Known for their use of humor, obscure references, and unconventional style, Das Racist has been both dismissed as joke rap and hailed as an urgent new voice in rap. Spin magazine picked Das Racist as one of 50 acts to watch at the 2010 SXSW festival, and in April 2010, MTV Iggy selected Das Racist as one of the "25 Best New Bands in the World". Rolling Stone declared the song "hahahaha jk?" from Sit Down, Man one of the fifty best singles of 2010.
Das Racist's unique style has a strong polarizing tendency; their set at the Pop Montreal festival was described as "the most divisive show seen at the festival". They describe their approach to music as "'deconstructionalist': sawing the legs out from under hip-hop as they celebrate it".The New York Times wrote "Das Racist’s lack of piety has become an aesthetic of its own, with songs that are as much commentary on hip-hop as rigorous practice of it". The Root said Das Racist could speak for both "the ‘hood or the nearest gated community." Playboy called the duo "equal parts hip-hop and Cheech & Chong".
In December 2012, statements made by members of Das Racist made apparent that the band had broken up.
Power
Das Racist Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Vitamin Water and codeine
You think you know things
But you know no things
I'm just waiting for the bell to go 'ding'
Maybe we can sell the whole thing
Keep your hand in your pocket
They can smell the gold ring
Jokingly and only three people got the joke
"Is the tree pine, maple, or oak, or other?"
I'm the other brother from another mother
The other light meat
You like me?
I might be your father
Sister, Sister
Rodger Dodger
Trickster, Big Bird
Hipster, blipster
Too many crackers listening for me to say "Ni—"
Ahem, if you don't get it, it's fine, let it rewind
Or, never play it again
Say it again
Sam Raimi
Power, responsibility
[Chorus x2]
It's too easy
Even if I told you about it
You probably wouldn't even believe me
Danny the Hybrid hard like jerkin' off with arthritis
Another episode
You niggas still writing pilots
I'm the big dog
Yousa fire hydrant
The big mack, spend a thousand on the islands
I'm toking violent
You're smoking Miley Cyrus
I tell my hoes what they want
To hear like I'm a psychic
Don't like young hoes
Those bitches can't cook
I eat an old ho like the big bad wolf
I cop a pound and everyday (?) is on
That means I got the grams like an old folks' home
Bitches licking on the dick like its Mister Softee
Blowing all on it like it's hot coffee
And she deep throat
And she lick my nuts
That's a combination nut lick and dick suck
Das Racist, like the black quarterback
Let me get a load of that for my cataracts
[Chorus x2]
Otherworld Newspeak
Y'all know how I spit
Half-internet, half-high school cafeteria shit
I'm hype how the internet get
Yo, 2x4's with like splinters and shit
White demons with green pockets
Line up at our shows to peep game
How we rock it?
No qualms with cockblocking white dudes from Boston
I don't know why people think we give a fuck so often
We Waco, we Maaco
But you are just a toucher
Homie, take your heart out your chest, no (?)
Talk it how I walk it
Himanshu got 'nuff guff
Other words: you could get roughed up, tough stuff
Your band about as lame as Staind or Train
"Soul Sister" hold blisters on my brain
Probably think this song is about you, you vain
But me, I'm burning one to Carl Thomas's "Summer Rain"
Chilling, relaxing, having a good time
The name don't ring bells: it break doors down
The neighbors hear yells from eight floors down
They say "This here's Hell, it's all yours now"
All around nice guys get stuffed for sport, clown
Life check: 1, 2, what is this?
"Your money or your life?"
And I'm like, "What's the difference?"
And if the price is right, I could buy all you dipshits
Put him near a mike and the rest not your business
Chumps
Save yourself the lumps
Why shoot the five a hundred times
When you could shoot the nine once?
And come and find a little guy can pack a supersize punch
Bar sixteen, a pregnant verse come every nine months
Until next time
Thanks for tuning in
The hooligans whose tunes is too loony for the loony bin
This is how we doin', doin'
This is how we do it again
Going HAM, going in, going hard, going limp
The lyrics of "Power" by Das Racist contain a lot of wordplay and are dense with cultural references. The song is performed by the Brooklyn-based hip hop group Das Racist, which was active from 2008 to 2012. The song features rappers Heems and Kool AD delivering verses that are sometimes nonsensical and absurd but also peppered with social commentary and critiques of the American rap industry.
The song begins with a reference to L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, who famously wore no bling despite his enormous wealth. The next line mentions Vitamin Water and codeine, which are often glamorized in rap music as symbols of wealth and excess. The chorus, which repeats the line "It's too easy / Even if I told you about it / You probably wouldn't even believe me," suggests a skepticism or fatalism about the likelihood of people understanding or addressing social issues.
Throughout the verses, Heems and Kool AD switch off and make references to everything from Sister Sister and Roger Dodger to Sam Raimi and Carl Thomas's "Summer Rain." There are also references to racism, with Kool AD stopping himself from saying "n****" and Heems referencing "too many crackers listening." The verses are also filled with wordplay and internal rhymes, such as Kool AD's line "I'm the big dog / Yousa fire hydrant."
Overall, the song seems to be a commentary on the absurdities of the rap industry and the ways in which America is still grappling with issues of race and power. The lyrics are both playful and pointed, highlighting the contradictions and hypocrisies that pervade our culture.
Line by Line Meaning
L. Ron Hubbard with no bling
I'm like L. Ron Hubbard, but I'm not all about material things and bling.
Vitamin Water and codeine
I drink Vitamin Water and codeine.
You think you know things
You think you know things.
But you know no things
But you know nothing.
I'm just waiting for the bell to go 'ding'
I'm just waiting impatiently for something to happen.
Maybe we can sell the whole thing
Maybe we can sell everything we have.
Keep your hand in your pocket
Keep your money safe or someone will steal it.
They can smell the gold ring
Thieves can smell gold and will steal it.
If somebody felled an old tree
If someone cut down an old tree.
Jokingly and only three people got the joke
Only a few people found the joke funny.
"Is the tree pine, maple, or oak, or other?"
Questioning what type of tree was cut down.
I'm the other brother from another mother
I'm a brother, but not related to you by blood.
The other light meat
The other light-skinned person.
You like me?
Do you like me?
I might be your father
I could be your father.
Sister, Sister
No meaning, probably just a pop culture reference.
Rodger Dodger
No meaning, probably just a pop culture reference.
Trickster, Big Bird
No meaning, probably just a pop culture reference.
Hipster, blipster
Someone who is in the hipster culture.
Too many crackers listening for me to say "Ni—"
There are too many white people listening for me to say something offensive.
Ahem, if you don't get it, it's fine, let it rewind
If you don't understand, just rewind and listen again.
Or, never play it again
Or, just don't listen to it again.
Say it again
Repeat what was said.
Sam Raimi
No meaning, probably just a pop culture reference.
Power, responsibility
Having power also means having responsibility.
[Chorus x2] It's too easy Even if I told you about it You probably wouldn't even believe me
It's too easy to explain, even if I told you, you wouldn't believe me.
Danny the Hybrid hard like jerkin' off with arthritis
Danny is hard, like having sex while having arthritis.
Another episode You niggas still writing pilots
Another episode of people still trying to make it big with pilot episodes.
I'm the big dog Yousa fire hydrant
I'm the most important person here, compared to you who is like a fire hydrant.
The big mack, spend a thousand on the islands
I am rich enough to spend $1000 on an island vacation.
I'm toking violent You're smoking Miley Cyrus
I am smoking something strong, while you are smoking something light like Miley Cyrus.
I tell my hoes what they want To hear like I'm a psychic
I tell my women what they want to hear, like I have psychic abilities.
Don't like young hoes Those bitches can't cook
I don't like young women who can't cook.
I eat an old ho like the big bad wolf
I eat an older women like the big bad wolf.
I cop a pound and everyday (?) is on That means I got the grams like an old folks' home
I buy a pound of something (?), which means I have a lot.
Bitches licking on the dick like its Mister Softee
Women are licking on the penis like it's a Mr. Softee ice cream.
Blowing all on it like it's hot coffee
Women are blowing on the penis like it's hot coffee.
And she deep throat And she lick my nuts That's a combination nut lick and dick suck
Someone is performing oral sex by deep throating and licking the testicles, which is a combination.
Das Racist, like the black quarterback Let me get a load of that for my cataracts
I'm like a black quarterback and want to take a look at something.
Otherworld Newspeak Y'all know how I spit Half-internet, half-high school cafeteria shit
Otherworld Newspeak: mix of slang and grammar rules not obeying conventional English. 50-50 jokey, semi-serious, and totally incomprehensible.
I'm hype how the internet get Yo, 2x4's with like splinters and shit White demons with green pockets
I'm excited about the internet, even though I don't understand it. It's like having splinters and seeing white demons with green pockets.
Line up at our shows to peep game How we rock it?
People come to our shows to watch us play and wonder how we do it.
No qualms with cockblocking white dudes from Boston I don't know why people think we give a fuck so often
We don't care about anything, and even cockblock people from Boston.
We Waco, we Maaco But you are just a toucher Homie, take your heart out your chest, no (?)
We are from Waco and Maaco (car painting company), and you are weak. Take your heart out of your chest.
Talk it how I walk it Himanshu got 'nuff guff Other words: you could get roughed up, tough stuff
I do what I say, and I'm tough. You might get hurt if you mess with me.
Your band about as lame as Staind or Train "Soul Sister" hold blisters on my brain Probably think this song is about you, you vain
Your band is so bad, it's like Staind or Train. The song 'Soul Sister' is annoying. You think this song is about you, but it's not.
But me, I'm burning one to Carl Thomas's "Summer Rain" Chilling, relaxing, having a good time
I'm smoking to Carl Thomas's 'Summer Rain' and relaxing.
The name don't ring bells: it break doors down The neighbors hear yells from eight floors down They say "This here's Hell, it's all yours now"
My name is not just known, it's powerful enough to break down doors. The neighbors hear me yelling from eight floors down, saying that this place is hell now.
All around nice guys get stuffed for sport, clown Life check: 1, 2, what is this? "Your money or your life?" And I'm like, "What's the difference?" And if the price is right, I could buy all you dipshits
People get hurt for fun, but life goes on. Someone asks me if I want my money or my life, but I don't care because I can just buy everything.
Put him near a mike and the rest not your business Chumps Save yourself the lumps
Keep your nose out of this. Save yourself from getting hurt.
Why shoot the five a hundred times When you could shoot the nine once? And come and find a little guy can pack a supersize punch Bar sixteen, a pregnant verse come every nine months
Why shoot someone five times when you could just shoot them once with a better gun? I can rap really well, and sometimes I come up with a great verse just like a pregnant woman.
Until next time Thanks for tuning in The hooligans whose tunes is too loony for the loony bin This is how we doin', doin' This is how we do it again
Until next time, thanks for listening. We're the crazy ones, and this is how we do it.
Going HAM, going in, going hard, going limp
No real meaning, probably just a playful phrase at the end of the song.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALEC ISRAEL REINSTEIN, DASHIELL CONRAD MITCHELL-BRODY, DANNY BROWN, HIMANSHU SURI, VICTOR VASQUEZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind