The Impact of “What We Do” 20 Years Later
February 25, 2003
It’s been 20 years since North Philly’s own, Leslie “Freeway” Pridgen, released his debut album Philadelphia Freeway. At a time when Roc-A-Fella was more of a rap juggernaut than a record label, a massive contributor to their success was the sound that did a lot of the leg work; that Philly style of rap that was brought to us by Beanie Sigel, Young Gunz, Oschino, and the rest of State Property.
Freeway only added to that commercial exposure with songs like “Roc The Mic” and on State Property’s collaborative eponymous debut album. Let’s also remember “Flip Side,” which was engraved in my mind along with the iconic scene from You Got Served when Sonny sold out his crew. All of this shows that Freeway came out the gate smoking, but there is one specific track that became an anthem for Philly and the streets as a whole.
The City of Brotherly Love is known for iconic raps like Meek Mill’s “Dreams and Nightmares/The Intro,” “Summertime” by Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince, and more recently, “Just Wanna Rock” by Lil Uzi Vert. However, there’s one that brings an energy that is unmatched by the others. “What We Do” by Freeway featuring Jay-Z and Beanie Sigel is a song that rejoices in the struggle of the hood and makes you feel inspired, grateful, remorseful, and reflective all at the same time.
Before we said, “I used to pray for times like this…” we screamed, “I still hustle ’til the sun come up, crack a 40 when the sun go down.” Of course, a song featuring the leader of State Property along with the head of Roc-A-Fella, and arguably the best rapper of all time, is destined for greatness, but it’s not just the three powerhouses coming together that make this song stand the test of time; it’s much more. “What We Do” is a song for the fights that happen in the mud and shows you can take dirt and turn it into bricks to build (pun halfway intended). It’s a song about underdogs who don’t fight for glory but fight to make it to the next fight. Like Beans said, “And still, we grind from the bottom just to make it to the bottom.”
“If a sneak start leaning and the heat stop workin’, Then my heat start working, I’m a rob me a person/ Catch a n-gga sleeping while he out in the open.”
Similar to sports when they say “Leave it all on the court/field/ice,” it’s a way to say give your all and worry about the rest later. Freeway conveys this sentiment upon entering the song. From the second that the Just Blaze beat starts, Freeway shouts out a battle cry that sets the tone of the entire track in one quote: “And if I get rocked, this shit for my kids n-gga /This that real shit,” followed by the chorus and the overall message “Even though what we do is wrong!” Free’s words are a raw truth that motivates you and fills your heart with pride as he talks about the robbing and dealing he’s willing to do so his family can have food in their stomachs, heat in their houses, and smiles on their faces.
Freeway jumps out giving you memories that, with dark actions, have a feeling of light. “Fuck a Bentley or a Lexus, just my boys in the squadder” sums up that struggle in which we make lemonade from the sour lemons the world has given us. The hoopty you and your homies had felt like a limo when you pull up somewhere and everybody hops out. Though it lightens the memories, it doesn’t soften them. “If a sneak start leaning and the heat stop workin’, Then my heat start working, I’m a rob me a person/ Catch a n-gga sleeping while he out in the open.” This is a harsh reality that the crimes committed in our communities were not because of what we wanted but because it was the last resort.
Each verse reflects on the differences in feelings when doing what was necessary based on your conditions. The one thing they all have in common is they didn’t choose this life; this life chose them, so they choose to make the best of it. Both Beanie and Hov show us that in their own way.
“Son, you gotta get your soul clean before they blow them horns like Coltrane.”
Hov follows Free with braggadocious bars, a smooth demeanor, and the swagger to make the streets sound like a business exchange. There’s no secret that before he was Jay-Z, Shawn Carter was a street hustler who was about his business before entering the boardrooms; this laid the foundation for his rap success. He’s also been transparent that his grind has been motivated by family and the need to take care of his circle. “But I gotta feed Tianna, man, so I move keys / You can call me the Piano Man.” His verse does a great job of treating the actions of streets as stepping stones to success, and a means to an end instead of crime.
Beans closes out the song by giving us a testimony that feels like he’s asking for forgiveness, which is the perfect way to bring it full circle. He touches the soul with his confessional bars about committing what feels like necessary evils, acknowledging all the people relying on him to make things happen, and the prayers of his loved one. “Gramps still praying, working on my nerves, man / Like, ‘Son, you gotta get your soul clean before they blow them horns like Coltrane.’”
Rap has always been in the streets, speaking about the crimes we see and the ones we might commit, but “What We Do” is unique because it takes the time to tell a story about the people who live through it daily. It’s not just about the weight on your shoulders, taking pride in what you must do to survive, or feeling pressure from the guilt of handling morally wrong business; it’s about all three and it beautifully shows the whole picture. That’s why the song is so impactful.
This isn’t to justify crimes or wrongdoings. It’s to acknowledge that the hard times happen, but you can make it out. You can find light in the dark and be forgiven for your sins, and no matter how much you may not want to admit it, there will be times that will require you to make the hard choices that will challenge you. It’s not about violence, drugs, or crimes. It’s about giving everything you have to make it to the next day. When you feel you have nothing left in the tank and don’t know how much further you have to go, play this song and realize there’s always a way to push through and deliver the order.
