If you were alive and near a radio in 1997, you didn't just hear "It's All About the Benjamins"—you felt it. That shimmering, grimy, hypnotic beat became the official wallpaper of the late nineties. But honestly, most people singing along to the all about the benjamins lyrics today are missing the weird, messy, and slightly accidental history of how this posse cut actually came together.
It wasn't some grand master plan hatched in a boardroom. It was a mixtape scrap that turned into a cultural monster.
The Remix That Swallowed the Original
Most fans don't even realize the version they love is actually a remix. The "original" track first popped up on a DJ Clue mixtape back in '96. It was just Puff Daddy and The LOX. No Lil’ Kim. No Biggie. No Missy Elliott. Just a raw, stripped-back vibe.
Then came the No Way Out version.
Puff—now Diddy—knew he needed something bigger for the album. He brought in Lil’ Kim to deliver what many (myself included) consider the hardest verse of her career. He also added a posthumous verse from the Notorious B.I.G., which changed the entire energy of the track. Suddenly, it wasn't just a song about money. It was a victory lap for a king who wasn't there to see it.
Who Actually Wrote the Bars?
Let’s be real for a second. Hip-hop has always had a complicated relationship with ghostwriting, and "Benjamins" is the poster child for it.
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Jadakiss has been pretty vocal over the years about the fact that he wrote Puff’s verse. Imagine being a young Jadakiss, sitting in the studio, handed a pen, and told to write from the perspective of a billionaire mogul while you're still hungry. He did it so well that Puff’s opening lines became iconic: "Wanna be ballers, shot callers, brawlers..."
The irony? The LOX—Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, and Styles P—weren't even feeling the beat at first. Sheek Louch famously mentioned in interviews that they thought the track was "soft" or didn't fit their gritty Yonkers aesthetic. They did it as a favor to Puff. Talk about a happy accident.
Breaking Down the All About the Benjamins Lyrics
The song starts with that whispered, seductive hook from Missy Elliott. "It's all about the Benjamins, baby." It’s a simple line, but it rebranded the $100 bill forever. Before this, they were just C-notes or hundreds. After this? They were Benjis.
The Jadakiss Masterclass
Jada’s verse is a textbook example of 90s wordplay. He’s "stacking chips like Hebrews"—a line so controversial at the time that some radio edits actually scrubbed the word "Hebrews" out. He talks about "forest green Benz jeeps" and "Bejor denims with gold zippers." It was aspiration porn before Instagram existed.
Lil’ Kim’s "Hex"
Kim’s entry is legendary. "What the blood clot? / Wanna bumble with the bee, huh?" She didn't just rap about money; she rapped about violence and power in a way that made the guys in the room look nervous. She references The Omen, threatens to "throw a hex on your whole family," and effectively stakes her claim as the Queen Bee of Bad Boy.
Biggie’s Final Bow
Then the beat switches. The Jackson 5 sample ("It's Great to Be Here") kicks in, and the mood shifts. Biggie’s verse wasn't recorded specifically for this song in its final form—it was a piece of history stitched in.
His flow is, as always, effortless. He’s talking about "pistols in the cushions" and "the shorty with the thighs." It’s a bittersweet moment because by the time the music video was winning MTV awards, Biggie was gone. The video shows him on a TV screen, a haunting reminder of the void he left.
Why the Lyrics Still Hit in 2026
You might wonder why we're still talking about all about the benjamins lyrics decades later.
It’s because the song captures the exact moment hip-hop pivoted. It moved from the "struggle" era to the "shiny suit" era. It stopped apologizing for wanting to be rich. It made "Benjamins" a universal language for success.
Even the rock remix—the one with Dave Grohl on drums and Tommy Stinson—showed how far the song's reach went. It was everywhere. It was the "Macarena" for people who wore Timbs.
Surprising Facts You Probably Forgot
- The Missy Factor: Missy Elliott is the one whispering the hook, but she isn't credited as a featured artist on most versions.
- Styles P’s Absence: Notice how Styles P is in the video but doesn't have a verse on the most famous version? There are a few theories, but mostly it came down to timing and the addition of Kim and Biggie.
- The Rock Remix: Spike Jonze directed the video for the rock version. It won "Viewer's Choice" at the 1998 VMAs, beating out some massive pop acts.
Practical Takeaways for Your Playlist
If you're revisiting this classic, don't just stream the radio edit. Look for the "Mo Chedda" mix or the "Rock Remix" to see how versatile the writing actually was.
What to do next:
- Listen for the "Hebrews" line: See if your streaming service has the original unedited verse or the later "chips like whatever" version.
- Compare the Beats: Listen to the original DJ Clue version versus the No Way Out remix. Notice how the addition of the Jackson 5 sample during Biggie's part completely changes the "soul" of the track.
- Watch the Video: Look for the scene where they're running through the woods. It makes zero sense contextually with the lyrics, but it’s 90s excellence at its peak.
The song is a time capsule. It’s a reminder of a time when the Bad Boy "Hitmen" production team couldn't miss and the lyrics were about more than just numbers—they were about a lifestyle that felt, for the first time, within reach.