A B-Boys Alpha
Cannibal Ox Lyrics


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(Vast Aire)
My mother said, "You sucked my pussy when you came out
Don't ever talk back
I handed ya life and I'll snatch it back"
I'm just a latch key kid with a snotty nose
High school drop out
Space, I'm around me whiteout
And I ain't dealin with no minimum wage
I'd rather construct rhymes on a minimum page
Cynical ways, cats sin for nickels these days
Pulling the chrome out
And you actin like pullin the chrome out
Hated the sound of grandma's cryin the crooked letter
You could hear it from the ground or when the sky thunders
Made you wonder 'bout early
Sunday morning
Relatives dressed in black and they all mourning
Flows be bangin in the paint, throwin elbows
My first fight was me against five boroughs
I lost my first wish
But remembered every detail of my first kiss
That's that Bronx Tale bliss
The holiest of holies
Hip hop, it was '88
Even at the age of 10, phrases levitate
Drinkin Lil' Hug quarter waters
Dodgin stray slugs on the corner in that exact order
While you playin, death is what happens
I found the passion: aerosol cans and hands clappin
Backspins, microphones and cats rappin
Linoleum and up rockers, the show shockers
Who rip Lee patches off of imposters
You ain't the Real McCoy, you a wind up toy
And it's gonna cost ya
And that's my B-Boy Alpha

*samples and scratches overlap*

(Vordul)
Straight outta the depths of hell
Reflect the sec-ond
Inhale the buddah wisdom
Envision and edit inscriptions of Vor-Megala spiritualism
Paint a picture from the spiritual
And seriously spit a lyric
That'll rip through a phsyical ligament
Trigger livin in these city limits
Limited with no money, goin through crazy minutes
Crazy thinkin of back in the days
When blazin a lazy ridance
Before we was swallowin duces, poppin with gooses
And rockin the bubble gooses
Trouble lose kid, puffin a loosie
Hoppin off Huffy, stealin Marvel comics and water uzis
All of us canoeing through sewers with juvenile manuevers
Caught up in nooses from borders with troubleshooters
On corners where coppers'll hop outta Dunkin Donuts
Poppin they gun and shoot us
Or more of us aware
Thinkin Rudy Guili really don't give a FUCK ABOUT A MOULE!
Got me woozy, sippin Kaluha's loosin my noodles
Screwed up in the two triple losers
Sprayin it live, b-boy grafitti alpha
Out of rap-palooza
Looza, looza





*samples and scratches until fade*

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "A B-Boys Alpha" by Cannibal Ox tell the story of two rappers, Vast Aire and Vordul, and their experiences growing up in the Bronx during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Vast Aire starts the first verse by referencing his difficult upbringing and how his mother was an abusive figure. He goes on to talk about dropping out of school and feeling lost in his surroundings, but finding solace in music and writing rhymes. He criticizes the mainstream hip-hop culture and the glorification of violence, and reminisces about the old school b-boy culture that was driven by creativity and self-expression.


Vordul picks up where Vast Aire left off, using vivid language to describe the harsh realities of life in the projects. He talks about his struggles with poverty and drug addiction, and the sense of camaraderie he felt with his friends as they navigated their way through a hostile environment. He closes out his verse by reiterating the importance of hip-hop and the b-boy mentality, calling himself a "grafitti alpha" and proclaiming his dedication to the culture.


Line by Line Meaning

My mother said, "You sucked my pussy when you came out Don't ever talk back I handed ya life and I'll snatch it back"
Vast Aire is referencing the strict nature of his upbringing, with his mother warning him to never speak against her as she brought him into this world - and can take him out of it - as well as referencing the taboo nature of discussing childbirth.


I'm just a latch key kid with a snotty nose High school drop out Space, I'm around me whiteout And I ain't dealin with no minimum wage
Vast Aire describes his background as that of a low-income household, where he had little supervision and guidance, leading to not graduating high school. He discusses the lack of opportunities and the struggles that come with being in poverty.


I'd rather construct rhymes on a minimum page Cynical ways, cats sin for nickels these days Pulling the chrome out And you actin like pullin the chrome out
Vast Aire finds solace in his creative pursuits, and references the desperation of others who resort to crime for minor amounts of money. He also alludes to the glorification of violence in certain communities.


Hated the sound of grandma's cryin the crooked letter You could hear it from the ground or when the sky thunders Made you wonder 'bout early Sunday morning Relatives dressed in black and they all mourning
Vast Aire reflects on the pain caused by losing loved ones and the sounds associated with mourning. He describes the communal mourning, where many people come together to remember the departed.


Flows be bangin in the paint, throwin elbows My first fight was me against five boroughs I lost my first wish But remembered every detail of my first kiss
Vast Aire describes his experience with violence and aggression, both figuratively and literally. He also references the loss of his childhood naivete and the enduring memory of his first romantic encounter.


The holiest of holies Hip hop, it was '88 Even at the age of 10, phrases levitate Drinkin Lil' Hug quarter waters Dodgin stray slugs on the corner in that exact order
Vast Aire reminisces on the origins of hip hop and his own memories of growing up during its early days. He describes the violence and danger associated with his daily life while also finding moments of joy in simple pleasures like cheap drinks.


While you playin, death is what happens I found the passion: aerosol cans and hands clappin Backspins, microphones and cats rappin Linoleum and up rockers, the show shockers Who rip Lee patches off of imposters
Vast Aire references the deadly stakes of the streets he grew up in and contrasts it with his own artistic pursuits. He describes the culture of hip hop, from the physical aspects like breakdancing to the verbal aspects like freestyle and calling out fake MCs.


You ain't the Real McCoy, you a wind up toy And it's gonna cost ya And that's my B-Boy Alpha
Vast Aire asserts his own authenticity and warns those who try to imitate others without understanding the culture that it will come at a cost. He defines himself as a leading figure in the scene.


Straight outta the depths of hell Reflect the sec-ond Inhale the buddah wisdom Envision and edit inscriptions of Vor-Megala spiritualism
Vordul takes a more spiritual and mystical approach to his verse, referencing hell and the idea of living in the present moment. He discusses the effects of breathing exercises and meditation, as well as working on his own personal beliefs.


Paint a picture from the spiritual And seriously spit a lyric That'll rip through a physical ligament Trigger livin in these city limits
Vordul blends his artistic and spiritual pursuits, using his words to create vivid images while also incorporating physicality and aggression in his lyricism. He addresses the struggles of living in an urban environment.


Limited with no money, goin through crazy minutes Crazy thinkin of back in the days When blazin a lazy ridance Before we was swallowin duces, poppin with gooses And rockin the bubble gooses
Vordul reflects on the scarcity of resources and the struggles faced in low-income communities. He also remembers a time when they were more carefree and had simpler pleasures, like smoking weed and wearing expensive jackets.


Trouble lose kid, puffin a loosie Hoppin off Huffy, stealin Marvel comics and water uzis All of us canoeing through sewers with juvenile manuevers
Vordul describes his own tomfoolery as a youth, smoking cheap cigarettes and engaging in petty theft. He also paints a picture of adventure and exploration with his friends, even if it meant going into the disgusting sewers of the city.


Caught up in nooses from borders with troubleshooters On corners where coppers'll hop outta Dunkin Donuts Poppin they gun and shoot us Or more of us aware Thinkin Rudy Guili really don't give a FUCK ABOUT A MOULE!
Vordul highlights the tension between the police and the people they are supposed to protect. He references common areas where police would stake out, such as Dunkin Donuts, and the resulting violence that would occur. He also calls out specific politicians who he feels are not addressing the issues facing his community.


Got me woozy, sippin Kaluha's loosin my noodles Screwed up in the two triple losers Sprayin it live, b-boy grafitti alpha Out of rap-palooza
Vordul drinks alcohol to numb the pain and frustration of his predicament, feeling like a loser in multiple aspects of his life. He highlights his graffiti art as a point of pride and confidence in himself, and asserts his dominance as a leading figure in the hip hop scene.




Contributed by Lillian G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@ansonparker6415

one of those absolutely legendary tracks.  hardest line in hip hop.  my mother said don't ever talk back... and no one ever has

@tubbyrainbow111

Anson Parker could you name a few other legendary tracks please?

1 More Replies...

@illdrumatik391

One of the greatest hiphop albums of all time. Up their with illmatic.

@tmoney7842

89 Til Infinity agreed underrated album for sure

@supachefdmoney8506

BIG FACTS!!! 🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿

@felsing137

@@hellinterface6721 Blasphemy

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@TairyHesticles

Best opening line in all of music.

@noerddanger2687

What does it mean

@mar15115

@@noerddanger2687 "dont ever disrespect your mother because she is the most important women in your life than any other women. she raised you and gave birth to you and she could've just left you to rot if she wanted to but she would'nt because she loves you"

thats what it means probably

1 More Replies...

@nimascolari1508

Pure hip hop.

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