Jill Scott and Tierra Whack Drop the Ultimate North Philly Anthem on “Norf Side“
Real neighborhood royalty doesn’t need to flash tourist landmarks to prove where they come from. Tucked beautifully into her brilliant February album To Whom This May Concern, the stellar new collaboration track “Norf Side” unites the iconic Jill Scott and the shapeshifting Tierra Whack in a massive celebration of their shared North Philadelphia roots.
The pairing is pure magic. Backed by the unmistakable, hard-hitting boom-bap production of the legendary DJ Premier, the track seamlessly bridges generational sounds under the Blues Babe Records banner.
It feels incredibly timeless. Scott’s rich, velvety soul vocals float effortlessly above Preemo’s signature scratching, setting the perfect stage for Whack to slide in with a characteristically playful, rapid-fire rap verse that shouts out local neighborhood staples like authentic corner-store hoagies.
The hometown pride is palpable. Rejecting polished pop trends for raw, block-party nostalgia, the song serves as a gritty yet deeply affectionate love letter to the exact streets that raised them.
It hits incredibly hard. The official lyric video captures this exact gritty energy perfectly, instantly connecting with long-time heads and new listeners alike.
You can blast this raw piece of storytelling right now across Spotify, Apple Music, and all major digital platforms.
Quotable Lyrics:
Of the second drawer in my nightstand, uh
I’m too busy giving sounds, paprika your taste
My-my, oh Jah, I’m so high listening to Preemo Vision
I add a whole woman of grace
Yeah, go ‘head and say that twice
Every bar that I spit is from living in light
She nice
You think I don’t see it?
Uh, she sweet and she tough
I could give you my all, but is it ever enough?
They stay chattin’ ’bout my body on IG
Say I’m a mean b*tch, I’m in thе Illuminati
When I write these songs, when I light my spliff
When I raise my son, atone from my sins
When I stack my papes, when I deal with these men
None of them could ever be me
J-I-L-L S-C-O-T-T in the place to be (Yeah)
Norf Philly, baby
In the backseat of an Uber
Hollywood or Hallelujah (North Philly, baby)
I been seeing right through ya (Norf Philly, baby)
These bars are nasty, when I’m spittin’ them out
And once I tell you my price, won’t take no different amount
Okay, I think I finally figured it out
I am the greatest, always and the latest
Like Lauryn, so, pardon my arson (bars)
I don’t bargain with peasants, pleasant surprise
Rappin’ better than you guys
I’m high, loaded like potatoes
So poppy like mayo, want a hoagie
You imposter, rigatoni
The top is lonely, but I never feel alone
After all this time, they done made so many clones
Most likely, surviving with the sheisty
Turn me to a maximum, white men, I’m stackin’ ’em
Living like it’s golden, me and Sheila go platinum
(Ha-ha-ha-ha)
Pray and obey to the W-H-E-K, I’m here to stay
Norf Philly all day
I let them tell it, some get after what they want
Some sit jealous and talk sh*t, ain’t got a pot to piss
They be pissed they ain’t loved like this (True)
And that’s so true, Philly Jilly is lethal
I can’t be rich and cool? I can’t be fly and smooth?
I cut with the syllables, linguistically edible
Get real to intelligent freaks, I wax poetical, inevitable
I transform into me
Jill Scott, Grand Dame Queen Beast
North Philly, baby
I just wanna give a shout out to DJ Premier
Yo, I love you, baby
Thank you, Tierra Whack
Thank you for F-O-Xing with a girl
You know I love you, boo
Philly all day
Each and every way
