You know, I enjoy most of Jay-Z’s music. I’m a loyal fan but I can also be tough because I expect so much of him lyrically. I thought “Blueprint” was a classic. The “Black Album” was a great album. “American Gangster” was an outstanding concept album that got slept on. “Vol. 2 Hard Knock Life” was a breakthrough album that really established Jay as a superstar. “Blueprint 3”, Jay’s latest album, shows that he’s still got it. But Jay-Z’s debut album, Reasonable Doubt is still in my mind his greatest album and one of the greatest Hip-Hop albums of all time. “D’Evils” is one of the best songs on that album.

Here are the lyrics from verse 1 off “D’Evils”:

This shit is wicked on these mean streets
None of my friends speak
We’re all trying to win, but then again
Maybe it’s for the best though
Cause when they’re seeing too much
You know they’re trying to get you touched
Whoever said illegal was the easy way out
Couldn’t understand the mechanics
And the workings of the underworld, granted
Nine to five is how to survive
I ain’t trying to survive
I’m trying to live it to the limit and love it a lot
Life ills, poison my body
I used to say ‘fuck mic skills’
I never prayed to God
I prayed to Gotti
That’s right it’s wicked, that’s life I live it
Ain’t asking for forgiveness for my sins, ends
I break bread with the late heads
Picking their brains for angles on
All the evils that the game’ll do
It gets dangerous, money and power is changing us
And now we’re lethal, infected with D’Evils…

D’Evils is a song about how the drug game and the pursuit of money and success within the drug game can turn loyal friends/partners into brutal enemies. The illicit drug game may be a world that you don’t live in but this powerful verse can have an impact on your life…

(Listen to 1st verse)

Let’s begin analyzing this verse…

This shit is wicked on these mean streets
None of my friends speak
We’re all trying to win, but then again
Maybe it’s for the best though
Cause when they’re seeing too much
You know they’re trying to get you touched

Life hustling on the streets can become so treacherous that even friends can virtually become strangers; fierce enemies. I like how Jay states that “we’re all trying to win.” That’s how it is in life regardless of your ambitions or goals.

Everyone wants to win in life but often times when someone wins someone else loses. On the streets losing often means death.

Jay claims that it’s for the best that so-called friends no longer speak because on the streets you’re at great risk when people know too much about you and your hustle.

This is my favorite part of this verse…

Whoever said illegal was the easy way out couldn’t understand the mechanics
And the workings of the underworld, granted
Nine to five is how to survive, I ain’t trying to survive
I’m trying to live it to the limit and love it a lot

People who think participating in illegal activity is the easy way out just don’t realize the level of fear, stress, nerves and risk involved in illegal activity. Failure when it comes to illegal activity could mean lengthy prison time or death.

Illegal acts are not taking the easy way out by any means.

Now, let me be clear: In no way am I condoning illegal activity. I’m not suggesting that being involved in illegal activity is somehow noble but clearly- people who engage in illegal activity are not living a care-free life. The criminal lifestyle is hard and daunting.

Jay is saying that there’s more to making the choice to live a criminal lifestyle and the lifestyle itself than law-abiding citizens will ever realize. Truth is, there’s a complexity within the “workings of the underworld” that is fortunately avoided by those of us who live law-abiding, rather simple lifestyles.

Let’s go down to the last lines in the verse…

I break bread with the late heads
Picking their brains for angles on
All the evils that the game’ll do
It gets dangerous, money and power is changing us
And now we’re lethal, infected with D’Evils…

Jay rhymes about “breaking bread” with the older, wiser hustlers, “picking their brains” on the ins-and-outs of the drug game. Jay makes the poignant point that the drug game is dangerous and that money and power changes people in very lethal ways- this process he characterizes as being “infected with D’Evils”.

How can we apply this verse to our lives?

I think this is just another one of Jay’s rhymes that are cautionary in nature opposed to inspirational. Cautionary tales are just as if not more insightful than inspirational tales because understanding what not to do is pivotal to reaching the pinnacle of success.

I think this verse can be effective in giving up some real perspective on how our lives can be “infected” by “D’Evils”; our desires that have the ability to undermine what’s in our best interests. In this life, we’re all trying to win and because of this we end up competing against each other for the best jobs, housing, cars, spouses, etc. A key factor in obtaining success is seizing opportunity.

We all make choices in life that we have to live with. Understand the “mechanics” of and the inner “workings” within the lifestyle that you choose. Don’t live your life just to survive, live it to the limit and love it.

Look to older, wiser and more experienced people for guidance. As your life matures you will change as a person. Success brings about the greatest change that one can have in life. “D’Evils” can infect any of us regardless of our age, where we live, what we do or how we think.

As I stated before, I think “D’Evils” is simply the things in our lives that makes our conditions worst and these are things that we often seek out unaware or unconcerned with how these things can changes us. Don’t get corrupted by your own desires because “D’Evils” will destroy your relationships and could ultimately destroy your life.

I’m a big fan of Jay-Z and I have enjoyed the bulk of the music in his catalog in his 14-year career but his debut album, “Reasonable Doubt” is still hands-down my personal favorite. I can let that album play all the way through- twice! “Feelin It” is somewhere in my top 5 as far as the songs just on that album alone. In this lyric, Jay is basically talking about support and unity on the streets among his crew as they hustle within the drug trade. With all of the disloyalty on the streets in the name of greed and cowardice, I think this lyric reflects a mindset that is sorely missing in various types of lifestyles.

Here’s the lyrics from the first verse off “Feelin It” that we’re going to get into:

“Since diapers had nothin to live for like them lifers but
Makin sure every nigga stay rich within my cipher
We paid the price to circular success they turned my mic up
I bout to hit these niggas with some shit that’ll light your life up
If every nigga in your clique is rich your clique is rugged
Nobody will fall cause everyone will be each others crutches
I hope you fools choose to listen I drop jewels bust it
These are the rules I follow in my life you gotta love it
Jiggy jigga lookin gully in the joint
If y’all niggas ain’t talkin ’bout large money what’s the point?”

“Feelin’ It”
Reasonable Doubt

Let’s take a closer look at these lyrics:

“Makin sure every nigga stay rich within my cipher”…

Too many of us are concerned only with our own success. Don’t get me wrong, your personal well-being is very important but personal ambition doesn’t mean total disregard for others close to you. You may not have the power to make others rich but the like-minded are stronger together than apart.

Allow Jay to “light up your life” with this lyric:

“If every nigga in your clique is rich your clique is rugged
Nobody will fall cause everyone will be each other crutches.”

This is a line that can be applied to any “clique” not just the crews hustling on the streets. Building strong relationships is vital in building wealth, success and sustainable happiness and satisfaction. Money, power, respect and influence is built on the foundation of relationships. Friendships are important in life and business. Friendships are basically formed from networking and mutual interests. Surround yourself with people who share your interests, mindset and ambitions and support one another through good times and bad times in the journey of life.

Oh yeah, don’t waste your time and energy hanging around people who don’t want more and who don’t want better. Underachievers, Do-nothings, Day-Dreamers and Negative Talkers and Thinkers should be avoided at all costs. You must be where the Action-Takers are; the people who are willing, ready and able to make great things happen.

Jay-Z: “These are the rules I follow in my life you gotta love it.”

*Shout-out to Lucas who shared this lyric*