"It's Going Down" by Young Joc...True Story: he chose the name Young Joc because Young Jock, Yung Jock, Jock, Joc, Old Jock, Old Joc, and Jock-A-Diddy Doo Rag were taken.

Our next song is a "radio classic", and it is also a song that probably got more airplay than it deserved.  Nevermind, it definitely got more airplay than it deserved.  Some of the lyrics in this song are straight up confusing, so I figured I'd break it down for all of you who just didn't listen (or couldn't even try to listen) to Joc's message. 

Song # 4.  "It's Going Down" by Young Joc
Young Joc - It's Going Down (YouTube) 
[Note: the video is hilarious]


[Lil Boi]
This a nitty beat (boing)

Like all great music, the song starts out with a 'boing' noise and a shout to the producer (Nitty) from a dude named Lil' Boi (which seems like a redundant name, he might as well me called Big Giant) 

[Nitty, the producer]
Here we go again
Ghettoville U.S.A. (uh Oh)
You know I go by the name nitty right (uh huh)
I gotta introduce you to another motherfucker out my squad right (who dis nigga mane?)
Dis nigga go by the name of Joc (Joc?)
He resides in College Park (College Park cp)
But for right now what we gotta do for y'all (what we gonna do)
We gotta give y'all a hit (huh) 

Nitty lays a "gritty" intro, speaking (not singing, or rapping) about the hit he's about to lay down for his "squad" mate, Joc.  The repeating of his speech (the enclosed parts after each line) tends to show no one knows or cares who Joc is, but Nitty clearly wants that changed

[Verse 1]
Niggaz in my face
Damn near er' day
Asking a million questions like
Joc where ya stay
Tell 'em College Park
Where they chop cars
Eat 20 grand spend a grand at the bar 

Fools are in Joc's face, aggressively questioning where he stays, aka where he is from, but although he makes a claim that they ask him 'a million questions', but then he proceeds to list only one.  However, he does inform us they chop cars in College Park, so I'm guessing it would be best to avoid this place.  He also seems to enjoy eating paper money (I guess, because he has so much? I think this is how Hammer lost all his money...), but luckily, he saves some to spend on "dranks". 
 
Just bought a zone, jays on my feet
I'm on that patron, so get like me
69 cutlass, wit the bucket seats
Beat in my trunk, bought it just for the freaks 

Here he tells us he just bought a zone, and has jays on his feet.  Though it seems to be nonsense, it isn't.  He is telling us he just bought an ounce of weed and has some sick MJs on his feet (Michael Jordan sneakers).  Then, he proceeds to tell us he's drunk on Patron tequila and encourages us to join him in his Patron-drunkenness. Then, out of left field, Joc decides he has to boast about his '69 cutlass with bucket seats, out of which he plays a beat that he bought just for freaks. This either means he loves his car and has been bumping some CD he bought (so that the ladies will go after him), or that he is mentally unstable and just throwing random facts at us. 

Catch me in the hood, posted at the sto
Pistol in my lap, on the phone, counting dough
If a girl choose, let her do her thang
Just like her mama, nice ass, nice brain
Er'body love me, I'm so fly
Niggaz throw the deuces er'time I ride by
I know ya wonder why
I'm so cool
Don't ask me just do what cha do (ok) 

If you want to find Joc, he'll be in his hood, "posted at the store".  Apprently semi-famous rappers have nothing better to do than stand in front of convenience stores touting guns, counting money, and probably getting robbed.  The next set of inexplicable lines involves letting a girl dance if she wants to, especially if she has the nice assets of her mama.  Of course, he naturally proceeds to self-boasts, including the mostly incomprehensible "N%$$@z throw the deuces everytime i drive by".  I assume he means peace signs, but even he admits, the listener probably wonders why they do that.  So he answers with 'I'm so cool' .  All I can say is wow, TGFYJ.  Thank god for Young Joc.  

[Chorus: repeat 2X]
Meet me in the trap its going down
Meet me in the mall its going down
Meet me in the club its going down
Any where ya meet me guaranteed to go down
 
The chorus bursts with musical aptitude.  Boasting an amazingly complex two lines, Joc's chorus simultaneously gives us a place to meet him (although, most people don't know what a trap is, which malls or clubs he is talking about, or what going down means) and a fact (that wherever he is, it's going down).  In fact, Joc is referencing a place where a drug deal takes place when he says 'trap', and by 'going down', he most likely means, "stuff is happening".  Anywhere you meet him, all kinds of things will be happening.  Insightful and philosophical, indeed.

[verse 2]
Verse numba 2 do the damn thang
Cubes on my neck pockets full of ben frank
When I'm in the mall hoes just pause
I pop a few tags give me that on the wall

He reminds us that this is verse 2 (and subsequently, that we must now 'do the damn thang').  Then, incoherently, tells us he wears neck cubes (necklaces with big diamonds, maybe?) and has pockets full of Ben Frank.  To those unaware, Ben Frank is most likely Ben Franklin, whose face is on the 100 dollar bill (although, it could be a guy from the block who owed Joc money, so now Joc carries his fingers or something).  In other words, Joc is rich.  At the mall 'hoes just pause", presumably because he can stop time with his mind.  Then upon shooting a couple price tags, he demands "that" on the wall.  No, just playing, Joc is buying new clothes (popping the tags off of the new clothes, get it?). He's a sly one, that Joc.


Time to flip the work make the block bump
Boys from the hood call me black Donald Trump
Dope Boy Magic seven days a week
Numba one record long as nitty on the beat 

It's now time to turn work into profit for Joc (presumably work here means making music, but it could also mean making and selling drugs), and because of his ability to do so, Joc would like us to know his hood boys call him the black Donald Trump (although, I'm sure Jay-Z is a better black Donald Trump, at very least, he's richer than Joc).  7 days a week, Joc performs dope boy magic, presumably, this is the title for his opening act every time he opens for Penn and Teller.  He also admits, he will only make number 1 records as long as Nitty produces (this has been proven true, without a doubt, and I'm happy he can admit it). Although this is (and probably will remain) his only popular song, ever.


Oh I think dey like me betta yet I know
Lights camera action when I walk through the door
Niggaz know my crew we certified stars
Valet in the front 'bout 35 cars
Bitches in the back
Black beamer coups
Girls like girls time to recruit
If ya got a problem say it to my face
We can knuckle up any time any place 

Despite his uncertainty of whether or not people like him, he is certain they do.  Actually this is a  surprisingly good reference to another of rap's worst songs by some of its worst performers (the group Dem Franchize Boyz), whose song is titled "Oh I Think Dey Like Me".  Joc finishes the verse with further boasting, claiming it's only action time when he walks in the room, his car has a valet in the front with 35 cars parked there (apparently, he likes to host endless parties), there are bitches in the back (of his house?), black beamers (are these not included in the 35 cars?), and he's recruiting lesbians (which I assume will be used for top secret recon missions to Young Jeezy's crib).  He finishes the whole ridiculous charade with a threat that if you got something to say, say it to him, so he can beat the shit out of you.

[Chorus]

[Verse 3]
Time to set it off let these nigga know
Have ya every seen a Chevy wit the butterfly doors?

Simultaneously, Joc lets us know it's time to set it off, so that people know (presumably, this means the fact that he has arrived) , and also, he asks us a question (which is unrelated and outright stupid).  Neat, Joc, you have butterfly doors, the world is a better place... 

I ride real slow, no need to speed
Gotta make sure, ya see the buckets on my feet
Feds on my trail, but they don't thank I know
I keep my hands clean, cuz I never touch dope

Really, Joc, you don't touch dope?  What about that reference to buying a zone?  Either you're a liar, or you have Alzheimer's, sir.  And how is anyone gonna see the "buckets" on your feet if you're driving a car?  And if you mean rims, like I assume you do, why refer to feet? They're tires, man! 

Every time I see 'em look 'em in the eye
Ask 'em how I know its me surprise!
Put it in the air rep where ya stay
Take a step back blow the kush in they face
Stunting is a habit let 'em see the karats
I'ma make it rain nigga I ain't scared to share it
 
I'm done analyzing.  This makes sense if you really read it, but it's not really say anything.  At all.

[Chorus]

Luckily, the chorus doesn't change.  Luckily.

[Outro]
Yung Joc...
Nitty strikes again
This a Nitty beat
Playmaker
So So Def motherfucker

And finally, Joc reminds us that he is in fact, so, so def.  And in case there was any doubt, adds an emphatic "Motherfucker".


Analysis:  One thing is clear form listening to "It's Goin Down": this masterpiece took Joc years of research and writing.  And even though it is a pretty goofy song by a self-boasting rap star, with no prior hits, it turned into one of the bigger radio hits of whatever year it came out.  Joc made a hit about how big he was, before he had gotten big.  Impressive, indeed. And remember, if you see Young Joc, you know it's going down.

Young Joc's Moral: If you see Young Joc, best be prepared, because something crazy is going to be happening.

Real Meaning: Young Joc's life is as boring as yours, but he doesn't want you to know.  However, by the time this song got popular, Young Joc was most likely living like he does in the song.  Ironic.  And this if also further proof that lyrics don't mean shit if you can make a catchy song.  Well done Young Jeezy.  Er, I meant young Joc...