In high school in the late 1970s, he met Special K and DJ Easy Lee. They formed the influential old school hip hop group The Treacherous Three. It is with The Treacherous Three that Kool Moe Dee performed his freestyle, on stage roast of old school party rapper Busy Bee Starski, a performance frequently cited as a pivotal moment in the development of the battle rap. In 1986, Kool Moe Dee went solo, releasing a self-titled album.
He is also well-known for his long-running feud with LL Cool J; he claims that LL Cool J stole his rapping style. The cover of Kool Moe Dee's 1987 album How Ya Like Me Now features a red Kangol hat (LL Cool J's trademark) being crushed under the wheel of a Jeep.
His song I Go To Work from the album Knowledge Is King is considered by some the pinnacle of his work, with high speed, high energy and intricate lyrics masterfully mixed in to the stacatto sounds of a marching band.
Kool Moe Dee also appeared on Will Smith's #1 pop hit "Wild Wild West" from Smith's 1999 motion picture, on which he re-performs the chorus to his 1987 single of the same name.
In 2003 he authored a book called "There's a God on the Mic" (ISBN 1560255331). The book breaks down his 50 favorite MCs in terms of originality, concepts, versatility, vocabulary, substance, flow, flavor, freestyle, vocal presence, live performance, poetic value, body of work, industry impact, social impact, longevity, lyrics and battle skills.
BAD
Kool Moe Dee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Since the day I was born I was on a mission
Never played out of position or wishin or missin
I came out kissin, was no spankin the backside
Just lots of lady nurses waitin for black eyes
I - I was talkin way before I could crawl or walk
And what the ladies heard, wasn't baby talk
I'd drop a line like a bomber would drop a bomb
Ready for action, at the age of 1 the fun
Was just beginning, I was winning, the ladies would come
With arms open and hopin for a kiss and a hug
I stripped down, huh, and watched the ladies bug
I stood up for a while, then I started walkin
I heard the ladies say, "Look who's talkin"
That's right, baby, you can leave me alone
Cause if you can't please me, don't tease me, cause I'm bad to the..
[ female voices repeating ]
Bad, ba-ba-bad, bad
(Big bad..) --> Run
[ VERSE 2 ]
As a teen I was on the scene cleaner than clean
Mean lean fighting machine with self-esteem
No dope, crack, coke, flat broke I'm not
Sell smoke, nope, nope, won't smoke the pot
Gettin high off life was more than enough
And peer pressure ain't pressure when a boy is tough
And I was tougher than tough, I'm from the darkside
And hangin out in the park and in the parkside
Play a brother in any game he wanted to play
For fun or money, for money if he wanted to pay
I wasn't diggin for niggas, so brother, dig deep
If one got over, it's over, I let the kid keep
A little change, it's strange, he want to bet it back
I took his claim to fame, he want to get it back
And when the night was over I took his girl home
I dimmed the lights and showed her that I was bad..
[ VERSE 3 ]
Now I'm in my 20s with plenty money and honey bunnies
20s and 10s, drive a Benz, you can't take nothin from me
Cause I came up on the streets, a straight up poor boy
But I beat the game, but it was war, boy
Because the streets entice you for the wrong things
I couldn't pay the price, I wrote a song theme
And from the moment I touched the microphone
It was known that I was bad to the bone
But weak rappers and a lack of promotion
Made the job hard, I had to throw some
Weak lyrics together, just to get paid
'Go See The Doctor', and I got played
The train continued to the 'Wild, Wild West'
I heard some brothers say, "He ain't the best"
Huh, but check the records that ain't well known
And look around and see all my clones
[ VERSE 4 ]
By the time I'm in my 30s my worth be - I bet I'm dirty rich
Sittin on the top of the world with about 36
Million in my pocket and rockin it from the mountain top
Livin it at ease, cool breeze, because I'm countin top
Dollar, I'm a scholar seekin knowledge, I'm a truth-seeker
The baddest brother on a microphone and two speakers
On turntables I'm able to start a movement
And when I move the crowd, the ladies move with
Fire in the eyes, the eyes never lie
So feel the fire and desire, keep your eye on the prize
Ladies, listen to the man and watch me work
Fellas, keep your cool when she goes bezerk
Cause I touch em in places that most men don't
Don't get jealous, fellas, oh, that's all she wrote
Then when the night is over you'll be alone
Cause ladies love ya when a brother is bad to the bone
The lyrics to Kool Moe Dee's song "Bad Bad Bad" detail his life story from infancy to adulthood. He describes how he was born with a natural talent for words, would win over the ladies as a toddler, and was a self-confident teenager. He explains how he maintained his integrity despite the negative influences of his environment, rap critics and peers, and how he ultimately achieved success on his terms.
Throughout the song, Kool Moe Dee emphasizes how he is “bad to the bone,” meaning that he is highly skilled, confident, and respected by others. His raps are highly explosive and highly skilled but delivered in a cool and calm demeanor. Kool Moe Dee reveals his self-confidence on his triumphs and setbacks, describing his ability to beat the streets through music and his keen sense of discernment in the lyrics of other rappers.
Overall, the song celebrates Kool Moe Dee’s self-assured character, resilience, and hard work in achieving success in his career, keeping his integrity, and remaining true to his roots.
Line by Line Meaning
Since the day I was born I was on a mission
From day one, I had a purpose in life.
Never played out of position or wishin or missin
I always knew my strengths and never tried to be someone I'm not.
I came out kissin, was no spankin the backside
I was born with charm and never punished for it.
Just lots of lady nurses waitin for black eyes
I attracted attention from women even as a baby.
I - I was talkin way before I could crawl or walk
I was speaking at a young age.
And what the ladies heard, wasn't baby talk
Even when I was young, I had a way with women.
I'd drop a line like a bomber would drop a bomb
My words were powerful and impactful, like a bomb dropping.
Highly explosive, but notice, I was cool and calm
Despite how powerful my words were, I remained calm.
Ready for action, at the age of 1 the fun
I was always excited about life, even as a baby.
Was just beginning, I was winning, the ladies would come
I attracted women even at a young age.
With arms open and hopin for a kiss and a hug
Women were always welcoming towards me.
I stripped down, huh, and watched the ladies bug
I had a personality that women found attractive.
I stood up for a while, then I started walkin
I grew up fast and had confidence in myself.
I heard the ladies say, "Look who's talkin"
I had the attention of women, even at a young age.
That's right, baby, you can leave me alone
I was self-sufficient and didn't need anyone.
Cause if you can't please me, don't tease me, cause I'm bad to the..
I am confident in myself and won't tolerate mistreatment.
Bad, ba-ba-bad, bad
I am cool and bad, and people know it.
(Big bad..) --> Run
I am a force to be reckoned with, and people should run from me.
As a teen I was on the scene cleaner than clean
As a teenager, I had a good reputation and never got involved in drugs or illegal activities.
Mean lean fighting machine with self-esteem
I was confident in myself and didn't let others bring me down.
No dope, crack, coke, flat broke I'm not
I never got involved in drugs, and I never had financial problems.
Sell smoke, nope, nope, won't smoke the pot
I didn't smoke weed or get involved in illegal activities.
Gettin high off life was more than enough
I found happiness in simple things and didn't need drugs or other substances to feel good.
And peer pressure ain't pressure when a boy is tough
I was strong enough to resist peer pressure and stayed true to myself.
And I was tougher than tough, I'm from the darkside
I came from a difficult background and had a strong character because of it.
And hangin out in the park and in the parkside
I spent time in my neighborhood and knew people in the area.
Play a brother in any game he wanted to play
I could compete in any game or competition effectively.
For fun or money, for money if he wanted to pay
I didn't care if it was a friendly competition or if money was involved.
I wasn't diggin for niggas, so brother, dig deep
I wasn't out to harm anyone and acted fairly in competition.
If one got over, it's over, I let the kid keep
If someone beat me, I let them have their win.
A little change, it's strange, he want to bet it back
People would sometimes bet me and then try to win their money back after losing.
I took his claim to fame, he want to get it back
I won fairly, but people would still try to get back what they lost to me.
And when the night was over I took his girl home
I could attract women, even when I won against someone they were trying to impress.
I dimmed the lights and showed her that I was bad..
I had a reputation for being cool and attractive to women.
Now I'm in my 20s with plenty money and honey bunnies
In my 20s, I had a lot of money and women were attracted to me.
20s and 10s, drive a Benz, you can't take nothin from me
I had luxurious possessions and wasn't ashamed of it.
Cause I came up on the streets, a straight up poor boy
I came from humble beginnings and worked hard to achieve success.
But I beat the game, but it was war, boy
I had to fight to succeed in life.
Because the streets entice you for the wrong things
Growing up in poverty can be difficult and push people towards illegal activities.
I couldn't pay the price, I wrote a song theme
Music was my outlet to avoid falling into illegal activities.
And from the moment I touched the microphone
I had a natural talent for music and was passionate about it.
It was known that I was bad to the bone
People knew I was talented and successful in music.
But weak rappers and a lack of promotion
The music industry can be difficult due to weak performers and lack of promotion.
Made the job hard, I had to throw some
I had to write some songs that were not my best to stay relevant in the industry.
Weak lyrics together, just to get paid
I wrote simple songs just to make money in the industry.
'Go See The Doctor', and I got played
One of my songs was not successful despite my best efforts.
The train continued to the 'Wild, Wild West'
Despite being a successful musician, the industry continued to be challenging.
I heard some brothers say, "He ain't the best"
Some people didn't think I was the best musician around.
Huh, but check the records that ain't well known
There are records that aren't famous that show my talent.
And look around and see all my clones
Other musicians try to copy my style.
By the time I'm in my 30s my worth be - I bet I'm dirty rich
As I get older, I will become wealthier.
Sittin on the top of the world with about 36
I am becoming wealthy and successful.
Million in my pocket and rockin it from the mountain top
I'm constantly successful and can afford to live luxuriously.
Livin it at ease, cool breeze, because I'm countin top
I'm living a luxurious life without any worries.
Dollar, I'm a scholar seekin knowledge, I'm a truth-seeker
Despite my wealth, I am always learning and seeking knowledge.
The baddest brother on a microphone and two speakers
I am a talented musician who is at the top of my game.
On turntables I'm able to start a movement
I have the power to influence the musical tastes of a large amount of people.
And when I move the crowd, the ladies move with
My talent attracts a female audience as well.
Fire in the eyes, the eyes never lie
I have a passion for music that is visible in my eyes.
So feel the fire and desire, keep your eye on the prize
My passion for music is a driving force, and I always focus on success.
Ladies, listen to the man and watch me work
I have a natural talent that attracts women's attention.
Fellas, keep your cool when she goes bezerk
Other men shouldn't feel jealous when women are attracted to me.
Cause I touch em in places that most men don't
I have a charm that attracts women in a way that is rare for most men.
Don't get jealous, fellas, oh, that's all she wrote
Other men shouldn't feel jealous of my success with women.
Then when the night is over you'll be alone
Despite attempts to impress women, they are often more attracted to me.
Cause ladies love ya when a brother is bad to the bone
Women are attracted to my natural charm and confidence.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MOHANDAS DEWESE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind