Shiny Suit Theory
Producer
Shiny Suit Theory Lyrics
One two, one two, yeah, uh huh, yeah
[Chorus: Jay Electronica]
I'm sailing on a cloud, they trailing below
My shrink told me, "It's a feeling they'll never know"
I pack up all my sins and I wear 'em to the show
And let 'em go, let 'em go, let 'em go, let 'em go
I'm sailing on a cloud, they trailing below
My shrink told me, "It's a feeling they'll never know"
I pack up all my sins in every L that I blow
And let 'em go, let 'em go, let 'em go, let 'em go
[Verse 1: Jay Electronica]
In the land before time
A land before altar boys, synagogues, and shrines, man was in his prime
Look how far I go in time just to start a rhyme
The method is sublime, you get blessed with every line
I'm in touch with every shrine from Japan to Oaxaca
The melanated carbon-dated phantom of the chakras
Me and Puff, we was chilling in Miami
He said, "Nigga, fuck the underground, you need to win a Grammy
For your mama and your family, they need to see you shined up
You built a mighty high ladder, let me see you climb up
Nigga, what you scared of?
Terrorize these artificial rap niggas and spread love, pollinate they earbuds
Like you supposed to, spit it for the culture
Pay no attention to the critics and the vultures
They rather have a shot of Belvy just to spite you
They casting judgments 'cause they feel they got the right to
Fuck 'em, I let the dice roll like The Father did
I gotta shine, it's in my blood, I'm a Harlem kid
I treat my babies right, treat my ladies ladylike
Hit them with a remix to make sure that they play me twice
I thought you said, "It's the return of the black kings
Luxurious homes, fur coats, and fat chains"
I'm sailing on a cloud, they trailing below
My shrink told me, "It's a feeling they'll never know"
I pack up all my sins and I wear 'em to the show
And let 'em go, let 'em go, let 'em go, let 'em go
I'm sailing on a cloud, they trailing below
My shrink told me, "It's a feeling they'll never know"
I pack up all my sins in every L that I blow
And let 'em go, let 'em go, let 'em go, let 'em go
[Verse 2: Jay-Z]
In this manila envelope, the results of my insanity
Quack said I crossed the line 'tween real life and fantasy
Can it be the same one on covers with Warren Buffett?
Was ducking the undercovers, was warring with muh'fuckers
Went from warring to Warren, undercovers to covers
If you believe in that sort of luck, your screws need adjusting
In the world of no justice and black ladies on the back of buses
I'm the immaculate conception of rappers-slash-hustlers
My God, it's so hard to conceive
But it all falls perfect, I'm like autumn is to trees
Aw, the doc interrupted
He scribbled a prescription for some Prozac, he said, "Take that for your mustard
Boy, you must be off your rocker
If you think you'll make it off the strip before they 'Pac ya
Nigga, you gotta be psychotic or mixing something potent with your vodka
It takes a lot to shock us but you being so prosperous is preposterous
How could this nappy-headed boy from out the projects
Be the apple of America's obsession?
You totally disconnected with reality, don't believe in dreams
Since when did black men become kings?"
You have no idea, yeah
The meaning to what I say
And you have no idea
Of how I got this way
Now hear my dreams
And by the time you wake
I'll look down from the clouds
See I'm on my way
[Chorus: Jay Electronica]
I'm sailing on a cloud, they trailing below
My shrink told me, "It's a feeling they'll never know"
I pack up all my sins and I wear 'em to the show
And let 'em go, let 'em go, let 'em go, let 'em go
I'm sailing on a cloud, they trailing below
My shrink told me, "It's a feeling they'll never know"
I pack up all my sins in every L that I blow
And let 'em go, let 'em go, let 'em go, let 'em go
About
The first track released since Jay Electronica signed to Jay Z’s Roc Nation label.
Jay Electronica raps from the perspective of a soon-to-be successful rapper who receives valuable advice from a good friend and rap-mogul Diddy (he was pushing for Electronica to sign with Bad Boy Records).
While Jay Z, who’s already one of the most successful rappers of all time, puts a spin on the hook; the shrink represents white America and tries to convince him that he is living in a dream and not supposed to be successful.
Don’t believe in dreams
Since when did black men become kings?
Diddy was also the posterboy for rap’s “Shiny Suit Era”. On his third album The Saga Continues there’s an hilarious skit titled “Shiny Suit Man” where Diddy says:
I just wanted to get the record straight, that when they’re talking about the Shiny Suit, they’re talking about me
The beat samples The Ambassadors' “Ain’t Got The Love of One Girl (On My Mind)”, which Pete Rock used with more polish on “I Got a Love”.
Humorously, the song ended up on Electronica’s long-awaited debut studio album A Written Testimony – almost a decade after its release.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
- 1.Real Magic
- 4.Life on Mars
- 7.Shiny Suit Theory
- 10.Letter to Falon
- 13.Rough Love
- 15.Run & Hide