DISSNATION
Verified archive entry

Imaginary Player

By Jay-Z · Targeting Ma$e

Imaginary Player is a diss track by Jay-Z targeting Ma$e. The record uses competitive and subliminal attacks associated with Jay-Z's disputes over status and New York rap leadership.

Released1997
Annotated3
ExplicitYes
Addressable transcript

Lyrics & breakdown

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

  1. 01

    [Intro]

    02

    Yeah, I mean like

    03

    I gotta be like the pioneer to this shit, you know

    04

    I was popping that Cristal

    05

    When all y'all niggas thought it was beer and shit, you know

  2. 06

    Wearing that platinum shit

    07

    When all y'all chicks thought it was silver and shit

    08

    (Imaginary playmates)

    09

    I got, I got to be the pioneer to this shit, man

  3. 10

    Bottom line (Imaginary playmates)

    11

    I'ma show you how to do it, check it

  4. 12

    [Verse 1]

    13

    Yo, I spit that other shit, "that's a nice motherfucker" shit

    14

    That Fed time follow me around, Deep Cover shit, nigga

    15

    You beer money, I'm all year money

    16

    I'm "Papi, you ain't got to count it, it's all there" money

  5. 17

    I never change money 'cause niggas got strange money

    18

    NARC'd up, marked up, fucked up in the game money

    19

    I got bail money, XXL money

    20

    You got flash now, but time will reveal, money

  6. 21

    I spit the hottest shit, "you need it, I got it" shit

    22

    That down south, Master P, "Bout It, Bout It" shit

    23

    I got blood money, straight up thug money

    24

    That brown paper bag under your mattress drug money

  7. 25

    You got show dough, little to no dough

    26

    Sell a bunch of records and you still owe dough

    27

    I got 900 and 96 plus 4 mo' dough

    28

    You crazy, you fugazi, I'm loco with dough, papo

  8. 29

    [Chorus: René & Angela sample]

    30

    Imaginary playmates

    31

    Imaginary playmates

    32

    Imaginary playmates

    33

    Imaginary playmates

  9. 34

    [Verse 2]

    35

    And now you got these young cats, acting like they slung caps

    36

    All in they dumb raps, talking about how they funds stack

    37

    When I see them in the street, I don't see none of that

    38

    Damn, playboy, where the fuck is the Hummer at?

  10. 39

    Where's all the ice with all the platinum under that?

    Multi-line diss block
    40

    Those ain't Rolex diamonds, what the fuck you done to that?

    41

    Y'all rapping-ass niggas, y'all funny to me

    42

    You're selling records being you, but still you wanna be me

    Block noteMakes the rejection unmistakably direct

    TargetMa$e

    MeaningWhat it means: In “Those ain't Rolex diamonds, what the fuck you done to that?,” Jay-Z drops any pretense of a subliminal and rejects Ma$e in blunt, unqualified language. Why it was said: The record uses competitive and subliminal attacks associated with Jay-Z's disputes over status and New York rap leadership. The direct wording removes plausible deniability: listeners are not left guessing whether Ma$e is part of the dispute or whether a response is being invited.

    ContextThe record uses competitive and subliminal attacks associated with Jay-Z's disputes over status and New York rap leadership.

  11. 43

    I guess for every buck you make, it's like a hundred for me

    44

    And still you're running around, thinking you got something on me

    45

    But I done did it and y'all want to take my flow, and run with it

    46

    That's cool, I was the first one with it

  12. 47

    Origin-al, Jigga's the future, flow digit-al

    Multi-line diss block
    48

    Still busting a gat when shit gets criti-cal

    49

    Sit it down, I don't want y'all to get it confused

    50

    I rip it down, like I ain't got nothing to lose (Y'all get it now?)

    Block noteForces the dispute into a direct contest

    TargetMa$e

    MeaningWhat it means: In “I rip it down, like I ain't got nothing to lose (Y'all get it now?),” Jay-Z addresses Ma$e as an opponent who must prove the claims being made rather than rely on reputation. Why it was said: The record uses competitive and subliminal attacks associated with Jay-Z's disputes over status and New York rap leadership. The challenge narrows the argument to performance under pressure, where refusing or failing to answer can itself be presented as a loss for Ma$e.

    ContextThe record uses competitive and subliminal attacks associated with Jay-Z's disputes over status and New York rap leadership.

  13. 51

    [Chorus: René & Angela sample]

    52

    Imaginary playmates

    53

    Imaginary playmates

    54

    Imaginary playmates

    55

    Imaginary playmates

  14. 56

    [Verse 3]

    57

    Groupies, I leave 'em all fucked; niggas, awe struck

    58

    Your single was 99 cents, mines was 4 bucks

    59

    Last year, when niggas thought it was all up

    60

    But this year, I've done it again; "Jigga, what the fuck?"

  15. 61

    Nigga, stop whining, Jigga still shining

    62

    Niggas kept complaining, so I copped more diamonds

    63

    Rock more Versace, ain't nothing sweet

    64

    I still throw t'ree in your body, fleeing the party

  16. 65

    Y'all can't go with me, nope, flow with me

    Multi-line diss block
    66

    Bet 50, not dollars either, I brought some dough with me

    67

    I flow like the 5 Series, in various areas

    68

    And blow holes in your weak niggas' theories

    Block noteMakes the confrontation explicit

    TargetMa$e

    MeaningWhat it means: In “And blow holes in your weak niggas' theories,” Jay-Z addresses Ma$e directly and makes the situation described in the quoted line the point of confrontation. Why it was said: The record uses competitive and subliminal attacks associated with Jay-Z's disputes over status and New York rap leadership. Naming or plainly addressing Ma$e removes the safety of a subliminal and makes the quoted claim something the target can either answer or leave standing.

    ContextThe record uses competitive and subliminal attacks associated with Jay-Z's disputes over status and New York rap leadership.

  17. 69

    It's funny how one verse can fuck up the game

    70

    You bought a 4.0 you better get your change

    71

    Ain't no platinum in those Cartiers? Switch your frames

    72

    Ain't no manicurist on board? Then switch your plane

  18. 73

    [Chorus: René & Angela sample]

    74

    Imaginary playmates

    75

    Imaginary playmates

    76

    Imaginary playmates

    77

    Imaginary playmates

  19. 78

    [Outro]

    79

    I mean, like, be truthful, man – how you think you gon' feel, right?

    80

    You pull up in your 4.0 with your bitch

    81

    I pull up in the 4.6 with my bitch, with the seat back

    82

    Bumping some other shit, you know, some other shit

  20. 83

    You probably hop on my dick right there, right in front of your bitch

    84

    Ask me some stupid shit like

    85

    "Yo, yo dog, what’s the difference between a 4.0 and a 4.6?"

    86

    "Like 30 to 40 grand, cocksucker – beat it", ha-ha

  21. 87

    Yo, them shits even got leathers?