Heat Niner
Madvillain Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Trippin' off the beat kinda, drippin off the meat grinder
Heat niner, pimping, stripping, soft sweet minor
China was a neat signer, trouble with the script
Digits double dipped, bubble lipped, subtle lisp midget
Borderline schizo, sort of fine tits though
Pour the wine, whore to grind, quarter to nine, let's go
Ever since ten eleven, glad she made a brethren
Then it's last down, seven alligator seven, at the gates of heaven
Knocking, no answer, slow dancer, hopeless romancer, dopest
Yes, no? Villain, Metal face to Destro
Guess so, still incredible in escrow
Wild West style fest, y'all best to lay low
Hey bro, Day Glo, set the bet, pay dough
Before the cheddar get away, best to get Maaco
The worst hated God who perpetrated odd favors
Demonstrated in the perforated Rod Lavers
... In all quad flavors, Lord save us
Still back in the game like Jack LaLanne
Think you know the name, don't rack your brain
On a fast track to half sane
Either in a slow beat or that the speed of "Wrath of Kane"
Laughter, pain
"Hackthoo'ing" songs lit, in the booth, with the best host
Doing bong hits, on the roof, in the west coast
He's at it again
Mad at the pen
Glad that we win, a tad fat, in a bad hat for men
Grind the cinnamon, Manhattan warmongers
You can find the villain in satin, congas
The van screeches
The old man preaches
About the gold sand beaches




The cold hand reaches
For the old tan Ellesse's

Overall Meaning

The lyrics for Madvillain's Heat Niner are complex and full of cryptic references but at its core it tells the story of a man who is tripping on drugs but still remains conscious and observant. The opening line "Trippin' off the beat kinda, drippin off the meat grinder" sets the tone for the rest of the song, with the singer navigating through his hallucinogenic experience. The song's title, "Heat Niner", refers to a firearm and the use of violence in the drug trade. The lyrics are laced with sardonic humor, with lines such as "Pour the wine, whore to grind, quarter to nine, let's go" and "Grind the cinnamon, Manhattan warmongers".


The song also touches on themes of power dynamics and gender relations, with references to China as a "neat signer", a subtle nod to the way society objectifies women. The line "Borderline schizo, sort of fine tits though" shows the singer's internal conflict between mental instability and sexual attraction. There is also a nod to the villainous character Destro from the G.I. Joe franchise, with "Villain, Metal face to Destro".


Line by Line Meaning

Trippin' off the beat kinda, drippin off the meat grinder
The singer feels disoriented and out of sync with the rhythm, as if they can't keep up with the pace. Their mind is overloaded with problems and they feel like they're being chewed up.


Heat niner, pimping, stripping, soft sweet minor
The situation is getting intense, with the announcer dropping hints about a heat niner. There's some sexual undertones mixed with a sense of vulnerability in the air.


China was a neat signer, trouble with the script
This verse is hard to interpret, but it seems that there's a problem with getting everything written down. Perhaps the writer is having trouble expressing themselves in a clear and concise manner.


Digits double dipped, bubble lipped, subtle lisp midget
There's a sense that something shady or underhanded is going on, with a little person being involved. Maybe it's a reference to identity theft or some sort of con.


Borderline schizo, sort of fine tits though
The announcer is questioning their sanity, but there's always time to appreciate a nice pair of breasts, even if the mind is unraveling.


Pour the wine, whore to grind, quarter to nine, let's go
It's time to relax and indulge with a drink, but there's still business to attend to. The announcer seems to be planning to meet someone at a specific time.


Ever since ten eleven, glad she made a brethren
There's someone special on the announcer's mind, and they're happy to have made a connection with them. The phrase 'ten eleven' may have some special significance, like a date or a code.


Then it's last down, seven alligator seven, at the gates of heaven
It seems like the meeting with the aforementioned person is a high-stakes affair that could be their last chance to accomplish something significant. The 'seven alligator seven' phrase is unclear, but may be a reference to a time or place.


Knocking, no answer, slow dancer, hopeless romancer, dopest
Things aren't going according to plan, with no response to the knocking. The announcer is feeling a sense of hopelessness, but still has some pride in their ability to perform and remain cool under pressure.


Yes, no? Villain, Metal face to Destro
The announcer is addressing someone they know well, perhaps a rival or colleague. They may be less hostile than their nickname suggests.


Guess so, still incredible in escrow
The person addressed in the previous line has responded, and it seems like the interaction was not unfriendly. The singer is still doing well for themselves and has some sort of assets or investments.


Wild West style fest, y'all best to lay low
The scene is about to get chaotic in the style of the old Westerns, and it's safer to stay out of sight until things calm down.


Hey bro, Day Glo, set the bet, pay dough
It's someone's turn to ante up and take a chance. There's a sense of playfulness and camaraderie in the air.


Before the cheddar get away, best to get Maaco
There's a need to move quickly and act before it's too late, like getting a car repainted before it rusts too badly. Time is of the essence.


The worst hated God who perpetrated odd favors
The singer is referencing a god who is widely despised or feared, but who does things that could be seen as positive or helpful in certain circumstances.


Demonstrated in the perforated Rod Lavers
The brand 'Rod Lavers' refers to tennis shoes made by Adidas that have a pattern of small holes or perforations. The artist may be saying that the positive actions of the hated god are still flawed or incomplete in some way.


... In all quad flavors, Lord save us
The announcer seems to have mixed feelings about the situation- there are different options or paths to take, but none of them seem particularly appealing. The final line is a plea or prayer for help.


Still back in the game like Jack LaLanne
The singer is still active and competitive, like the famous fitness expert and TV host Jack LaLanne who remained in excellent health and shape well into his later years.


Think you know the name, don't rack your brain
The singer is known to some people, but doesn't want their identity to distract from the substance of what they're saying. They want people to focus on the message, not just the messenger.


On a fast track to half sane
The fast-paced and unpredictable events are taking a toll on the artist's mental health, but they're still managing to stay at least somewhat grounded and functional.


Either in a slow beat or that the speed of 'Wrath of Kane'
The pace of the scene may vary between a slower, more deliberate tempo or a fast, frenzied one. The reference to 'Wrath of Kane' may be a nod to the rap group Big Daddy Kane or a more general sense of aggressive energy.


Laughter, pain
There's a sharp contrast between the highs and lows of the situation, with moments of levity and amusement as well as pain and frustration.


'Hackthoo'ing' songs lit, in the booth, with the best host
The singer is in the recording studio, coughing out rhymes that are engaging and captivating. They're working with a talented and appreciative sound engineer who helps bring their vision to life.


Doing bong hits, on the roof, in the west coast
There's a sense of relaxation and enjoyment, even if the work is stressful. The artist is unwinding with some marijuana on a rooftop, enjoying the view of the coast.


He's at it again
The singer is back in their element, doing what they do best.


Mad at the pen
Despite the success and creativity, there's always frustration and dissatisfaction with the limitations of the tools at hand. The singer may be having a hard time expressing themselves as eloquently as they'd like.


Glad that we win, a tad fat, in a bad hat for men
The singer is mostly happy with how things are going, but there's still some sense of self-consciousness or embarrassment about their appearance.


Grind the cinnamon, Manhattan warmongers
There's a sense of aggressiveness and sharpness in the way the artist is working. They're trying to pump up their energy and focus like a type of cinnamon, even as they're surrounded by people in New York City who are focused on power and domination.


You can find the villain in satin, congas
The artist seems to be referencing themselves as a 'villain', but there's a sense of playfulness and flamboyance to the concept. They might be found enjoying themselves in silky clothing while playing the percussion instrument called congas.


The van screeches
There's a sudden jarring action, perhaps a vehicle stopping or turning sharply.


The old man preaches
The singer is watching or listening to an older figure who is trying to offer advice or guidance.


About the gold sand beaches
The old man's topic of conversation is something idyllic and pleasant, like beautiful beaches.


The cold hand reaches
In spite of the beautiful scene being described, there's still a sense of unease and danger lurking.


For the old tan Ellesse's
The cold hand may be reaching for the artist's shoes, a brand called Ellesse's that were popular in the 1980s and 90s. There's a sense of nostalgia and retro style, but also a hint that others may try to take advantage of the artist's possessions.




Contributed by Wyatt D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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