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.
Wouldn't You Like to Be a Gangsta Too?
The Diplomats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm sure you heard
He's back in the building
It's official ticial
Hell Rell DipSet all day nigga let's do it
Talk to me I talk back
Yea
Now I'm a hustla he's a hustla we some motherfuckin
hustlaz wouldn't you love you be a hustla too? Talk to me
I'm a gangsta he's a gangsta we some motherfuckin
gangstaz wouldn't you love to be a gansgsta too?
(Hell Rell)
Yo, from a lonely jail cell back to the bricks
Its Hell Rell motherfucker from the the the Dips!
See I got to put work back on the street again
Bounce back on my feet again
Gators back on my feet again
Bought some guns these haters back with the beef again
Red-dot them infared lasers back on the heat again
And they wanna lock me up throw away the key
Cuz I'm sitting on enough coke to throw away a key
Fuck em you wanna kill me come and do it I don't give a fuck
Diplomats live it up
Clack Clack give it up
Hard dick have money what I give a slut
Chocolate Escalade call that this nigga truck
My gun bust need I say more
Now I've got my moms telling me I should pray more
Mami please I don't get on my knees that shit ain't for geez
I'm bout to take my ass to hell for all the triggers I squeeze (Let's go)
(Chorus)
Now I'm a hustla he's a hustla we some motherfuckin
hustlaz wouldn't you love you be a hustla too? Now talk to me
I'm a gangsta he's a gangsta we some motherfuckin
gangstaz wouldn't you love to be a gansgsta too? Holla at me
I'm a ridah he's a rider we some motherfuckin ridaz
wouldn't you love to be a rider too? Holla at me
Hell Rell, Dipset, Bird gang, what's good
Wouldn't you like to be a gangsta too? Talk to me!
(Hell Rell)
Yea I'm still gettin out
So what the judge boost the bail
Niggaz run around saying what they gonna do to Rell(Nothin)
Two P-89's on me call me Ruger Rell
Y'all niggaz talk about your bodies I don't shoot and tell
And you still playing you ain't even close to culture
First you up then you down what you rollercoaster?
Tre pound rubber grip what my holster holding
And there's a baby being born a fiend overdoser
Must have been my dope that did em man
I party on the yacht with some hoes or her pigeon friends
You tell a slut you love her and miss her hug her and kiss her
I fuck her and diss her probably was your cousin or sister
I got mami sucking dick, put product on the strip
Spray a nigga pay a nigga just to bottle up a brick
But I'm trying to make sure that my dust move
A young nigga what I was laid I hamma dosage
(Chorus)
(Hell Rell)
For that paper snatch you daughter up
Cruise pulling Porches up
Cam I'm hungry now go head and kick your Air Jordans up
Put your hand on me your moms'll get it in the mail
I was buzzing more than you when I was sitting in a cell
All the streets wanted to know was where's Hell Rell
There go Jim there go Killa but where's Hell Rell
There go Freaky Santana but where's Hell Rell
I'm here now everybody thanks for all the fan mail
But fuck a bitch I don't love them either (Naw)
The powder black the coke is white so when I cook it's like jungle fever
A couple niggaz going to be shot in their face
Robbed for every dollar that they got in their safe
See I'm something like a phe-no-me-non (Yea)
I kidnap your kids with their pajamas on (Yea)
And I still slap a nigga just for stepping on my white on whites
I'm in the hood like peeling cheese and Mike and Ikes
(Chorus)
The Diplomats' song "Wouldn't You Like to Be a Gangsta Too?" is a gritty and raw reflection on the gangsta lifestyle that the artists embrace. Specifically, the song is performed by Hell Rell, who discusses his experiences going from jail to the streets and back again. He speaks about the violence and drug dealing that he engages in, talking about the guns he has and the enemies he's made. However, he frames it all as a part of the gangsta identity that he is proud of, and challenges the listener to join him in that lifestyle if they have the courage. The chorus emphasizes this, stating that they are hustlas and gangstaz and riders, and that the listener can be too if they join in.
Overall, the song is a fascinating look at the philosophy that underlies the gangsta lifestyle in hip-hop music. Rather than shying away from the negative aspects of that lifestyle, Hell Rell and the Diplomats embrace them as a necessary part of being a gangsta, and use their lyrics to invite others to join them.
Line by Line Meaning
He's back in the building
Hell Rell is back and present.
It's official ticial
It's official.
Hell Rell DipSet all day nigga let's do it
Hell Rell and DipSet are dominating all day. Let's do it.
Talk to me I talk back
If you talk to me, I'll talk back.
Now I'm a hustla he's a hustla we some motherfuckin hustlaz wouldn't you love you be a hustla too? Talk to me
I'm a gangsta he's a gangsta we some motherfuckin gangstaz wouldn't you love to be a gansgsta too?
We are both successful hustlers and gangsters. Wouldn't you love to be one too?
Yo, from a lonely jail cell back to the bricks
Its Hell Rell motherfucker from the the the Dips!
Hell Rell is back from his time in jail and is representing DipSet again.
See I got to put work back on the street again
Bounce back on my feet again
Gators back on my feet again
Bought some guns these haters back with the beef again
Red-dot them infared lasers back on the heat again
And they wanna lock me up throw away the key
Cuz I'm sitting on enough coke to throw away a key
Fuck em you wanna kill me come and do it I don't give a fuck
Diplomats live it up
Clack Clack give it up
Hard dick have money what I give a slut
Chocolate Escalade call that this nigga truck
My gun bust need I say more
Now I've got my moms telling me I should pray more
Mami please I don't get on my knees that shit ain't for geez
I'm bout to take my ass to hell for all the triggers I squeeze (Let's go)
Hell Rell is back to making and selling drugs to make money. He bought guns to protect himself from his enemies who want to kill him. He doesn't care about them and is enjoying his time with DipSet. He doesn't care about sex and is just interested in making money. He has a nice car and a good gun. His mother wants him to pray more, but he doesn't believe in that.
Yea I'm still gettin out
So what the judge boost the bail
Niggaz run around saying what they gonna do to Rell(Nothin)
Two P-89's on me call me Ruger Rell
Y'all niggaz talk about your bodies I don't shoot and tell
And you still playing you ain't even close to culture
First you up then you down what you rollercoaster?
Tre pound rubber grip what my holster holding
And there's a baby being born a fiend overdoser
Must have been my dope that did em man
I party on the yacht with some hoes or her pigeon friends
You tell a slut you love her and miss her hug her and kiss her
I fuck her and diss her probably was your cousin or sister
I got mami sucking dick, put product on the strip
Spray a nigga pay a nigga just to bottle up a brick
But I'm trying to make sure that my dust move
A young nigga what I was laid I hamma dosage
Hell Rell is still making and selling drugs. He has guns to protect himself from others who want to harm him. He won't tell anyone about the bodies he's responsible for. He doesn't care about cultural norms and considers life a rollercoaster. He has a gun and there are drug overdoses happening around him. He parties with women and prostitutes, and has sex with them without any emotional attachment. He has women selling drugs for him. He is making sure that his drugs keep selling, and he was once young and naive about this lifestyle.
For that paper snatch you daughter up
Cruise pulling Porches up
Cam I'm hungry now go head and kick your Air Jordans up
Put your hand on me your moms'll get it in the mail
I was buzzing more than you when I was sitting in a cell
All the streets wanted to know was where's Hell Rell
There go Jim there go Killa but where's Hell Rell
There go Freaky Santana but where's Hell Rell
I'm here now everybody thanks for all the fan mail
But fuck a bitch I don't love them either (Naw)
The powder black the coke is white so when I cook it's like jungle fever
A couple niggaz going to be shot in their face
Robbed for every dollar that they got in their safe
See I'm something like a phe-no-me-non (Yea)
I kidnap your kids with their pajamas on (Yea)
And I still slap a nigga just for stepping on my white on whites
I'm in the hood like peeling cheese and Mike and Ikes
Hell Rell is willing to kidnap someone's daughter for money. He has luxury cars and is hungry for success. He threatens violence on those who touch him. He's thankful for the fan mail, but doesn't care about women. He enjoys making drugs and drugs sales. He's willing to kill those who don't cooperate and rob them. He is a well-known personality in the streets. He's willing to harm children for money. He values his clothing and is violent towards those who step on them. He considers himself as the best in the hood.
Now I'm a hustla he's a hustla we some motherfuckin hustlaz wouldn't you love you be a hustla too? Now talk to me
I'm a gangsta he's a gangsta we some motherfuckin gangstaz wouldn't you love to be a gansgsta too? Holla at me
I'm a ridah he's a rider we some motherfuckin ridaz wouldn't you love to be a rider too? Holla at me
Hell Rell, Dipset, Bird gang, what's good
Wouldn't you like to be a gangsta too? Talk to me!
We are all successful hustlers, gangsters, and riders. Wouldn't you love to be one too? Hell Rell, DipSet, and Bird Gang are all successful and you can join us.
Contributed by Oliver C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.