Beef
Royce Da 5'9" · Death Is Certain [2004]
Ha ha ha ha ha, check out this bizarre mixture
5'9", 6 July, and Asar hits'll
leave the side of your car door with more
Smokin more holes than the Swiss cheese
Bitch please, I'm postponin yo' homie's
older moments, like I stole his future
Hoes know me, I'm no phony
Females'll tell you, "Yeah he cute, but he sho'll shoot ya!"
My heart bleeds the blood of felonies
The blood of Superman, the blood that I've never seen
You seem like the shook type
You ain't a thug so I wanna see what your brains and your blood look like
Fuck is you sick? 'Pac should be pissed
Cause fifty percent of the niggaz suckin his dick is bitch!
I'm against all this name-callin shit
Negro please! Listen to Chris Wallace bitch
[Chorus]
What's beef? Beef is when these rappers be believin they rhymes
And a nigga like me just take it one day at a time
Beef is when you die because of your CD
When I come from your blindside, before you see ME
Beef is when I get jumped by niggaz
And come back to kill 'em, one by one
Beef is the reaper, patiently pacin outside of your pretty house
Today, you figured out, WHAT'S BEEF
[Royce Da 5'9"]
Yeah.. gangsta, ain't this?
Starvin artists that comes with the guns he paint with
All you sorry street rejects
Y'all about to go up in smoke, seats ejectin
(Boom!) Houses come down
Drastic murders is happenin, make a nigga momma mouth come down
{*gasp!*} The precinct's heated – the cops is mad
because they know who shot yo' ass and they know who can beat it
Above the law, run up on y'all
so quickly and show you what only you and a slug saw
The silence is screwed in front of the .9 Ruger
Quietly shootin what'll hush y'all
I will leave you lying down in a street
Everything around you will be dyin down but the beef
Please believe – my guns'll take you punks
to your maker from my freezin sleeve
[Chorus] – 2X
Beef - Royce Da 5'9"
Released on the 2004 album Death Is Certain, "Beef" stands as a defining track in Royce Da 5'9"'s evolution from a pure lyricist to a rapper with a distinct, aggressive edge. The recording captures the raw intensity of the mid-2000s hip-hop scene, characterized by its gritty production and Royce's rapid-fire delivery that blends technical precision with emotional vulnerability. As a centerpiece of his discography, the song exemplifies his ability to construct complex narratives within a single track, addressing themes of conflict and personal struggle without relying on external drama. Its enduring presence in the catalogue highlights Royce's commitment to authentic storytelling and his role in shaping the sound of underground rap during that era.