The Prodigy is an English electronic dance music band from Braintree, Essex… Read Full Bio ↴The Prodigy is an English electronic dance music band from Braintree, Essex, formed in 1990 by keyboardist and songwriter Liam Howlett. The line-up of the band has included MC and vocalist Maxim, dancer and vocalist Keith Flint (until his death in March 2019), dancer and live keyboardist Leeroy Thornhill (who left to pursue a solo career in 1999), and dancer and vocalist Sharky (1990-1991). Along with the Chemical Brothers and Fatboy Slim, The Prodigy are credited as pioneers of the breakbeat-influenced genre big beat, which achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s. Howlett's rock inspired drum rhythms infused with electronic rave music beats/breaks were combined with Maxim's omnipresent mystique, Thornhill's shuffle dancing style and Flint's modern punk appearance.

The Prodigy first emerged in the underground rave scene in the early 1990s and achieved popularity and worldwide recognition with UK number one singles such as "Firestarter" and "Breathe", both singles coming from their UK and US chart topping album The Fat of the Land (1997). A third single from the album, “Smack My Bitch Up”, was also successful. They earned titles like "the premiere dance act for the alternative masses" and "the Godfathers of Rave", and remain one of the most successful electronic acts of all time. They have sold an estimated 25 million records worldwide, and won numerous music awards during their career, including two Brit Awards for Best British Dance Act, three MTV Video Music Awards, two Kerrang! Awards, five MTV Europe Music Awards, and received two Grammy Award nominations.

The Prodigy were founded in Braintree, Essex, in 1990 by keyboardist and songwriter Liam Howlett. He had taken piano lessons in his youth and gained the ability to play difficult passages in just a few run-throughs. After he decided to pursue a music career, Howlett met dancer and vocalist Keith Flint in mid-1989 at a rave at which Howlett was DJing. After Flint requested Howlett make a mix tape for him, Howlett obliged, returning a cassette several days later with a collection of his own songs on the other side. Howlett had scratched the word "Prodigy" onto the cassette, the same name as the Moog Prodigy analogue synthesiser, and Howlett's moniker. The tape was well-received by Flint and keyboardist Leeroy Thornhill who developed new dance sequences to the music and suggested to Howlett they begin a group together. They were soon joined by MC and vocalist Maxim, then known as Maxim Reality, and female dancer and vocalist Sharky, a friend of Flint's. Together they became the first line-up of the Prodigy.

On 4 March 2019, Keith Flint was found dead at his home in Essex, just weeks after playing six live dates in Australia and New Zealand. On 5 March, the band announced on Twitter that "all forthcoming concerts in 2019 would be canceled, effective immediately".

Following Flint's death, fans began using the Twitter hashtag "Firestarter4Number1" on various social media platforms to get "Firestarter" to top the British singles charts again. This was done out of respect for Keith Flint and to raise awareness of suicide among men.

On 20 August 2019, one day before his 48th birthday, Liam Howlett posted on the band's official Instagram page, saying he is "back in the studio making noise [...] brand new Prodigy tunes are gonna roll", referring to his intention to keep on releasing music under the Prodigy moniker.

Along with the Chemical Brothers and Fatboy Slim, the Prodigy have been credited as pioneers of the big beat genre, which achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s. The Prodigy, however, is not considered entirely representative of the genre as their production "often reflected the more intelligent edge of trip-hop, and rarely broke into the mindless arena of true big beat" according to AllMusic. The Prodigy are also considered alternative dance, techno, electronica, breakbeat hardcore, and rave.

Liam Howlett cited early electro as a big influence, mentioning tunes like "Clear" by American music group Cybotron and "Al Naafiysh" by Hashim. Liam Howlett also cited The Bomb Squad, Public Enemy, and Rage Against the Machine as influences.

Nickel And A Nail
The Prodigy Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

[Intro:]
This... is one of those ones... you heard?
Alchemist! (yeah nigga?) What the fuck is the deal, nigga?
It's that gutta, gutta, gutta, gutta shit nigga! (Yeah, Twin I see you, my nigga!)
With my little dirty niggaz!

[Verse 1:]
That nigga P is thug enough to rep' QB from Long Island

Hempstead niggaz thug their way to the top,
Man as a young gun I was like they can't stop me
Now I'm all grown obviously they ain't stop me (nope!)
Tried my hands at drug that shit wasn't for me (uh-uh!)
Appear to this royalty that shit is like chicken fee.
Some chose +Ballin'+, music was my callin'
As long as it sounds gutta you hear me all along (yeeah!)
Where most make in a year - I get off one song
And that shit is not fair to you - but fuck y'all man!
I'm still comin' up on that rough side, that tough side
Nuttin' was handed to me, I had to go for mine (yeah!)
My shit is hard earn, you stumbled on your shine
We built this from the dirt - you copy off of mine (mine!)
Once again! - It's the homie that thug rhymes
And kill beats! - Niggaz is burnt, they runnin' outta lines.

[Interlude:]
Ha-ha-ha!
Nah nigga don't ask me from shit!
Nigga don't come up to me with that!

[Chorus:]
The fully loaded .2-5! (.2-5!) (uh-huh!)
With one extra bullet on the side!

[Interlude:]
You don't want what I got in my pocket, nigga.
Do you really want this? Do you really want this? (yeah!)
I got somethin' for you! (yeah, uh-huh!) Come here, check it out! (uh-huh!)

[Chorus:]
The fully loaded .2-5! (.2-5!)
With one extra bullet on the side! (yeah!)

[Verse 2:]
That nigga P bug enough to bring my gun, where's that wildin'
It's too much cops there, chill P you wildin'. (waov!)
Fuck that I've been too much to start calmin'
Down now seen too much to start fallin'. (damn!)
Off of my gun game, niggaz is retarded!
Won't catch P! - Bucket - naked - without my pistoler (nope!)
Like Adam in the garden,
It's beast out in the field and apples ain't shit when you're starvin'
Time for me to run 'em up, pardon!
I'm overly aggressive with life - you too soft, man!
I'm doin' what I does best, you try to block me
You'll get knocked down try to stand where I rock please. (pssssshhh!)
Don't force to pop these shots in your frame
Leave your blood blocked in the brain. (in the brain!)
And that's not suppose to bleed
How you gon' pull through with them hoes and your bee. (Nah, he's not gon' make it!)

[Chorus"]
The fully loaded .2-5! (Uh-huh, you see me nigga?)
With one extra bullet on the side! (You see me nigga, what nigga?, what?)

The fully loaded .2-5, (Want that?)
With one extra bullet on the side (You could have it!)
All I got in my pocket... (in my pocket...)
Is a nickel and a nail. (What else?)

The fully loaded .2-5! (.2-5!)
With one extra bullet on the side (uh-huh!)
All I got in my pocket... (What's that?)
Is a nickel and a nail! (And what's that?)

The fully loaded .2-5! (.2-5!)
With one extra bullet on the side! (Uh-huh! Uh-huh! Nickel plated .2-5!)

[Sample"]
"The Mac is motherfucking back! "

Overall Meaning

In "Nickel and a Nail," The Prodigy delivers a powerful and unflinching look at the realities of street life. The track opens with an introduction featuring Alchemist, and the song quickly establishes a confrontational and aggressive tone. The verses highlight the rapper's difficult upbringing in Queensbridge, Long Island, and his determination to succeed in the music industry despite the odds. He is proud of his hard-earned success and dismissive of those who haven't put in the same level of effort.

The chorus features a repeated mantra about a "fully loaded .2-5" with an extra bullet on the side, and the song concludes with a sample of a line from another track: "The Mac is motherfucking back!" The imagery is powerful, evoking the image of a dangerous gun held close at all times, ready to be used if needed. The contrast between the violence and the rapper's deep commitment to his craft makes for an arresting listening experience.

Line by Line Meaning

This... is one of those ones... you heard?
Let's begin the song with a familiar, hard-hitting style, as if to say, you know what's about to go down.

Alchemist! (yeah nigga?) What the fuck is the deal, nigga?
Shout out to the producer Alchemist, asking what's up and setting the tone as gritty and aggressive.

It's that gutta, gutta, gutta, gutta shit nigga! (Yeah, Twin I see you, my nigga!)
Describing the raw, street sound of the music, and giving a shout out to Twin, a fellow artist.

That nigga P is thug enough to rep' QB from Long Island
Referring to Prodigy himself, saying he's tough enough to represent Queensbridge, a notorious neighborhood in New York, even though he's from Long Island.

Hempstead niggaz thug their way to the top,
Acknowledging the roughness and tenacity of Prodigy's hometown of Hempstead, and how that attitude led to success.

Man as a young gun I was like they can't stop me
Reflecting on Prodigy's early days and confidence that nothing could hold him back.

Now I'm all grown obviously they ain't stop me (nope!)
Noting that despite growing up and facing challenges, Prodigy has still succeeded in his career.

Tried my hands at drug that shit wasn't for me (uh-uh!)
Admitting to experimenting with drug dealing, but ultimately deciding it wasn't the right path for him.

Appear to this royalty that shit is like chicken fee.
Saying that compared to the success he's achieved in music, drug dealing seems like a small amount of money.

Some chose +Ballin'+, music was my callin'
Acknowledging that some people are drawn to materialism and flashy lifestyles, but music was Prodigy's true passion and calling.

As long as it sounds gutta you hear me all along (yeeah!)
Asserting that as long as his music has that raw, street edge, his fans will support him.

Where most make in a year - I get off one song
Boasting that he can make as much money from one hit song as many people do in an entire year.

And that shit is not fair to you - but fuck y'all man!
Acknowledging that his success may seem unfair to others, but not caring and continuing to do what he loves.

I'm still comin' up on that rough side, that tough side
Saying that even with his success, he's still proud of his roots and where he came from.

Nuttin' was handed to me, I had to go for mine (yeah!)
Showing that Prodigy worked hard for his success and didn't get any handouts.

My shit is hard earn, you stumbled on your shine
Comparing his hard work to others who may have had it easier, implying that his success is more meaningful.

We built this from the dirt - you copy off of mine (mine!)
Saying that he and his crew created their music from the ground up, while others may have copied their style.

Once again! - It's the homie that thug rhymes
Bringing the song back to Prodigy himself and his reputation as a tough-talking rapper.

And kill beats! - Niggaz is burnt, they runnin' outta lines.
Boasting about his skills at rapping and producing, and saying that other rappers can't keep up with him.

Ha-ha-ha!
An exclamation of laughter, possibly in response to a question or situation.

Nah nigga don't ask me from shit!
Rejecting someone's request for something, in a tough, straightforward manner.

Nigga don't come up to me with that!
Warning someone not to approach Prodigy with a certain attitude or behavior.

The fully loaded .2-5!
Referring to a type of gun, specifically one that is fully loaded.

With one extra bullet on the side!
Saying that the gun has one extra bullet, adding to the danger and threat.

You don't want what I got in my pocket, nigga.
Implying that Prodigy has something dangerous or valuable in his pocket, and warning someone not to mess with him.

Do you really want this? Do you really want this? (yeah!)
Challenging someone to confront Prodigy and his tough demeanor, with a tone of excitement.

I got somethin' for you! (yeah, uh-huh!) Come here, check it out! (uh-huh!)
Teasing someone with the knowledge that he has something to show or give them, in a playful yet threatening way.

The fully loaded .2-5!
Repeating the gun reference, reinforcing the theme of danger and violence.

All I got in my pocket... (in my pocket...)
Bringing the focus back to Prodigy's pocket, continuing to imply that he has something dangerous or valuable on him.

Is a nickel and a nail. (What else?)
Surprising the listener by revealing that all he has is a small amount of money and a basic tool, calling into question the earlier threats he made.

Uh-huh, you see me nigga?
Possibly addressing someone who doubted Prodigy's tough image earlier in the song, and indicating that he is indeed serious.

You see me nigga, what nigga?, what?
Repeating the challenge to confront Prodigy, with emphasis and aggression.

Want that?
Asking if someone wants the fully loaded gun that Prodigy has been mentioning before.

You could have it!
Offering the gun to someone, suggesting that Prodigy is unfazed by the danger he's implying.

Uh-huh! Uh-huh! Nickel plated .2-5!
Repeating the gun reference again, with a specific detail about its appearance.

"The Mac is motherfucking back! "
A sample of a classic hip-hop line, possibly meant to emphasize Prodigy's return to the rap scene or his status as an icon.

Contributed by Levi R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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TRACKS