In 1998, Mos Def and Talib Kweli released the album "Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star". The LP featured several Hi-Tek beats, and marked the critical breakthrough of all three artists involved.
In 2000, the now-classic debut LP "Train of Thought" hit the stores. The 20 track album featured, among others, De La Soul, Kool G Rap and Xzibit, and received much critical acclaim. It is a very soulful, jazzy and intelligent album, combining a wide variety of lyrical topics, moods and beats.
Following "Train of Thought", both Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek moved on to successful solo-careers. The second Reflection Eternal album, Revolutions per Minute, was released on May 18, 2010.
Name Of The Game
Reflection Eternal Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Persistance, dedication
Consistant, motivation
Resistance to stagnation of information
Distribute it free to the entire population
No hesitation, makin it public
No privitazation from corporations
Gotta go crazy so remain on top of the game
And master your universe like you was He-Man
See me and Hi Tek knock you out de frame
While I'm stimulatin de brain
In de "Train of Thought" that's the name
Of the Reflection Eternal LP man!
Ain't nuttin new except organic produce
That means that's free range
You might see me on MTV, BET
Or still up on the D train
It's just everybody else be seemin
Strange in they approach
I see these guys and read they eyes
Need to disguise and so I cloak
Into a cloud of smoke, I brown a roach
To keep myself from soundin loc'
Destroy they hopes of hatin
Don't move aboard before they rock the boat
Yo it's not the dope
These snakes will come in peace
To slit your throat
Give you compliments, with a promise yet
To get me heated and provoke me
To be rockin shit, shove apocalypse
Down your esophagus so swallow that
Guess what you could be coppin that
N'kiru Books for fifteen dollars flat
Cats who spit knowledge on tracks
And get bumped out the back
Of Impalas and Cadillacs
All my live Cincinatti Bearcats holla back
Tomorrow they gonna wanna borrow raps like
"C'mon black, I'll pay you back"
I ain't no lyrical ATM even though
I'm nice and I'm a mack
Better believe that, leave that crack alone
And you see that there microphone
Ain't no place to work
Your self-esteem issues
Do that shit when you alone!
Nigga you is grown
Why is you still suckin on that pacifier
Quickly call that ass a liar
Exposin you's my last desire
Olympic skills so pass the fire
I roll with niggas that match attire
Black aware, that's filled with gas
But rollin on, flat ass tires
Yeahehehe, yo hehehe, yo, yo yo yo
Yo I got a special guest
Lil' Baby Tone Tone, tell 'em what's up
Yo, true
Yo we bout to be, tell 'em peace out Tone
Yeah word word Baby Tone, what?
The lyrics of Reflection Eternal's "Name of the Game" describe the importance of persistence, consistency, motivation, and resistance to stagnation in the dissemination of information to the public. The song advocates for the free distribution of knowledge to the masses without privatization by corporations. The singer asserts that to maintain sanity, it's necessary to go a little crazy while remaining on top of one's game and mastering one's universe. The lyrics emphasize the importance of organic produce that is raised free-range and advises against drugs. The singer exposes the deceitful and fake nature of some individuals, warning against people who may come across as peaceful but are actually detrimental.
Line by Line Meaning
Persistance, dedication
To achieve one's goals, it takes consistency and unwavering commitment
Consistant, motivation, resistance to stagnation
Continuously motivated to keep pushing forward and avoid plateauing
Of information, distribute it free to the entire population
Sharing knowledge with everyone without any limitations or barriers
No hesitation, makin it public
Without hesitation, making information publicly available
No privitazation from corporations
Opposing corporations that try to control or profit from information
Today in order to be sane you gotta go crazy so remain
Keeping your mind stimulated and active is essential for mental health
On top of the game, and master your universe like you was he-man
Being at the forefront of your passion and dominating it like a superhero
See me and hi tek knock you out de frame
Our music will leave a lasting impact and exceed your expectations
While I'm stimulatin de brain
Our music provides mental stimulation and intellectual challenge
In de "train of thought" that's the name
Our music is called 'Train of Thought' because it follows a linear progression of ideas
Of the reflection eternal lp man!
This is the title of our album 'Reflection Eternal'
Ain't nuttin new except organic produce that means that's free range
There is nothing new or groundbreaking except for organic free-range produce
You might see me on mtv, bet, or still up on the d-train
Our music is accessible through mainstream media or underground channels
It's just everybody else be seemin strange in they approach
Other artists approach music differently and may seem foreign to us
I see these guys and read they eyes
We can infer intentions or motives by observing others closely
Need to disguise and so I cloak
We must hide our true selves in order to navigate through the music industry
Into a cloud of smoke, I brown a roach
We smoke marijuana to relieve stress and relax
To keep myself from soundin loc'
We smoke to avoid sounding crazy or irrational
Destroy they hopes of hatin
We crush the dreams of those who hate or doubt us
Don't move aboard before they rock the boat
Don't join someone else's movement before fully understanding their intentions
Yo it's not the dope
Our music is not just about drugs or material possessions
These snakes will come in peace to slit your throat
People who seem friendly and peaceful may have ulterior motives or hidden agendas
Give you compliments, with a promise yet
Compliments may be used to manipulate and deceive others
To get me heated and provoke me
Others may provoke us to incite anger or negative reactions
To be rockin shit, shove apocalypse
Our music is powerful and can evoke images of war and destruction
Down your esophagus so swallow that
Our music is a bitter pill to swallow for those who aren't willing to face reality
Guess what you could be coppin that
You can purchase our music and absorb its powerful messages
N'kiru books for fifteen dollars flat
Our books are available for a reasonable, affordable price
Cats who spit knowledge on tracks
Our music is filled with wisdom and intellectual insight
And get bumped out the back of impalas and cadillacs
Our music is popular among those who ride in the backseats of cars
All my live cincinatti bearcats holla back
We shout out to our hometown and fans in Cincinnati
Tomorrow they gonna wanna borrow raps like
Other artists will want to imitate or use elements of our music in their own
"c'mon black, I'll pay you back"
People will try to take advantage of our talents and borrow or copy our work
I ain't no lyrical atm even though I'm nice and I'm a mack
We won't let others use us as an endless source of lyrics or support
Better believe that, leave that crack alone
We urge others to leave behind harmful addictions and substances
And you see that there microphone
Our music is expressed through our usage of the microphone
Ain't no place to work your self-esteem issues
The microphone is not a tool to cope with personal insecurities
Do that shit when you alone!
Work on personal growth and self-esteem outside of music production
Nigga you is grown, why is you still suckin on that pacifier
Grow up and leave behind immature habits and behaviors
Quickly call that ass a liar, exposin you's my last desire
We will call out people who lie or show dishonesty, but only as a last resort
Olympic skills so pass the fire
Our musical skills are exceptional and deserve recognition
I roll with niggas that match attire
We surround ourselves with those who share similar styles and aesthetics
Black aware, that's filled with gas
We are proud of our black heritage and full of energy and passion
But rollin on, flat ass tires
Although we may face obstacles, we keep pushing forward regardless
Yo I got a special guest
We have a guest joining us on this track
Lil' baby tone tone, tell 'em what's up
Our guest is a rapper called Lil' Baby Tone Tone
Yo we bout to be, tell 'em peace out tone
Lil' Baby Tone Tone is signing off
{peace out} yeah word word baby tone, what?
Lil' Baby Tone Tone says goodbye in agreement
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: TALIB KWELI GREENE, TONY COTTRELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind