The group consists of rappers from the hip-hop group Souls of Mischief including A-Plus, Tajai, Opio, and Phesto Dee as well as rappers such as Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, Casual, and Pep Love. Domino is their in-house producer with A-Plus performing production duties from time to time. As a group Hieroglyphics has released three albums, 3rd Eye Vision (1998), Full Circle (2003) and The Kitchen (2013). They have also been featured on numerous compilation albums and have collaborated with the likes of Planet Asia and 9th Wonder.
In 1996, Del was ready to release his Future Development album. However, just before its release, Del was released from his recording contract with Elektra Records. Around this same time, Souls of Mischief, Extra Prolific and Casual were all released from their recording contracts with Jive Records. Frustrated, Del and the rest of Hieroglyphics decided to start their own record label, called Hieroglyphics Imperium. The group has a spiritual down to earth mindset and smooth jazzy beats. They often rhyme about the third eye which is featured on their logo. For those who know and understand what the third eye is about will understand the underlying messages better than those who do not.
The mistreatment of Del & Hieroglyphics by their record labels became infamous in hip-hop circles, as a perfect example of "industry rule #4080" (record companies are shady). After Hieroglyphics' successful reemergence with their own independent label, Del & Hieroglyphics became an inspiration for some rap artists to start their own labels while keeping the lion's share of the money for themselves. Arguably the efforts of Del & Hieroglyphics paved the way for other famous independent rap labels known today, such as Roc-a-Fella Records or Rawkus Records.
Through their own independent label's (Hieroglyphics Imperium) website, http://www.hieroglyphics.com, the group releases singles, albums, and EPs from the group as well as its members and other artists who are signed to the label.
Tajai
Hieroglyphics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The styles get chaotic
Niggaz'll plague me bubonic
But when I move on it
They stay free
Feet no hands at least
And say "Peace!"
Cause it's lethal when released
Watch me slice these cheesy MC's
With 5 ounces of milky smooth enrichment
Each encroachment's intolerable
I'm too committed and these flows is volatile
Wither with other music in it and this
Industry in a sense is lost
And my only guidance is inner sense and energy
Enervating
What I'm saying will bust your innards
Innovating
That's why implicating us as winners
There's no mistake, emerging sole victorious
An urgency felt in every flow we bust
With surgeon reminiscent precision
Even around the contours, curves and incursions
We gettin in visual gettin busy
More so than Aunt Kizzy's
More so than bout any MC that touch mics
What that look like, what that sound like?
I'll give you a second
Cause ain't no description sufficient
For how we wreckin on records I recommend
I rack and ruin all encompassable
With a position at our beckon and call
Butt naked ball, I bare it to y'all
For you to stare at
Too bad if you can't bear it, I'm gone
Out there
Possible interpretation:
In this section of the song, Del the Funky Homosapien, one of the members of Hieroglyphics, is boasting about his lyrical skills and warning other rappers to beware. He uses a metaphor of a knot to represent his flow, which can become tangled and unpredictable when he improvises. He says that some people might try to infect him like a bubonic plague, meaning to harm him, but he is always ready to move on and leave them behind. Even when he beats them with his rhymes, they still acknowledge his power and wish him peace.
Del then describes himself as a lethal force when he releases his energy, like a sword slicing through weak competition. He takes pride in his ability to enrich his lyrics with layers of meaning and sound, making it intolerable for others to encroach on his style. He sees the music industry as lost and corrupt, but he finds guidance in his own inner sense and energy, which he can use to innovate and impress his listeners. He claims that his flow can bust your innards, meaning to hit you hard and make you feel his impact. He asserts that the rest of Hieroglyphics are also winners, with an urgency in every flow they bust. They operate with surgical precision, navigating the curves and incursions of the beat with ease. They are more visually and sonically engaging than Aunt Kizzy's Back Porch, a family sitcom that aired in the 1950s, or any other MCs that touch mics. Del challenges his listeners to describe what they hear and see from them, but he suggests that no words can do it justice. He simply recommends that people listen to his records and witness the rack and ruin that he can cause to any competitor who dares to step up to the mic.
Line by Line Meaning
You best to watch yo knot if
Be careful with your money
The styles get chaotic
The music is unpredictable
Niggaz'll plague me bubonic
Other rappers will try to attack me relentlessly
But when I move on it
When I take action
They stay free
The other rappers are unaffected by my actions
Feet no hands at least
They are not using their hands to attack, only their words
And say "Peace!"
They pretend to be peaceful
Cause it's lethal when released
My music is very powerful
Defending? Please...
They can't defend against my music
Watch me slice these cheesy MC's
I am going to destroy these terrible rappers
With 5 ounces of milky smooth enrichment
My lyrics are rich and satisfying
Each encroachment's intolerable
I won't tolerate anyone getting in my way
I'm too committed and these flows is volatile
I am very dedicated and my music is explosive
Wither with other music in it and this
Other music is dying out and being replaced
Industry in a sense is lost
The music industry is confused and directionless
And my only guidance is inner sense and energy
I only trust my own instincts and energy
Enervating
My music is exhilarating
What I'm saying will bust your innards
My lyrics are so powerful they will make you feel physically ill
Innovating
I am constantly changing and evolving
That's why implicating us as winners
We will always be victorious
There's no mistake, emerging sole victorious
We will be the only ones left standing
An urgency felt in every flow we bust
Our music is urgent and impactful
With surgeon reminiscent precision
My rhymes are precise and surgical
Even around the contours, curves and incursions
My flow is consistent and perfect, even with difficult beats
We gettin in visual gettin busy
We are producing a lot of music and videos
More so than Aunt Kizzy's
We are more productive than anyone else
More so than bout any MC that touch mics
We are even more productive than other rappers
What that look like, what that sound like?
Our music is unique and distinctive
I'll give you a second
Pause and listen to our music
Cause ain't no description sufficient
No words can capture the greatness of our music
For how we wreckin on records I recommend
Our music is so good, I suggest you listen to it
I rack and ruin all encompassable
My music destroys everything in its path
With a position at our beckon and call
We have total control over our music
Butt naked ball, I bare it to y'all
I am completely open and honest with my music
For you to stare at
For you to watch and appreciate
Too bad if you can't bear it, I'm gone
If you can't handle it, too bad, I'm moving on
Out there
I'm moving forward and leaving everyone else behind
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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