"Nobody Woulda Jumped In That Ring With Jadakiss [Like] I Did..."

[Fresh off the release of his new single "B-Boy Stance", Philly rapper Beanie Sigel reflects upon his past allegiance to Jay-Z before the downfall of Roc-A-Fella Records.]

I'm a team player. I ride with my team, so when my team got broke up I didn't rush to jump on no other team. That's how I felt at the time. I had offers other places, but I wouldn't do it without State Property. It was Roc-A-Fella Records but it was a State Property [movement]. We brought the street cred back to the building.

It was reality rap. I was puttin' my foot on people's neck; it was passionate music. Man, nobody in their right mind woulda jumped in that ring with Jadakiss the way I did at that time in my career. I wasn't even a fully established artist. I took that [beef] as an opportunity. It wasn't even about me and him. It was about Jay-Z and Kiss. At that time I didn't care who you was, if you had problems with anybody on the team [I got involved]. I was a rookie in the game and Jay was "The Big Homie".
I gave him that nickname.
So when Nas [rapped] "..compared to Beans, you wack" on "Ether", n*ggas around me was like "Ohhhhh!!!!" But I already saw what was going on. That was the divide and conquer move. It was a response to when Jay said "Ya bodyguards verse on 'Oochie Wally' was better than yours."
Jay wanted us to stay out the Nas beef, but I said "F**k that."
I was The Mechanic. I was the Professional.
I [responded] to Nas off the [G.Dep's 2002 single] "Special Delivery" beat and said, "What I look like -- a Fredo ni**a? I see through you like glass. Tryna kill four birds with one stone by breaking The Roc in half."
What I meant by that was when Fredo [from "The Godfather"] was out there in Vegas, Moe Green was stroking his ego, trying to divide the [Corleone] family. Nas was trying to Moe Green me like I was Fredo! Nah. You not gonna give me a compliment then you comin' at the family.
Its hard to shine around a light that's brighter than yours. My light was bright, but [Jay's] was right on top of it. Everytime.
That's how I made my bones.

Beanie Sigel is a former Roc-A-Fella Records recording artist from Philadelphia. Besides working in music, his film credits include "State Property", its sequel and "Paper Soldiers."

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