East River, The 9, 145th St.Nick, 145th Broadway
Additional locations in the Harlem area.
Lukas, Taliban, 135th, 118th Manhattan
More people and streets in Harlem and the surrounding areas.
134th and 8th, powerful what's really popping
More streets and neighborhoods in Harlem, and this is where the action is happening.
Sarge hold your head, Freaky Seeky hold your head
A shoutout to two of my friends who are facing tough times.
The OBBO, 151st Amsterdam holla at your boy
A local hangout spot for me and my friends.
A.K. Jackie Rob, all my niggas in Harlem
More shoutouts to my crew in Harlem.
Get your hustle on keep your muzzle strong
Keep working hard and stay focused.
I know about the blocks you hustle on
I am aware of the areas where you're doing your business.
[Inaudible]
This line is inaudible, so there is no meaning we can gather from it.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CAMERON GILES, LARON JAMES, ANTWAN THOMPSON, A. WILDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind