2004, Capitol Records
Produced by the Beastie Boys
Annotations: soopageek
*Oh what you... what are you saying?*
All you trekkies and
TV addicts
Afficianados of the Star
Trek franchise are referred to as "trekkies".
Don't mean to diss, don't mean to bring static.
All you Klingons in the fucking house
Klingons are the resident
bad guys in the Star Trek universe.
Grab your backstreet friend and get loud
Blowin' doors off hinges
Grab you with the pincers
And no I didn't retire
I'll snatch you up with the needle-nose pliers
Like Mutual Of Omaha
Got the ill boat you never seen before
The Mutual of Omaha
insurance
company sponsored a television show called Wild Kingdom, which
aired
in prime time from 1963 to 1971 and first-run syndication from 1971 to
1988. It was a wildlife program that travelled to many exotic locations
to film animals in their natural habitat. One of the trademarks
of
the show, was that of host Marlin Perkins riding on an airboat through
a swamp.
Glidin' in the glades
And like Lorne Green you know I get paid
Actor Lorne Greene is
probably
most famous for his role as Ben Cartwright on the long-running
television
series Bonanza in the 1960's. The reference to being
"paid"
like him may be making allusion to the many Alpo dog food commercials
he
did and the video for this song seems to confirm that.
Like Caprese with the basil
Insalata Caprese is a
traditional
Italian salad comprised of tomatoes sandwiched between slices of
mozarella
cheese and basil leaves.
Not goofy like Darren or Hazel
Darren was the husband
straight-laced husband of Samantha the witch on the 1960's television
sitcom
Bewitched.
Hazel was a 1960's
television sitcom about a maid.
I'm a mother fucking Nick At Night
With the classics re-running that you know all right.
The Nickolodeon cable TV
station offers programming for children during the day and early
evening,
but late at night when the kids are in bed, they air re-runs of old
television
shows, calling it "Nick At Night".
Now remain calm, no alarm 'cause my farm ain't phat
The Phat Farm clothing
company run by Def Jam impresario and occasional Beastie Boys nemesis,
Russel Simmons.
So what's up with that?
I've got friends and family that I respect
When I think I'm too good they put me in check
So believe when I say I'm no better than you
Except when I rap so I guess it ain't true
Like that y'all and you just don't stop
Guaranteed to make your body rock.
Ch-check it out
Wh-what's it all about
W-work it out
Let's turn this mother fucking party out
Said "Doc, what's the
condition? I'm a man thats on a mission."
Said "Son, you'd better listen, stuck in your ass is an electrician."
Like a scientist
Mmmm when I'm applyin' this
Method of controlling my mind
Like Einstein and The Rappin' Duke combined
Physicist Albert Einstein:
you know, the Theory of Relativity, e=mc2, and whose
theoretical
work lead ultimately to the nuclear age. Yeah, him.
Comdeian Shawn Brown had
a hit in 1985 with the novelty song "The Rappin' Duke" in which he did
an impression of John Wayne doing a rap song.
Now hey baby bubba now what's the deal? I didn't know you go for that
mass appeal
"Rapper's Delight" by The
Sugar Hill Gang (1979). Origial lyric:
"Rock it out baby bubba to the boogie
Da
bang
bang
the
boogie to the boogie da beat
I
said
I
cant
wait til the end of the week
When
I'm
rappin'
to
the rhythm of a groovy beat"
Some call it Salugi, some hot potato
Salugi/Saloogi is a slang
term which seems to have originated in the New York City borough of
Brooklyn.
It's a child's game of keep-away where a kids had is snatched and
tossed
around among a group. It's typically not considered a "nice game"
as it is a form of picking on particular kids by stealing the hat and
not
letting him have it back.
I stole your mic but you won't see it later.
'Cause I work magic like a magician
I add up like a mathemetician,
I'm a bank cashier, engineer
I wear cotton but I don't wear sheer
Shazam! and
Abracadabra!
Recalling the theme of
a magician from a couple of lines previous, the words Shazam and
Abracadabra
(also Hocus Pocus) were "magic words" once used by magicians before
revealing
the wonderous trick or illusion they had achieved. "Shazam!" also
happes to be the name of a song later on the album, obviously.
In the whip I gonna cruise right past ya
Yo money, don't chump yourself
Put that shit back on the shelf
Light rays blazin'
You're out of phase and
My crew's amazin'
We're workin' on the record yo so just stay patient.
Ch-check it out
Wh-What's it all about
W-work it out
Let's turn this, turn this party out
Now I go by the name
of the King Ad Rock
I don't wear a cup nor a jock.
I bring the shit thats beyond bizarre,
Like Miss Piggy "Who, Moi?"
A Muppets character
created
by Jim Henson. The porcine girlfriend of Kermit the Frog was fond
of referring to herself with the French word for "me". When
ducking
an accusation, she would coyly inquire "Who, Moi?"
I'm the one with the clientele
You say "Ad Rock you rock so well".
I got class like Pink Champale
Champale is a line of malt
liquor
distributed by the Pabst Brewing Co. that comes in 4 flavors: Gold,
Dry,
Red Berry and Pink. Essentially, it's meant to be the
brewed/malted
equivalent of champagne, hence the clever "Champale". In terms of
malt liquor, it's considered classy and suitable for a romantic evening
or a nice meal. Given the general status of malt liquor, one
can't
help but view the line "class like Pink Champale" with a bit of irony.
MCA grab the mic before the mic goes stale.
Don't test me, they can't arrest me,
I fake right cause I always shoot lefty.
You look upset, yo calm down
You look like Cable Guy dunked off of your crown.
The Cable Guy directed
by
Ben
Stiller
(1996).
In the film, the cable guy, portrayed by Jim
Carrey slam dunks a basketball by catapulting off of the head of Jack
Black.
I flow like smoke out a chimney, you never been me
You wanna rap but what you're makin' ain't hip hop B
Now get your clothes right out the dryer,
Put the Armor All up on your tire
Sport that fresh attire
Armor All is a product
used on cars for protecting and giving a shine to vinyl, leather and
rubber.
It is used most notably on tires to give them that clean, shiny look.
Tonight we goin' out, set the town on fire.
Set the town ablaze
Gonna stun and amaze
Ready to throw a craze
Make your grandma shake her head and say
*Those were the days*
sample: from "Those Were
The Days" (theme to "All In The Family" television show) performed by
Carrol
O'Connor and Jean Stapleton.
*Nowww, get busy*
Once upon a time up on
this mic
MC's be really workin' on what they write
With the sound delight we rock all night
And yes we're gonna party for the right to fight
"Party For Your Right To
Fight" - Public Enemy (1988). A pretty obvious play on the
Beastie
Boys anthem "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)" - (1986).
We're international like Matt Takei
Tokyo entrepreneuer Nigo,
founder of A Bathing Ape clothing was responsible for creating the
Beastie
Boys action figures around the time of Hello Nasty. In an
interview, Nigo said: "I tried to reproduce Hello Nasty album jacket
for
the action figures. And about the extraQuasar outfit, I and my friend
Matt
Takei had helped to find their uniforms in Tokyo whenthey had come to
Tokyo
for the Quasar tour. And I also helped to make their stickers to
arrange
the outfit with Beastie Boys' direction. And Beastie Boys gave us their
guitars as our friendship."
Rock the mic from Munich out to Taipei
Munich, Germany and
Taipei,
Taiwan.
Still around the way is where we'll stay
Say what we mean, mean what we say
Trajectories from the past are taking their toll and
What we do now is future moulding
Columbine bowling, childhood stolen
We need a bit more gun controlling
Bowling For Columbine
(2002)
a film by Michael Moore turned a critical and humorous eye to the
American
obsession with guns.
Right, Right, Now, Now
What is goin' on?
We, We, Gotta, Gotta
Get it goin' on
Be, Be, Fore, Fore
It's Too Far Gone
We gotta work together, it's been too long
When I get on you
scream "Hoo Tight!"
Rockin' this flow I could go all night
I'm not here to fight, or incite
I'm like the beach in the Bahamas make you feel alright
The Bahama Islands are
a United States territory off the coast of Florida and a popular,
tropical
vacation spot.
I'm getting kind of tired of the situation
The U.S. attacking other nations
Between the release of
Hello
Nasty and To The 5 Boroughs (6 years), the United States
responded
to the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001 by instigating two
wars,
one in Afghanistan and one in Iraq.
And narrations, on every station
False election's got me losing my patience
Referring to the 2000
U.S. presidential election in which many feel that President Bush
falsley
won over opponent Al Gore after the controversial recount process in
the
state of Florida, governed by Geroge W. Bush's brother Jeb Bush.
I'm a funky-ass Jew and I'm on my way
And yes I got to say fuck the KKK
American white supremacy
group the Klu Klux Klan.
And oh yeah hey, how about today?
If you want to set it off then let me hear you say
Right, Right, Now, Now
What is goin' on?
We, We, Gotta, Gotta
Get it goin' on
Be, Be, Fore, Fore
It's Too Far Gone
We gotta work together, it's been too long
I went to get a loan
and they asked my race
I wrote down human inside the space
It's a disgrace how they try to debase
It ain't the bank's damn business how my lineage trace
Now let me drop a verse that's terse and concise
I'm an iron chef when I slice and dice
Iron Chef is a
Japanese
culinary show that has gained a worldwide cult following (it airs on
the
Food Network cable channel). According to one reviewer: "A mix
between
Godzilla, wrestling, and Julia Child. Yes, it’s that strange. And that
entertaining." (Miama Herald)
With the rhyme precise, the word is nice
So please pass me the Reunite on ice
Reunite brand wine is a
cheap, all-purpose wine. During the 1980's, one of its popular
advertising
slogans was "Reunite on ice... That's nice!"
Well let's go to work and not beserk
'Cause when the time comes the body goes to dirt
Try to smooth it out like Levert
Levert is an R&B group
founded by Gerald Levert, known for its smooth sound.
Specifically
this may be a reference to a song by LSG (Levert.Sweat.Gill) called
"Curious"
(1997) on which guest rapper LL Cool J speaks the following line while
spelling out the song's title:
'U' are amazing, there's
no doubt
Top it off with a 'S' cause
you smooth me out"
I keep the mind alert and not revert
Right, Right, Now, Now
What is goin' on?
We, We, Gotta, Gotta
Get it goin' on
Be, Be, Fore, Fore
It's Too Far Gone
We gotta work together, it's been too long
Fresh dressed 'cause I
shop at Modell's
Opening it's first
location
on Cortlandt St. in lower Manhattan in 1889, Modell's is the oldest,
family-owned
sporting-goods store in the United States with over 100 locations on
the
Atlantic seaboard.
Deep in Brooklyn and I rode the els
The subways in New York
City become elevated trains (els) the further they get into the
boroughs
surrounding Manhattan.
Used to ride the D to beat the morning bell
The "D" line of the New
York City subway system connects Brooklyn with Manhattan and the Bronx.
At Edward R. Morrow out on Avenue L
Edward R. Morrow High
School
(located on Avenue L in Brooklyn, New York) named for one of America's
most prominent 20th century journalists.
Now, we be grillin' cheese and flippin' flapjacks
With the diamond stylus, yo we cutting wax
The stylus is the part
of a record player which travels the groove of a vinyl record. A
stylus made of diamond, is supposed to produce the best sound.
We're the super elastic bubble plastic
Super Elastic Bubble Plastic was produced
by Whamo through the 1960s and 70s for children. It was a tube of
plastic that was squeezed onto the end of a straw, which blowing
through would produce hard plastic bubbles.
Got ethereal material that's straight up classic
You try to vex, reject but you should respect
Or we'll have JC send you out a FedEx
Federal Express is a
commercial
freight company based in Memphis, Tennessee. FedEx has become
synonymous
with "over-night shipping".
So don't start to flex up in the discotheque
Or we'll make you extinct tyrannosaurus rex
The Tyrannousaurus Rex
was considered to be the king of the dinosaurs.
*We're gonna rock this
motherfucker like three the hard way *
sample: from an untitled
track on Radio by LL Cool J (1985) that seperated the first
and
second sides of the record. Over the years this track has come to
be known as "Three The Hard Way" or the "El Shabazz skit"; it's nothing
more than LL and El Shabazz free-styling in the studio. This line, as
well
as another line from that track ("Is it live?") are two of the most
sampled
sounds in hip-hop, including NWA and Run DMC, just to name a couple.
Three The Hard Way
was a black exploitation film released in 1974 directed by Gordon
Parks,
Jr. The three in question were blaxploitation mainstays Fred
Williamson,
Jim Kelly, and Jim Brown.
Your rhyme technique,
it is antique
To all my heads Qu'est-ce-que tu fabriques?
French translation: "What
do you make?"
Que cosa fai? Como esta?
Ho fato molte telefonate
Italian translation: "I
made a lot of telephone calls."
I said, oops gotcha clutch like Piazza
Catcher Mike Piazza of
the New York Mets baseball team, has a reputation for being a "clutch
player"
who can be counted on for a big play.
Sneak between the sheets so hide the matzoh
Matzoh is an unleavened
bread eaten by people of Jewish faith specifically during Passover
(Pesach).
When the Jewish people left Egypt (the Exodus), they were in such a
hurry
they didn't have time to let their bread rise so they baked it flat. In
fact, during Passover, all leavened foods are removed from the home.
Matzoh
is a universal symbol of this holiday and prescribed by scripture in
Exodus
12 to be eaten during the seder meal on the day of Passover. The
seder (meaning order/organization) is a highly ritualized meal, one
part
of which, involves three sheets of matzoh. The center sheet is
broken
in half and the largest of the two pieces (the Afikomen) is
tradtionally
placed in napkins ("between the sheets") and hidden somewhere in the
house
("hide like matzoh") for the children to find, with a prize going to
the
lucky child who discovers it.
Holler back challah bread... next
Challah is a very very
rich bread also known as "egg bread" and eaten on the Sabbath and other
Jewish holidays (except Passover). It takes it's name from
"challa":
a small, gumball sized piece of dough seperated from the rest of the
dough
before baking. The challa is baked and then burned, symbolizing
the
destruction of the Temple and then thrown away after a special prayer
is
said.
We are the crew who put the crew in Cruex
Cruex is a brand of
anti-fungal
medicine used in treating, among other things, jock itch.
I can see that Def Jam doesn't recognize me
I'm Mike D the one who put the satin in your panties
The Def Jam label, managed
by Russel Simmons, released the first Beastie Boys album, Licensed
To
Ill. Arguably, the Def Jam media empire was largely built on
the revenue generated from that album ("the one who put the satin in
your
panties").
Time to count MC's in this place to be
Not five, not four, not two, just three
*We're gonna rock this
motherfucker like three the hard way *
*1.. 2.. 3, 3.. 2.. 1.. what up*
Round-house kick the
mic out your hand
Drunken mantis, my name brand
Refers to a style of Kung
Fu. Seven Star Praying Mantis style was frist conceived in the
17th
century by Wang Lang and incorporated revolutionary footwork
techniques.
A later style, known as Tai Chi Praying Mantis evolved out of this and
has a variety of impressive kicking moves (including the round-house)
in
its repretoire. "Drunken" style martial arts refers to
incorporating
erratic, off-kilter movement and often low-to-the-ground maneuvering
and
is applied to many styles, however, of the two Praying Mantis styles,
it
is peculiar only to Tai Chi.
So if you're slick with the tricks and your slight of hand
I'm hip to the shit that you're trying to scam
Gnip gnop I got shit to pop
Gnip Gnop is a table top game from Parker
Brothers where two players use levers to move balls back and forth
insdie a small plastic case. The name is Ping Pong spelled
backwards.
I'm an exceptional professional that just don't stop
So pack up your bag and your mic and don't wait
E.T. phone home now get the fuck out my face
In E.T. (Steven
Spielberg) the learns the phrase "phone home" and uses it repeatedly
throughout
the film.
You know we shake'em bake'em then we take'em
Treat MCs like leaves go out and rake'em
If you sell our CDs on Canal before we make'em
In Chinatown, in
Manhattan's
lower east side, street vendors sell bootleg CD's and DVD's of recently
released albums and movies all up and down Canal Street.
Serve you on a platter like Steak'Em
As I recall, Steak'Em was
a steak sandwich you could buy in the freezer section of the grocery
store
then heat-up at home. I can't seem to find any information on it
though, so I'm assuming they are no longer manufactured. As a
matter
of coincidence (I doubt it is intentional, but who's to say) there is a
Jagged Edge lyric which is very similar to this:
"They Ain't JE Lyrics"
- Jagged Edge original lyric:
"The
ones
that
like
to cake em and shake em bake em then break em
They
start
violatin
freeze
em just like a steak-em"
*We're gonna rock this motherfucker like three the hard way*
If you don't like the
news then press eject
Baby Davis getting older can't take a rain check
Most likely a reference
to the child Mike D has with wife Tamra Davis.
It's time to let'em know what we expect
Stop building SUV's strung out on OPEC
Sport utility vehicles
(SUV's), while massively popular in the United States, are not very
fuel
efficient automobiles, amking the U.S. dependent (strung out) on OPEC
(Organization
of Petroleum Exporting Countries) which is largely comprised of and
controlled
by Middle Eastern countries. At the time of this album, the
United
States was embroiled in a military conflict in the Middle East country
of Iraq.
Hold up wait up you know we come correct
You wanna change things up, well hey then get set
It's easier to sit back than stick out your neck
It's easier to break things than build it correct
We've got a president we didn't elect
Yet another reference to
the controversial 2000 presidential race. [see
previous
notation]
The Kyoto treaty he decided to neglect
In 1997, leaders from 54
nations, including the United States, met in Kyoto, Japan and signed an
accord pledging to reduce (by as much as 5% over 1990 levels) certain
pollutants
contributing to global warming. A treaty was drafted outlining
the
paramters of this agreement and in 2001, President Bush refused to sign
the treaty. Without getting too political, the editor would like
to further note that the U.S. Senate, in a bi-partisan, unanimous vote
of 95-0, also rejected this treaty.
And still the U.S. just wants to flex
Keep doin' that wop we gonna break our necks
Play on the term "doo wop"
a type of rock-n-roll popular in the 1950's and 1960's featuring
harmonized,
non-sensical lyrics. If you've ever heard the group Sha-Na-Na;
that's
doo-wop.
*It takes a second to
wreck it*
It takes time to build
*You gots to chill*
samples (both):
"Strictly
Business" by EPMD (1988).
Hate filled people
wanna keep us in check
Tearin' down each other is what they expect
If you want love well hey that's a bet
We've got to give before we can get
Waiting like a batter who is on deck
In baseball, two batters
are on the field; one is "at the plate" (currently batting) and one is
"on deck" (next to bat).
When it's time to wreck shop then shop I'll wreck
So let's calibrate and check our specs
We need a little shift on over to the left
I don't really know but I suspect
I think it's due time that we inspect
How they get their information and their facts are checked
Another press conference someone's talking out their neck
*It takes a second to
wreck it*
It takes time to build
*You gots to chill*
samples (both):
"Strictly
Business" by EPMD (1988).
So step up to the
window and place your bets
Is the U.S. gonna keep breaking necks
Maybe it's time that we impeach Tex
President George W. Bush
is from the state of Texas.
And the military muscle that he wants to flex
By the time Bush is done what will be left
U.S. President George W.
Bush.
Selling votes like E-pills at the discotheque
"E-pills" refers to the
popular dance club drug Methylene Dioxyethamphetamine (MDMA).
Also
known as "Ecstasy", "XTC", "X" or "E".
Environmental destruction and the national debt
But plenty of dollars left in the fat war chest
Now, what the real deal why you can't connect?
Why you hating people that you never met?
Didn't your mama teach you to show some respect?
Why not open your mind for a sec?
*It takes a second to
wreck it*
It takes time to build
*You gots to chill*
samples (both):
"Strictly
Business" by EPMD (1988).
*The idea is to keep the green alien landing craft from taking the humans from the ground and changing them into mutants. A mutant is very dangerous to you because he flies faster than you and he shoots at you.*
Now my name is Adrock
I've got a story to tell
When I rock the crowd the crowd we all yell
And when I get the feeling I feel the feel swell
And when I start to rhyme well I rhyme the rhyme well
*Well*
Oh you didn't know I
got the flow
I could sing, rap, dance in just one show
With the cornbread stuffin' with the Blimpie Bluffin
The Blimpie chain of
sub-sandwich
shops has a line of breakfast sandwiches served on English
muffins.
They call them them Bluffins.
Mother fuckin' Yosi with the goddamn muffins
Yosi is a somewhat common,
male Jewish name. Most likely this is a reference to a Jewish
bakery
in NYC, but I haven't found any specific instances.
Hey could you please pass me the peas
And let me get a tissue if you think your're gonna sneeze
I'm the player and the coach I'm no roach
I bought my grandma a brand new broach
Well I'm MCA with a
story to tell
When I rock the crowd I rock the crowd well
*Well*
And when I get the feeling I feel the feel swell
'Cause when I start to rhyme well I rhyme the rhyme well
*Well*
'Cause I'm a
craftsman, who ain't fastin'
I'll take you to task everyone of ya'll draftsman
I'm rehashin' and ain't maskin'
Bringin' the beat back and keepin' it lastin'
Keepin' it top notch, beyond passing
Simmer in the pan 'cause, I ain't a'flashin'
"Flash in the pan" is an
American cliche for something that becomes popular very quickly and its
popularity is very brief, then forgotten about. It is used almost
exclusively when referring to people in the entertainment
business.
Something which simmers in a pan is cooked
I'm party crashin' so you better batten
Down those hatches stop procrastin
Well I'm Mike D with a
story to tell
And when I rock the crowd the crowd we all yell
And when I get the feeling I feel the feel swell
'Cause when I start to rhyme well I rhyme the rhyme well
*Well*
Went to the top and
never went pop and
Came back down but still not stopping
I'm not even asking, "Yo what's cracking?"
Serving MC's on a platter like a baked Alaskan
A Baked Alaska is a desert
that involves ice cream, brownie and meringue. And yes, oddly
enough,
there is a step in the process where the ice cream is baked.
So start packing because I'm back in
The game of hiphop representing Manhattan
Manhattan, one of New York
City's five boroughs.
Now push the pause button then start ducking
Shhhhh you heard me like I'm E.F. Hutton
Defunct brokering firm
E.F Hutton ran a series of television commericals in the 1980's where
one
person would be talking to another in a crowded, public situation with
lots of noise and commotion. The person, rambling on about their
stock portfolios and investments would eventually say, ""My broker is
E.F.
Hutton and E.F. Hutton says..". At that moment, everyone in the
scene
would stop what they were doing (traffic would stop, babies would stop
crying, etc) and there would be complete silence, presumably to hear
what
E.F. Hutton has to say about stock tips. Their company slogan for
that ad campaign was "When E.F Hutton talks, people listen."
E.F.... Shhhhh *Well*
Hutton, shhhhh *Well*
*And I was trying on the Bat Girl costume. What's wrong with that? Now now, I was the Catwoman...*
*Hey Adam, it's
Felicia*
*Hey Mike, it's Felicia*
*Hey Adam, it's Felicia*
Primary sample: "Rapper's Delight" - by The Sugarhill Gang (1979).
Kickin' lyrics right
through your brain
When you hear this sign, you'll be right as rain
Alright
If You
If You
Wanna Know
Wanna Know
The real deal about the three
Well let me tell you
We're triple trouble ya'll
We're gonna bring you up to speed
Check it out
Cause I'm a
specializer, rhyme reviser
Ain't selling out to advertisers
What you get is what you see
And you won't see me out there advertising
See I like to party not drink Bacardi
Bacardi specializes in
making rum.
'Cause I'm not looking to throw up on nobody
Known for my spiel like wheelie one wheel
'Cause this is like having a delicious meal
Moving the crowd, well that's a must
I got some words that apply to us and that's
Mesmerizing, tantalizing
Captivating, we're devastating
If You
If You
Wanna Know
Wanna Know
The real deal about the three
Well let me tell you
We're triple trouble ya'll
We're gotta bring you up to speed
Now, check it out
Here's one for the
bleachers and the upper tier
Versatile All-Temp-A-Cheer
Cheer brand laundry
detergent.
They advertise that it is good for washing clothes in all tempertures,
hence their slogan "All-Temp-A-Cheer"
If you wanna drink call Mr. Belvedere
The television sitcom Mr.
Belvedere
aired from 1985-1990. It starred Christopher Hewett
in the title role as a stuffy, proper English butler in the employment
of a middle-class American family headed by Bob Uecker.
Run this rap game like a brigadier
I got kicks on the one, seven and eleven
Snares on the five and thirteen
In rhythm construction
- whether with break beats, drum machines, or live percussion
instruments
- different sounds fall on different "beats" in the rhythm. A
typical
rock rhythm is in 4/4 time (though not exclusively), with the primary
beat
(usually the snare) falling on the first beat of the measure and
cymbals
and bass drums (on a standard drum kit this is uaully known as the
"kick"
drum) filling on and in between the other three beats in the measure,
creating
rock and roll's most distinctive feature, the backbeat.
Typically,
songs are arranged in groups of measures, sometimes known as
bars.
The repitition of these bars in groups provides the structure of a song
(like the familiar framework of 12-bar blues). The previous two
lines
of lyrics seem to be referring to construction of a beat, although it
doesn't
appear to be the rhythm blueprint of this song. Literally, the
above
lines mean that there is a kickdrum on beats 1, 7, and 11 in the bar,
and
snare drum on beats 5 and 13.
Rhymes on time and that's the given
We're hot on the disco scene
*Check a record*
Slow down with I-me, got to stop stingin'
The source of the problem is at the origin
You've got lyrics that have got me cringin'
You're like a fish-wife, quit your damn whingin'
If You
If You
Wanna Know
Wanna Know
The real deal about the three
Well let me tell you
We're triple trouble ya'll
We're gonna bring you up to speed
So, check it out
Bam! Supernature god
damn
"Supernature" - Cerrone
(1977).
Cerrone on the microphone I am
Jean-Marc Cerrone was
second
only to Giorgio Moroder as the single most influential producer of
disco
music in Europe during the late 1970's and early 1980's.
Adrock a.k.a sharp cheddar
My rhymes are better
What the Helen of Troy is that?
From ancient litreature,
Helen of Troy had "a face that could launch a thousand ships" and
indeed
she did. Her kidnapping resulted in the infamous war between the
Trojans and Greeks. The Beastie Boys make a pun with this
reference,
echoing the cliche "What in the hell is that?"
Did I hear you say my rhymes is wack?
I'm beautiful you can't touch me
If you pick a rose, well you might just bleed
We're originators you can't feign
Ignorance or pass the blame
'Nuff rhymes coming out the brain
'Nuff beats to drive you insane
'Nuff moves to make your neck crane
'Nuff skill to make the rhymes ingrain
'Nuff heat to leave you in flames
'Nuff style that you can't defame
You see I walk like Jabba The Hutt
Crime world underlord in
the Star Wars films to whom Han Solo owed money.
With the style so new y'all be like what?
Turn the party out like a bon vivant
"Bon vivant" is the French
equivalent of a gourmet or gastronome; a person with refined tastes
with
respect to food and drink.
With the skill at will that I know you want
On a hot day with the iced latte
Devious like Wyle E. Coyote
From the Warner Bros.
cartoons,
the enternal nemesis of the Roadrunner.
Hot to trot-e or maybe not-e
'Cause little did they know there was a baby in her body
Mesmerizing, tantalizing, captivating, devastating
If You
If You
Wanna Know
Wanna Know
The real deal about the three
Well let me tell you
We're triple trouble ya'll
We're gonna bring you up to speed
Check it out
*Uh thank you ladies
and gentlemen, this next song is a blast
And I gotta say we are having a ball up here tonight
And when you're ready and...*
Shabba doo, shabba dee
Shabba dee, shabba doo
Which one of you
schnooks took my rhyme book?
Look give it back you're wicky wack
With your ticky tack calls didn't touch you at all
I didn't touch your hand man you know its all ball
In basketball, there are
two types of fouls: team and personal fouls. Team fouls involve
basic
rule infractions like travelling, goal tending, lane violation,
etc.
Personal fouls involve illegal contact with a player on the opposing
team.
A majority of the time, personal fouls occur in the process of
attempting
to block an opponent shooting the ball. If the blocker's hand
interferes
with the shooting hands of his opponent it is a foul, however if he
only
touches the ball, it is a clean and legal block. A legal block
(especially
when contested as a foul) is referred to as "all ball", or literally,
"I
only touched the ball".
You sold a few records but don't get slick
'Cause you used a corked bat to get those hits
In baseball, corked bats
are illegal. Bats are made of wood and some people have been
known
to drill out the center of the bat and refill if with cork, making it
lighter
to swing and not as solid, giving it more of an elastic quality when
meeting
with the baseball. In the 2003 baseball season (one year prior to
the release of this album) there was a high profile case of bat corking
involving Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa.
You've been in the game, your career is long
But when you break it down you've only got 2 songs
MC's are like clay pigeons when I'm shootin' skeet
I just yell pull and Mike drops a beat
Skeet, or trap, shooting
is a sport where objects made of clay, usually resembling various birds
(like pigeons), are flung by a machine into the air. A person
armed
with a shotgun then attempts to shoot it as it travels through the
air.
The person who operates the machine, places the clay pigeon into a
spring-loaded
arm and cocks it back. When the shooter is ready for it to be
released,
he yells "PULL!" and the machine operator lets it go. "Mike" here
is probably referring to Mix Master Mike.
You people call yourselves MC's but you're garbage men
Takin' out the trash when you pull out the pen
*And if you don't it like then hey fuck you!*
Now, I read about you
up on page 6
Infamous NYC area tabloid
The
New York Post publishes its gossip column on Page 6.
They was trashin' your ass it's sad you're getting dissed
Now talk about your face now don't get pissed
But I suggest you see a dermatologist
I keep that hot sauce hot not mild and weak
It's gonna burn your mouth until you wet your beak
I've got billions and billions of rhymes to flex
'Cause I've got more rhymes than Carl Sagan's got turtlenecks
Pulitzer Prize winning
scientist Carl Sagan's trademark attire was a turtleneck worn with a
sport
jacket.
Your rhymes are fake like a Canal Street watch
Where Canal Street runs
through the lower east side of Manhattan through Chinatown is filled
with
dozens and dozens of jewelry stores and street vendors where you can
score
an "authentic" Rolex watch at a fraction of its usual retail price. ;-)
You're hearing me and you're like *God it's Sasquatch!*
In 1995, a film crew
working
for Playboy was shooting a video with Playmate Anna Marie
Goddard.
During their stay in the redwood forests of California, they had a
Bigfoot/Sasquatch
encounter and managed to catch some of it on film. I read a
transcription
of this account and at one point someone is credited with saying "Oh my
God, it's Sasquatch" however the transcription did not say who said
it.
The only copy of the film I have located online to date is without
audio,
so I have no way of confirming if this is the source of this sample.
I'm walkin' on water while you're stepping in shit
Referring to the miracle
of Jesus Christ, the cliche "walks on water" is reserved for someone
who
is afforded a high level of respect and admiration. It is usually
used spitefully, as in "The way they act around him, you'd think he
walks
on water."
So put your sewer boots on before your ass gets lit
*And if you don't like
it then hey fuck you!*
*So put a quarter in your ass cause you played yourself*
sample: "The
Symphony"
by Marley Marl (1988), featuring Masta Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, and
Big
Daddy Kane. Big Daddy Kane is the rapper of this line. Full
lyric: "And battlin' me is hazardous to your health/So put a quarter in
your ass, cause you played yourself."
*And if you don't like it then hey fuck you!*
Sucker MC's it's me
they're resenting
In the animal kingdom they call it presenting
With the dipsy doodle the kit and caboodle
The truth is brutal your grandma's kugel
Kugel is a traditional
Jewish dish comprised of noodles, cream cheese, and vegetables or fruit
depending on the chef.
Kings County is my stomping ground
Kings County is
essentially,
the borough of Brooklyn.
The Albee Square Mall, Brooklyn, Downtown
The Albee Square Mall on
Fulton St. in Brooklyn was forever immortalized in a Biz Markie song of
the same name in 1988. The property was bought in 2001 and at the
time of this album was under rennovation, transforming into The Gallery
At Fulton Street.
So don't ask me to wine and dine ya
I'm from Brooklyn you're from Regina
Regina is the capital of
Saskatchewan, Canada. Of note is that Mike D's wife, director
Tamra Davis, shot her film Skipped
Parts on-location there.
You're like Foghorn Leghorn, Yosemite Sam
Foghorn Leghorn and
Yosemite
Sam are both characters from the Warner Brothers cartoons.
You're just yellin' and wildin' wondering who I am
With those lies you're telling you're like Toucan Sam
This seems to be a mixed
metaphor (well, technically simile). Toucan Sam is the colorful
mascot
for the Kellogg's brand ceral "Fruit Loops" who has a very long beak or
nose. The idea of a long nose being associated with lying comes
from
the story of Pinocchio, whose nose grew longer and longer with every
lie
he told.
But my style's impregnable like the Hoover Dam
The Hoover Dam, completed
in 1936, sits on the border of Nevada and Arizona on the Colorado River.
*And if you don't like it then hey fuck you!*
*Wow-how what a loser*
sample: "Sex For Teens (Where It's At)" -
Stanley Z. Daniels, MD (1969) [Much thanks to site visitor Jacob for
spotting this one. You can find a download of the album at the WFMU
blog site: here.
*Yo what's up sucker
MCs, check the footnotes y'all
*Word up, Freddy bites your ass*
*Oh word?*
Ad Rock
Yo what the schnitzel we're back
Wiener schnitzel is a
German
food comprised of veal cutlets dipped in batter then deep fried.
Shit's getting duller and duller and that's the fact
I don't care what you heard or care what you seen
I swear it wasn't me in Bear Magazine
"Bear" is a term used in
gay culture to refer to gay men who celebrate the masculine aspects of
their gender, including among other things, facial and body hair.
Bear Magazine was a reasonably successful periodical that began in the
1980's but has since become defunct. Currently there is a
publication
called American Bear Magazine as well as American Grizzly
Magazine.
It's hard to say to which magazine Ad Rock is referring and even less
certain
if he is referring to some rumor that may or may not have floated
around.
I find that hard to imagine since our beloved Ad Rock is not exactly
hairy
nor strikes me as being much of a "man's man".
Because I'm not that hairy, oh contrary
I go with the flow though the tempo varies
So twist the cap and pop the cork
My name's Adrock made in New York
*Oh word?*
MCA
What the ponytail, I don't eat snail
Actually I think MCA is
vegetarian anyway. Regardless, the French have a nifty little
dish
comprised of snails in drawn butter. They like to call it
escargot.
I'll steal your keys and then I'll check your mail
'Cause I'm the creepy crawler that be crawling your walls
And I'm the shot caller when it comes to shot calls
And I'll be rockin' parties from block to block
And block party to party the neighborhoods on lock
So hide your eyes, wait, I saw you looking
The name's MCA made in downtown Brooklyn
Brooklyn is one of the
5 boroughs of New York City.
*Oh word?*
M-Mike D
Yo what the parsley, parsley to the teeth
I'm a rhyme style writer you're a rhyme style thief
I may be paranoid you tried to fade me
Here's a song for you *Lady*
Make you bug out like you don't know what to do
Your momma says "shame on you"
When you're dancing with your crew
So get that poor chicken up off your fork
My name's Mike D made in New York
*Oh word?*
Ad Rock
Yo what the falafel you gotta get up awful
Falafel is a Middle
Eastern
dish comprised largely of chickpeas, also known as garbanzo
beans.
The chickpeas are ground and mized with spices and herbs then formed
into
balls and deep fried in canola oil.
Early to fool Mr. Furley
Don Knotts portrayed the
bumbling landlord, Ralph Furley, on the television sitcom Three's
Company
(1977-1984) after
Stanley and Helen Roper left the show in 1979. The general
premise
of Three's Company was that Jack Tripper had to "fool" the
landlord
into believing he was gay, so he would be would allowed cohabitate with
his two buxom, female roommates.
And that's word to Aunt Shirley and you could
Stick your head in the toilet give yourself a swirley
Listen up biters go please stop
While I'm politickin' at Murray's Cheese Shop
Murray's Cheese Shop,
located
on Bleecker Street in the heart of the Village in Manhattan.
Believe what you heard when you talk
You know it's Adrock made in New York
*Oh word?*
MCA
What the phone booth word to hair mousse
You're on the corner and you're selling a hog's tooth
Since the time of the
ancient
Egyptians, hog's tooth has been used to "cure" ailments ranging from
warts
to indigestion.
Don't mean to dis but I've got to point out
The hog's tooth belong inside the hog's mouth
Like Ernest Shackleton said to Orde-Lees
I'll have dog pemmican with my tea
Captain Ernest Shackleton
set sail on the HMS Endurance in 1914 to lead the Imperial
Trans-Antarctic
Expedition. Their goal was to traverse the Antarctic continent
for
a variety of topo/carto graphic purposes as well as scientific
study.
The Endurance never reached Antartica and was eventually lost at
sea.
Her crew spent nearly two years at sea on ice floes and islands inside
and around the Antarctic circle in 3 small lifeboats with minimal
supplies.
Nearly 70 dogs had been part of the original inventory and some were
made
into pemmican, a process of drying meat and crushing it into a fine
powder
then mixing it with melted fat (essentially, this is how beef jerky is
made) or simply dissolving it in hot water to make a protein-rich
drink.
Thomas Orde-Lees served on the Endurance and kept a mind-bogglingly
detailed
account of the expedition in a diary. On April 9th, 1916 he
wrote:
"As we had had a quarter of a pound of dog-pemmican and two biscuits
each,
in the boats for tea...". For the record, 4 dogs survived the
expedition
and retired to the Wellington Zoo in England.
Now pass the wok 'cause I'm cookin'
The name's MCA made in Downtown Brooklyn
*Oh word?*
Mike D
Yo, what the doofus, say good night
You're Snidely Whiplash I'm Dudley Do-you-right
Cartoon character Snidely
Whiplash, with his greasy, Walrus mustache, was the nemesis of Canadian
Mountie Dudley Do-Right.
Times are off the hinges leave your 2-way at the door
We're all up the creek a long way from shore
I'm not walking around looking to get you a cake
The D is for Diamonds not for Drake's
Drake's Cakes is a brand
of pre-packaged snack cakes popular on the east coast, similar to
Hostess
or Little Debbie.
This not a fantasy, I'm not Mr. O'Rourke
Ricardo Montalban
portrayed
the mysterious Mr. Roarke on the television series Fantasy Island
(1977-1984).
The name's Mike D made in New York
*Oh word?*
*Woo! Woo! Woo!*
Back on the scene for
the people's delight
You want peace for the people then ya say alright
'Cause George W's got nothing on me
The 43rd
President
of the United States, George W. Bush.
We got to take the power from he
When I'm on the mic I feel good to go
Like a snow day for school with hot cocoa
So don't speak what I heard, just say what I know
And my ahhh... my zodiac sign is Scorpio
Mike D's birthday is on
Novemeber 20th placing him under the astrological sign of
Scorpio.
Look what the cat dragged in
The crème de la crème without the skin
So take a rest and mind your own biz
And that's it that's all that's all there is
*Fresh…fresh…fresh…for
you…for you…for you*
*That's fresh…fresh…fresh…for you…for you…for you*
One for Brooklyn, two
for Manhattan
Let's go to work, get those hands clappin'
Make you bounce, rock, rollerskate
"Bounce, Rock,
Skate,
Roll" - by Vaughan Mason & Crew (1980).
Don't underrate, yo, how I operate
It ain't what you say, it's what you mean
Intention leads to action, that is my theme
So pay attention now as I begin to recap
Puttin' words and ideas stacked back to back
Some rhymes go flat, well mine go fizz
I got no time for the drama 'cause stress is for kids
'Cause when you're dead and buried well you got no biz
And that's it that's all that's all there is
*Fresh…fresh…fresh…for
you…for you…for you*
*That's fresh…fresh…fresh…for you…for you…for you*
Brand new
The time and place for
the mind is here and now
Keep the mind present less to worry about
But like the hammer to the nail hit the nail on the head
Well I don't shoot blanks and I don't shoot lead
'Cos I'm a freaky streaker like Winnie the Pooh
With a T-shirt and no pants and I dance the bugaloo
Come to think of it, I
guess the literary/Disney cartoon character Winnie the Pooh is a
streaker
of sorts, wearing only a T-shirt but no pants.
Like George Whipple on New York One
In New York City there
is an all-news cable network called New York Channel One (real
original,
huh?). George Whipple works as a banking lawyer by day and an
entertainment
correspondent for New York One at night. Mr. Whipple has rather
large,
bushy eyebrows, and I'm guessing his hirsuit nature has something to do
with the following line.
Got a hairy ass and that's no fun
I'm in the rhyme zone a different time zone
And on the microphone you know that I'm at home
It's time we looked past all our differences
And that's it that's all that's all there is
Come on
*Fresh…fresh…fresh…for
you…for you…for you*
*That's fresh…fresh…fresh…for you…for you…for you*
And that's
*Fresh…fresh…fresh…for you…for you…for you*
*That's fresh…fresh…fresh…for you…for you…for you*
Ideas spark my hand
grabs a pen
Sweeten up the sound let me get the right blend
Coming down the wire to the Neve mic pre
I won't hazard to guess
what particular model they used in the studio, but Neve is a brand that
makes microphone pre-amps. In the business of recording, they are
referred to as a Neve mic pre.
Nice up the sound for the A to D
I'm a Wonderama snake can winner
Bagel from Bob and a TV Dinner
I'm the one that won that dance contest
'Cause you know I dance the best
The preceding four lines
probably all are referring to Wonderama, a children's
television
program produced by New York City television station WNEW and seen
throughout
the nation on cable. It was hosted by Bob McAllister and
featured,
among other things, the Snake Can game, whereby a kid would have to
pick
from several cans, one of which contained a prize. A wrong
selection
could result in a spring-snake jumping out of the can. The show
also
featured the "Go Go Dance Sessions" dance contests. The question
in all of this is, did a young Mike D appear on Wonderama?
All you gotta do is do your thing you see
'Cause I don't give a fuck who you're supposed to be
My name is Adrock and I aim to please
And I gotta spread love in society
We got to keep the
party going on
All lifestyles, sizes, shapes, and forms
What you saw what you
heard
I get involved I might disturb
And if you want what's going down
You might just get that silky sound
So what'cha want? So what'cha need?
"So What'cha Want" - The
Beastie Boys (1992)
I've got the fonts you want to read
Get in the game you gotta scheme
All the same I've got the team
More new wave not OG
"New Wave" was a term to
descirbe the synthesizer laden pop music of the early 1980's.
"OG"
is an acornym for "original gangster" coined by Ice-T on his O.G.:Original
Gangster
album and is used in general to describe old-scgool gangster
rap.
Walking down the block you say "Yo D!
When you coming out with the new CD
That spreads love in society?"
We got to keep the
party going on
All lifestyles, sizes, shapes, and forms
*Dance sucker*
*Groove*
samples: both come from
"Renegades of Funk" by Afrika Bambaataa (1986).
Goto goto goto goto
Don't mess with crack or the baking soda
Whether in the high rise where you live like Rhoda
The television series Rhoda
(1974-1978) spun-off from the Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977),
when
the show's namesake (portrayed by Valerie Harper) left Minneapolis to
return
to New York City. Rhoda lived in a high-rise apartment building in
Manhattan.
Or in the shack and you live like Yoda
In the Star Wars: The
Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983),
jedi
master Yoda lives in a small shack/hut on the planet of Degobah.
Once again it's on like a brand new morn
Beatsie Beatsie Boys here to keep you all warm
"Putting Shame In Your
Game" by The Beastie Boys (1998).
Original lyric:
"Beatsie Beatsie Boys gettin live on the spot
Putting
all
kinds
of
shame in the game you got"
All you spazzes and you freaks
Go and do your thing 'cause you're unique
If it don't hurt nobody else then
Don't be afraid to be yourself and
Special dedication and so on
To all lifestyles, sizes, shapes and forms
We got to keep the
party going on
All lifestyles, sizes, shapes, and forms
*Pop*
*Tappin, clappin,
rappin, the sound of fingers snappin
A'tappin snappin knockin rappin a little sound growing
Coming and a'going
A'all the time*
*Everybody get down
huh
Everybody get down huh
Everybody get down huh
Huh huh huh huh, Shazam!*
I sneak a chicken
tikka
Massala at a gala event
Chicken Tikka Massala is
a post-colonial British dish. Chicken tikka is an Indian dish
which
is essentially a chicken kabob with vegetables, seasoned with curry and
grilled over an open flame. During the English occupation of
India,
the dish was fused with the British desire to eat their meat dishes
with
gravy. Legend has it that an agitated Indian chef non-chalantly
poured
a tin can of Campbell's Tomato Soup over the chicken and veggies to
create
the very first Chicken Tikka Massala.
I represent that's stupid that's for sure
You be like "Oh yeah Adam, real mature"
I'd like a lettuce, tomato and Munster on rye
Munster (somtimes
Muenster)
is a cheese of French origin. Connoisseurs recommend eating it
with
a dark bread, like rye. Well aged Munster is known for having a
very
pungent odor.
All this cheese is gonna make me cry
Gorgonzola, Provolone
Gorgonzola
and
Provolone
are
both
Italian cheeses.
Don't even get me started on this microphone
Blowin' up like my name is Joe Bazooka
Bazooka Joe was the name
of the character in the comic strips that come with every piece of
Bazooka
Bubblegum.
I'm a super-dooper MC party pooper
On a track so sick it'll make you feel all queasy
Make you do like Fred Sanford with "I'm comin' Wheezy!"
A case of mixed
metaphors.
Fred G. Sanford, portrayed by Redd Foxx, on the Sanford and
Son
(1972-1977)television
series would regularly grab his chest and feign a heart attack when
dismayed
by some situation. He would look toward the heavens and proclaim
"I'm comin' Elizabeth!" referring to his dead wife that passed
away.
"Wheezy" was the nickname used by George Jefferson (Sherman
Hemsley)
for his wife Louise (Isabel Sanford) on another afro-centric television
program, The Jeffersons
(1975-1985).
*Everybody get down
huh
Everybody get down huh
Everybody get down huh
Huh huh huh huh, Shazam!*
On the court I go by
the name Praying Mantis
It seems we've heard this
somewhere before... "Get It Together" - The Beastie Boys (1994).
Original lyric:
"Praying mantis on the court and I can't be beat"
Got the edge and I've got the advantage
If you could see things from my vantage
Point then you could better understand this
I'm in the lab all day I Scrabble all night
Ad Rock must be developing
a thing for word games. On Hello Nasty in "Putting
Shame
In Your Game" he proclaimed he was the King of Boggle. Scrabble a
the world-famous letter-tile game produced by Hasbro.
I got a Be-Dazzler so my outfit's tight
The Be-Dazzler is a
handheld
machine which attaches studs and rhinestones to fabric.
When it comes to panache I can't be beat
I got the most style from below 14th street
In Manhattan, the numbered
streets run west to east and are laid out in a hierarchy running from
south
to north. The further north you get, the higher the numbers
become.
Everything below 14th Street is considered "lower Manhattan"
or "downtown".
Internationally known as the Keebler Elf
Mascots of the Keebler
cracker company, the Keebler elves live in a tree and make the cookies
and crackers for Keebler with their elven magic. There are many
Keebler
elves, but the head elf, the Keebler elf, would be Ernie.
Can't keep a catalog up on the shelf
You know I splash on beats like sauce on spaghetti
Putting MC's out of business like they're Crazy Eddie
Crazy Eddie was a
tri-state
(New York, Connecticut and New Jersey) area chain of electronics stores
which aired local television commercial in the late 1970's and
throughout
the 1980's. On the commercials, the persona of Crazy Eddie was
portrayed
by actor Jerry Carroll who promised "truly insane" prices. The
chain
went out of business at the end of the 1980's and owner Eddie Antar was
prosecuted on SEC violations, resulting in a $73 million dollar
judgement
and a 7 year prison term.
*Everybody get down
huh
Everybody get down huh
Everybody get down huh
Huh huh huh huh, Shazam!*
I know you're sitting
pretty in the Hampty Hamps
The Hamptons, a posh
residential
area on Long Island, New York.
Posing like you're rolling with that camp
In layman's terms let me break it down
You're flipping and flopping just like a flounder
I'm a hip hop scholar while you're left back
So Jeckle and Rush go back to LeFrak
LeFrak City, a large apartment complex
in Queens. Not sure what the signifigance of Jeckle (Jekyll?) and Rush
are though.
I'm a simple man like Chauncy the Gardener
In the 1979 film Being
There (director: Hal Ashby), Peter Sellers portrays Chance, a
gardener
for a millionaire. In an accident when he is struck by a car,
dazed,
he responds to the question of his name, "Chance... gardener" and the
woman
presumes his name is "Chauncy Gardiner". A case of mistaken
identity
ensues as Chance is mistaken for a gentleman of the upper class,
however,
he is just a simple man - a gardener.
Working 9 to 5 Dolly Parton
"9 to 5" by Dolly Parton
(1980). Original lyrics:
"Working 9 to 5, what a way to make a living
Barely
getting
by,
it's
all taking and no giving"
Got rhymes for jerks that's bringing on drama
Which rhyme you want first? The one about your mama?
Goodness gracious golly gee
Shazam! Freeeeeeak out with the genie!
*Everybody get down
huh
Everybody get down huh
Everybody get down huh
Huh huh huh huh, Shazam!*
*I'm gonna tell on you*
*Listen all you New Yorkers*
Brooklyn, Bronx,
Queens and Staten
From the Battery to the top of Manhattan
Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens,
Staten Island, and Manhattan comprise the five boroughs of New York
City.
Battery Park lies at the southern (bottom) tip of Manhattan.
Asian, Middle-Eastern and Latin
Black, White, New York you make it happen
New York City is the most
ehtnically diverse city in the United States, quite possibly the world.
Brownstones, water
towers, trees, skyscrapers
Writers, prize fighters and Wall Street traders
Wall Street lies at the
heart of the lower Manhattan financial district, home to the New York
Stock
Exchange.
We come together on the subway cars
Diversity unified, whoever you are
We're doing fine on the 1 and 9 line
The 1 and 9 trains of the
New York City subwway system runs from the North Bronx down the western
edge of Manhattan terminating at Battery Park in lower Manhattan.
On the L we're doin' swell
The "L" train of the New
York City subway system serves the Brooklyn borough and connects it
with
14th Street in Manhattan.
On the number 10 bus we fight and fuss
The M-10 bus covers 7th
and 8th Ave in Manhattan's Upper West Side, providing service between
Harlem
and Penn Station.
You know we're thorough in the boroughs 'cause that's a must
I remember when the Duece was all porno flicks
Someone correct me on this
if I'm wrong, but the "duece" more than likely refers to 42nd
street in Manhattan. Today, 42nd Street has been
completely
renovated thanks in large part to Rudy Guiliani's Times Square
development
initiatives, but it wasn't that long ago that the area around the Port
Authority bus terminal at 42nd Street and 8th Avenue
was
nothing
but
street
walkers, peep shows, strip clubs, and porn movie
theatres. As you may recall, on "She's Crafty" from Licensed
to
Ill they make reference to seeing someone's girlfriend "8th
and Forty Duece", suggesting that she was a prostitute.
Running home after school to play PIX
Thanks to Larry B. for
helping me out with this one. A local television station in NYC,
WPIX (Channel 11), used to offer an interactive television game for
kids
after school in the late 1970's and early 1980's. I'm a little
fuzzy
on precisely how the game worked, but it was developed in conjunction
with
the Intellivision company, a rival of Atari back in the day.
Apparently,
it involved a kid calling on the phone and "controlling" some aspect of
the game with voiced commands. UPDATE: Site visitor Mark adds: "Actually, it was
quite simple. Kids mailed in a 3x5 card and if their card was picked,
they were called at home, usually around 4pm. Then they "played" a
video game on the television, either "NFL Football" or some first
person space shooter (perhaps Space Spartans). In the football
game, when the ball was hiked, the kid had to say "PIX" over the phone
when they wanted the Quarterback to throw the football. For the space
game, they said "PIX" whe they wanted to shoot at the aliens. Since
there was a delay from when they said "PIX" to the person
firing/throwing, the kid was always a second off. So the kids started
saying "PIXPIXPIXPIXPIX" as fast as they could to try and hit
something. The prize was something like a t-shirt. And bragging rights
on the playground."
At lunch I'd go to Blimpies down on Montague Street
Blimpies, a national chain of submarine
sanwich shops.
And hit the Fulton Street Mall for the sneakers on my feet
Fulton Street Mall, a pedestrian mall in
Brooklyn.
Dear New York I hope you're doing well
I know a lot's happened and you've been through hell
So, we give thanks for providing a home
Through your gates at Ellis Island we passed in droves
Ellis Island, New York
was the home of the immigration station from 1892 to 1954. 40% of
the American population can trace their heritage through this
immigration
station.
Brooklyn, Bronx,
Queens and Staten
From the Battery to the top of Manhattan
Asian, Middle-Eastern and Latin
Black, White, New York you make it happen
The L.I.E. the B.Q.E
Acronyms referring to two
different highways in the New York City area - the Long Island
Expressway
(I-495) and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (I-278).
Hippies at the band shell with the L.S.D.
Some of the older parks
in the New York City area have band shells, where musicians can
play.
I know Central Park has one, but this could be referring to any number
of them in the area I'm sure. LSD, of course refers to the
popular
hallucinogenic, lysergic acid diethylamide.
Get my BVD's from VIM
BVD undergarments, founded
in 1876 by Bradley, Voorhees, and Day.
VIM is a chain of retail
stores that specializes in jeans and sneakers established in 1977 in
New
York City.
You know I'm reppin' Manhattan the best I can
Manhattan is one have New
York City's five boroughs.
Stopped off at Bleecker Bob's got thrown out
Blecker Bob's is a record
store located on WEst 3rd St. in Manhattan.
Sneakin' in at 4:00 am after going out
You didn't rob me in the park at Diana Ross
In Central Park near West
81st Street is a playground named for legendary Motown
singer
Diana Ross.
But everybody started looting when the light went off
From the South South Bronx on out to Queensbridge
From Hollis Queens
right down to Bay Ridge
Two neighborhoods in
Queens and Brooklyn, respectively.
Hollis, of course is the neighborhood famed for being the childhood
neighborhood
of a lot of early rappers like Run-DMC and LL Cool J.
From Castle Hill to the Lower East Side
From 1010 WINS to Live
At Five
1010 WINS is a New York
City area, all-news AM radio station. "Live at Five" is the name
of New York City's WNBC (channel 4) evening news program.
Dear New York this is a love letter
To you and how you brought us together
We can't say enough about all you do
'Cause in the city we're ourselves and electric too
Brooklyn, Bronx,
Queens and Staten
From the Battery to the top of Manhattan
Asian, Middle-Eastern and Latin
Black, White, New York you make it happen
Shout out the South
Bronx where my mom hails from
Right next to High Bridge across from Harlem
To the Grand Concourse where my mom and dad met
The Grand Concourse is
a major thoroughfare of the Bronx, one of NYC's five boroughs.
Before they moved on down to the Upper West
Manhattan's Upper West
Side (west of central park).
I see you're still strong after all that's gone on
Life long we dedicate this song
Just a little something to show some respect
To the city that blends and mends and tests
Since 911 we're still livin'
Reference to the terrorist
attacks which destroyed the World Trade Center buildings in New York
City
on September 11, 2001.
And lovin' life we've been given
Ain't nothing gonna take that away from us
Were lookin' pretty and gritty 'cause in the city we trust
Dear New York I know a lot has changed
2 towers down but you're still in the game
Another reference to the
World Trade Center buildings destroyed on September 11, 2001.
Home to the many rejecting know one
Accepting peoples of all places, wherever they're from
Brooklyn, Bronx,
Queens and Staten
From the Battery to the top of Manhattan
Asian, Middle-Eastern and Latin
Black, White, New York you make it happen
*New York City*
Oh yeah, ay yo, this
is a dedication to all you backstabbers and
bitin'
MCs
Scratchin' like you got fleas
You know what I'm sayin'?
Yo, we watchin' you, son
We up on the roof, we down in the cellar, up in the crawlspace
Listen fool, I got my eye on you, son
What...
There's a party going
on in here for real
I got more product than Ron Popeil
So deal with that troop we're troopers
The only air time you get is on bloopers
The TV Bloopers and
Practical Jokes telelvision program, hosted by Dick Clark and Ed
McMahon,
featured missed cues, mistakes, and various unusable video tape footage
salvaged from the filming of television programs.
Beatsie Boys in the place up in the space
So renovate or evacuate
You better think twice before you start flossing
I been in your bathroom often
Taking punk MC's out I'm all about
My to do list today is turn the party out
Getting hot in here no room to breathe
I got my pen in my hand so you best not sleep
No I'm not Herman Munster nor Dr. Spock
Herman Munster was the
bloackheaded, Frankestein-ish father on the The Munsters
television
program.
Pediatrician Dr. Benjamin
Spock (1903-1998) published "baby and child care" in 1946 and
influenced
a generation of parents in child-rearing with over 50 million copies
sold.
With the wealth of sci-fi references on this album, one has to wonder
if
he doesn't mean Mr. Spock from Star Trek, but the Beastie Boys
have
used the proper salutation in the past, so it's hard to say.
I go by the name of the King Adrock
So here's a match my ass, and your face
Listen when I tell you dog
I'm in your crawl space
You're in front of my
house and you know that's wack
Bite my rhymes with a scanner from Radio Shack
Radio Shack is a chain
of retail stores specializing in home electronics.
You suckers try to front like you've got the force
But I'll slay like Vader sip you for a first course
"The Force" was the
mystical
energy which flowed through all living things in the Star Wars
films.
Darth Vader was the name Anakin Skywalker chose when he was seduced by
the "dark side of The Force".
Don't even get me started on the intercourse
*Ahhhh!*
Don't step into my zone or even periphery
Can't grab a hold of my style it's too slippery
The way you act a fool son you can't erase
I'll have you running on your way like steeple chase
Steeple chase is a stlye
of horse racing where the jockeys are required to jump their steeds
over
obstacles as they circle a track.
You tried to take my title, put it back in place
But now you're busted wearing panties and lace
Stealing my style from my trophy case
But my drive's secure like on the army base
You're sneaking and peeking and trying to give chase
But you ain't never gonna catch me
I'm in your crawl space
Schematics, blueprints
and microfilm
Calibrate your sonar when I'm in your realm
'Cause you know we're getting scarier and scarier
And this extends beyond the Tri-State-Area
There are many "tri-state
areas" in the United States, but this probably refers to the New York
City's
tri-state area of New Jersey, New York and Connecticut.
Omnipresent and omnipotent
My rhymes are whales and yours are rodents
This means huge compared to very small
You look a little chilly, can I get you a shawl?
'Cause these rhymes are 200 proof
Alcohol potency is
measured
in proof. Proof is equal to 2x the alcohol percentage, for
example,
Wild Turkery whiskey is 190 proof, which means it has an alcohol
content
of 95%. 200 proof, then is the highest proof rating that alcohol
can conceivably be.
They're like anvils lined up on a roof
Waiting to drop on your corny melon
In cartoons, a
blacksmith's
anvil is typically dropped on someone's head as a form of slapstick
comedy.
'Cause were not buying what you're selling
First you want to battle then you start to whine
You're looking hungry, it must be snack time
So run home where you feel safe
But don't sleep Cochise
Given their love of 70s cinema, this is
likey a reference to the character from the film 1979 film Warriors, who was named after the
famed Apache chief from American history.
I'm in your crawl space
*What was that about?*
*You know, maintenance needs*
Now what the blood
clot I rap a lot
What you gonna do when the beat goes drop?
Whatcha talkin' 'bout Willis? Who the illest?
"What you talkin'
'bout, Willis" was the catch phrase used by Gary Coleman on the
American sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes" the late '70s.
You know my name is Adam stop callin' me Phyllis
Ya hear some fuss, you're like what's the clamor?
It's just me naked on the cover of Glamour
A phenomenon pandemonium
The club is blowing up like plutonium
What's all the fanfare what's the to do
We're known to bring the hullabaloo
On stage or at the spa
Guaranteed we bring the brouhaha
*'Cause it's a brouhaha*
There's a commotion
that's goin' down
I talk more shit then drown the clown
Drown the Clown is drinking game
involving a deck of cards.
I'm like that freak from Cirque de Soleil
With my leg behind my head and a rhyme to say
Ten nine eight seven six five four
Get upon the mic and I'm a even the score
One two three, three to two one
Don't carry a knife and I don't carry a gun
Yo we be making mountains out of Cool Whip
Pass me the mint for the julep
A mint julep is a cocktail comprised of
bourbon whiskey, sugar, water, and mint and is a popular drink in the
Southern United States, and most famously associated with the Kentucky
Derby.
Tell me everybody where is the love
Hey yo what's the motherfuckin' hubbub
*'Cause it's a brouhaha*
Communicator check one
two one two
This is Bones McCoy on a line to Sulu
Set the bullshit to warp factor one
Check your tri-corder set your phaser to stun
The previous several lines are all Star
Trek references. Star Trek was an American science fiction TV
show in the late 60s. Dr.
Leonard "Bones" McCoy and Hikaru Sulu were two of the characters.
"Warp Factor" refers to the various warp speeds at which the starship
Enterprise could travel. Tri-corders were a hand held device used
to take readings of various things in the environment and phasers were
a hand-held weapon that could be set to "stun" in addition to being
lethal.
Oh mais oui you can catch me
Near as I can tell, in French, mais oiu
literally means "but, yes" and is the English language equivalent to
"of course".
At Jean Vie with a pastry
Though spelled "Jean Vie" in the liner
notes, this probably refers to the Jon Vie Pastry Shop and Cafe which
used to be in the West Village, NYC.
C'est ci c'est la oh n'est pas
Qu'est-ce-que c'est le brouhahaha
Ha haha haha!
Just back from Japan and ooh I'm laggin'
Goin' rao rao with the dungeon dragon
In the role playing game Dungeons and Dragons, Rao
in the god of peace, reason, and sanity.
You can dance if you want to leave your friends behind
But if they don't dance and then they won't dance they can kiss my
fuckin' ass
from "Safety Dance" - Men Without Hats
(1982)
"We can dance if we want to, we can leave your
friends behind
'Cause your friends don't dance and if
they don't dance well they're no friends of mine"
*'Cause it's a brouhaha*
Who got the chance to
make things right?
Why the politicians always want to fight?
The Christian Coalition and the right wing ooooh!
The Christian Coalition of America is a
powerful political action group in the U.S. comprised of conservative,
fundamentalist Christians. It exerts a great deal of influence
over the conservative Republican party (the right wing of American
politics as opposed to the left wing liberal Democrat party).
Let me tell you what you can do
Step outside the cone of silence
"The Cone Of Silence" was
a gadget used on the television sitcom Get Smart. It was
a
plastic shield that would come down over two people's heads (usually
Maxwell
Smart and the Chief) and prevent other people from hearing the
conversation.
The running gag was that it never worked right though, and
conversations
always ended with the two people yelling at each other trying to
understand
what they were saying.
Too much hatred and violence
It's time to rewind
We need a military decline
Got the power of the mind focused
Government like a locust
Are we gone or just going?
Time to act on what we be knowing y'all
Who got the power to
make a difference?
Who got the power to make a change?
Who got the power to make a difference?
We got the
We got the
We got the
Eyes on the prize and
never wane
Take the bull by the reins
If you want it be the change
Like Gandhi and MLK
Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)
lead a movement of independence from British rule in his homeland of
India
with a method of non-violence. The previous line references a Ghandi
quote, "Be the change you want to see in the world."
Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr. (1929-1968) was the leading advocate of peaceful, nonviolent
demonstration
during the American Civil Rights movement of the 1960's, before his
assassination.
Wait up, got to change the system
Need knowledge, power and wisdom
Same way I rock this microphone
Speak up, just let it be known
Hey ladies, fellas
And everyone between
Take the power back and let them react
And let's show them what we mean
Check it out
Who got the power to
make a difference?
Who got the power to make a change?
Who got the power to make a difference?
We got the
We got the
We got the
We can work, walk,
march and protest
Think about how we approach this
Ask questions but they keep frontin'
Due time we change a little something
Hey yo don't you know
Won't forget Amaduou Diallo
An unarmed Diallo was shot and killed by 4
police officers who unloaded 41 rounds into him in 1999. You can check
out the whole story on wikipedia.
To the crooked people and the crooked cops
Got to spread love before the world goes *cuckoo*
Never again should we use the A-bomb
Not counting nuclear
testing,
the atom bomb ("A-bomb") has only been used twice: on the same day by
the
United States to end World War II when dropped on the Japanese cities
of
Nagasaki and Horoshima in 1945.
We need an international ban on all W.O.M.D.'s gone
"W.O.M.D." = Weapons Of
Mass Destruction
We need a multilateral disarm
Who got the power to
make a difference?
Who got the power to make a change?
Who got the power to make a difference?
We got the
We got the
We got the
*...the power is the thing.*
Whether in a penthouse
or a cave dweller
I can tell you 'bout now I'm not a fortune teller
Grab a treat from Yossi my muffin seller
Most likely, Yossi Bakery and Sweet House
in Brooklyn.
Got mad technique like Rudy Van Geller
Rudy Van Geller, reknowned
producer/engineer of jazz recordings.
And yes I got a plan I'm a carry out it
Yes I'm pro-choice I'm a scream and shout it
Yes I love life and I try not to doubt it
Yes I'm gonna body 'cause I'm 'bout it 'bout it
When it rains I don't use an umbrella
When I write rhymes, I use indelible ink
That will make you think
Flowing like water that you love to drink
NOW get busy
Sweet like a crepe
filled with Nutella
Nutella is a hazelnut spread.
Creamy like buffalo mozzarella
As you might suspect, buffalo mozzarella
is a cheese made from water buffalo milk.
Sneaking around you know I smell ya
Well I play ya like a peanut and throw the shell ya
Well I could give a fuzz if ya think you're a baller
I gets 'em ??? ?? well you fall smaller
Middle school rapper and the crowd gets your love
If ya think about your grandma go ahead call her
From the East Coast so I don't say hella
At the mic stand my performance is stellar
Pop the tape in and I listen to fella
I give a little shout to Nelson Mandela
Mandela, South African anti-aparthied
activist who became president of his country after serving 27 years in
prison for his activism and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.
NOW get busy
Known for the words
that make you scream and holler
I'm Count Dooku to your Queen Amidala
Dooku and Amidala were characters in the
second installment of Star Wars films (Episodes 1 through 3).
Give a shout to Spiros or John Waller
Spiros is a character in the book Corfu Sunset by John Waller.
I'm a student of the game and a bonafide scholar
So ease up on the bong to ease that coughin'
Butter's on the table now watch it soften
Bring in those beats and I'm a bring them muffin
I'm a keep rappin' when I'm in my coffin
Like a mind gone mad that is unwinding
In a padded room the walls you're climbing
Don't sign on the line if it looks binding
Ya have to get loose and find the lining
NOW get busy