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.
[ Verse 1 ]
Yo, yo, niggas wanna kill me so bad, they can taste it
'cause I'm a real nigga, ain't scared to say shit
Jealousy that got me in a lot of altercations
So why are we at a ?bar of killers? getting wasted?
If niggas plan to murder me God, I'd rather face it
I ain't running from no man, *damn I hate this*
I look death in the eye and won't blink, I can't escape it
All I'm thinking of is revenge, I can't erase it
Move my daughter's way down south, on some safe shit
In case shit go down funny and I don't make it
Paid a kid who looked like me to fly to Vegas
And do a show posing as me so cops can't trace this
?Thick blood? all of the while, I lose patience
I waited two years for this chance, I'm 'bout to take it
Send his tattoos to his mom's, butt-naked
I made a vow to my creator and I won't break it
[ Chorus ] (sung w/ adlibs by Chino*)
So many tears I've cried *I've cried
So much pain inside *Inside
Niggas this ain't over til it's over *I ain't forget you niggas
Yeah you cowards tried *Yeah you tired
But I'm still alive *I'm still here
Nigga beef ain't over til it's over *I ain't forget you niggas
[ Verse 2 ]
Yo, yo, you made a good man bad with your envy
Cat's that I pumped with was begging to revenge me
Represent me, avenge me, eventually,
I had to do this shit by myself son, I'm angry
Changed me from a be-boy, rapping, graffiti
To a nigga down for catching a body after my CD
Voices in my head screaming murder it's kinda eerie
He ain't leaving this bar breathing he need to fear me
Oh shit he seen me - 'Yo I think he coming near me'
He don't know I know he set me up it ain't no theory
He about to feel me and the chrome that I'm concealing
I love myself dearly - 'Nigga hurt these cats severely'
He sat next to me I know him, what's the dilly
Damn dog ain't seen you in months, nah yearly
As I slipped some drugs in his drink, he ?plants? wearily
Realising that I know what he did and change the scenery
[ Chorus ]
[ Verse 3 ]
Yo, yo, he was like 'so what err, yo what's up?!'
I broke a bottle over that niggas head 'yo shut the fuck up!'
Want everybody sitting, and nobody bitching
Which one of you niggas inside this bar is down to die with him?
That cat was bleeding so what, as I kicked him
You tried to get me jacked faggot nigga now YOU the victim
Bartender hit the panic button and I gun-butt him and the blood rushin
His dome piece rocked like Charles Dutton
All of a sudden, I started catching a dark flashback
Two years back to the night they shot my shit up at a stop light
Masked up, automatic weaponry, trying to send me to the cemetery
Unsuccessfully, strictly out of jealousy
But nobody is sticking me for my riches, diamonds or lex truck
Fuck I was set-up, bullets all missed me like my ex-bitches
And snitches and your block gave your name
?!?! face down, niggas stripped and cried like Coco on Fame
And games over you lie shaking
I ain't focused on your life that I'm ending but all the lives that I'm saving
My spiritual eyes ain't blinded to your plea's
I stop for a second, I close 'em, I squeeze...
[ Chorus ] til end...
Yo, yo, niggas wanna kill me so bad, they can taste it
'cause I'm a real nigga, ain't scared to say shit
Jealousy that got me in a lot of altercations
So why are we at a ?bar of killers? getting wasted?
If niggas plan to murder me God, I'd rather face it
I ain't running from no man, *damn I hate this*
I look death in the eye and won't blink, I can't escape it
All I'm thinking of is revenge, I can't erase it
Move my daughter's way down south, on some safe shit
In case shit go down funny and I don't make it
Paid a kid who looked like me to fly to Vegas
And do a show posing as me so cops can't trace this
?Thick blood? all of the while, I lose patience
I waited two years for this chance, I'm 'bout to take it
Send his tattoos to his mom's, butt-naked
I made a vow to my creator and I won't break it
[ Chorus ] (sung w/ adlibs by Chino*)
So many tears I've cried *I've cried
So much pain inside *Inside
Niggas this ain't over til it's over *I ain't forget you niggas
Yeah you cowards tried *Yeah you tired
But I'm still alive *I'm still here
Nigga beef ain't over til it's over *I ain't forget you niggas
[ Verse 2 ]
Yo, yo, you made a good man bad with your envy
Cat's that I pumped with was begging to revenge me
Represent me, avenge me, eventually,
I had to do this shit by myself son, I'm angry
Changed me from a be-boy, rapping, graffiti
To a nigga down for catching a body after my CD
Voices in my head screaming murder it's kinda eerie
He ain't leaving this bar breathing he need to fear me
Oh shit he seen me - 'Yo I think he coming near me'
He don't know I know he set me up it ain't no theory
He about to feel me and the chrome that I'm concealing
I love myself dearly - 'Nigga hurt these cats severely'
He sat next to me I know him, what's the dilly
Damn dog ain't seen you in months, nah yearly
As I slipped some drugs in his drink, he ?plants? wearily
Realising that I know what he did and change the scenery
[ Chorus ]
[ Verse 3 ]
Yo, yo, he was like 'so what err, yo what's up?!'
I broke a bottle over that niggas head 'yo shut the fuck up!'
Want everybody sitting, and nobody bitching
Which one of you niggas inside this bar is down to die with him?
That cat was bleeding so what, as I kicked him
You tried to get me jacked faggot nigga now YOU the victim
Bartender hit the panic button and I gun-butt him and the blood rushin
His dome piece rocked like Charles Dutton
All of a sudden, I started catching a dark flashback
Two years back to the night they shot my shit up at a stop light
Masked up, automatic weaponry, trying to send me to the cemetery
Unsuccessfully, strictly out of jealousy
But nobody is sticking me for my riches, diamonds or lex truck
Fuck I was set-up, bullets all missed me like my ex-bitches
And snitches and your block gave your name
?!?! face down, niggas stripped and cried like Coco on Fame
And games over you lie shaking
I ain't focused on your life that I'm ending but all the lives that I'm saving
My spiritual eyes ain't blinded to your plea's
I stop for a second, I close 'em, I squeeze...
[ Chorus ] til end...
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Beef Lyrics as written by Louis M Freeze Janie Bradford
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
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