Edan attended CU in late 2003-2005 majoring in production. The Rockville, Maryland native had already been experimenting with 4 and 8 track home recording using both live instruments (he is a drummer and bassist) and a truthfully Native Tongues inspired, sample based approach since 1986. He quickly advanced in skill throughout high school and college. Continuing on this path, Edan completed the officially unreleased album the end is forever on an 8-track digital cassette recorder in his dorm room while in his sophomore year. The only tracks to be released from this project appeared on his debut single in 1998. This sought after 12" contains the songs "The Es Have It featuring Eric Ferguson" and "Migraine," and was released by the now defunct Boston indie imprint Biscuithead Records. The single introduced Edan's slightly askew humor (sample lyric: The principal got nervous/When I ran into his office shirtless) and dusty production style to the world.
After leaving college in 2001, Edan began work on his official debut album, Primitive Plus eternity. The single for "godlove" which featured Boston MC Mr. Lif was released on Sun/Moon Records, after which Edan became the first artist signed to UK label Lewis-John Recordings, which released the single "Mic Manipulator." Around this time Edan began performing with several musicians from Berklee under the name Fiber. The band performed mainly in the Boston area, playing Edan's songs interspersed with long jazz improvisations during which he would scratch records and play with a delay pedal. The affiliation was short-lived, however, as Edan soon left to pursue solo ventures and Fiber began performing with MCs Bomshot and Professor Shuman. Primitive Plus was released in 2001 to critical acclaim. Edan handled all the production, rapping and turtablism on the album, with the exception of guest shots by Mr. Lif and Alaskan Fishermen member Father Time. In addition, production on one track, "Key-Bored," was done by Eli (aka Memory Man.) The experimental/throwback vibe of the album was also endowed with some of the '90s innovations in rhyming and scratching, which led to the album's title, explained on the title track as "primitive plus futuristic."
Edan then released a mixtape, Fast Rap. The seamless compilation of golden era burners by luminaries like Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap and lesser known mic rippers like Black, Rock & Ron was highly influential, sparking a renewed interest in "fast rap" and often influencing eBay auctions for the records used on the tape, much to the chagrin of hip-hop record collectors.
A non-LP track single, "Drop Some Smooth Lyrics," followed on Edan's own Humble Mag label, backed by the hilarious Kool Keith impression, "Ultra '88." In 2002 he released the wonderfully lo-fi Sprain Your Tape Deck EP, which featured some of the CD-only cuts from Primitive Plus and two new tracks. All of these songs had been recorded live in his home studio directly to an ordinary cassette deck after his 8-track finally broke. Deprived of the ability to overdub, all of the EP's scratching, mixing and effects were done live as Edan rapped to a sequencer and drum machine.
Edan then began producing other artists, providing remixes for Mr. Lif and Souls Of Mischief, and album cuts like Akrobatik's The Hand That Rocks The Cradle. Teaming up with fellow Boston MC/DJ/producer Insight in 2003, Edan began performing a much tighter live set. "Edan & Insight" (later billed as Duplex) often incorporate their DJ abilities into performances and display a level of showmanship that recalls the glory days of the Furious Five and the Cold Crush Brothers. Edan's "Johnny The Fox" routine involved rhyming with the mic in one hand while cutting up doubles of Thin Lizzy song's intro with the other, and can be seen performed in the independent film SBX.
Edan's first single from his follow up album was the aptly-titled "I See Colors," a psychedelic kaleidoscope of a light track featuring his own soaring Moog synth work over a loop which as he acknowledged in the lyric had been used before to great effect by Prince Paul. Edan deftly cuts between two versions of the sampled track in the song's chorus, heightening the dreamy quality. The lyrics concern psychedelic visions that can be attained without the use of drugs. The b-side, "The Science Of The Two," was the first recorded collaboration with Insight and featured some stunning production of its own. The single, released in early 2004, whetted fans appetites for what appeared to be a much more ambitious direction for his next album. Another mixtape, Sound Of The Funky Drummer, also appeared in 2004.
Beauty And The Beat, released in early 2005, is widely regarded as one of the best independent hip-hop albums of that year and was rated as such on many websites and in many publications. A psychedelic tour de force, the album finds Edan trying to "put Syd Barrett's face on Biz Markie's body" with "Kool G Rap's brain" and succeeding. The album features Mr. Lif, Insight, Percee-P and newcomer Dagha, and is again produced by Edan himself.
His most recent release, an audio-visual mega-mix, entitled ‘Echo Party Movie’, is an ambitious pastiche of dance, rapp, and punk that utilizes everything from turntables to tape echo, glockenspiel to guitar, and moog to kazoo. Once completed, the heady audio collage was then given to celluloid-splicer-extraordinaire, Tom Fitzgerald, who meticulously set the music to a wild array of found footage (sources ranging from Bollywood & martial arts films to subversive 60's animation, obscure new wave 8mm & vintage breakdance/graff footage).
Edan's previous effort, “Beauty And The Beat”, drew worldwide acclaim, most notably for its graceful marriage of hip-hop and rock-based psychedelia. Despite being off the beaten track musically, Edan tastefully/cautiously blends these influences into something new, with an emphasis on skills and originality. Keeping In line with said emphasis, the man is a world class deejay and emcee, taking it back to basics yet pushing forward at the same time… On stage, his repertoire includes cutting/looping up records such as Thin Lizzy’s ‘Johnny the Fox’ with one hand while holding the mic with the other and spitting his verse over it in good time, not to mention simultaneously stepping on a delay pedal for the sake of added texture…
Ultra '88
Edan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Out to Ced
Out to Moe
Out to Trev
Out to lunch
Back from brunch
Captain Crunch
A lovely bowl of cereal
Hop on stage, you got stuck in a battle stance
Your brain's a pebble, fool, say hi to the avalanche
Droppin' a rock on your lyrical dashboard
You're poppin' that weak shit and pushing the crash forward
No class, quarter pounder, some cheese
Twenty piece chicken nuggets and a thousand MCs
I eat all of them, guzzle quarts of gasoline
You're wearing a skirt, jerking off with the vaseline
Cuttin' the coupon, you're reading the funny papers
Step to the club, see my face on the elevator
Go to the kitchen, I'm hiding in your refrigerator
Bombing your brain, and cold step on the detonator
A bird with a mustache, two-headed alligator
Beautiful donkeys and a dog with no eyes
Grabbing the mic, stage covered in fruit flies
You're rockin' the Lee suit, thinkin' your nice
You're buggin' out, money: wearing boots in the summertime
Try to retaliate by kicking a dumber rhyme
You're thinking your smart, so your brain is no fraud
Playing the wall, driving by the Mickey Mouse
Kid named Reginald, already the bigger herb
You got vocabulary? Step up, pick a word
I'm taking you out, and your homeboy Anton
Sit in my classroom and fill out a ScanTron
Hey you in the back, what's five divided by thirteen?
You don't know? Shut up!
In Edan's song "Ultra '88," the lyrics depict a playful and boastful rap battle where Edan confidently taunts his opponents. The song begins with shoutouts to friends and acquaintances, creating a jovial atmosphere. However, as the lyrics progress, Edan's focus shifts to criticizing an unnamed individual who appears to be trying to challenge his lyrical prowess.
Edan displays his superior skills by using vivid imagery and wordplay. He compares his opponents' weak rhymes to a pebble being crushed by an avalanche, symbolizing the overwhelming force of his own lyrical abilities. He mocks their lack of class and intelligence, suggesting that they are unable to match his level of creativity and wit. Edan's word choice is also intentionally humorous, referencing a variety of seemingly unrelated items, such as a cereal bowl, fast food, coupon-clipping, and strange animals.
The lyrics further highlight Edan's confidence and dominance by insinuating that he is omnipresent, hiding in unexpected places like refrigerators and elevators. He metaphorically "bombs" his competitors' brains with his music and crushes their attempts at retaliation with his superior intellect. The closing section of the lyrics showcases Edan's sense of humor as he ridicules a fictional character named Reginald and challenges any opponent to prove their superiority by answering a simple math question.
Overall, "Ultra '88" is a testament to Edan's lyrical prowess and his ability to effortlessly outshine his opponents in a rap battle setting. The lyrics are filled with clever wordplay, humor, and confidence, showcasing Edan's unique style and talent.
Line by Line Meaning
This one goes out to you
I am dedicating this song to you
Out to Ced
Greetings to Ced
Out to Moe
Greetings to Moe
Out to Trev
Greetings to Trev
Out to lunch
Lost in thought or distracted
Back from brunch
Returned after having a late morning meal
Captain Crunch
Referring to the cereal brand
A lovely bowl of cereal
Enjoying a delightful breakfast
Just got jooked by the Grand Imperial
I have been tricked or deceived by a highly skilled individual
Hop on stage, you got stuck in a battle stance
Stepping onto the stage, you find yourself unable to move due to an aggressive posture
Your brain's a pebble, fool, say hi to the avalanche
Your thinking is weak and insignificant, prepare to face overwhelming consequences
Droppin' a rock on your lyrical dashboard
Delivering a powerful blow to your weak lyrics
You're poppin' that weak shit and pushing the crash forward
You are promoting mediocre content and exacerbating your own failure
No class, quarter pounder, some cheese
Lacking decency, likening oneself to a fast-food burger with cheese
Twenty piece chicken nuggets and a thousand MCs
Having an abundance of chicken nuggets while surrounded by countless mediocre rappers
I eat all of them, guzzle quarts of gasoline
I can outperform and defeat all of these rappers, fueling myself with great determination
You're wearing a skirt, jerking off with the vaseline
You are acting cowardly and engaging in futile activities
Cuttin' the coupon, you're reading the funny papers
Engaging in menial tasks like cutting coupons and reading comics
Step to the club, see my face on the elevator
Arrive at the club and encounter my influence and popularity
Go to the kitchen, I'm hiding in your refrigerator
Search in the kitchen only to find my unexpected presence in your refrigerator
Bombing your brain, and cold step on the detonator
Overwhelming your mind with powerful thoughts and actions
A bird with a mustache, two-headed alligator
Imaginary creatures that defy conventional logic
Beautiful donkeys and a dog with no eyes
Seeing bizarre and amusing animals, including a sightless dog
Grabbing the mic, stage covered in fruit flies
Taking control of the microphone while the stage is infested with distractions
You're rockin' the Lee suit, thinkin' your nice
Wearing fashionable clothing, believing you are impressive
You're buggin' out, money: wearing boots in the summertime
You are acting irrationally, my friend; wearing footwear unsuitable for the season
Try to retaliate by kicking a dumber rhyme
Attempting to respond with a less intelligent and inferior verse
You're thinking your smart, so your brain is no fraud
You consider yourself intelligent, therefore your intelligence is genuine
Playing the wall, driving by the Mickey Mouse
Being inactive or uninvolved, passing by without significance
Kid named Reginald, already the bigger herb
Referring to an individual named Reginald who is already an inferior and insignificant person
You got vocabulary? Step up, pick a word
Claiming to possess a vast vocabulary, but challenged to showcase your knowledge
I'm taking you out, and your homeboy Anton
Defeating you with ease, along with your companion named Anton
Sit in my classroom and fill out a ScanTron
Be instructed by me in a learning environment and complete a multiple-choice test
Hey you in the back, what's five divided by thirteen?
Addressing someone in the rear, questioning their knowledge of basic arithmetic
You don't know? Shut up!
If you are unaware, remain silent
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David Cote
on why you runnin
The most unbelievably concept song for all who have been in a bad place!!