JADAKISS INTERLUDE – English Lyrics

• By: DJ Khaled, Jadakiss
• Album: GOD DID

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the heart of New York City through the powerful lyricism of Jadakiss in "JADAKISS INTERLUDE." This track is a masterclass in authentic storytelling and urban poetry, offering a unique opportunity to learn the slang and rhythm of the streets of New York. Its raw energy and vivid imagery make it a standout piece of modern hip-hop that is both educational and artistically compelling.

[English]

♪ - [Singer] Born in New York City, on a Monday ♪

It seems I was out shinin' shoes 'bout two to noon

All the fat cats in the bad hats

doin' me a real big favor forgot the fat cats

in the bad hats layin' it on real good

When you're down and out in New York City

- [DJ Khaled] We Da Best Music

- [Jadakiss] I am New York

If you ain't with us Khaled tell 'em the rest

- [DJ Khaled] (Another One)

- [Jadakiss] Yeah

- [DJ Khaled] DJ Khaled

- [Jadakiss] I'm B.I.G, Prodigy, DMX and Pun (yeah)

Killin' niggas for fun, nothin' iller

than son (nothin')

I'ma gonna be collectin' this money long as it come

(uh-huh) If I'm behind the barrel, then you in front of

the gun (you) I'm the bullet that struck your limbs

I'm white Air Force Ones, I'm construction Timbs

I'ma do whatever it takes, just enough to win (win)

I'm the one that your man told you not to

fuck with him (nah) I'm the single parent household

with nothin' in the 'frigerator

Pissy staircases, smell like the incinerator

Grandma in the back, hooked up to the ventilator

(uh-huh)

Tryna chip in and see we can get some dinner later

(woo) In front of the building with a clip full

Garbage piled up, rats size of pitbulls

Either gettin' money or you aren't (uh-huh)

Couple parolees, couple niggas with warrants

(uh-huh) Couple of hoopties, couple niggas

with foreigns (woo)

Making a movie, couple niggas is starring (yeah)

But it's just a segment (uh-huh)

Somebody got somebody's sister pregnant (uh-oh)

Dice game, somebody lose, somebody win (yeah)

Somebody comin' home, somebody is goin' in (damn)

Everybody 'bout that action, we don't do talk

You already know what it is, this is New York

(this is New York)

- [Singer] Down and out in New York City

Down and out in New York City

That's New York City

That's New York City

New York City

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
city /ˈsɪti/ A1	noun - a large town
down /daʊn/ B1	adjective - unhappy, sad, or depressed; in a bad or difficult situation (as in 'down and out')
out /aʊt/ B1	adjective - without money or a home; in a state of destitution (as in 'down and out')
fat /fæt/ A2	adjective - (of a person or animal) having a large amount of excess flesh; (informal) large, substantial, or wealthy (as in 'fat cats')
bad /bæd/ A1	adjective - of poor quality or low standard; unpleasant or unwelcome
favor /ˈfeɪvər/ B1	noun - an act of kindness beyond what is due or usual
fun /fʌn/ A1	noun - enjoyment or amusement
collect /kəˈlɛkt/ A2	verb - to gather together
gun /ɡʌn/ A2	noun - a weapon firing projectiles
bullet /ˈbʊlɪt/ B1	noun - a projectile for a firearm
win /wɪn/ A1	verb - to be successful or victorious in a contest or conflict
household /ˈhaʊshoʊld/ B1	noun - a house and its occupants regarded as a unit
staircases /ˈstɛrkeɪsɪz/ B1	noun - a set of stairs and its surrounding structure (plural of staircase)
garbage /ˈɡɑːrbɪdʒ/ A2	noun - waste food, scraps, or other refuse
rats /ræts/ A2	noun - rodents larger than a mouse, typically having a pointed snout and a long, hairless tail (plural of rat)
money /ˈmʌni/ A1	noun - a current medium of exchange in the form of coins and banknotes
warrants /ˈwɔːrənts/ B2	noun - documents issued by a legal or government official authorizing an arrest, search, or other act (plural of warrant)
pregnant /ˈprɛɡnənt/ B1	adjective - (of a woman or female animal) having a developing embryo or fetus in the uterus
lose /luːz/ A1	verb - to be deprived of or cease to have or retain (something); to be defeated in a contest
action /ˈækʃən/ A2	noun - the fact or process of doing something, typically to achieve an aim; exciting or significant activity

Key Grammar Structures

• It seems I was out shinin' shoes 'bout two to noon

  ➔ Past Continuous Tense

  ➔ Uses 'was shinin'' to describe an action in progress in the past. 'Bout' is a colloquial shortening of 'about'.

• When you're down and out in New York City

  ➔ Conditional clause (implied), Adverbial phrase of time

  ➔ Implies a cause and effect relationship. 'When' introduces a time frame.

• If you ain't with us

  ➔ Conditional Clause (Type 1), Contraction

  ➔ 'If' introduces a possible situation. 'Ain't' is a non-standard contraction for 'am not/is not/are not'.

• I'ma gonna be collectin' this money long as it come

  ➔ Future tense (going to), as long as

  ➔ 'I'ma' is a colloquial form of 'I am going to'. 'Long as' is a conjunction that means 'provided that' or 'as long as'.

• If I'm behind the barrel, then you in front of the gun

  ➔ Conditional Clause (Type 1), Subject-verb agreement

  ➔ 'If' clause with a present tense verb ('am'). The main clause also uses present tense ('you in').

• I'm the bullet that struck your limbs

  ➔ Relative Clause

  ➔ 'That struck your limbs' describes the bullet, acting as an adjective.

• Grandma in the back, hooked up to the ventilator

  ➔ Ellipsis, Passive Voice

  ➔ The verb is omitted, technically 'Grandma [is] in the back'. 'Hooked up to' implies a passive state.

• Tryna chip in and see we can get some dinner later

  ➔ Contraction, Modal Verb, Future tense (implied)

  ➔ 'Tryna' is a contraction of 'trying to'. 'Can' is a modal verb of possibility. 'Later' implies a future timeframe.

• Either gettin' money or you aren't

  ➔ Correlative Conjunction, Verb omission (ellipsis)

  ➔ 'Either...or' shows a choice. The verb 'are' is omitted in the second part, implying 'or you aren't gettin' money'.

• Making a movie, couple niggas is starring

  ➔ Participial phrase, Subject-verb agreement (informal)

  ➔ 'Making a movie' functions as a gerund or participle. 'is' is used, instead of 'are', which is informal.