The Message
dj j. period Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Fake thug, no love, you get the slug, CB4 Gusto
Your luck low, I didn't know til I was drunk though
You freak niggas played out, get fucked and ate out
Prostitute turned bitch, I got the gauge out
96 ways I made out, Montana way
The Good-F-E-L-L-A, verbal AK spray
Dipped attache, jumped out the Range, empty out the ashtray
A glass of 'ze make a man Cassius Clay
Red dot plots, murder schemes, thirty-two shotguns
Regulate wit my Dunn's, 17 rocks gleam from one ring
Yo let me let y'all niggas know one thing
There's one life, one love, so there can only be one King
The highlights of living, Vegas style roll dice in linen
Antera spinning on Milleniums, twenty G bets I'm winning them
Threats I'm sending them, Lex with TV sets the minimum
Ill sex adrenaline
Party with villains, a case of Demi-Sec to chase the Henny
Wet any clique, with the semi-tech who want it
Diamonds I flaunt it, chicken-heads flock I lace em
Fried broiled with basil, taste em, crack the legs
Way out of formation, it's horizontal how I have em
Fucking me in the Benz wagon
Can it be Vanity from Last Dragon
Grab your gun it's on though
Shit is grimy, real niggas buck in broad daylight
With the broke Mac it won't spray right
Don't give a fuck who they hit, as long as the drama's lit
Yo, overnight thugs, bug cause they ain't promised shit
Hungry-ass hooligans stay on that piranha shit

"I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death"
"I ain't the type of brother made for you to start testing"
"I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death"
"I ain't the type of brother made for you to start testing"
"I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death"
"I ain't the type of brother made for you to start testing"
"I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death"
"I ain't the type of brother made for you to start testing"

I peeped you fronting, I was in the Jeep
Sunk in the seat, tinted with heat, beats bumpint
Across the street you was wilding
Talking bout how you ran the Island in eighty-nine
Laying up, playing the yard with crazy shine
I cocked a baby 9 that nigga grave be mine, clanked him
What was he thinking on my corner when it's pay me time
Dug em you owe me cousin something told me plug him
So dumb, felt my leg burn, then it got numb
Spun around and shot one, heard shots and dropped son
Caught a hot one, somebody take this biscuit 'fore the cops come
Then they came asking me my name, what the fuck
I got stitched up and went through
Left the hospital that same night, what
Got my gat back, time to backtrack
I had to drop so how the fuck I get clapped
Black was in the Jeep watching all these scenes speed by
It was a brown Datsun, and yo nobody in my hood got one
That clown nigga's through, blazing at his crew daily
The 'Bridge touched me up severely hear me?
So when I rhyme it's sincerely yours
Be lighting L's sipping Coors, on all floors in project halls
Contemplating war niggas I was cool with before
We used to score together, Uptown copping the raw
But uhh, a thug changes, and love changes
And best friends become strangers, word up

"Y'all know my steelo"
"There ain't an army that could strike back"
"Y'all know my steelo"
"There ain't an army that could strike back"
"Y'all know my steelo"
"There ain't an army that could strike back"




"Y'all know my steelo"
"There ain't an army that could strike back"

Overall Meaning

In DJ J. Period's song The Message, the lyrics are a reflection of the harsh reality of life on the streets of New York City. The rapper, Nas, paints a portrait of gang violence, drug dealing, and betrayal. The first verse, for example, starts by calling out a fake thug who will get what's coming to him. The song also touches on the theme of change and how the loyalty between friends can be lost once they become too focused on money and power.


The repetition of the line, "I never sleep, 'cause sleep is the cousin of death," throughout the song emphasizes the idea that in a world where danger is around every corner, being aware and vigilant is essential to survival. The use of metaphors and analogies, such as "verbal AK spray" and "glass of 'ze make a man Cassius Clay," further highlights the rapper's brutal and cold world.


Line by Line Meaning

Fake thug, no love, you get the slug, CB4 Gusto
You pretend to be a tough gangster, but in reality, you won't receive any empathy from me. You'll face deadly consequences.


Your luck low, I didn't know til I was drunk though
You're unfortunate, and I didn't realize it until I was intoxicated.


You freak niggas played out, get fucked and ate out
You're considered outdated and are easily taken advantage of in sexual situations.


Prostitute turned bitch, I got the gauge out
You're a former prostitute, and now that you've become antagonistic toward me, I'm going to use my gun against you.


96 ways I made out, Montana way
I've achieved success in various ways, similar to the notorious drug lord Tony Montana.


The Good-F-E-L-L-A, verbal AK spray
I'm an excellent criminal, like the characters in the movie Goodfellas, and my speaking delivers a powerful punch.


Dipped attache, jumped out the Range, empty out the ashtray
I left my smart briefcase in the Range Rover and then removed the ash tray contents.


A glass of 'ze make a man Cassius Clay
A drink of Hennessy cognac can give a person the confidence and charisma of the legendary boxer, Muhammed Ali (whose birth name was Cassius Clay).


Red dot plots, murder schemes, thirty-two shotguns
I plan to execute my opponents and have dozens of shotguns at my disposal.


Regulate wit my Dunn's, 17 rocks gleam from one ring
I have control over my Desert Eagle guns and am wearing one ring with 17 sparkling diamonds.


Yo let me let y'all niggas know one thing
Allow me to inform you of something significant.


There's one life, one love, so there can only be one King
There is only one life to live, and one person who can rule (or be successful) in any given situation.


The highlights of living, Vegas style roll dice in linen
The most thrilling moments in life resemble a Las Vegas atmosphere, where expensive materials such as linen are used for rolling the dice.


Antera spinning on Milleniums, twenty G bets I'm winning them
I'm betting 20,000 dollars and confidently expecting to win on a roulette wheel spinning on Antera rims that represent the turn of the millennium.


Threats I'm sending them, Lex with TV sets the minimum
I'm delivering threats to my enemies, and Lex with television sets are the least expensive gifts I'll accept as payment for any favors I do.


Ill sex adrenaline
My sexual prowess is thrilling and exciting.


Party with villains, a case of Demi-Sec to chase the Henny
I'm attending parties with criminal types and drinking half-dry champagne to complement my Hennessy cognac.


Wet any clique, with the semi-tech who want it
I'll shoot at any specific group of people who desire my attention with my semi-automatic gun.


Diamonds I flaunt it, chicken-heads flock I lace em
I am showing off my diamond jewelry, and women who are insignificant try to obtain some of it.


Fried broiled with basil, taste em, crack the legs
I've cooked chicken, both fried and broiled, with basil seasoning, and their legs will be easily broken due to the tenderness of the meat.


Way out of formation, it's horizontal how I have em
I'm having sex with someone, but it's not in a typical position—the way we move defies natural alignment.


Fucking me in the Benz wagon
We're having sex in a Mercedes-Benz automobile.


Can it be Vanity from Last Dragon
Is it possible that the woman has features resembling actress Vanity from the movie The Last Dragon?


Grab your gun it's on though
Prepare yourself for violent activity, it's about to begin.


Shit is grimy, real niggas buck in broad daylight
The situation is dangerous and messy, true gangsters are willing to fight at any time.


With the broke Mac it won't spray right
My cheap gun won't shoot accurately or function properly.


Don't give a fuck who they hit, as long as the drama's lit
I don't care who gets injured or killed, as long as there's action and excitement.


Yo, overnight thugs, bug cause they ain't promised shit
People who suddenly act like gangsters are annoying, because they have no guaranteed future.


Hungry-ass hooligans stay on that piranha shit
Aggressive and desperate criminals always embrace violent behavior.


"I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death"
I'm constantly alert and not mentally relaxing, because being idle may lead to dangerous consequences.


"I ain't the type of brother made for you to start testing"
I am not someone who can be easily challenged or disrespected without facing negative repercussions.


I peeped you fronting, I was in the Jeep
I noticed that you were pretending, and I was inside my Jeep vehicle.


Sunk in the seat, tinted with heat, beats bumpint
I'm sitting low in my car seat, with darkened windows and hot music playing loudly through the artists.


Across the street you was wilding
You were behaving erratically and unpredictably across the road.


Talking bout how you ran the Island in eighty-nine
You were bragging about having influence and power over an area in 1989.


Laying up, playing the yard with crazy shine
You were relaxing in the sun, acting confidently and arrogantly.


I cocked a baby 9 that nigga grave be mine, clanked him
I aimed and fired with a small 9mm handgun, knowing that it would result in your death.


What was he thinking on my corner when it's pay me time
Why would you come to my territory when you owe me money?


Dug em you owe me cousin something told me plug him
I killed you because you owed me money and a voice in my head told me to do it.


So dumb, felt my leg burn, then it got numb
You made a foolish mistake, and then I felt a hot sensation before losing feeling in my leg.


Spun around and shot one, heard shots and dropped son
I turned around and fired a gun, then heard other shots and saw someone else get shot.


Caught a hot one, somebody take this biscuit 'fore the cops come
I got shot, and someone needs to quickly hide my gun before the police arrive.


Then they came asking me my name, what the fuck
The police arrived and asked me for my identity, which surprised and annoyed me.


I got stitched up and went through
I received medical attention and continued with my criminal activities.


Left the hospital that same night, what
I left the medical facility without waiting for an extended period of time.


Got my gat back, time to backtrack
I retrieved my gun and need to assess the situation.


I had to drop so how the fuck I get clapped
I had to lay down low, so how was I targeted and shot at?


Black was in the Jeep watching all these scenes speed by
My friend Black was present, observing everything as we drove quickly past these events.


It was a brown Datsun, and yo nobody in my hood got one
The enemy's car was a brown Datsun, and it's incredibly unusual for someone in our community to own one.


That clown nigga's through, blazing at his crew daily
That ridiculous person is finished, and I'll shoot at his associates regularly.


The 'Bridge touched me up severely hear me?
Something terrible happened to me in the Queensbridge neighborhood, can you comprehend that?


So when I rhyme it's sincerely yours
When I rap, I speak truthfully and sincerely.


Be lighting L's sipping Coors, on all floors in project halls
I'll smoke marijuana and drink beer, while hanging out on every floor of apartment buildings in public housing neighborhoods.


Contemplating war niggas I was cool with before
I'm considering fighting against people I used to be friendly with.


We used to score together, Uptown copping the raw
We used to purchase drugs together in the Upper Manhattan area.


But uhh, a thug changes, and love changes
But, over time, a criminal's personality and relationships will shift and transform.


And best friends become strangers, word up
Even the closest companions can eventually become unfamiliar and distant.


"Y'all know my steelo"
Everyone is aware of the way I present myself and my personal style/method.


"There ain't an army that could strike back"
Nobody is capable of causing significant harm in response to my attacks or provocations.


"Y'all know my steelo"
Everyone is aware of the way I present myself and my personal style/method.


"There ain't an army that could strike back"
Nobody is capable of causing significant harm in response to my attacks or provocations.


"Y'all know my steelo"
Everyone is aware of the way I present myself and my personal style/method.


"There ain't an army that could strike back"
Nobody is capable of causing significant harm in response to my attacks or provocations.


"Y'all know my steelo"
Everyone is aware of the way I present myself and my personal style/method.


"There ain't an army that could strike back"
Nobody is capable of causing significant harm in response to my attacks or provocations.




Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Free Jazz Skateboards

J​.​PERIOD & K'NAAN, this trilogy was one of the most influential mix-tapes on the streets where I came from. Dj Nutz - Cultura Copia also blew up a new dimension.

Mr Steeps

This was epic, thank you sir!

Bryden Whiting

So good! Going back to the roots of hiphop.

PURGE2--{u}--NITE

Dam. Unique. More then classy... Exquisite more like it 👌

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