Verified archive entry

Dumb Out

Dumb Out is a diss track by Joe Budden targeting Lloyd Banks and Rival MCs. Joe Budden uses the record as an extended case for his own writing and against what he sees as image-driven rap. Specific bars touch Lloyd Banks, while most of the performance addresses unnamed peers and the industry's ranking of lyricists.

Released2005
Annotated3
ExplicitYes
Addressable transcript

Lyrics & breakdown

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

  1. 01

    [Verse 1]

    02

    Stuck between platinum and flop, underground and mainstream

    03

    Conscious, backpack, scratch that, same thing

    04

    I'm somewhere between the real and the fakeness

    05

    The red pill, blue pill -- real and the Matrix

  2. 06

    And I can't take this; if the game needs a new look

    07

    I'm between a tummy tuck and a face lift

    08

    And everything I say in these pages

    09

    Is straight from the heart -- nah magazines, y'all can't rate this

  3. 10

    'Cause I'll read the bit it's a bit outragous

    11

    Like it's an ear virus and this shit's contagious

    12

    I'm downloading like, "Niggas actually play this?"

    13

    Maybe I'm bugging out, maybe I'm on a spaceship

  4. 14

    See I was on my stay out jail shit

    15

    The way Mouse kills shit, I'm here just to lay out real shit

    16

    Besides, other dudes styles remind me of spinning rims

    17

    That shit got played out real quick

  5. 18

    See some wrote him off, some said he was done

    19

    Made a joke of, hope he enjoyed the run

    20

    I don't enjoy being shunned, so I'm back as Neo

    21

    Fans enjoyed The One, annoint me has begun

  6. 22

    I had the whole hood thinking he would never eat

    23

    Rappers tried to diss, thinking we would never meet

    24

    I heard it if you said it

    25

    You wrote it on online then I read it, now I match it, nigga -- bet it

  7. 26

    Cause I remember clearly

    27

    Once "Pump It Up" stop soaring, there's a few motherfuckers stopped calling

    28

    See I remember shit spread like cancer

    29

    I would call folks, said folk ain't answer

  8. 30

    A few chicks running started pulling they pants up

    31

    A few stopped acting like my private dancer

    32

    But a light bulb hit once they started to neglect me

    33

    See there I was, thinking I was all that sexy but I

  9. 34

    Nah fuck that

    35

    Cause I'm still sexy, young and fly

    36

    Know-what-I-mean, ya heard?

  10. 37

    [Verse 2]

    38

    Look here can't be finished, what nigga I beg ya pard'

    39

    I just let niggas get a head start

    40

    I walk to the finish, y'all spread out chase

    41

    Nah sprint out pace, and I'll still win the race (Yep)

  11. 42

    See I'm jogging

    Multi-line diss block
    43

    Other niggas legs starts wobbling, when opportunities start knockin

    44

    You got the crown, pass off like Stockton

    45

    It's time to work, I'm offically clocked in

    Block noteContests who deserves the top position

    TargetLloyd Banks

    MeaningWhat it means: In “You got the crown, pass off like Stockton,” Joe Budden turns rank, legacy, or leadership into the issue and argues that Lloyd Banks' claim to the position is undeserved. Why it was said: Joe Budden uses the record as an extended case for his own writing and against what he sees as image-driven rap. Specific bars touch Lloyd Banks, while most of the performance addresses unnamed peers and the industry's ranking of lyricists. The line identifies the prize behind the feud—control of reputation—and asks whose record supports the title rather than whose claim went unchallenged.

    ContextJoe Budden uses the record as an extended case for his own writing and against what he sees as image-driven rap. Specific bars touch Lloyd Banks, while most of the performance addresses unnamed peers and the industry's ranking of lyricists.

  12. 46

    He is a problem, weavin' and bobbin'

    47

    Through the speculation that his label tried to drop him

    48

    I can't leave, even though it's big options

    49

    Kev only signed me, to keep this shit rockin'

  13. 50

    Don't ask me how I'm doin', I been better

    51

    Stuck in cold February, with a thin sweater

    52

    I'm far from a Yes man, I'm a trend setter

    53

    It's no games, just a Def Jam Vendetta

  14. 54

    Don't put niggas in the same sink as me

    55

    I mean metaphors, story lines, deep shit, club shit, girl shit, world shit

    56

    They don't use the ink like me

    57

    Niggas don't even think like me

  15. 58

    Who sees what I'm watching, he ain't poppin'

    59

    Don't deserve to drink water from the tub that I washed in

    60

    Wait, start again, it's a privilege to breathe the same air that I farted in

    61

    They want no parts with him

  16. 62

    How dare niggas categorize me

    63

    If my name's on a mixtape, then capitalize me

    64

    I been stopped going to Mixtape Awards

    65

    Don't need them to tell me, the mixtapes is yours

  17. 66

    I had other ideas, while getting loot

    67

    I'm thinking red carpet, I went and copped a suit

    68

    See I'm thinking Grammys

    69

    Sunglasses on, with my On Top family and a bad bitch handy

  18. 70

    He stayed at the "W" and felt like heaven

    71

    I'm at an actress's house, that felt like necking

    72

    R&B on, looked and felt like Meagan

    73

    Gave me headache till I felt like an Excedrin

  19. 74

    Talk very fly

    75

    Least until I bought every pie, me me being war ready to my eyes

    76

    And these dudes might as well be Jamie Foxx

    77

    Trying to sound like somebody that already died

  20. 78

    The kid keep a snub wit 'em, good pair of gloves wit 'em

    Multi-line diss block
    79

    Your first week ain't right, they can't fuck wit 'em

    80

    Now if you don't sell five mill, they had enough of 'em

    81

    Let me find out hip-hop's turning Republican

    Block noteUses career results as evidence

    TargetLloyd Banks

    MeaningWhat it means: In “Your first week ain't right, they can't fuck wit 'em,” Joe Budden turns releases, sales, label standing, or career momentum into a public measurement of Lloyd Banks' position. Why it was said: Joe Budden uses the record as an extended case for his own writing and against what he sees as image-driven rap. Specific bars touch Lloyd Banks, while most of the performance addresses unnamed peers and the industry's ranking of lyricists. The artist invokes an external scoreboard so listeners can compare Lloyd Banks' claims with visible results, making status something that can be disproved rather than merely debated.

    ContextJoe Budden uses the record as an extended case for his own writing and against what he sees as image-driven rap. Specific bars touch Lloyd Banks, while most of the performance addresses unnamed peers and the industry's ranking of lyricists.

  21. 82

    I'll sum it up to what he is about

    83

    Still new to most, they still feeling him out

    84

    Things were type bland, Joey seasoned 'em out

    85

    I'm the nicest dude out since "Reasonable Doubt"

  22. 86

    Say it ain't so

    87

    Rest in Peace Luther, there's some other niggas gay on the low (oh)

    88

    So live, who can see 'em? No guy

    89

    I'm the Mets, was supposed to be ill in '05

  23. 90

    As ill as the flow gets, need a pill or dosage

    91

    So if you can't tell, I'm preparing for '06

    92

    About to OD, anybody that know me

    93

    Can tell you I'm bout to make shit feel like it's '03

  24. 94

    More like '99

    95

    No names should be mentioned but mine

    96

    Unless you talking Big Pun in his prime

    97

    Maybe '96 Jay, before Dame was throwing money around

  25. 98

    Or 2pac without Humpty around

    99

    Or 50 before Em, Nas talking like a gun in his song

    100

    Cam'ron during Children Of The Corn

    101

    Beans before the cops came through and try to grill 'em

  26. 102

    I'm talking '95 Big L before they killed 'em

    103

    Em before 8 Mile, Shyne before the jail shit

    104

    Canibus, no album out before the L shit

    105

    Talking bout Kiss, DMX when he was fuckin' wit coke

  27. 106

    Or "Cuban Linx," Raekwon and Ghost

    107

    I do it all, who blending so well in the game

    108

    Talking Fab, back when he was still spelling his name (Mang)

    109

    On my Diddy shit, Memphis Grizzly shit

  28. 110

    Like back in the day when Clue swiped all of Biggie's shit

    111

    Rappers don't need trouble with I

    112

    Unless it's Ras Kass before the D.W.I

    113

    Or Talib with Mos, Common before "Be"

  29. 114

    If they any less common, don't put 'em before me

    115

    See, I'm not a rapper, I'm a prophet

    116

    Chill Joe stop it, skill will speak for you, don't pop shit

    117

    Fuck jail, I'm on my payroll cop shit

  30. 118

    I call that bootleg cable, it's no box shit

    119

    All black, looking grimey in the crowd

    120

    Heat on him, no sir, don't try me when I'm out

    121

    I tote something tiny that'll blauh

  31. 122

    Ain't gotta see Paul Wall, if you want something shiny in your mouth

    123

    I probably fool cats, cause I don't ride out in some big car

    124

    In the streets, like I ain't some big star

    125

    And these young mother fuckers is about to fuck up

  32. 126

    Like leaving they whole career in some bitch car

    Multi-line diss block
    127

    No name, but it's no sublime

    128

    Nigga, you know who you are, I'll end it before it goes too far

    129

    Your buzz still fucked, you a liar money

    Block noteTreats the target's persona as fabricated

    TargetLloyd Banks

    MeaningWhat it means: In “Your buzz still fucked, you a liar money,” Joe Budden says Lloyd Banks' public story or image is false rather than a reliable account of who the target is. Why it was said: Joe Budden uses the record as an extended case for his own writing and against what he sees as image-driven rap. Specific bars touch Lloyd Banks, while most of the performance addresses unnamed peers and the industry's ranking of lyricists. Once the persona is presented as invented, the boasts and accusations built on it become easier for listeners to dismiss.

    ContextJoe Budden uses the record as an extended case for his own writing and against what he sees as image-driven rap. Specific bars touch Lloyd Banks, while most of the performance addresses unnamed peers and the industry's ranking of lyricists.

  33. 130

    I'm still spending "Pump It Up", "Fire" money

    131

    Glock for hire money, don't try to mug me

    132

    Call ASCAP, maybe BMI for money

    133

    Please, what's wrong wit 'em, something ain't the norm wit 'em

  34. 134

    Ain't too many dudes out there, out-performin' 'em

    135

    Some acquire these skills, I was born wit 'em

    136

    Street's asking what's taking so long with 'em

    137

    Jump Off, I'm the best to happen

  35. 138

    He's the answer, the who's got the next in rapping

    139

    I suggest you ask 'em

    140

    If hip-hop is all smoke and mirrors, then I'm the Windex and a napkin

    141

    New dudes is whack, some vets is has-beens

  36. 142

    Some were Top 20, till I crept right past 'em

    143

    It's a wrap, Joey sealing it nigga

    144

    Cold out, long johns, still dealing it nigga

    145

    Still peeling it, nigga

  37. 146

    If I only get 'em two times, just know it was the Derringer, nigga

    147

    It's that 'gnac music, don't know how to act music

    148

    Gettin' my Kanye on, putting out "Crack Music"

    149

    Car jack music, got what they lack music

  38. 150

    Send my little man, get rid of the pack music

    151

    That I'm back music, that click clack music

    152

    That A-Team, Muggs, that Fab and Stack music

    153

    Now who said they fucking with me

  39. 154

    They just said that fucking with me, they didn't mean it