So, yeah, when I think of this record it just automatically puts me back into ‘87/’88 where we were standing in front of the building. It gave me an opportunity to revisit the times where that cream meant that much to us. ‘C.R.E.A.M.’ did a lot for my career personally. It has also been featured in movies such as Eminem’s 8 Mile and the N.W.A biopic, Straight Outta Compton. Since its release, the song and chorus have been referenced countless times by several artists. Method Man, the master of hooks at the time, came in with this hook right here: ‘cash rules everything around me, cream, get the money.’ Once he added that element, I knew it was going to be a smash. I reminded Rae and Deck of their verses-their verses were long. Once we got to the studio, I decided that this track had to be on the Wu-Tang album.
In 2017, RZA explained to Power 106 how the final version of the track came together: The track went through several revisions and was later re-recorded by Raekwon and Inspectah Deck in 1993-an early title of the song was “Lifestyles of the Mega-Rich.” The timeless piano riffs and background vocals come from a chopped up sample of The Charmels‘ 1967 record, “As Long As I’ve Got You,” that make up the entire track.Īlthough it was released as an official single in 1994, “C.R.E.A.M.” was first recorded in 1991, around the same time as RZA’s assault case, and featured himself and Ghostface Killah.
Cash rules everything around me C.R.E.A.M., get the money Dollar dollar bill, y'all Cash rules everything around me C.R.E.A.M., get the money Dollar dollar bill, y'all It's been twenty-two long, hard years, I'm still strugglin' Survival got me buggin', but I'm alive on arrival I peep at the shape of the streets And stay awake to the ways of the world 'cause shit is deep A man with a dream with plans to make cream Which failed I went to jail at the age of fifteen A young buck sellin' drugs and such, who never had much Tryin' to get a clutch at what I could not- The court played me short, now I face incarceration Pacin', goin' upstate's my destination Handcuffed in the back of a bus, forty of us Life as a shorty shouldn't be so rough But as the world turned, I learned life is hell Livin' in the world no different from a cell Every day I escape from Jakes givin' chase Sellin' base, smokin' bones in the staircase Though I don't know why I chose to smoke sess I guess that's the time when I'm not depressed But I'm still depressed, and I ask: what's it worth? Ready to give up so I seek the old Earth Who explained workin' hard may help you maintain To learn to overcome the heartaches and pain We got stick-up kids, corrupt cops, and crack rocks And stray shots, all on the block that stays hot Leave it up to me while I be livin' proof To kick the truth to the young black youth But shorty's runnin' wild, smokin' sess, drinkin' beer And ain't tryna hear what I'm kickin' in his ear Neglected for now, but yo, it gots to be accepted That what? That life is hecticĪrguably one of the most iconic songs in hip-hop, the underlying idea of “C.R.E.A.M.” is found in its title- cash rules everything. get the money ) ( Dollar dollar bill, y'all ) Here we, here we go, check this shit, yo I grew up on the crime side, the New York Times side Stayin' alive was no jive Had secondhands, Mom's bounced on old man So then we moved to Shaolin land A young youth, yo, rockin' the gold tooth, 'Lo goose Only way I begin the G off was drug loot And let's start it like this, son Rollin' with this one and that one, pullin' out gats for fun But it was just a dream for the teen Who was a fiend, started smokin' woolies at 16 And runnin' up in gates and doin' hits for high stakes Makin' my way on fire escapes No question, I would speed for cracks and weed The combination made my eyes bleed No question, I would flow off and try to get the dough all Stickin' up white boys in ball courts My life got no better, same damn 'Lo sweater Times is rough and tough like leather Figured out I went the wrong route So I got with a sick-ass clique and went all out Catchin' keys from 'cross seas Rollin' in MPV's, every week we made forty G's Yo, nigga, respect mine, or here go the TEC-9 Ch-chick-pow! Move from the gate now get- Yeah, check this old fly shit out, word up ( Cash rules everything around me ) Take you on a natural joint ( C.R.E.A.M. What that nigga want, God? Word up, look out for the cops though ( Wu-Tang five finger shit, fam ) Cash rules- Word up, two for fives over here, baby Word up, two for fives, niggas got garbage down the way Word up, know what I'm sayin'? Cash rules everything around me, C.R.E.A.M.