Nas
Ebonics (Criminal Slang)
[Intro]
Yo, pay attention
And listen real closely how I break this slang shit down
Check it

[Verse 1]
My weed smoke is my "lye", a key of coke is a "pie"
When I'm lifted I'm "high", with new clothes on, I'm "fly"
Cars is "whips" and sneakers is "kicks"
Money is "chips", movies is "flicks"
Also, "cribs" is homes, "jacks" is payphones
Cocaine is "nose candy", cigarettes is "bones"
Uh, a radio is a "box", a razor blade is a "ox"
Fat diamonds is "rocks" and "Jakes" is cops
And if you got robbed, you got "stuck"
You got shot, you got "bucked"
And if you got double-crossed, you got "fucked"
Your bankroll is your "poke", a chokehold is a "yoke"
A "kite" is a note, a "con" is an okey-doke
And if you got punched, that mean you got "snuffed"
To clean is to "buff", a "bull scare" is a strong bluff
I know you like the way I'm freakin' it
I talk with slang and I'ma never stop speakin' it

[Chorus]
(Speak with criminal slang)
That's just the way that I talk, yo
(Vocabulary spills, I'm ill)
(Speak with criminal slang)
That's just the way that I talk, yo
(Vocabulary spills, I'm ill)
Yo, yo
[Verse 2]
Yo, yo, a burglary is a "jook", a "wolf"'s a crook
Mobb Deep already explained the meanin' of "shook"
If you caught a felony, you caught an "F"
If you got killed, you got "left"
But if you got "the dragon", you got bad breath
If you "730", that mean you crazy
"Hit me on the hip" means page me
"Angel dust" is sherm, if you got AIDS, you got "the germ"
If a chick gave you a disease, then you got "burned"
"Max" mean to relax, guns and pistols is "gats"
Condoms is "hats", critters is "cracks"
The food you eat is your "grub", a victim's a "mark"
A "sweatbox" is a small club, your "ticker"'s your heart
Your apartment is your "pad", your "old man" is your dad
The studio is "the lab" and "heated" is mad
I know you like the way I'm freakin' it
I talk with slang and I'ma never stop speakin' it

[Chorus]
(Speak with criminal slang)
That's just the way that I talk, yo
(Vocabulary spills, I'm ill)
(Speak with criminal slang)
That's just the way that I talk, yo
(Vocabulary spills, I'm ill)
[Verse 3]
The "iron horse" is the train and champagne is "bubbly"
A "deuce" is a honey that's ugly
If your girl is fine she's a "dime", a suit is a "vine"
Jewelry is "shine", if you in love that mean you "blind"
Genuine is "real", a "face card" is a hundred dollar bill
A very hard, long stare is a "grill"
If you sneakin' to go see a girl, that mean you "creepin'"
Smilin' is "cheesin'", bleedin' is "leakin'"
Beggin' is "bummin'", if you "nuttin'", you cummin'
Takin' orders is "sonnin'", an ounce of coke is a "onion"
A hotel's a "telly", a cell phone's a "celly"
Jealous is "jelly", your "food box" is your belly
To "guerrilla" mean to use physical force
You took an "L", you took a loss, to show off mean "floss"
Uh, I know you like the way I'm freakin' it
I talk with slang and I'ma never stop speakin' it

[Chorus]
(Speak with criminal slang)
That's just the way that I talk, yo
(Vocabulary spills, I'm ill)
(Speak with criminal slang)
That's just the way that I talk, yo
(Vocabulary spills, I'm ill)
[Outro]
Yeah, yeah
One love to my big brother
Big Lee
Holdin' it down
Yeah
Flamboyant for life
Yeah, yeah, Flamboyant for life