He released his debut album Soul on Ice in 1996. The album built up considerable hype through the release of several independent singles, including "Remain Anonymous" and "Won't Catch Me Runnin'." Soul on Ice saw little commercial success but was adored by the hip-hop underground, which appreciated both his sharp battle rhymes and his militant Afrocentricity. The latter also caused controversy due to the songs "Ordo Abchao" and "Nature of the Threat," which were tracks detailing the history of white-on-black racism, the latter lasting for well over seven minutes and likely his best-known song. Some claimed that Ras was extreme to the point of racism against Caucasians.
Ras Kass made a big push to make sure his second album Rasassination was commercially successful. As well as securing guest appearances from Xzibit and the Wu-Tang Clan's RZA, he received considerable assistance from superstar West Coast producer Dr. Dre, who rhymed on the lead single "Ghetto Fabulous," the video for which was supported by an extravagant video shot on a luxury yacht.
The album contained some of his most intellectual material to date ("Interview With A Vampire," a theological and spiritual exploration that featured Ras rhyming from the perspectives of God, himself, and the Devil) and occasionally addressed very personal subject matter ("It Is What It Is," concerning his relationship with his mother). Despite the single, his album didn't sell well.
Ras Kass' third album Van Gogh was originally intended for release in 2001. However, the nearly-finished album was leaked onto the internet months before the release date. It received excellent reviews,but the bootlegging caused his label Priority Records to push the release date back twice before the record was eventually shelved indefinitely. This further worsened the relationship between the label and Ras Kass, which was already strained due to disputes over several things, including the level of promotion Ras was being given, and the alleged block of the Columbia/SME Records release of his supergroup Golden State Warriors' debut album. The unreleased Van Gogh album even featured the lyrics "Fuck Priority Records, like Prince I'm writing SLAVE on my cheek" (this was later fulfilled as Ras Kass appeared in popular hip hop magazine XXL with SLAVE written on his face).
The relationship between Ras and Priority reached breaking point when the label also shelved the intended Van Gogh replacement Goldyn Chyld, an album that featured tracks from Van Gogh as well as new material. The indefinite postponement was due to a dispute over the lead single: Ras wanted to release the DJ Premier-produced title track, while Priority wanted a Dr. Dre-produced track, against the wishes of both Ras and Dre. This prompted Ras to launch a Free Ras Kass campaign (supported by an on-line petition and T-shirts) to gain his release from his contract with the label.
In February 2004, Ras Kass went on the run from the authorities after a warrant was issued following an arrest for reckless driving. He then gave himself up during Memorial Day Weekend in May of that year. While incarcerated, he organized the independent release of a mixtape titled Re-Up, which featured himself and other artists. Priority Records unsuccessfully attempted to block this release. In the 2004 song "Rise of the Machines," (which featured Ras) Vinnie Paz, front man of the hip-hop group Jedi Mind Tricks showed where he stood on the issue by saying the words Free Ras Kass on the track. In July 2004, Ras filed a lawsuit against Priority Records, Capitol Records, and EMI in protest to his treatment by the label and claimed breach of contract in an attempt to have the mixtape nullified. Ras was denied his release from his recording contract with Priority/Capitol/EMI Records in January 2007, even though Priority was absorbed by Capitol during 2004.
The HRSMN was collaboration between four emcees: Canibus, Ras Kass, Kurupt, and Killah Priest. Together the group released one album called The Horsemen Project during 2003 on Think Differently Music/Proverbs/Babygrande Records. Since that release, fans wait for another album. Although some members of the group kept calling it the Four Horsemen, Canibus always had the idea to add more people and form some kind of hip hop supergroup. A lot of names have been mentioned in the past, such as Pharaohe Monch, Kool G Rap, Pac-Man, Young Zee, Chino XL, Royce Da 5'9", Journalist, Lyrisick, Common, Rakim, Pace Won, Keith Murray, Vinnie Paz, Lonnie B, Danja Mowf, and Crooked I. None of these emcees were made a member of the group (though some artists on this list were featured on tracks)
Conceited Bastard
Ras Kass Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I make up like foundation, now who you facing?
The waterproof MC,
Ras blessed the mic faster than Ramadan in mach three
Get off my dick, nigga
And tell your bitch to come here
And stick your dick in your eardrum and fuck what you heard (Yeah)
Fa sheezy, articulate drama
I like my ill nana wet, my martini dry
Whippin' a BMW 540i (drunk driving Miss Daisy)
Devil in a blue dress packing heat
While I'm doing doughnuts in the middle of the street
My middle east metaphors motivate religious wars
Jah-hah (plus some other middle east dialect)
Get it popping like Felicia and Amhad Rashad
Keep my game face on like a goalie
So stick yourself, Pretty Tony
[Chorus:]
You, you are, you conceited bastard [x8]
(We still got some non-believers) So I'ma drop the bomb
Like the one-armed wide receiver
See we be off the hook like (busy signal from phone)
Criminally insana, my brain do the Macarena
Attack the varicose vanity who spin cancer
Rhetorical question, a hypothetical answer
Wouldn't swallow my tongue at a seizure
Speak my mind at my leisure
Living singe with more hoes than Khadijah
And when I'm bent, it's the circus without a tent
Clowning all baby-face ass niggas who love hoes and pay rent
Give a chicken six cents for Gucci boots (Hell no!)
I rather mop the floor at a peep show
What part of "I'm the shit?" don't you understand? (Gooby bitch)
Your favorite rapper is a Ras Kass fan
So, how many dykes do I flip on the daily?
Many money, just give me plenty Henny Remmy
[Chorus]
(Well, that's true) Damn, skippy
I put that on everything I love
Like when Lucy was fucking Ricky
Got more stripes than Adidas
I'm cavy like fish fetus
See money snit and bullshit out-run cheetahs
Too much perpetrating, not enough lyricism
Indo got you believing what your pen do
Faking pugilism, the evil you claim you and your man do
With a glock, when you least likely to red dot a 7-up can
My man, understand, I got connections
So much doe in my pocket, I give my girl a yeast infection
I'm big-headed like babies with down syndrome
Is you a playa from the Himalayas with Jerome
This one girl tried to Billy Jean me
But I was wearing two rubbers
So name that nigga, Houdini (laughing)
Controversial reversal, this is my planet
You just a Reebok commercial
[Chorus]
What, nigga, check, check, yeah
Uh, huh, yeah, yeah
This goes out to all the critics
You can suck the dick
Check this out for all the bitches to the radio
Don't hate me though, you don't know me
In the song "Conceited Bastard" by Ras Kass, he starts out with a boastful statement about being the creator of the verb-noun style, which he describes as "the most beautifullest shit." He compares himself to makeup foundation and emphasizes that he is a waterproof MC, blessed with the ability to rap faster than Ramadan. Ras Kass also dismisses any detractors and encourages them to tell their girlfriends to have sex with their own eardrums. He boasts about his ability to articulate drama using various literary devices such as multiple lacerations between consecutive commas. He then switches to discussing his preferences in alcohol and cars before dropping some political commentary about the role music can play in motivating religious wars.
In the chorus, Ras Kass repeatedly calls himself a conceited bastard, which seems to be both a commentary on his own self-perception and a response to those who may criticize him for his confidence. He continues this theme throughout the song, dismissing those who doubt his skills and boasting about his ability to outstrip his competition.
Line by Line Meaning
I created verb-noun (The most beautifullest shit)
I have crafted a masterful piece of language (the most beautiful combination of words)
I make up like foundation, now who you facing?
I can cover any blemish like foundation makeup, so who are you dealing with?
The waterproof MC
I am the MC that cannot be damaged by any means
Ras blessed the mic faster than Ramadan in mach three
I can bless the microphone with my raps at an incredible speed
Get off my dick, nigga
Stop following me around and trying to copy me
And tell your bitch to come here
Bring your woman to me
And stick your dick in your eardrum and fuck what you heard (Yeah)
Put your penis into your own ear and ignore everything you've heard from others
Fa sheezy, articulate drama
I can certainly and clearly bring on drama with my words
Multiple lacerations between consecutive commas
My sentences are full of sharp breaks, each punctuated by a comma
I like my ill nana wet, my martini dry
I prefer my sexual partners to be aroused, and my alcoholic drinks to be without much vermouth
Whippin' a BMW 540i (drunk driving Miss Daisy)
I am skillfully driving a powerful BMW car while under the influence, like in the film 'Driving Miss Daisy'
Devil in a blue dress packing heat
I have a malevolent nature, and I am carrying some kind of weapon concealed within my outfit
While I'm doing doughnuts in the middle of the street
I am recklessly driving my car in circles in the center of the road
My middle east metaphors motivate religious wars
The comparisons I make to the Middle East in my lyrics may contribute to instigating conflict between religious groups
Jah-hah (plus some other middle east dialect)
An exclamation using a combination of languages associated with the Middle East
Get it popping like Felicia and Amhad Rashad
I am making things happen, just like a celebrated dynamic duo in the entertainment industry
Keep my game face on like a goalie
I keep up my tough, focused appearance like that of a hockey goaltender
So stick yourself, Pretty Tony
Go away, person named Pretty Tony
[Chorus:]
You, you are, you conceited bastard [x8]
You are an egotistical jerk
(We still got some non-believers) So I'ma drop the bomb
Like the one-armed wide receiver
Since some people don't believe in me, I am going to prove them wrong with something explosive, like a talented football player who only has one arm
See we be off the hook like (busy signal from phone)
We are completely free from any entanglements, just like a phone that is busy and unable to accept calls
Criminally insana, my brain do the Macarena
My highly abnormal mental state causes me to unconsciously do a popular dance many times
Attack the varicose vanity who spin cancer
I'm criticizing those vain people who spread negative ideas like a growing illness
Rhetorical question, a hypothetical answer
My question doesn't require an answer, and my answer may not be based in reality
Wouldn't swallow my tongue at a seizure
I am speaking my mind in any situation, even during a seizure when swallowing one's tongue is a common fear
Speak my mind at my leisure
I express my opinions whenever I feel like it
Living singe with more hoes than Khadijah
I am a single man who has more sexual partners than the character Khadijah from the TV show Living Single
And when I'm bent, it's the circus without a tent
When I'm under the influence of drugs or alcohol, things can get pretty wild and out of control
Clowning all baby-face ass niggas who love hoes and pay rent
I am mocking immature guys who are obsessed with women and still rely on their parents for financial support
Give a chicken six cents for Gucci boots (Hell no!)
I refuse to waste money on extravagantly expensive items that don't have much value
I rather mop the floor at a peep show
I consider a lowly job like cleaning a peep show to be more respectable than spending money on Gucci boots
What part of "I'm the shit?" don't you understand? (Gooby bitch)
How can you not recognize that I am the best? You must be clueless (insulting word)
Your favorite rapper is a Ras Kass fan
Even popular rappers appreciate my music
So, how many dykes do I flip on the daily?
I am asking how frequently I can enjoy intimate relationships with lesbian women
Many money, just give me plenty Henny Remmy
I am asking for a lot of Hennessy and Rémy Martin brandy
(Well, that's true) Damn, skippy
I put that on everything I love
Like when Lucy was fucking Ricky
That statement is absolutely true. I swear on everything I hold dear, just like Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz did while they were in love on screen
Got more stripes than Adidas
I have achieved more success than the famous sportswear brand Adidas
I'm cavy like fish fetus
I am unique and extraordinary, like a developing fish inside its egg
See money snit and bullshit out-run cheetahs
People who have money tend to talk and lie more than fast-moving cheetahs
Too much perpetrating, not enough lyricism
Many people pretend to be talented while lacking the skills to produce meaningful and original lyrics
Indo got you believing what your pen do
The use of drugs may influence artists to believe in the validity of their own ideas
Faking pugilism, the evil you claim you and your man do
I am calling out people who pretend to be violent, acting as if they are capable of evil things that they and their friends wouldn't actually do
With a glock, when you least likely to red dot a 7-up can
Using a gun is pointless when you can't even hit a stationary target like a can of soda with a red dot sight
My man, understand, I got connections
Listen, my friend, I know many important people
So much doe in my pocket, I give my girl a yeast infection
I have so much money in my pocket that I hand it to my girlfriend and she acquires a common fungal infection
I'm big-headed like babies with down syndrome
I have an inflated ego, like infants born with a genetic disorder
Is you a playa from the Himalayas with Jerome
Are you claiming to be a successful flirt from an exotic location, with a silly name?
This one girl tried to Billy Jean me
But I was wearing two rubbers
So name that nigga, Houdini (laughing)
A woman accused me of being the father of her child, but I was wearing two condoms, so I must have magically escaped her trap (sarcastic laughter)
Controversial reversal, this is my planet
You just a Reebok commercial
I am a thought-provoking artist with unique ideas, while you are just a generic product placement like an advertisement for sports shoes
[Chorus]
You are an egotistical jerk
What, nigga, check, check, yeah
Uh, huh, yeah, yeah
This is an expression of enthusiasm or bravado, with added sound effects
This goes out to all the critics
You can suck the dick
I am sending a message to all the people who criticize me, telling them to perform an obscene act
Check this out for all the bitches to the radio
Don't hate me though, you don't know me
Listen to my music, all you female listeners of the radio, but don't criticize me, because you don't really know who I am
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind