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.
I'm Hittin' Hard
Kool Moe Dee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gentlemen and ladies
Adults teenagers adolescents and babies
No if's and's but's or maybe's
I want the whole world to rock today
Because I said I was and always was
The baddest rapper on the mic and I proved it does
Make a difference
Cronize the wise tries
To overcome the dumb the drum
Beats a pattern that turns into
A catalyst that'll just
Grab your ear you had to hear
A rhyme's contents
Beyond nonsense
If you're not convinced
Get tense and wince
Cause I'll make a skeptic
Look epileptic
Shake and brake like the Holy Ghost connected
His body and soul
I control
His mind is mine cause my
Rhyme holds
Minds in limbo
You resemble
A clone of Jim Jones as them bones tremble
Shakin' like a leaf in disbelief
No chatterin' teeth
Can cease pity or grief
I got you flipping like a burger
Head spinning like a top
Weak at the knees
And you're about to drop
You can't find your heart
You need a warrant to search
Get off your knees
Boy this ain't church
You can pray if you wanna pray
Say what you wanna say
Did you forget you was ambiguous
You're gonna pay
For doubting my rhyme
You better freeze your thought
Cause I read minds
If you got caught
I taught
Lessons for second-guessing
Reroute doubt
I reprogram and deprogram about
Two million fans
Through rhytmic hypnosis
Left in a state
Of cataclysmic neurosis
Neurotic from a narcotic
Known as rhyme
Addicted to rap
And you're a fiend for mine
For my rap info
You're a nympho
I'll raise the conscience
And then hit them so hard with the rhyme
I'ma leave you scarred
Cause I don't just hit ya
I hit ya hard
I weave the bob
To do the job
Set you up with the left
As the right writes hard
Lyrics stick and move
Behind the groove
As the beat gets better
The rhyme improves
Adversaries prepare for a telling loss
Bring a stretcher nurse and the smelling salts
My rhyme is more
Than a fight or a bout
You ain't goin' down
Boy you're goin' out
No count necessary
Cause you ain't gettin' up
Bad mouthin' ends very
Very very abrupt
Thought patterns converted
Through overt overtures
Prepared your mind
Much better for metaphors
More rap classics
Believe me there's no man
Not Bach Brahms Beethoven or Chopin
Polonaise would ever faze ya
Like I faze ya I amaze ya
Ali and Fraizer I
Get deja vu from listening to
The rhymes that cut like an uppercut
And rings a bell too
I come out smoking
Hard from the first round
Stinging like a bee
And the bell is the worst sound
Cause I don't wanna let up
If you can get up
I'm fed up
The rhymes are sped up
To mess your head up
When the rhyme is over
They tally the scorecard
I get more points
Cause you hit the floor hard
But I'm hittin' hard
The very last thing
That you remember
Is a rhyme in your face
And the crowd yell timbre
Then you fall in a dopefiend nod
Cause I don't just hit ya
I hit ya hard
When I rain
It's more like a hurricane
You wanna dis
Then think of another name
Cause I go to work
And my rhymes slam
Put me to the test
You'll fail the exam
Cause that's the kind of test
You just can't study for
You're guaranteed
To end up bloody or
Broken twisted
Fractured blistered
Decapitated mutilated
Violated it's the
Kind of defeat
That you just can't live with
Try to compete
But you just can't get with
The Mental Master
Hard-ryhme supremist
My words have ya
Mixed like a chemist
My rhymes flow like
H-2-O
Cleaned with chlorine
To make green so
The rhyme is purified
You can't drink it
Biters and suckers
Don't even think it
The green I made
Is a money shade
When the rhyme evaporates
I get paid
Then it's time to rain
With the rhyme I know
And like plants
Watch my people grow
I heal sick minds
Like Christ himself
Touch the soul
Like no one else
There's only one
President Pope and one God
There's only one rapper
In that class
And I hit ya hard
Kool Moe Dee’s “I’m Hitting Hard” is a song that presents his talent as a rapper and makes a bold statement about his expertise in the craft. The song starts with an introduction that addresses the targeted audience, regardless of their age or gender, and invites them to rock with him. Kool Moe Dee then asserts his eminence as the “baddest rapper on the mic” and emphasizes the difference he makes on how people think and synchronize. He then speaks about the power of the drumbeat, which he sees as a pattern that turns into a catalyst to grab the listener's attention. Kool Moe Dee’s lyrics in the song primarily focus on his ability to manipulate the listener's mind through his rhymes and proves that he is always ahead of his time. His words are so powerful that they leave a mark on the listener's psyche even after the song has ended.
As the song progresses, Kool Moe Dee goes into detail about how his rhymes can impact skeptical listeners, leaving them shaking and struggling to find words to express their disbelief. His words are not just meaningless sentiments; they have an impact that can make the listener feel physically weak. The rhyme's content, according to Kool Moe Dee, is beyond non-sense, and he goes as far as claiming that his rhythm's hypnosis has left two million fans in a state of cataclysmic neurosis. He likens his rap to a narcotic that listeners can become addicted to, further stating that it is akin to losing control of one's mind. Towards the end of the song, Kool Moe Dee makes a deliberate statement that the last thing the listener will ever remember about the track is the rhyme's face and the crowd yelling the timbre.
In conclusion, Kool Moe Dee's "I'm Hitting Hard" is a song that primarily showcases his rap talent and his ability to manipulate the listener's mind using his rhymes. He presents his music as revolutionary, calling his rhymes pure and powerful enough to heal sick minds. Overall, the song is an example of Kool Moe Dee's capacity to make claims about his expertise as a rapper, emphasizing the impact of his lyrics on the audience, and inviting them to experience his powerful message.
Line by Line Meaning
Ladies and gentlemen
I address everyone, regardless of gender or age
Gentlemen and ladies
Again, addressing everyone respectfully
Adults teenagers adolescents and babies
Including people of all age groups, from adults to babies
No if's and's but's or maybe's
No room for doubt or uncertainty
I want the whole world to rock today
I want to energize and excite the entire world
Because I said I was and always was
I confidently assert that I've always been
The baddest rapper on the mic and I proved it does
I have demonstrated that I am the greatest rapper
Make a difference
Have a significant impact
On the way you think you syn-
Influencing your thought process
Cronize the wise tries
Conforming the wisdom seekers' efforts
To overcome the dumb the drum
To surpass and defeat ignorance
Beats a pattern that turns into
The rhythm becomes
A catalyst that'll just
A trigger that
Grab your ear you had to hear
Captivate your attention, something you must listen to
A rhyme's contents
The substance within a poetic verse
Beyond nonsense
Far beyond meaningless words
If you're not convinced
If you are not persuaded
Get tense and wince
Feel nervous and cringe
Cause I'll make a skeptic
Because I will make a doubter
Look epileptic
Appear shaky and unstable
Shake and brake like the Holy Ghost connected
Tremble and break as if influenced by a spiritual force
His body and soul
His physical and spiritual being
I control
I have power over
His mind is mine cause my
I dominate his thoughts because my
Rhyme holds
Verse possesses significance
Minds in limbo
Brains in a state of uncertainty
You resemble
You resemble
A clone of Jim Jones as them bones tremble
Similar to Jim Jones' followers, as your bones shake with fear
Shakin' like a leaf in disbelief
Trembling like a leaf due to disbelief
No chatterin' teeth
No chattering teeth
Can cease pity or grief
Can stop feelings of pity or grief
I got you flipping like a burger
I have you moving and turning rapidly
Head spinning like a top
Your head spinning quickly
Weak at the knees
Having weakened knees
And you're about to drop
And you are on the verge of falling
You can't find your heart
You are unable to locate your courage
You need a warrant to search
You require permission to investigate
Get off your knees
Stop begging and pleading
Boy this ain't church
This is not a religious setting
You can pray if you wanna pray
You are free to pray if you desire
Say what you wanna say
Express yourself freely
Did you forget you was ambiguous
Did you forget that you were unsure and indecisive
You're gonna pay
You will suffer consequences
For doubting my rhyme
For questioning the quality of my verse
You better freeze your thought
You should halt and reconsider your opinion
Cause I read minds
Because I can comprehend thoughts
If you got caught
If you were caught off-guard
I taught
I taught
Lessons for second-guessing
Lessons for hesitating and doubting
Reroute doubt
Redirect uncertainty
I reprogram and deprogram about
I alter and undo certain programming
Two million fans
A large number of devoted supporters
Through rhythmic hypnosis
By captivating them with rhythm and flow
Left in a state
Left in a condition
Of cataclysmic neurosis
Of extreme mental distress
Neurotic from a narcotic
Mentally unstable due to an addictive substance
Known as rhyme
Known as poetic verse
Addicted to rap
Addicted to the art of rap
And you're a fiend for mine
You have an intense craving for my verses
For my rap info
For the knowledge contained within my rap
You're a nympho
You are obsessed and insatiable
I'll raise the conscience
I will elevate the awareness
And then hit them so hard with the rhyme
And then deliver a powerful verse
I'ma leave you scarred
I will leave you marked and affected
Cause I don't just hit ya
Because I don't only impact you
I hit ya hard
I hit you with tremendous force
I weave the bob
I skillfully maneuver and dodge
To do the job
To accomplish the task
Set you up with the left
Prepare you for a blow with the left hand
As the right writes hard
While the right hand delivers a forceful strike
Lyrics stick and move
Verses are both impactful and fluid
Behind the groove
In sync with the musical rhythm
As the beat gets better
As the musical rhythm improves
The rhyme improves
The verse becomes even better
Adversaries prepare for a telling loss
Opponents anticipate a significant defeat
Bring a stretcher nurse and the smelling salts
Prepare medical assistance and strong stimulants
My rhyme is more
My verse is greater
Than a fight or a bout
Than a physical altercation
You ain't goin' down
You won't be defeated
Boy you're goin' out
You will be leaving the competition
No count necessary
No need for a referee count
Cause you ain't gettin' up
Because you won't be getting back on your feet
Bad mouthin' ends very
Speaking negatively comes to a swift conclusion
Very very abrupt
Extremely sudden
Thought patterns converted
Thought processes transformed
Through overt overtures
Through clear and explicit actions
Prepared your mind
Readied your mind
Much better for metaphors
Enhanced for metaphorical interpretations
More rap classics
Additional iconic rap songs
Believe me there's no man
Truly, there is no person
Not Bach Brahms Beethoven or Chopin
Including famous composers like Bach, Brahms, Beethoven, or Chopin
Polonaise would ever faze ya
Their compositions would never intimidate you
Like I faze ya I amaze ya
Like I impress you, astonish you
Ali and Frazier I
Referring to famous boxers Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier
Get deja vu from listening to
Experience a sense of familiarity when hearing
The rhymes that cut like an uppercut
The verses that strike with the force of an uppercut
And rings a bell too
And also rings an alarm in your mind
I come out smoking
I come out powerfully and determined
Hard from the first round
With intensity from the beginning
Stinging like a bee
Hitting with the impact of a bee's sting
And the bell is the worst sound
And the sound of the bell signifies trouble
Cause I don't wanna let up
Because I refuse to relent
If you can get up
If you are able to rise
I'm fed up
I am frustrated
The rhymes are sped up
The verses are accelerated
To mess your head up
To confuse and disorient you
When the rhyme is over
Once the verse concludes
They tally the scorecard
They calculate and evaluate the results
I get more points
I earn a higher score
Cause you hit the floor hard
Because you fell to the ground with force
But I'm hittin' hard
However, I am striking powerfully
The very last thing
The final memory
That you remember
That remains within your recollection
Is a rhyme in your face
Is a verse delivered to you directly
And the crowd yell timbre
And the audience shouts loudly
Then you fall in a dopefiend nod
Then you fall into a dazed and disoriented state
Cause I don't just hit ya
Because I don't just impact you
I hit ya hard
I hit you with tremendous force
When I rain
When I unleash myself fully
It's more like a hurricane
It's comparable to a powerful storm
You wanna dis
You want to criticize
Then think of another name
Then come up with a different insult
Cause I go to work
Because I go to work
And my rhymes slam
And my verses hit hard
Put me to the test
Challenge me
You'll fail the exam
You will not succeed in the evaluation
Cause that's the kind of test
Because that's the type of test
You just can't study for
You cannot adequately prepare for
You're guaranteed
You are certain
To end up bloody or
To conclude in a violent manner or
Broken twisted
Severely damaged and distorted
Fractured blistered
Fragmented and covered in sores
Decapitated mutilated
Beheaded and severely wounded
Violated it's the
Violated, it is the
Kind of defeat
Type of defeat
That you just can't live with
That you cannot bear
Try to compete
Attempt to rival
But you just can't get with
But you simply cannot match
The Mental Master
The intellectual genius
Hard-rhyme supremist
Unrivaled master of powerful verses
My words have ya
My words captivate you
Mixed like a chemist
Blended together like a scientist
My rhymes flow like
My verses move smoothly like
H-2-O
Water
Cleaned with chlorine
Purified using chlorine
To make green so
To make it fresh
The rhyme is purified
The verse is purified
You can't drink it
You cannot fully comprehend it
Biters and suckers
Imitators and followers
Don't even think it
Should not even consider it
The green I made
The money I earned
Is a money shade
Is a color associated with wealth
When the rhyme evaporates
When the verse ends
I get paid
I receive compensation
Then it's time to rain
Then it is the moment to dominate
With the rhyme I know
With the verse I possess
And like plants
And like plants
Watch my people grow
Observe my audience's development
I heal sick minds
I cure troubled thoughts
Like Christ himself
Similar to Jesus Christ
Touch the soul
Reach deep into the spirit
Like no one else
Unmatched by anyone else
There's only one
There is only one
President Pope and one God
Referring to the unique positions of President, Pope, and God
There's only one rapper
There is only one rapper
In that class
At that level
And I hit ya hard
And I strike with great force
Contributed by Lucas P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.