Gift of Gab (Tim Parker) and Chief Xcel (Xavier Mosley) met at John F. Kenn… Read Full Bio ↴Gift of Gab (Tim Parker) and Chief Xcel (Xavier Mosley) met at John F. Kennedy High School in 1987 in Sacramento, California and formed the group in early 1992. They released their first recording, "Swan Lake", on Solesides Records. The Solesides Crew consisted of the duo, as well as other friends of theirs they had met at University of California - Davis, including DJ Shadow, Lyrics Born and Lateef the Truth Speaker. The single was an underground hit, but label trouble prevented the duo from immediately capitalizing on their fame.

In late 1997, Solesides became Quannum Projects and in 1999 Blackalicious released the A2G EP, which served as a precursor to their debut full length album, Nia, which was released the following year. This was followed by a major label contract with MCA Records and the release of the critically acclaimed album Blazing Arrow in 2002.

In May 2004 Gift of Gab released his first solo album, 4th Dimensional Rocketships Going Up, but he assured fans that Blackalicious was alive and well.

A third full length, entitled The Craft, was released on Epitaph Records imprint ANTI- on September 27, 2005.

Ego Trip by Nikki Giovanni
Blackalicious Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I was born in the congo
I walked to the fertile crescent and built
the sphinx
I designed a pyramid so tough that a star
that only glows every one hundred years falls
into the center giving divine perfect light
I am bad

I sat on the throne
drinking nectar with allah
I got hot and sent an ice age to europe
to cool my thirst
My oldest daughter is nefertiti
the tears from my birth pains
created the nile
I am a beautiful woman

I gazed on the forest and burned
out the sahara desert
with a packet of goat's meat
and a change of clothes
I crossed it in two hours
I am a gazelle so swift
so swift you can't catch me

For a birthday present when he was three
I gave my son hannibal an elephant
He gave me rome for mother's day
My strength flows ever on

My son noah built new/ark and
I stood proudly at the helm
as we sailed on a soft summer day
I turned myself into myself and was
jesus
men intone my loving name
All praises All praises
I am the one who would save

I sowed diamonds in my back yard
My bowels deliver uranium
the filings from my fingernails are
semi-precious jewels
On a trip north
I caught a cold and blew
My nose giving oil to the arab world
I am so hip even my errors are correct
I sailed west to reach east and had to round off
the earth as I went
The hair from my head thinned and gold was laid
across three continents

I am so perfect so divine so ethereal so surreal
I cannot be comprehended except by my permission

I mean...I...can fly
like a bird in the sky...

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Blackalicious's song Ego Trip, as spoken by Nikki Giovanni, are a poetic expression of an inflated ego. The singer, who is never explicitly named, claims to have done a series of incredible and impossible feats, from designing a pyramid that captures a shooting star to burning out the Sahara Desert with a packet of goat's meat. Through this larger-than-life narrative, the singer asserts their own divinity and perfection, such that they cannot even be understood without their own permission.

The tone of the poem, however, reveals a sense of irony underlying the singer's boasts. Despite the grandeur of the claims being made, the overall effect is humorous, almost ridiculous. The sheer absurdity of the image of someone sowing diamonds in their backyard or using their own mucus for oil production undermines the singer, who comes across as more of a braggart than a god. Ultimately, the poem seems to be a critique of arrogance and the dangers of unchecked self-esteem.

Line by Line Meaning

I was born in the Congo
I started at the bottom of the world and rose to the top, symbolizing my greatness.

I walked to the fertile crescent and built the Sphinx
I travelled a great distance to complete great works of art, leaving a lasting impression on the world.

I designed a pyramid so tough that a star that only glows every one hundred years falls into the center giving divine perfect light
I created an architectural masterpiece which is only lit up by the rarest of stars.

I am bad
I am really good at what I do.

I sat on the throne drinking nectar with Allah
I hold great power and am respected by the divine.

I got hot and sent an ice age to Europe to cool my thirst
I possess such great strength that I can alter the world's climate as I please.

My oldest daughter is Nefertiti
My power and influence extends to the ruling class of Egypt.

The tears from my birth pains created the Nile
The divine powers bestowed upon me can create great things through sheer force of my will.

I am a beautiful woman
My strength and influence transcend gender roles and societal expectations.

I gazed on the forest and burned out the Sahara desert with a packet of goat's meat and a change of clothes
My power and strength are so great that I can reverse the course of natural events with ease.

I crossed it in two hours I am a gazelle so swift so swift you can't catch me
My speed and agility are unparalleled, allowing me to achieve great feats with ease.

For a birthday present when he was three I gave my son Hannibal an elephant
My legacy is passed down to my children, who are also great in their own right.

He gave me Rome for mother's day
My children honor and revere me as the source of their greatness and power.

My strength flows ever on
My power and influence are eternal, never fading or dimming.

My son Noah built new ark and I stood proudly at the helm as we sailed on a soft summer day
My children continue to achieve great things and lead with me by their side.

I turned myself into myself and was Jesus
I am capable of transcending earthly bounds and embodying great religious figures.

Men intone my loving name All praises All praises
I am revered and worshipped as a divine figure by those around me.

I am the one who would save
I possess great power and strive to use it for the good of all.

I sowed diamonds in my back yard My bowels deliver uranium the filings from my fingernails are semi-precious jewels
Even the most insignificant parts of me are capable of great power and wealth.

On a trip north I caught a cold and blew My nose giving oil to the Arab world
My every action, no matter how insignificant, can have profound effects on the world around me.

I am so hip even my errors are correct
My influence is so great that, to those around me, even my mistakes are correct.

I sailed west to reach east and had to round off the earth as I went The hair from my head thinned and gold was laid across three continents
I am capable of achieving the impossible, defying the laws of physics and nature.

I am so perfect so divine so ethereal so surreal I cannot be comprehended except by my permission
My greatness is beyond comprehension, and can only be understood by those who submit to my power.

I mean...I...can fly like a bird in the sky...
I am capable of anything, even defying the laws of physics and soaring through the sky.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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