The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
They see me rollin'
They hatin'
Patrollin' and tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
My music's so loud
I'm swangin'
They hopin' that they gon' catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Grindin' to see if they can see me lean
I'm tint, so it ain't easy to be seen
When you see me ride by, they can see the gleam
And my shine on the deck and the TV screen
And I'm ridin' with a new chick, she like, "Hold up"
Next to the PlayStation controller
Is a full clip and my pistola
Turn a jacker into a coma
Girl you ain't know, I'm crazy like Krayzie Bone
Just tryin' to bone, ain't tryin' to have no babies
Ride clean as hell so I pull in ladies
Law's on patrol, and you know they hate me
Music turned all the way up until the maximum
I can speak for some niggas tryin' to jack for some
But we packin' somethin' that we have for 'em
Will have a nigga locked up in the maximum
Security cell, I'm grippin' oak (oak)
Music loud and tippin' slow (slow)
Twin's steady twistin' like, "Hit this though"
Police pull up right behind and it's in his throat
The windows down, gotta stop pollution
CD change, niggas like, "Who is that producing?"
This the Play-N-Skillz when we out and cruisin'
Got warrants in every city except Houston, but I'm still ain't losin'
They see me rollin'
They hatin'
Patrollin' and tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
My music's so loud
I'm swangin'
They hopin' that they gon' catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
I been drinkin' and smokin'
Holy shit 'cause I really can't focus
I gotta get it home 'fore the po-po's scope this big ol' Excurs'
Just swerved, all up in the curve and
Nigga been sippin' on that Hennessey and the gin again
It's in again, we in the wind
Doin' a hundred while I puff on the blunt
And rollin' another one up, we livin' like we ain't givin' a fuck
I got a blunt up in my right hand
40-ounce on my lap freezin' my balls
Roll another tree, green leaves and all
Comin' pretty deep, me and my dogs
Yo, I gotta hit the back streets
Wonderin' 'bout the six pounds and I got heat
Glock, Glock shots to the block, we creep creep
Pop-pop, hope cops don't see me, on the low key
With no regard for the law, we dodge 'em like, "Fuck 'em all"
But I won't get caught up and brought up on charges for none of y'all
Keep a gun in car, and a blunt to spark
Roll it up if you want, and get it poppin', dawg
Ready or not, we bust shots off in the air, Krayzie Bone and Chamillionaire
They see me rollin'
They hatin'
Patrollin' and tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
My music's so loud
I'm swangin'
They hopin' that they gon' catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Now would you think it's so? I tried to let you go
Turn on my blinker light and then I swang it slow
And they upset for sho', 'cause they think they know
That they catchin' me with plenty of the drank and dro
So they get behind me tryin' to check my tags
Look at my rear-view and they smilin'
Thinkin' they'll catch me on the wrong well keep tryin' (keep tryin')
'Cause they denyin' that it's racial profilin'
Houston, Texas, you can check my tags (tags)
Pull me over try to check my slab (slab)
Glove compartment, gotta get my cash
'Cause the crooked cops try to come up fast
And bein' the baller that I am, I talk to them
Givin' a damn about 'em not feelin' my attitude
When they realize I ain't even ridin' dirty
Bet you'll be leavin' with an even madder mood
I'ma laugh at you and then I have to cruise
Jammin' number two on some old DJ Screw
You can't arrest me, plus you can't sue
This a message to the laws tell 'em, "We hate you"
I can't be touched or tell 'em that they shoulda known
Tippin' down, sittin' crooked on my chrome
Bookin' my phone, findin' a chick I wanna bone
Like they couldn't stop me, I'm 'bout to pull up at your home, and it's on
They see me rollin'
They hatin'
Patrollin' and tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
My music's so loud
I'm swangin'
They hopin' that they gon' catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
They see me rollin'
They hatin'
Patrollin' and tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
My music's so loud
I'm swangin'
They hopin' that they gon' catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
(Oh shit, damn man)
(Goddamn nigga)
(Damn, my arm, nigga, my arm stuck in the wheel)
(Damn, man, I done spilled my drink, man)
(My bad, I was tryna take a picture of that broad with my picture phone)
(And my hand slipped off the wheel)
(Dang, man)
(Are y'all alright?)
(I can't get the door open, man) (do y'all need a doctor?)
(Call the doctor, I need another prescription)
(Damn, I done spilled my drink)
They hatin'
Patrollin' and tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
My music's so loud
I'm swangin'
They hopin' that they gon' catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Grindin' to see if they can see me lean
I'm tint, so it ain't easy to be seen
When you see me ride by, they can see the gleam
And my shine on the deck and the TV screen
And I'm ridin' with a new chick, she like, "Hold up"
Next to the PlayStation controller
Is a full clip and my pistola
Turn a jacker into a coma
Girl you ain't know, I'm crazy like Krayzie Bone
Just tryin' to bone, ain't tryin' to have no babies
Ride clean as hell so I pull in ladies
Law's on patrol, and you know they hate me
Music turned all the way up until the maximum
I can speak for some niggas tryin' to jack for some
But we packin' somethin' that we have for 'em
Will have a nigga locked up in the maximum
Security cell, I'm grippin' oak (oak)
Music loud and tippin' slow (slow)
Twin's steady twistin' like, "Hit this though"
Police pull up right behind and it's in his throat
The windows down, gotta stop pollution
CD change, niggas like, "Who is that producing?"
This the Play-N-Skillz when we out and cruisin'
Got warrants in every city except Houston, but I'm still ain't losin'
They see me rollin'
They hatin'
Patrollin' and tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
My music's so loud
I'm swangin'
They hopin' that they gon' catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
I been drinkin' and smokin'
Holy shit 'cause I really can't focus
I gotta get it home 'fore the po-po's scope this big ol' Excurs'
Just swerved, all up in the curve and
Nigga been sippin' on that Hennessey and the gin again
It's in again, we in the wind
Doin' a hundred while I puff on the blunt
And rollin' another one up, we livin' like we ain't givin' a fuck
I got a blunt up in my right hand
40-ounce on my lap freezin' my balls
Roll another tree, green leaves and all
Comin' pretty deep, me and my dogs
Yo, I gotta hit the back streets
Wonderin' 'bout the six pounds and I got heat
Glock, Glock shots to the block, we creep creep
Pop-pop, hope cops don't see me, on the low key
With no regard for the law, we dodge 'em like, "Fuck 'em all"
But I won't get caught up and brought up on charges for none of y'all
Keep a gun in car, and a blunt to spark
Roll it up if you want, and get it poppin', dawg
Ready or not, we bust shots off in the air, Krayzie Bone and Chamillionaire
They see me rollin'
They hatin'
Patrollin' and tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
My music's so loud
I'm swangin'
They hopin' that they gon' catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Now would you think it's so? I tried to let you go
Turn on my blinker light and then I swang it slow
And they upset for sho', 'cause they think they know
That they catchin' me with plenty of the drank and dro
So they get behind me tryin' to check my tags
Look at my rear-view and they smilin'
Thinkin' they'll catch me on the wrong well keep tryin' (keep tryin')
'Cause they denyin' that it's racial profilin'
Houston, Texas, you can check my tags (tags)
Pull me over try to check my slab (slab)
Glove compartment, gotta get my cash
'Cause the crooked cops try to come up fast
And bein' the baller that I am, I talk to them
Givin' a damn about 'em not feelin' my attitude
When they realize I ain't even ridin' dirty
Bet you'll be leavin' with an even madder mood
I'ma laugh at you and then I have to cruise
Jammin' number two on some old DJ Screw
You can't arrest me, plus you can't sue
This a message to the laws tell 'em, "We hate you"
I can't be touched or tell 'em that they shoulda known
Tippin' down, sittin' crooked on my chrome
Bookin' my phone, findin' a chick I wanna bone
Like they couldn't stop me, I'm 'bout to pull up at your home, and it's on
They see me rollin'
They hatin'
Patrollin' and tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
My music's so loud
I'm swangin'
They hopin' that they gon' catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
They see me rollin'
They hatin'
Patrollin' and tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
My music's so loud
I'm swangin'
They hopin' that they gon' catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
Tryna catch me ridin' dirty
(Oh shit, damn man)
(Goddamn nigga)
(Damn, my arm, nigga, my arm stuck in the wheel)
(Damn, man, I done spilled my drink, man)
(My bad, I was tryna take a picture of that broad with my picture phone)
(And my hand slipped off the wheel)
(Dang, man)
(Are y'all alright?)
(I can't get the door open, man) (do y'all need a doctor?)
(Call the doctor, I need another prescription)
(Damn, I done spilled my drink)
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chamillionaire is demonstrably riding clean while krayzie bone is not.
i agree that the message would have been more powerful had the song not included bone's verse, which i think detracts from what cha is trying to say about hpd's corruption. it sends a mixed message in that while cha is unfairly treated by law enforcement, bone doesn't really have an excuse in the context of lawful behavior vs. corrupt police racially profiling. in fact, the entire chorus seems to counter what bone is saying; the police are profiling in the attempt to pin drug charges on a young black male (trying to catch him "riding dirty") without success, while if krayzie were pulled over he would surely be justifiably (by american law standards) arrested.
to those who assert that chamillionaire was, in fact, ridin' dirty: "Ride clean as hell, so I pull in ladies/Laws on patrol and you know they hate me" "Cause they think they know/that they catchin me with plenty of the drank and dro' (No)" "When they realize I ain't even ridin dirty/Bet you'll be leavin with an even madder mood" "You can't arrest me"
in conclusion, cha was not ridin' dirty. krayzie bone was.