Antipop Consortium is one of the most inventive underground hip hop crews i… Read Full Bio ↴Antipop Consortium is one of the most inventive underground hip hop crews in the early 2000's. The Consortium was formed in fall 1997 to turn the commercial Hip Hop scene on its head. It consisted of the three vocalists (Beans, High Priest and M. Sayyid) which come from the New York street poetry scene and producer Earl Blaize in the background.

After a series of cassette only releases on the own label Antipop Recordings and some underground singles the label Ark 75 released the group's debut album "Tragic Epilogue" in 2000.

Their music is bridging the gap between Hip Hop and Intelligent Dance Music. Because of that avantgarde electronic label Warp Records, known for releasing such artists as Aphex Twin or Autechre, signed the Group in 2001 and released the EP "The Ends Against The Middle" and 2002 the second album "Arrythmia" with world wide acclaim. So the music came also more and more into the ears of electronic listeners.

After a long cooperation and uncountable collaborations and side projects with other artists the group temporarily split in August 2002 to pursue other projects. They reformed in August 2007.

During their hiatus, Beans pursued a solo career while Priest and Sayyid formed Airborn Audio.

In March 2008, they performed their first show together in six years in the Melkweg in Amsterdam.

In September 2009, they released a new album entitled "Fluorescent Black".

Ping Pong
Antipop Consortium Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

[m. sayyid]
watch the ball
watch the way i climb around your hall
walkin up walls
sideways then i stall
throw the web on you all
back up with a u-haul
wreck your rep like eddie on an la strip with rupaul

yeah you got the gall
a bitch in a shawl rockin the mall
poppin pussy knockin
he's on brawl talkin about
he got a crazy benz
poutin, fussin every second
where's the atm's
when you peep at my shit it's like a wavy lens
don't secondary y'all
do what i bake for the fate
two shakes of scary spice and i'm off with the cake
on a rack for the track
let it cool off, then bleah
your whole crew want a snack after they nap
runnin up on me
but i told y'all kids
that's for the company
my symphonic monopoly
philosophy sloppily
etchin notes awkwardly
quarter to three
glass amp with a gas lamp
white wig slang wolfgang
english chamber orchestratin a deadly banger
cliffhanger
the stranger with anger
prospect park the strangler
you couldn't catch me in the swamps
with six navigators, alligators, maps and calibrators
yo priest throw the shit that keeps em on their toes like ballerinas

it's the return

[priest]
it's the return to the prime time
that's your debt
you get pet
expect to set epithets
epiliptic elipses
my thought eclipses
lapses in your fractal jelly jar
czar dictator
often immitated and hated by many
judge me by my flows
judge me by my foes
enclosed foes
judge me by the fact on a track
i reenact a fact that is only known
in an intimate zone with a mic home at night
tight poems, i'm known to write triflin poems
on homes of grown kids with blown wigs
they live in crypts and sleep under stairs on chairs
three cheers, hp lives like plants
get your dance on, put your fake eyes on
try on krylon
my songs sing about the freedom of my people
new balance sneaker fever
thunder reciever
on to the three is hp

it's the return

Overall Meaning

In Antipop Consortium's song Ping Pong, the lyrics are an exploration of the group's individualistic style and lyrical abilities. The song uses a lot of wordplay, puns, and metaphors to make observations about the state of hip-hop and the larger world.

The first verse, performed by M. Sayyid, revolves around the idea of playing ping pong, using it as a metaphor for moving sideways and around obstacles. He cries out to "watch the ball," referencing the ways in which he weaves in and out of different musical styles and sounds. He describes himself as "throwing a web" around his listeners, trapping them with his style. He also criticizes those who try to copy his style, saying they will "wreck their rep like Eddie on an LA strip with RuPaul." Sayyid makes comparisons to women and effeminate behavior ("a bitch in a shawl rockin' the mall"), as he wants to assert his masculinity while also pushing back on traditional norms of gender and identity.

The second verse, by Priest, keeps up the desire for independence and self-discovery. Priest refers to himself as a "czar dictator," having both influence and disdain for those who don't understand what he's about. He highlights his unique style, one that is often imitated and hated by many. Priest plays with language and structure, saying he is "known to write triflin poems on homes of grown kids with blown wigs." He calls out the ways in which some people live in uncomfortable and dangerous situations, but the music he creates can give them a sense of freedom and expression, highlighting the importance of hip-hop.

Overall, Ping Pong is a complex and layered song that showcases both Antipop Consortium's skills as musicians and their social and cultural commentary.

Line by Line Meaning

watch the ball
Pay attention to what's important.

watch the way i climb around your hall
Behold my skill and prowess as I traverse through your space.

walkin up walls sideways then i stall
I can do things that others can't and sometimes I have to pause to marvel at it.

throw the web on you all
I'll catch you in my web of talent and creativity.

back up with a u-haul
I'm not afraid to move on from you and your negativity.

wreck your rep like eddie on an la strip with rupaul
I'll destroy your reputation like a drag queen tearing up the runway with Eddie Murphy.

yeah you got the gall
You have the audacity to try me.

a bitch in a shawl rockin the mall
A woman clad in the latest fashion at the mall.

poppin pussy knockin he's on brawl talkin about
Unnecessary aggression and bravado from someone who wants to fight.

he got a crazy benz poutin fussin every second
He has an extravagant car and complains incessantly.

where's the atm's when you peep at my shit it's like a wavy lens
All of a sudden, the world looks a little different when you're trying to see what's going on with me and my life.

don't secondary y'all do what i bake for the fate
Don't copy me, instead create your own destiny.

two shakes of scary spice and i'm off with the cake
I'll take what I want with barely any effort.

on a rack for the track let it cool off then bleah
Take time to prepare and perfect your craft before showing it off to the world.

your whole crew want a snack after they nap
After you rest and recover, you'll all want some more of my creative mastery.

runnin up on me but i told y'all kids that's for the company
Come at me if you dare, but know that I'm not alone and I'm not afraid to defend myself.

my symphonic monopoly philosophy sloppily etchin notes awkwardly
I control and dominate the music world, but my approach isn't always perfect or graceful.

quarter to three glass amp with a gas lamp white wig slang wolfgang english chamber orchestratin a deadly banger cliffhanger
Late at night, using old-fashioned equipment and a classical style, I'm making a thrilling musical masterpiece that keeps you on edge.

the stranger with anger prospect park the strangler
As an unknown face in the crowd, I'm able to stand out as a powerful and intimidating figure.

you couldn't catch me in the swamps with six navigators alligators maps and calibrators
Even if you tried your hardest, you still wouldn't be able to find me in the murkiest of places.

yo priest throw the shit that keeps em on their toes like ballerinas
My colleague, Priest, keeps the crowd eagerly anticipating what's next.

it's the return
We're back and better than ever.

it's the return to the prime time
We're reclaiming our rightful place at the top of the game.

that's your debt
You owe us nothing but respect.

you get pet expect to set epithets epiliptic elipses
If you try to provoke us, expect us to come back with clever wordplay and insults.

my thought eclipses lapses in your fractal jelly jar czar dictator
My way of thinking is so powerful that it can overcome even the most complex and confusing obstacles.

often immitated and hated by many
People try to emulate us, but ultimately end up disliking us because they can never truly replicate our greatness.

judge me by my flows judge me by my foes enclosed foes
My rhymes and my enemies are both yardsticks by which I can be measured and evaluated.

judge me by the fact on a track i reenact a fact that is only known in an intimate zone with a mic home at night
On my recordings, I may reveal some deeply personal things that only come to light when I'm alone with my thoughts and my microphone after hours.

tight poems i'm known to write triflin poems on homes of grown kids with blown wigs they live in crypts and sleep under stairs on chairs
My lyrics can be either serious or silly, but always memorable and relatable to those who feel out of place or overlooked.

three cheers hp lives like plants get your dance on put your fake eyes on try on krylon
Celebrate the organic and the artificial, the natural and the manufactured. Put on a new coat of paint in order to really get down to the beat.

my songs sing about the freedom of my people new balance sneaker fever thunder reciever on to the three is hp
My music represents the struggle and triumph of my fellow marginalized people, and yet also illustrates the fashionable and the exciting. Moving forward with confidence, represented by the number three.

Contributed by Anthony V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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