Who Killed It?

[>ThaGoldenChild<]

Produced by Salaam Remi & Will.I.Am

Dont think this song got enough appreciation. Thoughts???

Nas plays a detective with his partner Joe Da Butcher. Now it begins with Pretty Mike and 2face Al killin each other and the girl running off with the $. Pretty Mike and 2face Al are Biggie and 2pac and the girl running off with the $ is a reference of how the commercialism of hip hop was maximizing. The murder of 2face Al is directly aimed at 2pac and Nas says "damn that was my jam because she will never be singing there again". Now Joe Da Butcher is the average hip hop listener. Now after joe mentions to nas that he realizes he's falling for her nas hits the bar a lil aggitated. Now this is when Nas mentions that "drinks are on him" that represents nas going commercial and he admits it, but tries to counteract that by saying "but I always felt outta place" which means he sold out but still puts out real hip hop. The symbolism in the bar scene is that joe the da butcher is nas partner but his southern connects (freckle face and company) are involved wit this crime, joe is none the wiser a.k.a. the average listener (Some say freckle face is suppose 2 be Jay-Z lol). Nas gets a lil ticked off and heads outside and realizes the girl has been trailin him the whole time that's basically saying that even though he didn't know it, Hip-Hop HAS been followin him for a while next thing she steps out the shadow and he says "all this time she had me in her scope"

In her scope = interscope?
nas starts the story saying "death by strangulation" but "death" = Def(Jam)
Basically he was saying that Def Jam started the "killing" (when it commercialized hip-hop) and now interscope runs it at this point he is saying the Whites took control of the art hence the reference to "Conspiracy Theories" behind this "whodunit" "that's why Eric B is not president" pretty much sums it up so Def Jam chokeholded the game and then other labels like universal picked it up. at this point nas has some evidence so he starts interrogating the broad "I know you have soul quit tryin to hide it" is obviously saying that hip-hop has soul but its obscured by the commercialism NaS uses the interrogation wisely by bringing up cypress hill and snoop dogg referencing the classics just flippin the phrases She (Hip-Hop) supposedly killed a man in cypress - Cypress Hill "How I could just kill a man". (Alternate Meaning/Possible Reference: The beginning of the The Bridge Wars and the Death of DJ Scott LaRock at South Bronx, Cypress Projects [at least i think theres a Cyprees Projects in SB])

Any way Nas continues by saying one eyed charlie (krs-one) who only hangs with the criminal minded (BDP) said they did it doggystyle (snoop dogg) but obviously referencing sex at this point she puts everything in perspective for nas IN ORDER because nas was out of chronological order by mentioning 92 then 91 then 88: so she begins by asking him to "walk this way" (run dmc) and she will tell him a childrens story (slick rick) this is starting out raw hip-hop in the 80s "got her a few 40s" is now referencing the west coast era domination as well hoppin in the "ride" at this point hip-hop started losing "it" because it was being bombarded by commercial gangsterism and losing its origins.

The getting "tipsy" part refers to hip-hop totally losing control and becoming almost completely pop (the bad boy era). It can also be a refference to J-Kwon and the beat he sampled which NaS is rappin' over (LOLOLOLOL).
"As we got to her suave house chopped and screwed her mouth" is now moving on to the south moving on in at the close of the shiny suit era and is cleverly flipped to nas getting sex by hip-hop he finally gave in after he does her, she spills the beans and tells him that Bill Gates sponsored her to destroy hip-hop through means of downloading and extreme piracy Remember, hip-hop's father was a bootlegger and now her sponsor is one of the largest helpers in the creation of bootlegging
at this point she just breaks down and admits she is IMMORTAL because no regular human could be alive in BOTH slave times AND the Present. she says she came from that era and had many lovers since but her one true love was kool herc (pioneer of hip-hop, some say sole creator) But then she obviously does him over and fell to the pressure of the root of all evil, money. At this point the gig is up and she begins to fade away magically but lets NaS know it's his inner spirit that really keeps hip-hop alive.
She really didn't need the money in the end

"If u really love me i'll come back alive."

[>ThaGoldenChild<]

Maybe lyrics would help you guys....

Look here see
Pretty Mike shanked Two-Face Al over some gal
Found the body dead in the isles
Death by strangulation
Microphone cord, a dirty broad
Guess they'll never play it again Sam
Damn that was my jam
Now she's on the lamb
She made it out with 200 grand
What a scam
While these two compete on who's the star of the show
Golden legs there makes off with the dough
I read the paper there with Joe the Butcher
He said one glance is all it took ya
She's a real looker
They say her old mans a bootlegger
Transporting in any weather
And at this rate we'll never get her
Fellas, think it's time to call it a night
All this talk of this mystery dame's gettin' me tight
Thought I saw her in my eyesight, right
Hate to spoil the party
What are you guys havin', the same?
Waiter another round for the gang
It's strange how I always felt outta place
Joe The Butcher's my ace, but in comes Freckle Face
So I said see you later
'Fore I hurt him and his two ugly thumb breakers
He met them in Louisiana wrestling gators
An idiot can tell they're involved with the caper
So I pulled the revolver on my waist up
Between the patrol car and the gray truck
Behind the street lamp was a silouhette
White gloves and a real long cigarette
What do ya know all this time she's got me in her scope
She spoke says the devil got you guys by the throat
Your conspiracy theories won't work without evidence
That's the reason why Eric B is not president

Well what do ya say

Ya see? [3x]

Look here see
I know you got soul your trying to hide it
How did you kill a man out in cypress
One Eyed Charlie
He only hangs with the criminal minded
Says you guys did it doggy style is he lyin'
She says, (Walk This Way) I'll tell you a (Children's Story)
We hit the bodega got her a few 40's
We jumped in my ride we drove and she cried
Twisted off the cap there and opened her mouth wide
Swallowed it, whole bottle's half empty
Drinks like a fish now she's past tipsy
The truth came out as we got to her suave house
(Chopped and screwed) her mouth and sat me on the couch
I said it's gettin late c'mon give it to me straight
Who's ya sponsor lady? She says Bill Gates
What are ya born 77 or 78?
She says, Nah it goes way to an earlier date
Slave times, claims the slaves said rhymes
But she fell in love with some fella named Clive
Who? Clive Campbell from Sedgwick Ave, the Bronx
Now she shows me the cash
I said who's Clive, don't play with me skirt
She said Clive Campbell
He's Kool Herc

Ah ha! Ah ha!

Listen up sweetheart
Now we gettin somewhere
As she's talkin, she starts vanishing in thin air
But before she drops the money bag on the floor and died
She said if you really love me I'll come back alive

[J-DON]

Not feeling the chief wiggum voice on this.