Album: The Marshall Mathers LP
Artist: Eminem
Title: Who Knew
Track: Track 5
Writers: Eminem, Dr. Dre, Mel-Man & Mike Elizondo
Produced by: Dr. Dre & Mel-Man
Release date: May 23, 2000
Who Knew Lyrics
[Intro]
(I never knew I, knew I, knew I)
(I never knew I, knew I, knew I) Mic check, one-two
(I never knew I, knew I, knew I) Who woulda knew?
(I never knew I, knew I, knew I) Who woulda known?
(I never knew I, knew I, knew I) Fuck woulda thought?
(I never knew I, knew I, knew I) Motherfucker comes out
(I never knew I, knew I, knew I) Sells a couple of million records
(I never knew I, knew I, knew I) And these motherfuckers hit the ceiling
(I never knew I)
[Verse 1]
I don’t do black music, I don’t do white music (Nope)
I make fight music for high school kids
I put lives at risk when I drive like this
I put wives at risk with a knife like this
Shit, you probably think I’m in your tape deck now
I’m in the back seat of your truck with duct tape stretched out
Ducked the fuck way down, waitin’ to straight jump out
Put it over your mouth, and grab you by the face — what now?
Oh, you want me to watch my mouth? How?
Take my fuckin’ eyeballs out and turn ’em around?
Look, I’ll burn your fuckin’ house down, circle around
And hit the hydrant, so you can’t put your burnin’ furniture out (Oh my God! Oh my God!)
I’m sorry, there must be a mix-up
You want me to fix up lyrics while our president gets his dick sucked?
Fuck that! Take drugs, rape sluts
Make fun of gay clubs, men who wear make-up
Get aware, wake up, get a sense of humor
Quit tryin’ to censor music
This is for your kid’s amusement (The kids!)
But don’t blame me when little Eric jumps off of the terrace
You shoulda been watchin’ him, apparently you ain’t parents
[Chorus]
‘Cause I never knew I, knew I would get this big
I never knew I, knew I’d affect this kid
I never knew I’d get him to slit his wrist
I never knew I’d get him to hit this bitch
I never knew I, knew I would get this big
I never knew I, knew I’d affect this kid
I never knew I’d get him to slit his wrist
I never knew I’d get him to hit this bitch
[Verse 2]
So who’s bringin’ the guns in this country? (Hm?)
I couldn’t sneak a plastic pellet gun through customs over in London
And last week I seen this Schwarzenegger movie
Where he’s shootin’ all sorts of these motherfuckers with a Uzi
I see these three little kids up in the front row
Screaming, “Go!” with their seventeen-year-old uncle
I’m like, guidance?!
Ain’t they got the same moms and dads who got mad when I asked if they liked violence?
And told me that my tape taught ’em to swear?
What about the make-up you allow your twelve-year-old daughter to wear? (Hm?)
So tell me that your son doesn’t know any cuss words
When his bus driver’s screamin’ at him, fuckin’ him up worse (Go sit the fuck down, you little fucking prick!)
And “fuck” was the first word I ever learned
Up in the third grade, flippin’ the gym teacher the bird (Look!)
So read up ’bout how I used to get beat up
Peed on, be on free lunch and changed school every three months
My life’s like kind of what my wife’s like (What?)
Fucked up after I beat her fuckin’ ass every night: Ike
So how much easier would life be
If nineteen million motherfuckers grew to be just like me?
[Chorus]
‘Cause I never knew I, knew I would get this big
I never knew I, knew I’d affect this kid
I never knew I’d get him to slit his wrist
I never knew I’d get him to hit this bitch
I never knew I, knew I would get this big
I never knew I, knew I’d affect this kid
I never knew I’d get him to slit his wrist
I never knew I’d get him to hit this bitch
[Verse 3]
I never knew I, knew I’d have a new house or a new car
A couple years ago I was more poorer than you are
I don’t got that bad of a mouth, do I?
Fuck! Shit! Ass! Bitch! Cunt! Shooby-de-doo-wop! (Oops)
Skibbedy-be-bop, a Christopher Reeves
Sonny Bono, skis, horses and hittin’ some trees (Hey)
How many retards’ll listen to me
And run up in the school shootin’ when they’re pissed at a tea-
-cher? Her? Him? Is it you? Is it them?
“Wasn’t me, Slim Shady said to do it again!”
Damn, how much damage can you do with a pen?
Man, I’m just as fucked up as you woulda been
If you woulda been in my shoes, who woulda thought
Slim Shady would be somethin’ that you woulda bought?
That woulda made you get a gun and shoot at a cop
I just said it, I ain’t know if you’d do it or not
[Chorus]
‘Cause I never knew I, knew I would get this big
I never knew I, knew I’d affect this kid
I never knew I’d get him to slit his wrist
I never knew I’d get him to hit this bitch
I never knew I, knew I would get this big
I never knew I, knew I’d affect this kid
I never knew I’d get him to slit his wrist
I never knew I’d get him to hit this bitch
[Outro]
How the fuck was I supposed to know?
About the “Who Knew” song:
“Who Knew” is Eminem’s way of ridiculing those who believe his music makes fans commit ridiculous and dangerous acts. Throughout the song Eminem takes a satirical approach to the criticism of his negative influence on the youth, while simultaneously pointing out other, more important factors.
While “Who Knew” is very tongue-in-cheek, Eminem goes more in-depth about his effect on the youth in “Sing For The Moment.”
This was meant to be the lead single from the album, but Interscope wanted something more radio-friendly, so Eminem wrote “The Real Slim Shady” for that purpose instead.
Listen to Who Knew song:
The Marshall Mathers LP
The rest of The Marshall Mathers LP lyrics:
Other: Eminem lyrics