Rap career:
Mos Def began his performing career on the television show The Cosby Mysteries in 1994. In 1994, Mos also began his music career, forming the short-lived group Urban Thermo Dynamics (UTD) with his younger brother DCQ and his younger sister Ces. Despite being signed to Payday Records, the group only released two singles and the group's debut album, Manifest Destiny, did not see the light of day until 2004 when released through Illson Media. In 1996 he emerged as a solo artist, working with De La Soul and Da Bush Babees before releasing his own first single, "Universal Magnetic" which was a huge underground hit. After signing with Rawkus Records, he and Talib Kweli released a full length album under the band name Black Star, entitled Black Star. It was released in 1998, with Hi-Tek producing most of the tracks. Mos Def released his solo debut, Black on Both Sides, in 1999. Filled with tracks raving about his hometown, Brooklyn and his love for Hip-Hop, Black on Both Sides also deals with racial profiling of Black men in America, with the track Mr Nigga. Mos Def was also featured on Rawkus' influential The Lyricist Lounge and Soundbombing series compilations. After the collapse of Rawkus, Def along with Kweli signed on to Interscope/Geffen Records, who released his second album The New Danger in 2004. In early 2005 Mos Def was rumored to join Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella record label, but this was later denied by the artist himself claiming "Jay-Z and Roc-A-Fella would never allow me to release songs I plan on putting out there. I ain't down with that commercial non-sense. I'm about to deal with the fake with my next album, from George Bush to 50 Cent." But, after making that comment, Mos Def was featured rapping on a SUV commercial, endorsing the GMC Denali. Mos Def is projected to release his last solo album on Geffen Records, The Undeniable Free Flaco in early 2006. His 4th studio album The Ecstatic was released June 9, 2009 on Downtown Records. It serves as Mos Def's second highest charting album to date. Upon its release, The Ecstatic received general acclaim from most music critics, and it earned Mos Def a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album. Rolling Stone magazine named it the seventeenth best album of 2009.
Impact on hip-hop
The artistic boundaries of hip-hop and rap music had been redefined by artists such as Brand Nubian, De La Soul, and Public Enemy, whose music was more thematically sophisticated and socially conscious than that of their predecessors. By the early 1990s however, this brand of rap had been eclipsed in popularity by gangsta rap. Socially aware rap music (alternative hip hop) has experienced something of a renaissance in the late 1990s and now the 2000s, in part due to artists such as Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common, The Roots and others. "Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are … Blackstar" Mos Def's collaboration with Talib Kweli was released during the aftermath of the deaths of 2pac and The Notorious B.I.G. sparking a rebirth of "aware" and "intelligent" hip-hop. Def's music often references his Islamic faith and his contention that black artists receive little credit for their role in the birth of rock and roll music.
On Mos Def's 2004 album The New Danger, the rapper took his penchant for experimentation to a new level. Most of the songs were more hip-hop flavored stylings of Blues and Rock, with few actual raps thrown in. This threw off fans who were expecting another full-blown rap album. The New Danger also featured the controversial song "The Rape Over", a parody of Jay-Z's The Blueprint hit "The Takeover":
old white men is runnin this rap shit
corporate forces runnin this rap shit
some tall israeli is runnin this rap shit
we poke out our asses for a chance to cash in
cocaine, is runnin this rap shit
'dro, 'yac and e-pills is runnin this rap shit...
mtv is runnin this rap shit
viacom is runnin this rap shit
aol and time warner runnin this rap shit...
quasi-homosexuals is runnin this rap shit
The lyrics would seem to have chafed with higher-placed executives, who made Mos take the song off of later releases of the album, supposedly for "sample clearance issues".
In September 2005, Mos Def released the single "Katrina Clap" (utilizing the instrumental for Juvenile's "Nolia Clap"), a critical reaction to the lack of response by the Bush administration to the Hurricane Katrina disaster. He probably chose the "Nolia Clap" instrumental because the rapper Juvenile hails from New Orleans, and the song was a hit in the New Orleans area before the hurricane.
Mos Def also collaborated with Kanye West on West's track named "two words" and appeared in the music video.
Acting career
The first years of the 2000s have established Mos Def as a notable actor. His performances in Brown Sugar, Monster's Ball, and the HBO made-for-TV film Something The Lord Made have been particularly acclaimed by critics. Having been nominated for several awards, Mos finally broke through, winning Best Actor, Independent Movie at the 2005 Black Reel Awards for his portrayal of Sgt. Lucas in The Woodsman. He also landed the role of Ford Prefect in the long-awaited 2005 movie adaption of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Notably, in 2002 he played the role of Booth in Suzan-Lori Parks' Topdog/Underdog, a Tony-nominated and Pulitzer-winning Broadway play. He has also been a musical guest and participated in many skits on Comedy Central's Chappelle's Show.
In 2004, he hosted the MOBO awards in London, after the original presenter, Pharrell Williams pulled out at the last minute.
He has been the host of the award-winning spoken word show Def Poetry Jam since its inception. The show's sixth season aired in February 2007.
Discography
* 1998 Black Star (released with Talib Kweli under the name Black Star) Priority Records
* 1999 Black on Both Sides Rawkus Records
* 2004 The New Danger Geffen
o nominated for Best Urban/Alternative
Performance, 47th Annual Grammy Awards
* 2006 True Magic
* 2009 THE Ecstatic Downtown Records
* 2010 Mos Dub
Selected Filmography
* Cadillac Records (2009)
* Be Kind Rewind (2008)
* Talladega Nights (2006) (a quick cameo)
* Dreamgirls (2006)
* Bobby (2006)
* The Brazilian Job (2006) (pre-production)
* 16 Blocks (2006)
* The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005).
* Lackawanna Blues (2005)
* Something the Lord Made (2004)
o nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie, 56th Annual Emmy Awards
o nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television, 62nd Annual Golden Globe Awards
* Chapelle Show (? year) - Black Delegation Rep for Racial Draft
* The Woodsman (2004)
* The Italian Job (2003)
* Brown Sugar (2002)
* Civil Brand (2002)
* Showtime (2002)
* Monster's Ball (2001)
* Carmen: A Hip Hopera (2001)
* Bamboozled (2000)
* Where's Marlowe? (1998)
In September 2011, Mos Def announced that he planned to use the name Yasiin Bey instead of Mos Def beginning in 2012.
http://www.myspace.com/mosdef
Twice Inna Lifetime
Mos Def Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Niggas take my name in vain like I was cocaine
My affirmations kill emcees like assassination
Bringin' you pain until you wish you had a vaccination
Or vaccine, I shine like Vaseline
Gas plays like petroleum, walk over them like linoleum
My vocab expand like a rubber band
Walkin' naked through the motherland, give the finger to my brotherman
And scar these rappers like Legion
It's treason, my suspension attract attention
I'm ventin', givin' these chickenheads detention
Did I mention my name, yo, go by the Jane Doe
Drenched in Polo, chill downtown in Soho
You don't know, this is just half my potential
Check my credentials, come harder than sequential
It's essential, you listen, I drive, you a pedestrian
They bless me on the track cuz I attack wit' the estrogen
Rhyme against the best a men, Jane burn it up
When you hear it in the whip, tell your man to turn it up!
Yo, we fortified live, supportin' allies
The wack is tryin' to shorten our lives, it sorta waters my eyes
But here is somethin' the cryin' talk about
The verse on that cassette you and cousin fought about
That led to God and Satan's fallin' out
Encourage the liquor for those who ain't here that you pourin' out
On 3-way, your parents, preacher and spouse called my house
Revive or ruin, my theories of mics
Sony or Aiwa, black or white, I fit in all stereotypes
Search for a cast to plot, I make you a laughin' stock
So shook, I could walk a half a block and feel the aftershocks
Rain of acid drops, seek some help
Now don't rewind, get it the first time
Shouldn't have to repeat myself
Eternally verbally, I have numbers, succumb to time outs
In rhyme bouts you'll dial 9, just to get a line out
Known fact or factors and non-rappers fractured
Results in more cast appearances than a hundred actors
Emcees I'm testin' like diseases injected in gerbils
Wordsworth, Kweli, Hi-Tek, Reflection Eternal what
My style highlights like fonts when I burn heads like a conk
Cause niggas front, when their chances get slim like Pharoahe Monch
Thinkin' they shits is heavy when they light like illumination
Intellectual masturbation with premature ejaculation
I'm comin' cleaner than vaccinations
My fascination with character assassination
Got these niggas burnin' like sensation
We keep it hot like matches and on lock like latches
Wack emcees get they microphones snatched like Lee patches
So YOU GO! To every wack muthafucka that you know (Scram)
My lyrics they get up in your jeans like Parasucos
So there's no mystery about the father, niggas is hot and bothered
Like the bitches that they are, takin' pictures with stars
And got 'em open, but after they little hopes and dreams get broken
Me and Hi-Tek, we live long and prosper like Vulcans
Think I'm jokin'? We both got sons, we make cream and break dreams
See through the fake schemes, wipin' your slate clean
Like a squeegee, we be lightin' shit up like phosphorus
Turnin' flamboyant niggas anonymous, depressin' to optimist
You stoppin' us is preposterous, like an androgynous misogynist
You pickin' the wrong time, steppin' to me when I'm in my prime like Optimus
Transformin', from rookie of the year to veteran
Hip-hop is big business like Con Edison or medicine
But fuck it, they gonna let us in, or else we rush the door
I got too many reasons, save your 'whys' and 'what fors'
This is twice inna lifetime so I'm lettin' you know (let 'em know yo!)
Blackstar, Wordsworth, Punchline and Jane Doe (yo!)
Lyrical com-pete and WE emcee
We got the fortified five, exhibit level degree
Check it
I keep dough in my pocket while you follow the false prophet
Get deep like Islamics wrapped in a white garment
I touch topics that try to open up your optics
Vacate in the Tropics, you dodgin' bullets in the projects
Cut the nonsense, I'm hotter than a lot of men
Start honorin', got more wifeys than Solomon
Fuck the squad you in, a-yo we be the biddomb
Regardless what I spit on, you worse with the tracks I shit on
Once you get on, it's fair you can't trust (Yes!)
Words & Punch, make rappers march like the third month
I build with friends, lyrically spit gems
Call me diamond, cuz I'm your girl's best friend
Emcees are born losers, alcoholic abusers
I'll go on the radio and start a gay rumor
And then I'll talk about how the crowd tried to boo ya
Label shoot ya, stressed out with brain tumors
My gat claps, fifty percent of the wack
Take it back to real rap, Krylons wit' the fat cap
Get robbed for your ASCAP, leave you inside
Fortified live, reppin' NY 'til I die!
Black body radiation situation that we workin' wit'
My verb exists enlisted by the bogeys campin' services
The purpose is, make you go and purchase this, no nervousness
We are, hot like black tar, Black Star with emergence
Superlative, you fabricated like the word absurditive
I'm rockin' this from here to where the Persians live
To Brooklyn where the merchants live
Next door to the murderers
And bourbon is a elder man's medicinal alternative
My memory is furnished with, back streets to back seats to fat Jeeps
Legendary athletes who play by the trash heap
My crew wasn't that deep, but beef we didn't act sweet
Treadin' on these stompin' grounds you better catch some black feet
Flashy, it was between DeKalb and Pulasky
Off the meter like an out of borough taxi
They run your pockets fastly, black and nasty, nappy and crafty
That's why they're either sittin' in Clinton or Coxsackie
Mayor Rudolph can screw off! You too soft to stop us
You and your coppers should see some foot doctors
Got your bird chest popped up, but keep your guns cocked up
Cuz all them cats that you knocked up ain't always gon' be locked up
Hot stuff like Donna Summer, another number one-r
And comin' from the underground, this is how it's comin' down
Baby let me run it down
Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Jane Doe, Punch, Wor-umm, E!
Excuse me! Just ate another emcee!
Sometimes that's just how it be
Partner wash you down with green tea and some lime
We like the five on the fist, fortified organized like DIS!
In Mos Def/Talib Kweli's "Twice Inna Lifetime", the rappers showcase their lyrical prowess and touch upon various topics such as bragging about their rap skills, addressing their critics, and commenting on societal issues. Mos Def starts off the song by addressing those who use his name in vain and then goes on to boast about his ability to kill other emcees with his affirmations. He also talks about his vocab expanding like a rubber band, walking naked through the motherland and giving the finger to his brotherman. The line "scar these rappers like Legion" refers to the biblical story wherein Jesus healed a man possessed by multiple demons, collectively called Legion.
Talib Kweli's verse talks about how they are supporting their allies and fighting against those who try to shorten their lives. He mentions a specific cassette tape that caused a fight with his cousin and how it led to God and Satan's falling out. Talib talks about his theories on mics and how he fits in all stereotypes. He mentions that they turn flamboyant niggas anonymous and depress optimists. He ultimately states that you cannot stop them.
In summary, Mos Def and Talib Kweli deliver powerful verses that touch upon their rap skills, their fight against societal issues, and their refusal to be silenced.
Line by Line Meaning
Hail Mary, 'matta fact hail Jane
I am greeted with praise and admiration, similar to the way people greet religious figures
Niggas take my name in vain like I was cocaine
People use my name carelessly and without respect, like the way drugs are abused
My affirmations kill emcees like assassination
My powerful statements and declarations have a destructive impact on other rappers' careers
Bringin' you pain until you wish you had a vaccination
I continuously cause you distress until you desperately crave relief
Or vaccine, I shine like Vaseline
I radiate and stand out like a glossy substance, attracting attention
Gas plays like petroleum, walk over them like linoleum
I effortlessly dominate and defeat others, metaphorically gliding over them
My vocab expand like a rubber band
My vocabulary continually grows and stretches, just like an elastic band
Walkin' naked through the motherland, give the finger to my brotherman
I fearlessly and confidently express myself, even if it goes against the norms and values of my own community
Niggas just don't understand my reasons, I transcend like season
People struggle to comprehend my motives and actions, as I rise above them like the changing seasons
And scar these rappers like Legion
I leave lasting scars on other rappers, similar to the impact of a large army like Legion
It's treason, my suspension attract attention
My unconventional behavior and style capture a lot of interest, even if it may be considered treasonous by others
I'm ventin', givin' these chickenheads detention
I release my frustrations and anger, firmly putting shallow and unintelligent individuals in their place
Did I mention my name, yo, go by the Jane Doe
In case you missed it, my name is Jane Doe and I want you to remember it
Drenched in Polo, chill downtown in Soho
I am fashionable and stylish, frequently relaxing and enjoying myself in trendy and artistic areas
You don't know, this is just half my potential
You don't fully understand, I am only showcasing a fraction of my true abilities
Check my credentials, come harder than sequential
Examine and verify my qualifications, I approach challenges with even more intensity than a sequence
It's essential, you listen, I drive, you a pedestrian
It is crucial that you pay attention to my lyrics, I am the one leading the way while you are just an ordinary person
They bless me on the track cuz I attack wit' the estrogen
They admire and support my performance on the track because I bring a unique feminine energy and skill to it
Rhyme against the best a men, Jane burn it up
I compete and excel against the most talented male rappers, proving my skill and leaving a lasting impression
When you hear it in the whip, tell your man to turn it up!
When you listen to this song in your car, ask your partner to increase the volume because it's worth it!
Yo, we fortified live, supportin' allies
We perform with strength and unity, supporting and standing by our friends and partners
The wack is tryin' to shorten our lives, it sorta waters my eyes
Mediocre and untalented individuals are attempting to harm or limit our success, which saddens and frustrates me
But here is somethin' the cryin' talk about
I have something important and meaningful to discuss with those who are complaining and making excuses
The verse on that cassette you and cousin fought about
The lyrics and performance on that cassette tape caused a heated argument between you and your cousin
That led to God and Satan's fallin' out
The disagreement eventually escalated to the point where even God and Satan couldn't find common ground
Encourage the liquor for those who ain't here that you pourin' out
You turn to alcohol to cope with the loss of those who are no longer with us
On 3-way, your parents, preacher and spouse called my house
In a controversial or scandalous situation, even your closest family members and religious figures reach out to me for answers or information
Revive or ruin, my theories of mics
My ideas about microphones have the power to both revive and rejuvenate, or destroy and ruin
Sony or Aiwa, black or white, I fit in all stereotypes
Regardless of the brand or the racial assumptions, I break down stereotypes and excel in all areas
Search for a cast to plot, I make you a laughin' stock
You try to find people to conspire against me, but I turn you into a subject of mockery and amusement instead
So shook, I could walk a half a block and feel the aftershocks
You are so fearful and intimidated by me that even a small movement causes you to tremble and experience aftershocks of anxiety
Rain of acid drops, seek some help
I bring down a torrent of acidic and painful criticism, suggesting that you should seek assistance or guidance
Now don't rewind, get it the first time
Don't try to replay or overanalyze my words, understand and grasp their meaning when you hear them the first time
Shouldn't have to repeat myself
I shouldn't have to go through the effort of saying the same thing again because you should have understood it the first time
Eternally verbally, I have numbers, succumb to time outs
I will continue to verbally dominate and defeat others, gradually wearing them down and forcing them to take breaks
In rhyme bouts you'll dial 9, just to get a line out
In rap battles, you will urgently try to call for help, even dialing '911,' just to come up with a single good line or response
Known fact or factors and non-rappers fractured
Well-established and undeniable truths and elements cause non-rappers to become disorganized or broken
Results in more cast appearances than a hundred actors
These chaotic and fractured situations lead to more individuals getting involved or participating than the number of actors in a hundred movies
Emcees I'm testin' like diseases injected in gerbils
I challenge and confront emcees like diseases that are deliberately injected into laboratory gerbils for testing
Wordsworth, Kweli, Hi-Tek, Reflection Eternal what
The artists Wordsworth, Kweli, Hi-Tek, and Reflection Eternal form a collective known as Blackstar, creating profound and everlasting music
My style highlights like fonts when I burn heads like a conk
My unique and distinctive style stands out and garners attention, just like eye-catching fonts, while I defeat and humiliate my opponents
Cause niggas front, when their chances get slim like Pharoahe Monch
People pretend to be confident when their opportunities become scarce or limited, similar to the rapper Pharoahe Monch
Thinkin' they shits is heavy when they light like illumination
They believe their lyrics and presence are weighty and impactful, when in reality, they are shallow and insignificant
Intellectual masturbation with premature ejaculation
Engaging in pointless and self-indulgent intellectual discussions or debates that lack substance or resolution
I'm comin' cleaner than vaccinations
I am presenting myself as genuine and authentic, surpassing even the cleanliness and purity of vaccines
My fascination with character assassination
I am intrigued by the act of destroying someone's reputation or credibility
Got these niggas burnin' like sensation
I have these individuals feeling intense and overwhelming discomfort or agitation
We keep it hot like matches and on lock like latches
We maintain a high level of intensity and energy, just like lit matches, while keeping control and ensuring security
Wack emcees get they microphones snatched like Lee patches
Incompetent emcees have their microphones forcefully taken away from them, just like removing adhesive patches from something
So YOU GO! To every wack muthafucka that you know (Scram)
I say this to every terrible person you are associated with, telling them to leave and go away
My lyrics they get up in your jeans like Parasucos
My lyrics penetrate your mind and thoughts deeply, just like designer jeans by the brand Parasuco
So there's no mystery about the father, niggas is hot and bothered
There is no uncertainty or doubt about my talent and impact, as others become envious and overwhelmed by it
Like the bitches that they are, takin' pictures with stars
They act like attention-seeking individuals, taking pictures with famous people to boost their own image
And got 'em open, but after they little hopes and dreams get broken
They become initially excited and hopeful, but soon their aspirations and desires are crushed and shattered
Me and Hi-Tek, we live long and prosper like Vulcans
Both Hi-Tek and I have successful and prosperous lives, similar to the Vulcan race in Star Trek that values logic and intelligence
Think I'm jokin'? We both got sons, we make cream and break dreams
If you think I'm kidding, both Hi-Tek and I have sons and achieve financial success, while also shattering others' unrealistic ambitions
See through the fake schemes, wipin' your slate clean
We can easily recognize and expose deceptive plans, wiping your slate clean and exposing the truth
Like a squeegee, we be lightin' shit up like phosphorus
Similar to a squeegee cleaning and illuminating surfaces, we ignite and energize everything like phosphorus
Turnin' flamboyant niggas anonymous, depressin' to optimist
We make flamboyant individuals blend into the crowd, causing them to feel down and dispirited despite their optimism
You stoppin' us is preposterous, like an androgynous misogynist
Your attempts to hinder our progress and success are utterly ridiculous, similar to someone who is both gender-neutral and holds a misogynistic belief
You pickin' the wrong time, steppin' to me when I'm in my prime like Optimus
You make a poor decision by confronting me when I am at the peak of my abilities and performance, just like the fictional character Optimus Prime
Transformin', from rookie of the year to veteran
I have transformed and evolved from being a promising newcomer to becoming a highly experienced and respected veteran
Hip-hop is big business like Con Edison or medicine
Hip-hop has become a lucrative industry, comparable to major corporations like Con Edison or the pharmaceutical field
But fuck it, they gonna let us in, or else we rush the door
Regardless of the obstacles, they will eventually give us the recognition and opportunities we deserve, or we will forcefully make our way in
I got too many reasons, save your 'whys' and 'what fors'
I have numerous justifications and motivations, don't waste your time questioning or doubting me
This is twice inna lifetime so I'm lettin' you know (let 'em know yo!)
This is a rare and remarkable occurrence, so I want to make sure you fully understand and are aware of it
Blackstar, Wordsworth, Punchline and Jane Doe (yo!)
The artists Blackstar, Wordsworth, Punchline, and Jane Doe are performing together and making their voices heard
Lyrical com-pete and WE emcee
We engage in lyrical competitions and demonstrate our skills as emcees
We got the fortified five, exhibit level degree
We are a united group of talented individuals, showcasing a high level of skill and expertise
Keep it goin'!
Continue the momentum!
I keep dough in my pocket while you follow the false prophet
I am financially stable and secure while you blindly adhere to and support deceptive leaders
Get deep like Islamics wrapped in a white garment
I delve into profound and thought-provoking subjects, similar to devout Muslims covering themselves in traditional white clothing
I touch topics that try to open up your optics
I address subjects that aim to broaden and expand your perspective and understanding
Vacate in the Tropics, you dodgin' bullets in the projects
I escape to exotic and relaxing locations while you try to avoid danger and violence in the impoverished neighborhoods
Cut the nonsense, I'm hotter than a lot of men
Stop the foolishness, I am more attractive and talented than many other individuals
Start honorin', got more wifeys than Solomon
Show me respect, I have more romantic partners and admirers than the biblical figure King Solomon
Fuck the squad you in, a-yo we be the biddomb
Disregard the group you belong to, we are the superior and dominant force
Regardless what I spit on, you worse with the tracks I shit on
No matter what topic or instrumental I perform on, your skills are inferior and you fail to match my level
Once you get on, it's fair you can't trust (Yes!)
Once you achieve success and fame, it becomes difficult for you to trust others and their intentions
Words & Punch, make rappers march like the third month
The combination of Wordsworth and Punchline forces other rappers to submit and follow their lead, just like the orderliness of marching in the third month of the year
I build with friends, lyrically spit gems
I collaborate and form connections with talented individuals, delivering profound and valuable lyrics
Call me diamond, cuz I'm your girl's best friend
Refer to me as a diamond, since I am the person your significant other values and appreciates the most
Emcees are born losers, alcoholic abusers
Rappers are inherently destined to fail and lack success, often resorting to alcoholism as a coping mechanism
I'll go on the radio and start a gay rumor
I have the power and influence to spread false rumors and manipulate public perception, such as starting rumors about someone's sexual orientation
And then I'll talk about how the crowd tried to boo ya
I will openly discuss and exploit how the audience rejected and disapproved of you
Label shoot ya, stressed out with brain tumors
Record labels will target and exploit you, causing you immense stress to the point of developing brain tumors
My gat claps, fifty percent of the wack
My gun fires and eliminates fifty percent of the untalented and mediocre individuals
Take it back to real rap, Krylons wit' the fat cap
Let's bring back authentic and genuine rap music, like the days of graffiti art with Krylon spray paint and thick caps
Get robbed for your ASCAP, leave you inside
You will be robbed of your royalties and recognition from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, while I triumph
Fortified live, reppin' NY 'til I die!
We represent and support New York with strength and determination until our last breath!
Black body radiation situation that we workin' wit'
We are dealing with a challenging and intense situation, comparable to the concept of black body radiation
My verb exists enlisted by the bogeys campin' services
My action and expression are notable and relied upon by those who are manipulating and controlling the situation
The purpose is, make you go and purchase this, no nervousness
The aim is to convince and motivate you to buy this music, without any hesitation or doubt
We are, hot like black tar, Black Star with emergence
We are extremely popular and in demand, just like the highly addictive and heated substance black tar heroin, and the group Black Star is rising to prominence
Superlative, you fabricated like the word absurditive
Your claims and statements are false and fabricated, just like a made-up word that doesn't exist
I'm rockin' this from here to where the Persians live
I am dominating and delivering my music and message from here to distant places like where the Persian people reside
To Brooklyn where the merchants live
I bring my craft and talent to Brooklyn, where skilled and creative individuals reside
Next door to the murderers
In close proximity to dangerous and violent individuals
And bourbon is a elder man's medicinal alternative
Bourbon, a type of alcoholic drink, is seen as a traditional or natural remedy for older individuals
My memory is furnished with, back streets to back seats to fat Jeeps
My mind is filled with memories, ranging from experiences on the streets to intimate moments in cars to riding in luxurious Jeeps
Legendary athletes who play by the trash heap
We are legendary and talented individuals who achieve greatness in spite of the challenging and unfavorable circumstances we face
My crew wasn't that deep, but beef we didn't act sweet
Although we didn't have a large number of members, we never backed down or showed weakness when confronted with conflict
Treadin' on these stompin' grounds you better catch some black feet
When you step into our territory, you better be prepared for a fight and be ready to face the consequences of your actions
Flashy, it was between DeKalb and Pulasky
We lived in or roamed around the area between DeKalb Avenue and Pulaski Street in Brooklyn, known for its vibrant and flamboyant atmosphere
Off the meter like an out of borough taxi
We are exceptionally skilled and talented, just like taxis that operate outside the usual city limits
They run your pockets fastly, black and nasty, nappy and crafty
They quickly and cunningly take all your money and possessions, behaving rudely and aggressively, and with unkempt and unmanageable hair
That's why they're either sittin' in Clinton or Coxsackie
This behavior and lifestyle is why they are either imprisoned at Clinton Correctional Facility or admitted to Coxsackie Correctional Facility, both located in New York
Mayor Rudolph can screw off! You too soft to stop us
We don't care about Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's opinion or influence! You are too weak and ineffective to hinder our progress
You and your coppers should see some foot doctors
You and your police officers should seek medical attention for your feet, as you can't keep up with us
Got your bird chest popped up, but keep your guns cocked up
You puff out your chest in an attempt to appear tough, but you should keep your firearms ready for combat
Cuz all them cats that you knocked up ain't always gon' be locked up
Because all the people you have arrested and detained won't always be imprisoned
Hot stuff like Donna Summer, another number one-r
I am as popular and successful as Donna Summer, achieving another number one hit
And comin' from the underground, this is how it's comin' down
This is the style and approach we take as artists from the underground music scene
Baby let me run it down
Let me explain and break it down for you
Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Jane Doe, Punch, Wor-umm, E!
The artists Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Jane Doe, Punchline, Wordsworth, and Hi-Tek are all involved in creating this music
Excuse me! Just ate another emcee!
Pardon me! I just defeated and surpassed another emcee in skill and performance
Sometimes that's just how it be
Sometimes that's the way things happen or turn out
Partner wash you down with green tea and some lime
My collaborator cleanses and refreshes you with green tea and lime, metaphorically detoxifying your system
We like the five on the fist, fortified organized like DIS!
We are like a powerful and organized group, symbolizing unity and strength, just like the five fingers on a clenched fist
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dante Smith, Jyne Doe, R. Truell, Talib Kweli Greene, Tony Cottrell, Vinson Johnson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Pride317
Lyrics
[Intro: Talib Kweli]
Yo, we been through this before right?
(Word, word)
So we figured, if we gon' do it, we gotta freak it
You know what I'm sayin?
(True, true, true)
Cause, everything gotta go up from here, right?
So Hi-Tek, turn it up a notch
[Verse 1: Jane Doe]
Hail Mary, matter fact, hail Jane
Niggas take my name in vain like I was cocaine
My affirmations kill emcees like assassination
Bringing you pain until you wish you had a vaccination
Or vaccine, I shine like Vaseline
Gas plays like petroleum, walk over them like linoleum
My vocab expand like a rubber band
Walking naked through the motherland,
Give the finger to my brotherman
You niggas just don't understand my reasons
I transcend like season, and scar these rappers like Legion
It's treason, my suspension attract attention
I'm venting, giving these chickenheads detention
Did I mention my name? Yo, go by the Jane Doe
Drenched in Polo, chill downtown in Soho
You don't know, this is just half my potential
Check my credentials, come harder than sequential
It's essential, you listen, I drive, you a pedestrian
They bless me on the track cause I attack wit' the estrogen
Rhyme against the best of men, Jane burn it up
When you hear it in the whip, tell your man to turn it up!
[Verse 2: Wordsworth]
Yo, get it, yo
Yo, we fortified live, supporting allies
The wack is tryna shorten our lives, it sorta waters my eyes
But here something the crying talk about, the verse on that cassette
You and your cousin fought about, that led to God and Satan's falling out
Encourage the liquor for those who ain't here that you pouring out
On three-way, your parents, preacher and spouse called my house
Revive or ruin, my theories of mics
Sony or Aiwa, black or white, I fit in all stereotypes
Search for a cast to plot, I make you a laughing stock
So shook, I could walk a half a block and feel the aftershocks
Rain of acid drops, seek some help, now don't rewind
Get it the first time, shouldn't have to repeat myself
Eternally verbally, I have numbers succumb to time outs
In rhyme bouts, you'll dial 9, just to get a line out
Known fact or factors and non-rappers fractured
Results more cast appearances than a hundred actors
Emcees I'm testing like diseases injected in gerbils
Wordsworth, Kweli, Hi-Tek, Reflection Eternal, what?
[Verse 3: Talib Kweli]
My style highlights like fonts when I burn heads like a conk
Cause niggas front, when their chances get slim like Pharoahe Monch
Thinking they shits is heavy when they light like illumination
Intellectual masturbation with premature ejaculation
I'm coming cleaner than vaccinations, my fascination with character
Assassination, got these niggas burning like sensation
We keep it hot like matches, and on lock like latches
Wack emcees get they microphones snatched like Lee patches
So you go, to every wack muthafucka that you know (Scram...)
My lyrics they get up in your jeans like Parasucos
So there's no mystery about the father, niggas is hot and bothered
Like the bitches that they are, taking pictures with stars
And got 'em open, but after they little hopes and dreams get broken
Me and Hi-Tek, we live long and prosper like Vulcans
Think I'm joking? We both got sons,
We make cream and break dreams
See through the fake schemes, wiping your slate clean
Like a squeegee, we be lighting shit up like phosphorus
Turning flamboyant niggas anonymous, depressing to optimist
You stopping us is preposterous like an androgynous misogynist
You picking the wrong time, stepping to me
When I'm in my prime like Optimus
Transforming, from rookie of the year to veteran
Hip-hop is big business like Con Edison or medicine
But fuck it, they gonna let us in, or else we rush the door
I got too many reasons, save your 'whys' and 'what fors'
This is twice in a lifetime so I'm letting you know (let 'em know yo)
Black Star, Wordsorth, Punchline and Jane Doe (yo!)
Lyrical compete and we emcee
We got the fortified five, exhibit level degree
[Verse 4: Punchline]
Check it
I keep dough in my pocket while you follow the false prophet
Get deep like Islamics wrapped in a white garment
I touch topics that try to open up your optics
Vacate in the tropics, you dodging bullets in the projects
Cut the nonsense, I'm hotter than a lot of men
Start honoring, got more wifeys than Solomon
Fuck the squad you in, ayo, we be the bid-domb
Regardless what I spit on, you worse with the tracks I shit on
Once you get on, it's fair you can't trust (Yes!)
Words & Punch, make rappers march like the third month
I build with friends, lyrically spit gems
Call me Diamond, cause I'm your girl's best friend
Emcees are born losers, alcoholic abusers
I'll go on the radio and start a gay rumor
And then I'll talk about how the crowd tried to boo ya
Label shoot ya, stressed out with brain tumors
My gat claps, 50% of the wack
Take it back to real rap, Krylons wit' the fat cap
Get robbed for your ASCAP, leave you inside
Fortified live, reppin' NY 'til I die
[Verse 5: Mos Def]
Black body radiation situation that we working wit'
My verb exists enlisted by the bogeys camping services
The purpose is, make you go and purchase this, no nervousness
We are, hot like black tar, Black Star with emergerence
Superlative, you fabricated like the word "absurditive"
I'm rocking this from here to where the Persians live
From Brooklyn where the merchants live next door to the murderers
And bourbon is a elder man's medicinal alternative
My memory is furnished with back streets to back seats to fat Jeeps
Legendary athletes who played by the trash heap
My crew wasn't that deep, but beef we didn't act sweet
Treadin' on these stompin' grounds, you better catch some black feet
Flashy, it was between DeKalb and Pulaski
Off the meter like an out of borough taxi
They run your pockets fastly, black and nasty, nappy and crafty
That's why they're either sitting in Clinton or Coxsackie
Mayor Rudolph can screw off, you too soft to stop us
You and your coppers should see some foot doctors
Got your bird chest popped up, but keep your guns cocked up
Cause all them cats that you knocked up ain't always gon' be locked up
Hot stuff like Donna Summer, another number one-r
Comin' from the underground, this is how it's comin' down
Baby let me run it down: Mos Def, Talib
Kweli, Jane Doe, Punch, Word (ahem) E!
Excuse me, just ate another emcee
Sometimes that's just how it be
Partner wash you down with green tea and some lime
We like the five on the fist, fortified organized like this!
@THEJAESTER718
You stopping this
Is preposterous
Like an androgynous misogynist
You picked the wrong time
Steppin' to me when I'm in my Prime like Optimus
Transforming, from rookie of the year to veteran
Hip-Hop is big money like Con Edison
Or medicine
But fuck it, they're gonna let us in
If not we rush the door
There's way too many reasons
Save your whys? And what fors?!?!?! - Talib Kweli
@blackonyx1
Everybody takes about Deck's opening verse on Triumph", but nobody ever talks about how Jane Doe set the whole tone and bodied this track before anybody else got to spit.🔥🔥🔥🔥
@foarfield
takes a LOT of gump to outshine prime Mos Def.
@arex82
Yo them 3 & 4 syllable schemes that Mos came with took the track to another level. Really helped him stand out amongst a solid roster of prolific wordsmiths. I love the way that man’s mind works. He’s always been a kind of lyrical mentor to me:
Mos Def
Black Thought
Aesop Rock <<<(sleep NOT on this man, lyrical GENIUS)
Big up to real hip hop. Let’s keep it alive in these musically trying times lol
@Pride317
Lyrics
[Intro: Talib Kweli]
Yo, we been through this before right?
(Word, word)
So we figured, if we gon' do it, we gotta freak it
You know what I'm sayin?
(True, true, true)
Cause, everything gotta go up from here, right?
So Hi-Tek, turn it up a notch
[Verse 1: Jane Doe]
Hail Mary, matter fact, hail Jane
Niggas take my name in vain like I was cocaine
My affirmations kill emcees like assassination
Bringing you pain until you wish you had a vaccination
Or vaccine, I shine like Vaseline
Gas plays like petroleum, walk over them like linoleum
My vocab expand like a rubber band
Walking naked through the motherland,
Give the finger to my brotherman
You niggas just don't understand my reasons
I transcend like season, and scar these rappers like Legion
It's treason, my suspension attract attention
I'm venting, giving these chickenheads detention
Did I mention my name? Yo, go by the Jane Doe
Drenched in Polo, chill downtown in Soho
You don't know, this is just half my potential
Check my credentials, come harder than sequential
It's essential, you listen, I drive, you a pedestrian
They bless me on the track cause I attack wit' the estrogen
Rhyme against the best of men, Jane burn it up
When you hear it in the whip, tell your man to turn it up!
[Verse 2: Wordsworth]
Yo, get it, yo
Yo, we fortified live, supporting allies
The wack is tryna shorten our lives, it sorta waters my eyes
But here something the crying talk about, the verse on that cassette
You and your cousin fought about, that led to God and Satan's falling out
Encourage the liquor for those who ain't here that you pouring out
On three-way, your parents, preacher and spouse called my house
Revive or ruin, my theories of mics
Sony or Aiwa, black or white, I fit in all stereotypes
Search for a cast to plot, I make you a laughing stock
So shook, I could walk a half a block and feel the aftershocks
Rain of acid drops, seek some help, now don't rewind
Get it the first time, shouldn't have to repeat myself
Eternally verbally, I have numbers succumb to time outs
In rhyme bouts, you'll dial 9, just to get a line out
Known fact or factors and non-rappers fractured
Results more cast appearances than a hundred actors
Emcees I'm testing like diseases injected in gerbils
Wordsworth, Kweli, Hi-Tek, Reflection Eternal, what?
[Verse 3: Talib Kweli]
My style highlights like fonts when I burn heads like a conk
Cause niggas front, when their chances get slim like Pharoahe Monch
Thinking they shits is heavy when they light like illumination
Intellectual masturbation with premature ejaculation
I'm coming cleaner than vaccinations, my fascination with character
Assassination, got these niggas burning like sensation
We keep it hot like matches, and on lock like latches
Wack emcees get they microphones snatched like Lee patches
So you go, to every wack muthafucka that you know (Scram...)
My lyrics they get up in your jeans like Parasucos
So there's no mystery about the father, niggas is hot and bothered
Like the bitches that they are, taking pictures with stars
And got 'em open, but after they little hopes and dreams get broken
Me and Hi-Tek, we live long and prosper like Vulcans
Think I'm joking? We both got sons,
We make cream and break dreams
See through the fake schemes, wiping your slate clean
Like a squeegee, we be lighting shit up like phosphorus
Turning flamboyant niggas anonymous, depressing to optimist
You stopping us is preposterous like an androgynous misogynist
You picking the wrong time, stepping to me
When I'm in my prime like Optimus
Transforming, from rookie of the year to veteran
Hip-hop is big business like Con Edison or medicine
But fuck it, they gonna let us in, or else we rush the door
I got too many reasons, save your 'whys' and 'what fors'
This is twice in a lifetime so I'm letting you know (let 'em know yo)
Black Star, Wordsorth, Punchline and Jane Doe (yo!)
Lyrical compete and we emcee
We got the fortified five, exhibit level degree
[Verse 4: Punchline]
Check it
I keep dough in my pocket while you follow the false prophet
Get deep like Islamics wrapped in a white garment
I touch topics that try to open up your optics
Vacate in the tropics, you dodging bullets in the projects
Cut the nonsense, I'm hotter than a lot of men
Start honoring, got more wifeys than Solomon
Fuck the squad you in, ayo, we be the bid-domb
Regardless what I spit on, you worse with the tracks I shit on
Once you get on, it's fair you can't trust (Yes!)
Words & Punch, make rappers march like the third month
I build with friends, lyrically spit gems
Call me Diamond, cause I'm your girl's best friend
Emcees are born losers, alcoholic abusers
I'll go on the radio and start a gay rumor
And then I'll talk about how the crowd tried to boo ya
Label shoot ya, stressed out with brain tumors
My gat claps, 50% of the wack
Take it back to real rap, Krylons wit' the fat cap
Get robbed for your ASCAP, leave you inside
Fortified live, reppin' NY 'til I die
[Verse 5: Mos Def]
Black body radiation situation that we working wit'
My verb exists enlisted by the bogeys camping services
The purpose is, make you go and purchase this, no nervousness
We are, hot like black tar, Black Star with emergerence
Superlative, you fabricated like the word "absurditive"
I'm rocking this from here to where the Persians live
From Brooklyn where the merchants live next door to the murderers
And bourbon is a elder man's medicinal alternative
My memory is furnished with back streets to back seats to fat Jeeps
Legendary athletes who played by the trash heap
My crew wasn't that deep, but beef we didn't act sweet
Treadin' on these stompin' grounds, you better catch some black feet
Flashy, it was between DeKalb and Pulaski
Off the meter like an out of borough taxi
They run your pockets fastly, black and nasty, nappy and crafty
That's why they're either sitting in Clinton or Coxsackie
Mayor Rudolph can screw off, you too soft to stop us
You and your coppers should see some foot doctors
Got your bird chest popped up, but keep your guns cocked up
Cause all them cats that you knocked up ain't always gon' be locked up
Hot stuff like Donna Summer, another number one-r
Comin' from the underground, this is how it's comin' down
Baby let me run it down: Mos Def, Talib
Kweli, Jane Doe, Punch, Word (ahem) E!
Excuse me, just ate another emcee
Sometimes that's just how it be
Partner wash you down with green tea and some lime
We like the five on the fist, fortified organized like this!
@matt2532
Mos Def's verse just ripped a hole in the space time continuum
@michaelpacheco9997
Accurate as fuck.
@MrBogswallop
LOL what else is new
@19biglou
I swear DOOM based his whole career off that rhyme scheme
@niccomakk
FACTS FACTS!!!!
@Ginga
@Nugs McDankerson DOOM was already rapping somewhat differently at this time. Listen to his stuff with KMD when was known as Zev Love X.