Template:Infobox song "Second To None" is the fifteenth track on Styles Of Beyond's third studio album, Reseda Beach. The song was produced by Mike Shinoda and features him on vocals.
Background
Describing how the song came together, Mike said, "Second to None" was a beat, I think I came up with that beat after the Fort Minor record, I think. And I wanted to hear somebody rapping over it, I didn't want to just put it on my own. We were working on the Styles of Beyond record and I kind of pitched it to them. And we ended up just doing it. I think we didn't know what would happen with it, but we were like, "Oh yeah this is dope, this is a dope beat." My concept for it, for part of it, I was listening to like 1988, 89, and 90s rap. Before Big Daddy Kane started making songs for like, girls. Like he was making R&B songs. At first he was doing like, hardcore rap and then he was like, making songs to be an R&B star. I loved back when he was dancing too, with it, which was so crazy. If don't know anything about Big Daddy Kane, look up Big Daddy Kane at the Apollo. K-A-N-E, that was like one of my favorite eras of stuff as a little kid, like seeing this stuff. And so "Second to None" was created with that in my mind."[1]
About Mike's role on Reseda Beach, Ryu said, "Yeah, well pretty much we’ve been working with Mike [Shinoda] as long as S.O.B. has been together and putting out music. We all started together, we used to do demos in his bedroom. Mike produced even on the first Styles Of Beyond record [2000 Fold], so us working together was such a natural thing and as far as what his role was on the album, we kind of just trust his direction on things. What we do is he’s the executive producer on the record and what that entails is us just doing a bunch of songs and listening back to them and him telling us which ones are good and which ones aren’t, what we should do with certain ones and just giving us a gang of notes. He was totally involved with it and then he also provided beats for us too. I forget all the ones he did on there but I know he did “Second To None.” He polished this record for us because we were on a major label when we did this, we couldn’t just necessarily go in there and do 68-bar verses on every song and no hooks and stuff like that so it had to be somewhat acceptable for the label so he helped polish our sound a little bit."[2]
Release
"Second To None" was originally released on June 26, 2007 as a part of the Transformers soundtrack.
On July 6, 2007, the LPU Newsletter included a comment from Mike about the song:
"hey everyone, i'm back with a little bit of news for you guys, for those of you who are familiar with STYLES OF BEYOND aka S.O.B. from my fort minor project:
S.O.B. just released a brand new song called "second to none." i produced the track, so i thought you might like to check it out. verses by me, tak, and ryu, plus scratches by cheapshot. it's on the new TRANSFORMERS soundtrack (available on iTunesÂ…put it on your new iPhone, ya heard?)
anyway, that song should be a little taste of one of the many sides of their forthcoming album, "Rocket Surgery," which will be out later this year on machine shop / warner bros. records. hope you enjoy it.
thanks, -m shinoda"
On July 30, 2007, Styles Of Beyond released the Razor Tag mixtape which included "Second To None" as a bonus track. The mixtape was released during the Projekt Revolution Tour 2007.[3] It featured 21 songs as well as 2 additional bonus tracks - "Savin' L.A." and "Second To None." Mike has a production credit on the album for the song "You Cannot Fuck With This."
When Styles Of Beyond released the Reseda Beach album on October 23, 2012, "Second To None" was included as track 15 on disc 1. Disc 2 included the Razor Tag tracks as well as a few bonus songs.
Versions
Note: Only the date of the very first release of each version is listed.
| Title | Album | Length | Recorded | Released | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Second To None | Transformers - The Album
Razor Tag Reseda Beach |
3:07 | 2007 | June 26, 2007 |
|
Live
Mike performed "Second To None" with Styles Of Beyond on Projekt Revolution 2007, starting mid-way through the tour at the show in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. He also joined the group in performing "Remember The Name" at these shows. For the performance in Hartfort, Connecticut, Connecticut-native Apathy joined the group for the song, even though he isn't featured in the studio version.
Mike rapped his verse of the song over the extended intro of "Points Of Authority" once: during Linkin Park's performance in Raleigh, North Carolina.
When Fort Minor made a comeback in 2015, Mike ran an online setlist poll to see which songs fans wanted him to add into the Fort Minor setlist. The choices were "Second To None", "High Voltage", "Step Up", "Red To Black", and "Right Now". "High Voltage" ended up winning.
Mike rapped the first verse of "Second To None" over the bridge of "Sorry For Now" due to a fan request at the Manila stop of his solo tour.
Live Guests
- Apathy
Personnel
- Ryu, Tak, Mike Shinoda: rapping
- Mike Shinoda: production
- DJ Cheapshot: scratching
- McKay Garner: mixing
- Vin Skully: recording
Lyrics
It's the real authentic
Leave ya'll dented
Forget what ya heard
If I said it, I meant it
Did it for real
While ya'll pretended
Back for more
I'm startin' the war to end it
Raw
Rippin' like I'm working a chainsaw
New York to Cali
New Jersey to Crenshaw
Speak the gift while you plead the fifth
My team is sick
We eat, sleep, and breathe this shit
Rough and rugged
Killin 'em soft
We don't leave one standin' when we breakin' 'em off
Takin' a loss?
Not a chance in your life
If being fresh is wrong, I don't wanna be right
Stop, drop, and roll
We got soul
Safety popped off when we lock and load
So this how we get this done
You can check on the rep, yep, second to none
Check on the rep, second to none, yea
This how we get this done
You can check on the rep, second to none
Check on the rep, second to none, yea
This how we get this done
You can check on the rep, second to none
Yo, check the rep, yep, enough respect
If not for the jewels I drop, the chunky neck
I'm funky fresh
Equipped with a rusty Tek
Am I the best?
Well I gotta put it bluntly, yes
You can't touch me
The flows'll get ya
Squeeze breath outta your chest like boa constrictors
I'm a killer and I usually know my victims
So I catch a lot of bodies on the homie system, uh
Don't get it twisted, I'll break your jaw
You'll be sippin' fried chicken through a crazy straw
Liquid diet, bitch
We official pirates
I ghost ride the ghost ship
Drinkin' and drivin', yea
You ain't nothing but a whiny kid
That cries like a wimp 'cause nobody rides with him
I ain't a thug, pimp, gangsta or grimey, done
But you can check on the rep, yep, second to none
One
Check on the rep, second to none, yea
This how we get this done
You can check on the rep, second to none
Check on the rep, second to none, yea
This how we get this done
You can check on the rep, second to none
Then all the playas wanna step in the gate
You can find me at the gym, bench pressing the weights
Getting' diesel on that ass and I'm so disgusting
I'mma tell the whole god dang globe to suck it
I'm bad
Now you feelin' something surround you
My chemical mix, they got you pumpin' the valium
The audience closed in and they had a reaction
Similar to explosions off of battery acid
My rhymes a razor, to slash your neck with
So follow my trail path what next, your exit
Into the dungeon, what you bringin' a bucket?
No one's hearin' your screams, so start playin' the trumpet
I'm outta your reach now
So give me some rocket fuel
Hookin' a beat down and do the impossible
A couple of months later, the record was done
So you can check on the rep, yep, second to none
Check on the rep, second to none, yea
This how we get this done
You can check on the rep, second to none
Check on the rep, second to none, yea
This how we get this done
You can check on the rep, second to none
Gallery
-
Razor Tag
-
Reseda Beach
-
Transformers: The Album
-
Transformers (Music From And Inspired By)
-
Transformers (Music From The Motion Picture)
In Other Media
- "Second To None" is featured in the 2007 film Transformers and was included in its soundtrack album.
- "Second To None" is featured in the 2009 film The Arena: North Shore.
- "Second To None" is featured in the 2009 film Street Dreams.
External Links
- Second To None: Transformers | Reseda Beach