In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Bus' it
We gon' go through a couple of things tonight
We gon' go- we gon' party, of course
Go through some 'motional songs, we gon' take it all the way back for y'all
Then we gon' keep it in the truest essence of hip-hop: the battle
We gotta keep it at the battle, right y'all?
Y'all ready for that?
Alright
Let's do it
Lemme hear y'all
R.O.C., we running this rap sh-
Memphis Bleek, we running this rap sh-
B. Sigel, we running this rap shit
Uh, uh, uh, yeah
Freeway, we runnin' this rap sh-
O and Sparks, we runnin' this rap sh-
Chris and Neef, we runnin' this rap shit
(Watch out, we run New York!)
The takeover, the break's over, homie
God MC, me (Jay-Hova)
Hey lil' soldier, you ain't ready for war
R.O.C. too strong for y'all
It's like bringing a knife to a gunfight, pen to a test
Your chest in the line of fire with your thin-ass vest
You bringing them boys to men, how them boys gon' win?
This is grown man B.I., get you rolled into triage, bi-atch
Your reach ain't long enough, dunny
Your peeps ain't strong enough, uh-uh
Roc-A-Fella is the army, better yet the navy
Sure, we will kidnap your babies, spit at your lady
We bring knife to fistfight, kill your Grandma
We kill you iddy bitty ants with a sledgehammer
Don't let me do it to 'em, dunny, 'cause I overdo it
So he won't confuse it with just rap music
R.O.C., we running this rap sh-
B. Sigel we running this rap sh-
M Easy, running this rap sh-
Get zipped up in plastic when it happens, that's it
Freeway, we running this rap sh-
O and Sparks, we running this rap sh-
Chris and Neef, we running this rap shh
(Watch out! We run New York!)
I don't care if you Mobb Deep, I hold triggers to crews
You little, I got money stacks bigger than you
When I was pushing weight, back in '88
You was a ballerina, I got the pictures, I seen ya
Then you dropped "Shook Ones," switched your demeanor
Well, we don't believe you, you need more people
Roc-A-Fella, students of the game, we passed the class
'Cause nobody can read you dudes like we do
Don't let 'em gas you, like, "Jigga is ass and won't clap you"
Trust me on this one, I'll detach you
Mind from spirit, body from soul
They'll have to hold a mass, put your body in a hole
Oh no, you're not on my level, get your brakes tweaked
I sold what your whole album sold in my first week
You guys don't want it with Hov
Ask Nas, he don't want it with Hov, no!
R.O.C., we running this rap sh-
B. Sigel we running this rap sh-
M Easy, we running this rap sh-
Get zipped up in plastic when it happens, that's it
Freeway, we running this rap sh-
O and Sparks, we running this rap sh-
Chris and Neef, we running this rap sh-
(Watch out! We run New York)
I know you miss it, Nas, the (fame!)
But along with celebrity comes 'bout seventy shots to your frame, homie
You's a (lame!)
Know you's the fag model for Karl Kani, Esco ads
Went from Nasty Nas to Esco's trash
Had a spark when you started but now you're just garbage
Fell from top ten to not mentioned at all
To your bodyguard's Oochie Wally's verse better than yours
Matter of fact you had the worst flow on the whole entire song
But I know the sun don't shine, then son don't shine
That's why your (lame) career's come to an end
It's only so long fake thugs can pretend
Homie, you ain't live it, you witnessed it from your folks' pad
You scribbled it in your notepad and created your life
I showed you your first TEC, on tour with Large Professor
Then I heard your album 'bout your TEC on the dresser
So yeah, I sampled your voice, you was using it wrong
You made it a hot line, I made it a hot song
And you ain't get a coin, homie, you was getting plugged then
I know who I paid, God, Serchlite Publishing
Use your (brain!)
You said you've been in this ten, I've been in it five, smarten up, Nas
Four albums in ten years, homie? I could divide
That's one every two, two of them things was due
One was (nah), the other was Illmatic
That's a one-hot-album-every-ten-year average
And that's so (lame)
Homie, switch up your flow
Your shit is garbage, what you trying to kick, knowledge?
You cats gonna learn to respect the king
Don't be the next contestant on that Unplugged screen
Because you-know-(who) did you-know-what with you-know-who
But let's keep that between me and you, ma
R.O.C., we running this rap sh-
B. Sigel, running this rap sh-
M Easy, running this rap sh-
Get zipped up in plastic when it happens, that's it
Freeway, we running this rap sh-
O and Sparks, we running this rap sh-
Chris and Neef, we running this rap sh-
(Watch out! We run New York)
R.O.C
We gon' go through a couple of things tonight
We gon' go- we gon' party, of course
Go through some 'motional songs, we gon' take it all the way back for y'all
Then we gon' keep it in the truest essence of hip-hop: the battle
We gotta keep it at the battle, right y'all?
Y'all ready for that?
Alright
Let's do it
Lemme hear y'all
R.O.C., we running this rap sh-
Memphis Bleek, we running this rap sh-
B. Sigel, we running this rap shit
Uh, uh, uh, yeah
Freeway, we runnin' this rap sh-
O and Sparks, we runnin' this rap sh-
Chris and Neef, we runnin' this rap shit
(Watch out, we run New York!)
The takeover, the break's over, homie
God MC, me (Jay-Hova)
Hey lil' soldier, you ain't ready for war
R.O.C. too strong for y'all
It's like bringing a knife to a gunfight, pen to a test
Your chest in the line of fire with your thin-ass vest
You bringing them boys to men, how them boys gon' win?
This is grown man B.I., get you rolled into triage, bi-atch
Your reach ain't long enough, dunny
Your peeps ain't strong enough, uh-uh
Roc-A-Fella is the army, better yet the navy
Sure, we will kidnap your babies, spit at your lady
We bring knife to fistfight, kill your Grandma
We kill you iddy bitty ants with a sledgehammer
Don't let me do it to 'em, dunny, 'cause I overdo it
So he won't confuse it with just rap music
R.O.C., we running this rap sh-
B. Sigel we running this rap sh-
M Easy, running this rap sh-
Get zipped up in plastic when it happens, that's it
Freeway, we running this rap sh-
O and Sparks, we running this rap sh-
Chris and Neef, we running this rap shh
(Watch out! We run New York!)
I don't care if you Mobb Deep, I hold triggers to crews
You little, I got money stacks bigger than you
When I was pushing weight, back in '88
You was a ballerina, I got the pictures, I seen ya
Then you dropped "Shook Ones," switched your demeanor
Well, we don't believe you, you need more people
Roc-A-Fella, students of the game, we passed the class
'Cause nobody can read you dudes like we do
Don't let 'em gas you, like, "Jigga is ass and won't clap you"
Trust me on this one, I'll detach you
Mind from spirit, body from soul
They'll have to hold a mass, put your body in a hole
Oh no, you're not on my level, get your brakes tweaked
I sold what your whole album sold in my first week
You guys don't want it with Hov
Ask Nas, he don't want it with Hov, no!
R.O.C., we running this rap sh-
B. Sigel we running this rap sh-
M Easy, we running this rap sh-
Get zipped up in plastic when it happens, that's it
Freeway, we running this rap sh-
O and Sparks, we running this rap sh-
Chris and Neef, we running this rap sh-
(Watch out! We run New York)
I know you miss it, Nas, the (fame!)
But along with celebrity comes 'bout seventy shots to your frame, homie
You's a (lame!)
Know you's the fag model for Karl Kani, Esco ads
Went from Nasty Nas to Esco's trash
Had a spark when you started but now you're just garbage
Fell from top ten to not mentioned at all
To your bodyguard's Oochie Wally's verse better than yours
Matter of fact you had the worst flow on the whole entire song
But I know the sun don't shine, then son don't shine
That's why your (lame) career's come to an end
It's only so long fake thugs can pretend
Homie, you ain't live it, you witnessed it from your folks' pad
You scribbled it in your notepad and created your life
I showed you your first TEC, on tour with Large Professor
Then I heard your album 'bout your TEC on the dresser
So yeah, I sampled your voice, you was using it wrong
You made it a hot line, I made it a hot song
And you ain't get a coin, homie, you was getting plugged then
I know who I paid, God, Serchlite Publishing
Use your (brain!)
You said you've been in this ten, I've been in it five, smarten up, Nas
Four albums in ten years, homie? I could divide
That's one every two, two of them things was due
One was (nah), the other was Illmatic
That's a one-hot-album-every-ten-year average
And that's so (lame)
Homie, switch up your flow
Your shit is garbage, what you trying to kick, knowledge?
You cats gonna learn to respect the king
Don't be the next contestant on that Unplugged screen
Because you-know-(who) did you-know-what with you-know-who
But let's keep that between me and you, ma
R.O.C., we running this rap sh-
B. Sigel, running this rap sh-
M Easy, running this rap sh-
Get zipped up in plastic when it happens, that's it
Freeway, we running this rap sh-
O and Sparks, we running this rap sh-
Chris and Neef, we running this rap sh-
(Watch out! We run New York)
R.O.C
Lyrics submitted by spliphstar
Takeover Lyrics as written by Bryan James Chandler Alan Lomax
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Word Collections Publishing, Capitol CMG Publishing, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Doors Music Company
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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'Ether' > 'Takeover'
Ether dominates takeover. But i love both artist, both artist are well good, and both of these diss-songs are top-notch. Nas just went all out, and the line about jay-z fucking nas's wife. Nas was already divored from her, so it didnt even mean much. Nas KILLS jayz on Ether tho. But its good to see both nas and jay-z back to friends for their new album coming out.
Check it I fuck wit cha soul like ether.
Hell, Nas hardly had to say his name more than once to get the point across. Nas all day.
Psch Jay-Z is good like, but he's nowhere near as good as Nas and as far as him trying to "takeover" after Biggie, that's just ridiculous, as if. Also I'd like to point out that the lyric "Get zipped up in plastic when it happens that's it" is just taken from Dre's "The Watcher", now I know Jay-Z helped write "Still D.R.E." but he's still ripped off those other lyrics from "The Watcher". You can't rip someone off on a Diss track that's just dumb.
Also "Ether" has this track off everywhere, Nas knows best.
Nas won the battle. But this track is ill, damn near as good as "Ether". Nice to see two of the greatest get to battle it out.
Nas Killed Gay-Z plain and simple... Nas is on a another level beyond Jay.. Gay-Z is just Commercial hype bullshit... Nas' shit is ill
Because you know who (who) did you know what (what) with you know who (yeah) but just keep that between me and you for now
For those that don't know that line eludes to the fact that Jay fucked Nas wife (or girlfriend, I forget)
in my book, that can't be topped.
And for the bickering.
Jay-Z and Nas are both some of the greatest rappers out there, and both are still nowhere near The Notorious B.I.G.
jay snaked nas' 'baby mama'.<br /> big is mediocre.<br /> takeover was dope, ether was better.<br /> "Because you know who (who) did you know what (what)<br /> with you know who (yeah) but just keep that between me and you for now"<br /> -in my opinion, that line is kinda lame. jay should have said something raw, such as "i shagged your wiz, dunny".<br />
Jay-z and Nas are two of the greatest rappers of all time....theres no point in saying ones better than the other. Anyone who comes on here and claims that one is blatantly better than the other doesnt know a single thing about rap so keep your opinion to yourself.
Jay-Z and Nas are two of the best rappers out there. This song is better than Ether. I can't wait for Nas' album that's going to have both of them on a record. Jay-Z needs to squash Cam, I'm getting tired of his pink Hummer.
ok, um slide0707, success? hmmm, how would you describe his success in hip hop, degrading women, and rapping over over-produced beats that out do his own brick laying lyrics and getting massive attention for it and recognition and let alone the cash flow, i guess. I can place myself in Nas's shoes, watching some fake ass m_fkr get cocky and relish in their narcissistic world try to damage my character. Jay started it all, and deserves the bashing. Jay isnt nothing but the equivalent of NY south rap, but anyway, i must admit Takeover was well written, although jay's flowing is kinda lack enthusiasm. and money doesn't quite mean success yah know....