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.
Do You Know What Time It Is?
Kool Moe Dee Lyrics
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Girlies are partying touching my body and
Talking to me like I'm a kindergartian
Today she's on mine tomorrow she's on his
But don't worry about me because I know what time it is
Time to get mine while you try to get yours
I'll get mine pause in those silky drawers
Take you to the cleaners and I got a trick
Didn't you know that my girlie, my toe
It's easy to come, but harder to go
Hope you got a good heart and you're a good sport
Cause I'm a treat you like beaver on a basketball court
I'm gonna run you around, take you up and down
Take you out and leave you in the lost and found
So if you want to be down, miss listen to this
Before you deal with me, you'd better know what time it is
Do you know what time it is? (Tell me do you know?) (Repeat 3x)
Some girlies are pretty, some girlies are fine
But most girlie girlies like to play with your mind
They like sporting new gold and riding in cars
And most of them, they don't care who you are
They're materialistic and unrealistic
And to most of them you're nothing but another statistic
Whoever's got the money, they're all on his
why'all can save it for David, cause I know what time it is
Do you know what time it is? (Tell me do you know?) (Repeat 3x)
Check the clock!
Put your Gucci watch on and synchronize the time, and let's rock
Girls for me come a dime a dozen
And that's why I never never was a
Situation where I could get jerked
Like a mechanic, all I do is bodywork
Want my money? You must be a fool
Cause like Billy Idol said, I'm gigalo cool
Moe Dee, that's me, introduce yourself, miss
But don't try to be slick, cause I know what time it is
Time to make sure that the girlies stay poised
String 'em out so they will always want more
Don't come around here and try to get richer
Don't ask me for no money, cause baby baby baby
Bet you don't know me from a can of paint
And I bet you think I'm fronting but I tell you I ain't
And I bet you think you know, but I'll tell you like this:
I'll be you don't know (Know what?) What time it is
Do you know what time it is? (Tell me do you know?) (Repeat 4x)
It's time to get money, time to get paid
It's time to have fun, it's time to get laid
Like to front like I'm poor, I don't drive, instead
I be chilling in a Jetta with my man that be red
Riding all around the city and half the world
And after talking from girl to girl
All you ladies seem to sing the same old song
Makes it hard for me when a real girl comes along
Now I'm a veteran, a girl all-pro
And as many as I've had, I still don't know
So I made a little system so I can tell
Doesn't always work, but what the hell?
Don't ask me for nothing, and don't give me nothing
And keep it like that for about a whole month and
Half and I'll laugh and maybe one day miss
Maybe you can be down, maybe you can be down
Maybe you should be down cause you know what time it is
Do you know what time it is? (Tell me do you know?) (Repeat 3x)
Check the clock!
Put your Gucci watch on and synchronize the time, and let's rock
In Kool Moe Dee's song Do You Know What Time It Is, he describes the typical girl he encounters while he is out partying. He describes them as materialistic and unrealistic, only caring about who has the money. Kool Moe Dee knows that these girls are not interested in him for who he is but instead for what he can provide for them. He also acknowledges that some girls are pretty and fine, but they still play games with men's minds. Kool Moe Dee's attitude towards women is confident and boastful as he believes that he has a system that works for him to distinguish real women from gold diggers. He also mentions that while he is driving around town with his friend, he is always looking for new girls to talk to.
The lyrics in Do You Know What Time It Is not only showcase Kool Moe Dee's confidence and swagger but also shed light on the gender dynamics of the time. The portrayal of women as materialistic and gold diggers was a common sentiment in pop culture, and it reflects the societal attitudes towards women. Kool Moe Dee is aware of these attitudes and is not shy about playing into them.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you know what time it is?
Are you aware of the situation at hand?
Girlies are partying touching my body and
Women are interested in me and are being physical with me
Talking to me like I'm a kindergartian
Speaking to me as if I have the mind of a child
Today she's on mine tomorrow she's on his
She shows interest in me one day and someone else the next
But don't worry about me because I know what time it is
I am aware of the situation and am not concerned
Time to get mine while you try to get yours
I am going to focus on achieving my goals while you focus on yours
I'll get mine pause in those silky drawers
I will obtain what I want from you sexually
Take you to the cleaners and I got a trick
I will take advantage of you and I have an ulterior motive
Cause all you're ever going to get is a piece of my dee-dee-duh
You will only receive a small fraction of what I am truly capable of giving
Didn't you know that my girlie, my toe
My partner is important to me
It's easy to come, but harder to go
It is easier to get involved with me than to leave
Hope you got a good heart and you're a good sport
I hope you are emotionally strong and can handle a casual relationship
Cause I'm a treat you like beaver on a basketball court
I will use and manipulate you like a basketball player would handle a ball
I'm gonna run you around, take you up and down
I will control you and take you through a range of emotions
Take you out and leave you in the lost and found
I will use you and discard you when I am finished
So if you want to be down, miss listen to this
If you want to be involved with me, pay attention to what I am saying
Before you deal with me, you'd better know what time it is
Before entering into any situation with me, understand what you are getting into
Some girlies are pretty, some girlies are fine
Not all women are the same
But most girlie girlies like to play with your mind
Many women enjoy manipulating men
They like sporting new gold and riding in cars
Many women are materialistic and value possessions
And most of them, they don't care who you are
Most women are not interested in getting to know someone on a personal level
They're materialistic and unrealistic
Women often have unrealistic expectations and priorities
And to most of them you're nothing but another statistic
To most women, you are just a number among many
Whoever's got the money, they're all on his
Women are interested in men who have financial stability
why'all can save it for David, cause I know what time it is
Don't try to deceive me with material possessions, I am aware of the situation
Check the clock!
Pay attention to the time
Put your Gucci watch on and synchronize the time, and let's rock
Make sure we are both aware of the situation and let's have fun
Girls for me come a dime a dozen
Women are easy to come by for me
And that's why I never never was a
Because of this, I have never been in a situation where I could be taken advantage of
Situation where I could get jerked
I have never been in a situation where someone has taken advantage of me
Like a mechanic, all I do is bodywork
I focus on physical aspects of relationships rather than emotional connections
Want my money? You must be a fool
If you are interested in me for money, you are foolish
Cause like Billy Idol said, I'm gigalo cool
I am charismatic and attractive to women
Moe Dee, that's me, introduce yourself, miss
My name is Moe Dee, what is your name?
But don't try to be slick, cause I know what time it is
Don't try to deceive me, I am aware of what is happening
Time to make sure that the girlies stay poised
I need to make sure that the women remain interested in me
String 'em out so they will always want more
Keep them interested so that they come back for more
Don't come around here and try to get richer
Don't try to use me for financial gain
Don't ask me for no money, cause baby baby baby
Don't ask me for any money, because
Bet you don't know me from a can of paint
You don't know me at all
And I bet you think I'm fronting but I tell you I ain't
You may think I am pretending, but I am not
And I bet you think you know, but I'll tell you like this:
You may think you understand the situation, but
I'll be you don't know (Know what?) What time it is
I bet you don't understand the situation
It's time to get money, time to get paid
It's time to focus on obtaining wealth and financial stability
It's time to have fun, it's time to get laid
It's time to enjoy life and partake in sexual activities
Like to front like I'm poor, I don't drive, instead
I pretend to be financially unstable and do not own a car
I be chilling in a Jetta with my man that be red
I actually drive a Volkswagen Jetta with a red color scheme
Riding all around the city and half the world
Traveling and exploring new areas
And after talking from girl to girl
After speaking with numerous women
All you ladies seem to sing the same old song
Women often have similar attitudes and expectations
Makes it hard for me when a real girl comes along
It can be difficult for me to differentiate between sincere and insincere women
Now I'm a veteran, a girl all-pro
I am experienced and skilled in dealing with women
And as many as I've had, I still don't know
Despite my experience, I am still unsure about women
So I made a little system so I can tell
I created a method to understand and navigate relationships
Doesn't always work, but what the hell?
It is not always effective, but it is worth a shot
Don't ask me for nothing, and don't give me nothing
Don't ask for anything from me and do not expect anything in return
And keep it like that for about a whole month and
Maintain this attitude for a month or so
Half and I'll laugh and maybe one day miss
I will find it amusing and may someday miss the situation
Maybe you can be down, maybe you can be down
Perhaps you can be involved with me
Maybe you should be down cause you know what time it is
Perhaps you should get involved with me because you understand the situation
Check the clock!
Pay attention to the time
Put your Gucci watch on and synchronize the time, and let's rock
Make sure we are both aware of the situation and let's have fun
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MOHANDAS DEWESE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind