Date 2020-06-24
Category Lyrics, Music Video, New Music
Gang Starr has endured for decades now, the presence of Guru and DJ Premier remaining stalwart in the thoughts of hip-hop historians. And while the game may have suffered a loss when Guru passed away on April 19th, 2010, his contributions to music remain for us to enjoy long after the fact. Today marks the seventeenth anniversary of The Ownerz, the final Gang Starr album to be released while Guru was alive.
To commemorate the project, which featured guest appearances from Fat Joe, M.O.P, Snoop Dogg, and more — it feels appropriate to highlight one of its key singles, the Jadakiss-assisted “Rite Where You Stand.” A relic of the golden era, even at the time of its release in the early millennium (when the sonic landscape was dominated by names like Dr. Dre, Timbaland, The Neptunes, and a rising Scott Storch), DJ Premier’s brilliant production captures the essence of New York hip-hop culture. The perfect backdrop for Guru and Jada to deliver effortless verses, their punchlines evoking battle rap dominance. Be sure to check out this classic cut right now, and show some love to Gang Starr’s The Ownerz.
Gang Starr – Rite Where U Stand (ft. Jadakiss) (prod. Guru & DJ Premier)
Watch Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=io6vxi9hAOs
[Verse 1 – Guru]
Yo, I don’t even want to fight with you, man
I’ll lay you right where you stand
You can catch a few shells
One go right through your Polo, man
Usually I’m dolo, and I got a crazy team
Call ‘Kiss to ride on you, watch for the laser beam
Shit, it’s that O.G. Flavor
Remind you of a corner bodega and that Olde E behavior
On play, but I ain’t trying to scuffle with chumps
My long joints got the culture power plus the double pump
Troublesome to anyone who stands in the way
I’ll stand and I’ll spray, fuck if your man’s in the way
Your girl want me ‘cause I do it better than you
The whole world wants me, nigga, I’m a legend to you
Like LL, Rakim, Ice-T and them niggas
Like Cube, Snoop and Dre, I’ma be seeing them figures
It don’t matter, you don’t have to be liking me, man
Keep playing, you’ll be laying there, right where you stand
[Hook – Jadakiss]
Gun on my waist, knife in my hand
I keep telling you cowards
I’ma leave you there, right where you stand
I don’t want to talk and I ain’t trying to fight with your man
Trying to get it over quick, leave you right where you stand
Some say I’m trifling; sometimes I rightfully am
But I don’t give a fuck, I’ma leave you right where you stand
You just mad, you will never be as nice as I am
D-Block, Gang Starr, leave you right where you stand, what
[Verse 2 – Jadakiss]
You wanna know why I invest
All my money into haze and into dope?
‘Cause right now, I’m currently a slave for Interscope
Respect first, then money – basic shit
If you got niggas under pressure, you could take they shit
Listen, I’ma leave you right where you stand
Have the ambulance
Pass your Timberlands off right to your man
‘Cause he pussy, he ain’t gonna do nothin’ but look
When it come to beef, he don’t want do nothin’ but cook
As soon as the chrome scope him
Right there, two in the dome, smokin’
‘Kiss keeps funeral homes open
I fall back, smoke an ounce in the dark
Bounce on a Preme track like I bounce on a NARC
Keep playing, y’all niggas will burn
And you know they say it takes something to happen for niggas to learn
Let the .40 Cal give ’em a perm
This industry is like bacteria, and my flow is a germ
Just mad ‘cause you’ll never be as nice as I am
J to the “mwah” and I’ll leave you right where you stand
[Verse 3 – Guru]
I see you got the fear of God in you
We’ll tear your heart in two
Too bad you didn’t know what you got into
Yeah, the most righteous, to Malcolm got a close likeness
My name carry weight, decapitate most vipers
Hot rhyme-spitter, dime-hitter, case-beater
Flow is angry like I’m in your face with heaters
Chasin’ beavers? Nah, I don’t ever have to do that
P.I. till I die, and then I laugh at you cats
You happy perhaps ‘cause you got dough and bitches
But no love in the streets, only from ‘mos and snitches
Only from the meat-lappin’, suckers won’t see it happen
Cross that line, then it’s time for the heat-clappin’
I do my thing like the whole planet depends on me
I got game to make Janet wanna spend on me
Some say I’m triflin’, and sometimes I rightfully am
Get your man: I’ll lay him right where he stand
[Hook]