DISSNATION
Verified archive entry

Bow Down

By Westside Connection · Targeting Rap industry rivals

Bow Down is a diss track by Westside Connection targeting Rap industry rivals. Westside Connection answers artists and critics the group viewed as dismissive of West Coast gangsta rap and its commercial influence.

Released1996
Annotated4
ExplicitYes
Addressable transcript

Lyrics & breakdown

Demo lines only. Select a line number to copy a stable deep link.

  1. 01

    [Verse 1: Ice Cube]

    02

    The world is mine, nigga, get back

    03

    Don't fuck with my stack, the gauge is racked

    04

    About to drop the bomb, I'm the motherfuckin' don

    05

    Big fish in a small pond

  2. 06

    Now the feds tryna throw they book at the crook

    07

    But I shook they worm and they hook

    08

    Guppies hold they breath, they wanna miss me when I'm tipsy

    09

    Running everything west of the Mississippi

  3. 10

    It's the unseen, pulling strings with my pinky ring

    Multi-line diss block
    11

    We got your woman, pucker up 'fore we fuck her up

    12

    Bow down before I make a phone call

    13

    Got twenty-five niggas running up on y'all

    Block noteUses a relationship to provoke the target

    TargetRap industry rivals

    MeaningWhat it means: In “We got your woman, pucker up 'fore we fuck her up,” Westside Connection uses a romantic or sexual relationship to embarrass Rap industry rivals and challenge the target's control over a private narrative. Why it was said: Westside Connection answers artists and critics the group viewed as dismissive of West Coast gangsta rap and its commercial influence. The reference is designed to provoke an emotional response and make the dispute publicly humiliating, where silence can be portrayed as acceptance.

    ContextWestside Connection answers artists and critics the group viewed as dismissive of West Coast gangsta rap and its commercial influence.

  4. 14

    For the cheese, we want them keys

    15

    Everybody freeze, on your knees, butt naked please

    16

    Before any of you guppies get heart

    17

    Nigga, rewind my part, fool, and

  5. 18

    [Chorus: Ice Cube]

    19

    (Bow down) When I come to your town

    20

    (Bow down) When I'm westward bound

    21

    (Bow down) 'Cause I ain't a hater like you

    22

    Bow down to a nigga that's greater than you (Ooh)

  6. 23

    [Verse 2: Mack 10, Ice Cube]

    24

    I take ten steps and I draw (Blaow!)

    25

    Now who's dissin' the mad-ass Inglewood addition

    26

    I bust like a pimple, my mind is ill mental

    27

    The Westside Connect's with me and South Central

  7. 28

    And a drag from the Zig Zag, can't fuck with the Phillies

    29

    Holdin' down the Wild West like a Kid they call Billy

    30

    Once again it's Mack 10, the gold crown holder

    31

    Strong as a Coca-Cola with a chrome pistola (Brr)

  8. 32

    Now who wanna fuss so I can bust when I cuss

    33

    My look bring you fear with gear from the Surplus

    34

    Since a teen, I chased the green, the crack-scene king

    35

    Lolos, Corniches and baguettes on my pieces (Ugh)

  9. 36

    So recognize these real G's, chase the cheese

    37

    The Westside Connect' keep it rolling like gold D's

    38

    Three-wheeling and dealing, it's like the California style

    39

    But in the meanwhile, in my town, you got to bow

  10. 40

    [Chorus: Mack 10]

    41

    (Bow down) When you come to my town

    42

    (Bow down) When I'm westward bound

    43

    (Bow down) Because I ain't a hater like you

    44

    Bow down to a nigga that's greater than you

  11. 45

    [Verse 3: WC, Ice Cube]

    46

    Well it's that, Chuck-wearing (Uh), still sporting a beanie (Yeah)

    47

    The shadiest nigga in the clique, who wanna see me?

    48

    As I slide my Locs on, let my khakis hang

    49

    Westside Connect' gang, Connect' gang, bing-bing bang (Westside)

  12. 50

    Run away, run away, or get your punk ass slayed

    Multi-line diss block
    51

    By this H double O to the D to the S-T-A (Ah)

    52

    Fuck hiding it, I'm gang-related, simple and plain

    53

    Which means I could give a fuck about you niggas in this rap game (Ugh)

    Block noteCalls the target's toughness an act

    TargetRap industry rivals

    MeaningWhat it means: In “Run away, run away, or get your punk ass slayed,” Westside Connection portrays Rap industry rivals as frightened or unwilling to stand behind the aggression shown in public. Why it was said: Westside Connection answers artists and critics the group viewed as dismissive of West Coast gangsta rap and its commercial influence. A diss threat depends on the audience believing the speaker will confront the opponent; calling Rap industry rivals afraid is designed to empty that threat of force.

    ContextWestside Connection answers artists and critics the group viewed as dismissive of West Coast gangsta rap and its commercial influence.

  13. 54

    Flashy niggas get stuck up (Ugh), beat the fuck up (Ugh)

    Multi-line diss block
    55

    When you come around, keep your chain tucked from this

    56

    Zero-zero-apostrophe S shit

    57

    Fuck a studio lyricist, I'm real with this (Yes)

    Block noteUses a public loss to puncture the image

    TargetRap industry rivals

    MeaningWhat it means: In “When you come around, keep your chain tucked from this,” Westside Connection points to property being taken or another visible loss as evidence that Rap industry rivals' claimed security and power failed in practice. Why it was said: Westside Connection answers artists and critics the group viewed as dismissive of West Coast gangsta rap and its commercial influence. The anecdote gives the audience a concrete event against which to test Rap industry rivals' persona, turning an abstract toughness debate into a remembered humiliation.

    ContextWestside Connection answers artists and critics the group viewed as dismissive of West Coast gangsta rap and its commercial influence.

  14. 58

    Talk the talk, walk the walk

    Multi-line diss block
    59

    Diss me on wax, I'm tryna saw your whole fucking head off, nigga

    60

    I'm platinum bound, so bitch, shut up

    61

    And nigga, all y'all could kiss my Converse like Sho Nuff

    Block notePressures the target to answer

    TargetRap industry rivals

    MeaningWhat it means: In “Diss me on wax, I'm tryna saw your whole fucking head off, nigga,” Westside Connection treats Rap industry rivals' response, delay, or silence as part of the contest rather than a neutral choice. Why it was said: Westside Connection answers artists and critics the group viewed as dismissive of West Coast gangsta rap and its commercial influence. By defining silence as concession, the line tries to control the timetable of the feud and force Rap industry rivals into replying on the artist's terms.

    ContextWestside Connection answers artists and critics the group viewed as dismissive of West Coast gangsta rap and its commercial influence.

  15. 62

    [Chorus: WC, All]

    63

    (Bow down) When I come to your town

    64

    (Bow down) When I'm westward bound

    65

    (Bow down) 'Cause I ain't a hater like you

    66

    Bow down to a nigga that's greater than you

  16. 67

    (Bow down) When you come to our town

    68

    (Bow down) When we westward bound

    69

    (Bow down) 'Cause we ain't no haters like you

    70

    Bow down to some niggas that's greater than you

  17. 71

    [Interlude: Ice Cube]

    72

    Yeah

    73

    Ha

    74

    Let me tell you something

    75

    Gangstas make the world go round

  18. 76

    So you ain't got to clown

    77

    But if you live on the west side of your town

    78

    Make them other fools bow down

    79

    Westside Connection

  19. 80

    The world belongs to us

  20. 81

    [Refrain: All]

    82

    Bow down

    83

    Bow down

    84

    Bow down

  21. 85

    [Chorus: All, Ice Cube]

    86

    (Bow down) When you come to our town

    87

    (Bow down) When we westward bound

    88

    (Bow down) 'Cause we ain't no haters like you

    89

    Bow down to some niggas that's greater than you (Fool)