What Happened To That Boy (feat. Clipse)

by Baby

BABY

Miscellaneous

What Happened To That Boy

(feat. Clipse, Pharrell Williams)

[Baby (talking with echo)]

Aye, Aye, Aye, Ya

Tot' 'em up, light it up nigga

Birdman motherfucker

Clipse, VA, NO nigga

What you smelt

Coke'll leave plastic

Get off the border motherfucker

Come on little'n handle your business for me boy

[Chorus: Pusha T & (Pharrell) (2x)]

(Brrrrrrrrrrr) What happened to that boy (yo)

(Brrrrrrrrrrr) What happened to that boy

He was talking shit we put a clap into that boy

[Malice]

Whoa... Yeah... Malicious... Yeah

I heard they snitchin' on a player man say it aint so

Even as a young'n they consigned me to blow

Which explains why i'm worth my weight in gold

While they was taking baby steps from an 8th to an O

Word in the streets that can envy as me

Enough ice on that watch to make a nigga lose sleep

Magnified face help the bitch see clearly

9 on the waist hit the bitch up severely

I'm know for the flip of that coke I ener

I'm heavy in the street like the 7 series Bimma

Man, hit 'em with the Nina man

Or that 4/5th guaranteed to lean ya man (Whoa)

I'm the reason that your block is vacant

Malicious will hit ya just to make a statement

Bitch! Clipse and Cash Money who aint rich

Don't compare me to you nigga you aint this (Whoa)

[Chorus]

[Baby]

Aye... Aye... Aye, Aye, Aye, Aye, Aye, Aye, Aye...

Stunna and Patty Cake the worldwide Pusha (get this money)

Birdman nigga leave the guns in the busher (cuff 'em up, let 'em up bitch)

Been shittin' up bricks unload 'em to Gucci

Boss of the ghetto with the round shape cookie

Shit one, Dro one nigga flood the block

If I don't go to jail niggas birds gone flop

Nigga sittin' on the toilet bitch get off the pot

The bird just landed so the hood gon' rot

New whips, big chips the Prada Gucci shit

But mami your fly Benz the wide skinny lips

She takes my flight she holds my weight

While the po-po staked out from state to state

It aint nuttin to a baller baby

Pay the cars, big money, heavy weight, bird man, hood boss

Baby steppin on my line I'll show a little somethin'

They callin' you don't come out then the black crow will touch ya (touch ya)

[Chorus (2x)]

[Pusha T]

Ughhh... Another soul lost

Had to make a shirt match my ox blood colored Porsche

Ughhh... The rims match of course

Blood hit his Timbs it reminded me of them

Glistenin' wrist on chiller

Gun in the same palm of gorgeous killer

I put this on my lord my niece was 4 when she felt chinchilla

I past the shore for that shit that made fiends rise from the dead like

Thriller

Gangster... Hustler

At night still found time to kiss my mother

Live like I'm dreamin' kick my feet up

Gun pulled my waist remind me of my demon

So quite ya yappin' fore I get to clappin

And have your body parts mix and matching fella

[Chorus (2x)]

[Baby (talking)]

Aye, Aye, Aye, Aye, there it is nigga, there you have it

Birdman, Clipse you under-smelt, VA you know

Uptown nigga, we go anywhere with this bullshit

We flip bricks you under-smell (gangster motherfucker)

Aye nigga put this puzzle together

Aye Pharrell you did this year (you did it nigga)

A 1000 pieces puzzles (startrak) 100, you know

Let's get this money (get the money)

Hey nigga I smell somethin', coke'll leave plastic bitch

Get money motherfucker

However you want it you can get it pimp

From gangster to blood nigga, take it how you want it nigga

We did it how we live, aint nothin' but the thug thing nigga

Money thing motherfucker

Interpretations

MyBesh.com Curated

User Interpretation

# "What Happened To That Boy": Decoding a Street Anthem's Brutal Honesty

In "What Happened To That Boy," Baby (Birdman) and Clipse craft a chilling yet captivating narrative that stands as one of hip-hop's most memorable collaborations of the early 2000s. At its core, this track operates as both a warning and a declaration of power within the street economy. The song's central message revolves around consequences for disloyalty, with the haunting onomatopoeic "Brrrrrrr" sound effect (mimicking gunfire) and the repeated question "What happened to that boy?" serving as a disturbing rhetorical device. The answer comes immediately: "He was talking shit, we put a clap into that boy." This blunt declaration establishes the song's unflinching approach to street justice and reputation management.

The emotional landscape of the track is dominated by intimidation, unwavering confidence, and a cold detachment when discussing violence. There's a palpable sense of paranoia underlying verses about snitches and police surveillance, balanced against expressions of pride in material success. What makes the song particularly striking is how these emotions aren't presented with any moral hand-wringing or apology. Instead, they're delivered with a matter-of-fact certainty that creates a psychological portrait of individuals operating within a parallel economic system with its own codes and consequences. The emotional tone communicates that violence isn't personal but rather a necessary business function in their world.

Literary devices abound throughout the verses, with metaphor and vivid imagery doing the heavy lifting. Malice's line "Enough ice on that watch to make a nigga lose sleep" creates a dual meaning about jealousy and his watch's blinding diamonds. Pusha T's "Blood hit his Timbs it reminded me of them / Glistenin' wrist on chiller" creates a disturbing juxtaposition between violence and luxury. The recurring bird/flying metaphors throughout Birdman's verse ("The bird just landed so the hood gon' rot") operate as multi-layered symbolism for cocaine distribution. Perhaps most striking is Pusha T's reference to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" to describe addicts rising for a fix – a powerful cultural allusion that vividly captures the zombie-like desperation of addiction.

The song provides a sociological window into the street economy of the early 2000s, documenting the mindset of those operating within a high-risk, high-reward underground market. The artists position themselves as businessmen who've mastered their environment despite systemic barriers. Lines about constant police surveillance ("While the po-po staked out from state to state") hint at the criminalization and targeting of Black entrepreneurs, even as the verses display ambivalence by glorifying the material rewards of the trade. The track reveals the complex reality of individuals making economic decisions within limited options, creating their own metrics for success and establishing informal governance structures when formal systems have failed them.

The production elements significantly enhance the song's impact. Pharrell Williams' sparse, menacing beat creates a perfect backdrop for the lyrical content, with the "Brrrrrrr" sound effect functioning as both hook and threat. This sonic choice transforms what could have been a standard drug-dealing narrative into something more unsettling and memorable. The minimalist production focuses attention on the voices and lyrics, creating a documentary-like quality that heightens the song's realism. The contrasting delivery styles – Malice's rapid-fire precision, Birdman's gruff declarations, and Pusha T's measured coldness – create a three-dimensional portrait of street entrepreneurship from different angles.

The lasting impact of "What Happened To That Boy" stems from its uncompromising authenticity and refusal to moralize its subject matter. It presents its narrative without apology or explanation, trusting listeners to understand the context that produces such mindsets. While the content may be disturbing, the artistic execution is undeniable. The song's influence can be seen in countless street anthems that followed, particularly in how it balances menace with craftsmanship. Nearly two decades later, the track remains relevant precisely because it documents a specific American reality with such unflinching clarity. In doing so, it raises uncomfortable questions about the economic conditions that create parallel economies and the human costs associated with them.

Posted on Jul 12, 2025 by Athena