Verified archive entry

Problem Child

Problem Child is a diss track by Jadakiss targeting 50 Cent. The recording also credits Styles P. Jadakiss and Styles P entered the conflict after Jadakiss appeared on Ja Rule's ‘New York’ and 50 Cent attacked him on ‘Piggy Bank.’ Their responses challenge 50's street narrative, commercial leverage and use of the nine-shot survival story as a brand.

Released2005
Annotated7
ExplicitYes
Addressable transcript

Lyrics & breakdown

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

  1. 01

    [Intro: sample & (Jadakiss)]

    02

    (Load up, hahahahaha)

    03

    "Why can't you be man enough"

    04

    (Yeah, where you at, nigga?)

    05

    "To tell me where, ya comin' from"

  2. 06

    (Load up nigga, wooo! HA-HAAAEEH!)

  3. 07

    [Verse 1: Jadakiss]

    08

    Yo, can't really figure this clown out

    09

    Where is he from, Jamaica Queens, Cali or down South?

    10

    I could let a L.A. gun hit him

    11

    But Grape Street already told me you payin' to run with 'em

  4. 12

    I could let a New York knife poke him with one of my throw aways

    13

    But I don't want to see no cops smoke him, uhh

    14

    Somebody tell Pa we ridin'

    15

    And get ready to auction off the car he die in (eBay)

  5. 16

    Whenever we bump heads, since you like havin' people with you

    17

    Get you a hospital with bunk bed

    18

    Without Dr. Dre, you would just make slow jams

    19

    Come up out of that witness protection program

  6. 20

    Hov' don't really respect you, get in your place

    Multi-line diss block
    21

    If Big was alive, he'd a probably spit in your face

    22

    Nas been doin' just fine without you (Esco)

    23

    And Pac probably would've made an album about you

    Block noteChallenges the target's public standing

    Target50 Cent

    MeaningWhat it means: In “Hov' don't really respect you, get in your place,” Jadakiss questions whether 50 Cent's attention, audience, or reputation reflects genuine respect. Why it was said: Jadakiss and Styles P entered the conflict after Jadakiss appeared on Ja Rule's ‘New York’ and 50 Cent attacked him on ‘Piggy Bank.’ Their responses challenge 50's street narrative, commercial leverage and use of the nine-shot survival story as a brand. Visibility can be mistaken for victory, so the artist recasts 50 Cent's recognition as temporary, manufactured, or disconnected from credibility.

    ContextJadakiss and Styles P entered the conflict after Jadakiss appeared on Ja Rule's ‘New York’ and 50 Cent attacked him on ‘Piggy Bank.’ Their responses challenge 50's street narrative, commercial leverage and use of the nine-shot survival story as a brand.

  7. 24

    So I guess that just leaves me here to get rid of you

    25

    And Rakim and them, they don't even consider you

    26

    Em know you ain't got nothin' for Jada

    27

    And I know he appreciates all the money you made him

  8. 28

    It's two thousand and five, nobody fights fair

    29

    I just know an instrumental's your worst nightmare

    30

    But you tough and you bad, too bad, you mad

    31

    Probably been in your old hood more than you have

  9. 32

    Yeah, you sold more records than me

    Multi-line diss block
    33

    But in the streets you gon' always be second to me

    34

    We was damn near feelin' you

    35

    Even though your career is based off somebody damn near killin' you

    Block noteUses career results as evidence

    Target50 Cent

    MeaningWhat it means: In “Even though your career is based off somebody damn near killin' you,” Jadakiss turns releases, sales, label standing, or career momentum into a public measurement of 50 Cent's position. Why it was said: Jadakiss and Styles P entered the conflict after Jadakiss appeared on Ja Rule's ‘New York’ and 50 Cent attacked him on ‘Piggy Bank.’ Their responses challenge 50's street narrative, commercial leverage and use of the nine-shot survival story as a brand. The artist invokes an external scoreboard so listeners can compare 50 Cent's claims with visible results, making status something that can be disproved rather than merely debated.

    ContextJadakiss and Styles P entered the conflict after Jadakiss appeared on Ja Rule's ‘New York’ and 50 Cent attacked him on ‘Piggy Bank.’ Their responses challenge 50's street narrative, commercial leverage and use of the nine-shot survival story as a brand.

  10. 36

    Shit you be doing ain't even considered rappin' to us

    37

    This is probably the best thing that happened to us

    38

    The best Wanksta, internet gangsta

    39

    Magazine mobster, shit on your whole roster

  11. 40

    Get ready to say Hail Marys and Our Father's

    41

    Get out your black suits and hard bottoms

    42

    Haha, don't worry, I got him

    43

    He ain't a problem child, just a child with a problem

  12. 44

    [Break: sample & (Jadakiss)]

    45

    "Why can't you be man enough"

    46

    (We love it, nigga, let's go)

    47

    "To tell me where, ya comin' from"

  13. 48

    [Verse 2: Styles P]

    Multi-line diss block
    49

    D-Block, don't think it, nigga

    50

    Take a piss in your Formula 50, drink it, nigga

    51

    Get shot out the Reeboks nigga

    52

    Got shot and ain't shoot none back, you'se a biatch nigga

    Block noteImagines the battle as physical destruction

    Target50 Cent

    MeaningWhat it means: In “Get shot out the Reeboks nigga,” Jadakiss converts lyrical defeat into death, shooting, burial, or bodily harm directed at 50 Cent. Why it was said: Jadakiss and Styles P entered the conflict after Jadakiss appeared on Ja Rule's ‘New York’ and 50 Cent attacked him on ‘Piggy Bank.’ Their responses challenge 50's street narrative, commercial leverage and use of the nine-shot survival story as a brand. The violent image makes the response sound final: instead of proposing an endless exchange, the artist depicts 50 Cent as unable to return for another round.

    ContextJadakiss and Styles P entered the conflict after Jadakiss appeared on Ja Rule's ‘New York’ and 50 Cent attacked him on ‘Piggy Bank.’ Their responses challenge 50's street narrative, commercial leverage and use of the nine-shot survival story as a brand.

  14. 53

    If I would've got shot on grandma's stoop

    Multi-line diss block
    54

    I would've aired out somebody's grandma duke, right!?

    55

    In the streets they say, "50, who shot ya?"

    56

    Named three niggas soon as he came out the doctor

    Block noteImagines the battle as physical destruction

    Target50 Cent

    MeaningWhat it means: In “In the streets they say, "50, who shot ya?",” Jadakiss converts lyrical defeat into death, shooting, burial, or bodily harm directed at 50 Cent. Why it was said: Jadakiss and Styles P entered the conflict after Jadakiss appeared on Ja Rule's ‘New York’ and 50 Cent attacked him on ‘Piggy Bank.’ Their responses challenge 50's street narrative, commercial leverage and use of the nine-shot survival story as a brand. The violent image makes the response sound final: instead of proposing an endless exchange, the artist depicts 50 Cent as unable to return for another round.

    ContextJadakiss and Styles P entered the conflict after Jadakiss appeared on Ja Rule's ‘New York’ and 50 Cent attacked him on ‘Piggy Bank.’ Their responses challenge 50's street narrative, commercial leverage and use of the nine-shot survival story as a brand.

  15. 57

    And you far from a gangsta, nigga

    58

    You was talkin' 'bout yourself when you made Wanksta, nigga

    59

    Listen, why work out, cock guns on the DVD

    60

    Run around with cops from homicide and TNT

  16. 61

    Nigga you can suck my dick

    Multi-line diss block
    62

    Come around without cops, shit's on, you gon' get touched quick

    63

    Cause, I was at the VIBE when it jumped off

    64

    Put fifty grand up, you pussy you ain't even lift a hand up

    Block noteUses gendered or sexual humiliation

    Target50 Cent

    MeaningWhat it means: In “Nigga you can suck my dick,” Jadakiss uses gendered or sexual language to question 50 Cent's masculinity or humiliate the target in front of the audience. Why it was said: Jadakiss and Styles P entered the conflict after Jadakiss appeared on Ja Rule's ‘New York’ and 50 Cent attacked him on ‘Piggy Bank.’ Their responses challenge 50's street narrative, commercial leverage and use of the nine-shot survival story as a brand. The tactic tries to trigger an emotional reply and damage 50 Cent's public image, even though the framing itself can reproduce homophobic or sexist stereotypes.

    ContextJadakiss and Styles P entered the conflict after Jadakiss appeared on Ja Rule's ‘New York’ and 50 Cent attacked him on ‘Piggy Bank.’ Their responses challenge 50's street narrative, commercial leverage and use of the nine-shot survival story as a brand.

  17. 65

    Your man stabbed somethin', police grab somethin'

    Multi-line diss block
    66

    But besides that, I ain't seen nobody man up

    67

    Shit, what the plot is about?

    68

    Cause you know that, you don't need a dentist to get shot in the mouth

    Block noteImagines the battle as physical destruction

    Target50 Cent

    MeaningWhat it means: In “Cause you know that, you don't need a dentist to get shot in the mouth,” Jadakiss converts lyrical defeat into death, shooting, burial, or bodily harm directed at 50 Cent. Why it was said: Jadakiss and Styles P entered the conflict after Jadakiss appeared on Ja Rule's ‘New York’ and 50 Cent attacked him on ‘Piggy Bank.’ Their responses challenge 50's street narrative, commercial leverage and use of the nine-shot survival story as a brand. The violent image makes the response sound final: instead of proposing an endless exchange, the artist depicts 50 Cent as unable to return for another round.

    ContextJadakiss and Styles P entered the conflict after Jadakiss appeared on Ja Rule's ‘New York’ and 50 Cent attacked him on ‘Piggy Bank.’ Their responses challenge 50's street narrative, commercial leverage and use of the nine-shot survival story as a brand.

  18. 69

    And the hood hate ya shit, but you hot in the south

    Multi-line diss block
    70

    It's the crackers that buy the album, what's the plottin' about?

    71

    Many men make a wish, but we ain't many men

    72

    So you gon' get death when we let them semis spit, what?

    Block noteImagines the battle as physical destruction

    Target50 Cent

    MeaningWhat it means: In “So you gon' get death when we let them semis spit, what?,” Jadakiss converts lyrical defeat into death, shooting, burial, or bodily harm directed at 50 Cent. Why it was said: Jadakiss and Styles P entered the conflict after Jadakiss appeared on Ja Rule's ‘New York’ and 50 Cent attacked him on ‘Piggy Bank.’ Their responses challenge 50's street narrative, commercial leverage and use of the nine-shot survival story as a brand. The violent image makes the response sound final: instead of proposing an endless exchange, the artist depicts 50 Cent as unable to return for another round.

    ContextJadakiss and Styles P entered the conflict after Jadakiss appeared on Ja Rule's ‘New York’ and 50 Cent attacked him on ‘Piggy Bank.’ Their responses challenge 50's street narrative, commercial leverage and use of the nine-shot survival story as a brand.

  19. 73

    [Outro: Sample]

    74

    "Why can't you be man enough"

    75

    "To tell me where, ya comin' from"

    76

    "Why can't you be man enough"

    77

    "To tell me where, ya comin' from"