Perhaps most impressive is that he does all of these things, and well. With a background as colorful as his talents, Tonedeff grew up in Chicago, IL, before moving to Miami, FL, for the remainder of his adolescence. While it was in Miami that he began recording and performing, it wasn't until relocating to Queens, NY at 21 that the well-traveled emcee really began making noise. He won a string of battles, including the Braggin' Rites MC Battle and NYC's notorious Da Cypha battles, to name a few. At the same time, he built a name for himself by opening for esteemed acts such as Common, Royce Da 5'9, Beatnuts, Brand Nubian and Rahzel.
Where most up-and-comers hit a stalemate, however, Tonedeff had only just begun. After forming the independent label QN5 Music in 2000, he released a series of work including the enhanced Hyphen EP, Happy F*ck You Songs with Extended F@mm, the "Clear 'Em Out" 12" single with KRS-One, and countless guest spots for artists such as Masta Ace, DJ JS-1 and CunninLynguists. 2003 saw him grace the pages of The Source Magazine and the MTV airwaves in a commercial for Hip Hop Week.
April 2005 marks the release of Archetype, his long-anticipated debut LP. A culmination of his artistic abilities, Archetype displays the incontestable versatility and raw talent that sets him apart from the rest. Comprising the spine-tingling harmonies of the intro; the relentless, rapid-fire punchlines of "Let's Go" and "Issawn"; the unabashed wit and comedy of "Disappointed" and "Pervert"; and the breathtaking beauty of the true story "Porcelain"; Tonedeff shatters the mold of conventional hip-hop, bringing it to levels that others only speak of. Influenced by a diverse range of artists - Common, Fresh Prince, Enya, Tori Amos and Bjork, for example-his own style is reflective of such, a melting pot of styles and sounds.
Combining beauty, talent and artistic innovation, Tonedeff is set to awaken hip-hop with a distinctively new sound. Following the QN5 mantra of "the New Hip-Hop," the multi-talented artist breathes new life into a dwindling art form, taking the reigns in the pursuit of new ideals as the originator, the new standard, the archetype.
Give a Damn
Tonedeff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't 'give a damn'
When motherfuckers claim that they're nice, and I don't 'give a damn'
About the record deal that you signed and I don't 'give a damn'
Bout chart positions paid for a price, and I don't 'give a damn'
About all of your media hype and I don't 'give a damn'
If your publicist got betta connects and I don't 'give a damn'
About the fuckin the spot that you rep and I don't 'give a damn'
I really don't 'give a damn' bitch
[Tonedeff]
Gimme this microphone, and stand clear
As I tear into this bitch like I fucked up a papsmear
Cat's stear outta my way and split as I switch to my fast gear
The fact's clear Rappers, they act queer, lappin' up ass hair
Yappin like "That's fierce", Man, I'm agasp here
Saddened by acts whose only buzz was gotten from 50 glasses of Pabst beer
Man, I'm stacked like I jacked Sears
After I smack you with brass bats, mallets and stacked chairs
Tou can ask me if that's fair
You repeated the deeds you seen after me last year
Cheated with theivery, greed and misleading tactics, that've actually
matched rare & elusive elements of my steez
very conclusive evidence leading me back here
So I pillage like Black Beard
Hands near your bitch's brazier, until her nipples stand air
And hit some frequencies you can't hear without a bat's ear
And that serious, mad furious, amped, scary, and brash, sneering
and every fucking adjective that'll push you past fear
My wrath spares artisans who practice the craft with tact, whereas
You would never to my standards adhere
Shit, I had to hire an accountant and a cashier
Cause Tonedeff, got so many hoes riding the dick
that I'm charging 'em cab fare
And while I tap rears, rappers amass tears
As they learn how to play the skin flute
while rockin the box set from Zamphyr
With a fat kielbasa to grasp, yeah..
You bout as hip as them pink pajamas your dad wears...
laugh at your wack pair
(Bitch, I don't)
[Chorus]
[Tonedeff]
For pete's sake, I'm grief laden, need faith
Keep saying, "He's fake," when you sound commercial, like "You Can Eat Cake"
Now Please face the other town - leave..great
Beef? Hey, you wig gets pushed back more than underground released dates
Your teamplay's what we say's an exercise in simplicity
You cry whenever you miss a rerun of Felicity
You sweet as crispy crème, the media feeds you a glitzy Dream
Been taken advantage of like Giddy Teens with 50 Whisky Drinks
I'm nifty with these things. Top pick
Tonedeff : The wide receiver with elastic arms...son, you know I got this
I constantly knock shit, not superstitious
but that's part of the process, I dine, you do the dishes
Now, it's obvious right kid? Calls in tonite? Then
It's prolly your wife, so just pardon me right quick
You're hardly a fight, bitch/ Sorry? Now bite this
I'm as awnry as bikers with harleys and pipes gripped
You nice kid? You're part of the crisis..worse than a biter
You're a wack rapper's cock rider
in spite of lying, Even your stage show's disgraceful
See, you're that one nigga that's on the cell at the movies
cause whole the audience hates you
See, your folly is painful to watch, You're out for pussy?
Just stuff your face in your crotch, gargle and toss your cookies
I'm harmful to lots of persons far & near
Lace verse with so many curses that my clean versions sound like 'Paul Revere'
Now don't stall and tell me the public's got the true taste
Cause if they like you, they're dumb enough to eat a blue steak
Fuck the debate of who's real & who's fake! Cause when I'm all in your grill
Son...I really won't kill you, but you'll swear to god that I will
So just gimme a beat and a time and a place
If you hid in retreat
then I'll find you where you stay with a team of divers, grenades
And claws equipped. Nobody even bought your shit
Cause you're the type that went to an all boy school
and everybody still called you a dick
[Final Chorus]
I don't 'give a damn'
About the verse you wrote to battle me, and I don't 'give a damn'
If your jealousy makes you mad at me and I don't 'give a damn'
If you rap cause your peoples have to eat, and I don't 'give a damn'
You ain't grown out your hood mentality and I don't 'give a damn'
If you got 97inch rims and I don't 'give a damn'
About your fashion victim ass friends and I don't 'give a damn'
About all of these 5-minute trends and I don't 'give a damn'
about you I really don't 'give a damn'
Oh, word? You did time? So What
Oh Shit, he's producing it? So What
Oh Shit, he signing with who? So What
The song "Give a Damn" by Tonedeff is a diss track to other rappers who brag about their record deals, chart positions, media hype, and connections, among other things. Tonedeff is making a statement about staying true to oneself and not conforming to popular trends to fit in.
In the chorus, Tonedeff repeats the phrase "I don't give a damn" to emphasize his disregard for these superficial aspects of the music industry. He criticizes other rappers for being fake, commercial, and lacking in talent. He also takes a shot at those who are jealous of his success and those who rap to make money rather than for artistic expression.
In the verses, Tonedeff delivers scathing lyrics packed with metaphors and wordplay. He compares other rappers to cats, calls them out for stealing his style, and mocks their lack of originality. He also boasts about his own skills as a rapper and makes fun of those who try to diss him.
Overall, "Give a Damn" is a message to the rap community to focus on producing meaningful music rather than chasing after fame and fortune.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't 'give a damn'
I don't care at all
When motherfuckers claim that they're nice, and I don't 'give a damn'
I don't care when people boast about their talent
About the record deal that you signed and I don't 'give a damn'
I don't care about the record deal you signed
Bout chart positions paid for a price, and I don't 'give a damn'
I don't care about chart positions that were achieved through payment
About all of your media hype and I don't 'give a damn'
I don't care about the hype created by the media
If your publicist got betta connects and I don't 'give a damn'
I don't care if your publicist has better connections
About the fuckin the spot that you rep and I don't 'give a damn'
I don't care about the spot you represent
If you roll 50 deep for respect and I don't 'give a damn'
I don't care if you have a large entourage for respect
I really don't 'give a damn' bitch
I truly don't care
Gimme this microphone, and stand clear
Give me this microphone and move out of the way
As I tear into this bitch like I fucked up a papsmear
I aggressively attack this person like a destructive force
Cat's stear outta my way and split as I switch to my fast gear
People quickly move away from me as I increase my speed
The fact's clear Rappers, they act queer, lappin' up ass hair
It's evident that rappers act strange, indulging in foolishness
Yappin like 'That's fierce', Man, I'm agasp here
They talk nonsense as if it's impressive, but it leaves me shocked
Saddened by acts whose only buzz was gotten from 50 glasses of Pabst beer
I'm disappointed in artists who become popular through excessive drinking
Man, I'm stacked like I jacked Sears
I have a lot of money and am very wealthy
After I smack you with brass bats, mallets and stacked chairs
Once I hit you with various weapons, including brass bats and chairs
You can ask me if that's fair
You have the right to question if it's fair
You repeated the deeds you seen after me last year
You copied what you saw me do last year
Cheated with thievery, greed, and misleading tactics, that've actually matched rare
You cheated with stealing, greed, and deception, matching my rare techniques
& elusive elements of my steez very conclusive evidence leading me back here
Those elements of my style were hard to imitate, but the evidence brings me back here
So I pillage like Black Beard
I plunder and steal like the notorious pirate Black Beard
Hands near your bitch's brazier, until her nipples stand air
I touch your woman's breasts until her nipples become erect
And hit some frequencies you can't hear without a bat's ear
I rap with frequencies that only bats can hear
And that serious, mad furious, amped, scary, and brash, sneering
I'm serious, extremely angry, amped up, scary, and boldly sneering
And every fucking adjective that'll push you past fear
And every adjective that will make you even more afraid
My wrath spares artisans who practice the craft with tact, whereas
I spare artists who practice their craft skillfully and respectfully
You would never to my standards adhere
You would never meet my high standards
Shit, I had to hire an accountant and a cashier
I had to hire financial professionals to handle my wealth
Cause Tonedeff, got so many hoes riding the dick that I'm charging 'em cab fare
I have so many women interested in me that I'm making them pay for transportation
And while I tap rears, rappers amass tears
While I engage in sexual activities, rappers are left feeling emotional
As they learn how to play the skin flute while rockin the box set from Zamphyr
They learn how to perform oral sex while listening to music from Zamphyr
With a fat kielbasa to grasp, yeah...
With a large sausage to hold onto
You bout as hip as them pink pajamas your dad wears...
You're not cool at all, just like your dad's pink pajamas
laugh at your wack pair
I laugh at your pathetic existence
For pete's sake, I'm grief-laden, need faith
For the love of God, I'm filled with sadness, I need faith
Keep saying, 'He's fake,' when you sound commercial, like 'You Can Eat Cake'
You keep calling me fake, but you sound just as commercial as the phrase 'You Can Eat Cake'
Now Please face the other town - leave..great
Now please turn around and leave town
Beef? Hey, you wig gets pushed back more than underground released dates
If there's a confrontation, you will be defeated worse than the delays of underground releases
Your teamplay's what we say's an exercise in simplicity
Your collaboration with your team is seen as simple and lacking complexity
You cry whenever you miss a rerun of Felicity
You get emotional when you miss an episode of the TV show 'Felicity'
You sweet as crispy crème, the media feeds you a glitzy Dream
You are overly sweet like a cream-filled pastry, and the media gives you false hope
Been taken advantage of like Giddy Teens with 50 Whisky Drinks
You have been easily manipulated, just like tipsy teenagers with 50 glasses of whiskey
I'm nifty with these things. Top pick
I'm skilled and talented in these things. I'm the top choice
Tonedeff: The wide receiver with elastic arms...son, you know I got this
Tonedeff is the wide receiver with flexible arms, confidently indicating his abilities
I constantly knock shit, not superstitious
I frequently criticize and disapprove, without believing in superstitions
But that's part of the process, I dine, you do the dishes
That's just how things work, I enjoy the benefits, while you handle the less desirable tasks
Now, it's obvious right kid? Calls in tonite? Then
Now, isn't it obvious, kid? Are you getting phone calls tonight? Well then
It's prolly your wife, so just pardon me right quick
It's probably your wife calling, so excuse me for a moment
You're hardly a fight, bitch/ Sorry? Now bite this
You're not even a challenge, bitch. Sorry? Well, now taste this
I'm as awnry as bikers with harleys and pipes gripped
I'm as aggressive as bikers gripping their Harley motorcycles and pipes
You nice kid? You're part of the crisis..worse than a biter
You think you're talented, but you're actually part of the problem, worse than someone who steals others' work
You're a wack rapper's cock rider
You're someone who supports and follows a mediocre rapper
In spite of lying, Even your stage show's disgraceful
Despite your lies, even your performances on stage are shameful
See, you're that one nigga that's on the cell at the movies cause the audience hates you
You're that person who talks loudly on the cellphone at the movies because everyone in the audience dislikes you
See, your folly is painful to watch, You're out for pussy?
Your foolishness is unpleasant to witness. You're only interested in sex
Just stuff your face in your crotch, gargle and toss your cookies
Just bury your face in your genitals, vomit, and throw up your cookies
I'm harmful to lots of persons far & near
I bring harm to many people both near and far
Lace verse with so many curses that my clean versions sound like 'Paul Revere'
I include so many curses in my songs that even the censored versions sound like explicit content
Now don't stall and tell me the public's got the true taste
Now don't hesitate and try to convince me that the public has good taste
Cause if they like you, they're dumb enough to eat a blue steak
Because if the public likes you, it means they're foolish enough to eat a steak that's blue in color
Fuck the debate of who's real & who's fake! Cause when I'm all in your grill
Forget about the debate of authenticity! Because when I confront you
Son...I really won't kill you, but you'll swear to god that I will
Son...I won't actually kill you, but you'll believe I will with all your heart
So just gimme a beat and a time and a place
So just give me a beat, and let me know when and where
If you hid in retreat then I'll find you where you stay with a team of divers, grenades
If you try to hide, I'll locate your whereabouts with a team of divers and grenades
And claws equipped. Nobody even bought your shit
I'll come fully prepared. Besides, nobody even bought your music
Cause you're the type that went to an all-boy school and everybody still called you a dick
Because you're the type of person who went to an all-boys school, and everyone still thought you were an unpleasant person
About the verse you wrote to battle me, and I don't 'give a damn'
I don't care about the lyrics you wrote to challenge me
If your jealousy makes you mad at me and I don't 'give a damn'
I don't care if your jealousy causes you to be angry with me
If you rap cause your peoples have to eat, and I don't 'give a damn'
I don't care if you rap because your community depends on it for survival
You ain't grown out your hood mentality and I don't 'give a damn'
You haven't matured out of your limited neighborhood mindset, and I don't care
If you got 97inch rims and I don't 'give a damn'
I don't care if you have rims that are 97 inches in size
About your fashion victim ass friends and I don't 'give a damn'
I don't care about your friends who are slaves to fashion trends
About all of these 5-minute trends and I don't 'give a damn'
I don't care about short-lived trends that only last for 5 minutes
About you I really don't 'give a damn'
I truly don't care about you
Oh, word? You did time? So What
Oh, really? You spent time in prison? Who cares
Oh Shit, he's producing it? So What
Oh, shit, he's producing the music? Who cares
Oh Shit, he signing with who? So What
Oh, shit, he's signing with a record label? Who cares
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind