Simply defined, “the dozens” is a spoken word game in which two contestants attempt to insult each other in front of an audience. The Pharcyde honors the game here with the imagination of their “yo mama” jokes (“I seen her in the back of Taco Bell with handcuffs”), but also challenge the game itself with the absurdity of many of their insults (“Ya mama got a glass eye with the fish in it”).
The main sample comes from “Season of the Witch” by Bloomfield, Kooper and Stills.
Ya Mama
The Pharcyde Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You gotta be on to die, man, what's up with that?
Yo bro-shot
Yeah, word up bro-shot
Uh, we need some brothers to be, uh, like dropping knowledge and writin' good stuff
Ay man, why don't you quit talkin' all the stuff and do something about it?
You know what I'm sayin?
Oh, you talking about, kick some, uh, knowledge
And some wisdom for the people
What's up with that?
Okay, I got it
Your mom is so fat (How fat is she?)
Your mama is so big and fat that she can get busy
With twenty-two burritos, but times are rough
I seen her in the back of Taco Bell with handcuffs
The sad fact (what?) ya mama smokes crack (What?)
She got a burning yearning and there's no turning back
Her knuckles drag down to the ground when she walk
Spit comes out that bitch mouth when she talk
Naked on a mountain top, tootin' on a flizoot
Ridin' on a horse drinking whisky out a bizoot
She's got the wings and teeth of a African bat
Her middle name is Mudbone and on top of all that
Your mama got a glass eye with the fish in it
(Your mama got a glass eye with the fish in it)
Your mama got a glass eye with the fish in it
Ya mama, ya mama, ya mama
Your mama look like she's been in the dryer with some rocks
With the big bust nose sucking dirt out of socks
Held up the ice cream truck with a slingshot
She grabbed a bag of Cheese Corn and a soda pop
Your mama root'n'toot and stole my loot and my suit
She may have the muscles, but no, she's not cute
She's not pretty, oh what a pity, got the glass titty
Filled up with Kool-aid, just for the kiddies
On a cliff butt naked, tootin' on a flute
Ridin' on a horse drinkin' whisky out a boot
She's got the teeth and the wings of a African bat
Her middle name is Mudbone and on top of all that
Your mama got the wooden legs with real feet
(Your mama got the wooden legs with real feet)
I said your mama got the wooden legs with real feet
Ya mama, ya mama, ya mama
Watch out, I'm thinkin' about your mother to a funky beat
I went to your house, and she licked me on the cheek
I said excuse me lady, but I remember seeing you at the Palladium
Way back in September
'Cause you was beatboxin' for Lou Rawls
In some bright red boxer drawers
You said ya moms was pretty and young
But she's old as dirt and got hair on her tongue
Ya moms, ya moms, she uses Brut
And I saw her ridin' a horse drinkin' whisky out a boot
She's got the wings and teeth of an African bat
Her middle name is Mudbone, and on top of all that
Your mama's got a peg leg with a kickstand
(Your mama's got a peg leg with a kickstand)
I said your mama's got a peg leg with a kickstand
Ya mama, ya mama, ya mama
Aww, ya mom is so fat (How fat is she?)
We rode up on her back to get some burgers from Wendy's
And her skates went flat, I got stuck in her butt crack
They thought I was lost but I was caught by the G-strap
Heaven forbid a giant fart would give way
'Cause that would blow me 'round the world in a day
We drove to the drive-in and she didn't have to pay
Because we dressed her up to look just like a Chevrolet
Naked on a mountain top tootin' on a flizoot
Ridin' on a horse drinkin' whisky out a bizoot
With the wings and the teeth of an African bat, ba-aa-aa-at
Her middle name is Mudbone and on top of all that
Your mama's got an Afro, with a chin strap
(Your mama's got an Afro, with a chin strap)
I said your mama's got an Afro, with a chin strap
Ya mama, ya mama, ya mama
Your mama got snake skin teeth
Your mama wears coat hangers for earrings, dude she looks like
Your mama was making sex threats to Ricky Bell and shit
Your mama jacked the Kool-aid man for a sip, nigga
Your mama was walking down on Sunset with a 99 cent sign on her back
(You're a sellout) Your mama's a sellout nigga your mama
Nigga your mama did a pop tune nigga
Your mama's glasses are so thick she look into a map
And see people wavin' at her
Your mother got an Ouija board on her back
Sidney with EQ and everything what he be sayin'
His mother be hooked, fishin' with a hook and reel at the frozen food section
Tre's mama got Playdough teeth
Your mother be eatin' Daytons like Now and Laters and shit
Your mama's an extra on the Simpsons and shit
Your mama's so fat you can't even see her legs
It just looks like she's just gliding across the floor
The Pharcyde's song "Ya Mama" is a humorous and playful response to the genre of "yo mama" jokes, but also serves as a sharp commentary on the way black bodies and black motherhood are often dehumanized and mocked in American society. The opening dialogue between two men discussing the need for black men to drop knowledge and wisdom in their music sets the stage for the rest of the song, where The Pharcyde deftly subvert expectations and flip the script on their listeners.
The majority of the song is composed of lines exchanging exaggerated insults towards each rapper's respective "ya mama"; however, beneath the surface level humor lies deeper social commentary. The descriptions of overweight bodies, drug addiction, and animalistic behavior all work to reduce these mothers to something subhuman, a theme that runs throughout American history, particularly in relation to the African American community. By turning the "yo mama" joke back around on their audience, The Pharcyde invites us to consider the ways in which the language we use to talk about marginalized groups can be hurtful and ultimately counterproductive to efforts towards social justice.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo man, you gotta be, you know
You need to be aware of what's happening around you.
You gotta be on to die, man, what's up with that?
You need to be alert to avoid danger and stay alive.
Yo bro-shot
Addressing a friend.
Yeah, word up bro-shot
Agreeing with a friend.
Uh, we need some brothers to be, uh, like dropping knowledge and writin' good stuff
Suggesting the need for more people to share wisdom and create positive content.
Ay man, why don't you quit talkin' all the stuff and do something about it?
Encouraging someone to take action instead of just talking.
You know what I'm sayin?
Asking for confirmation or agreement.
Oh, you talking about, kick some, uh, knowledge
Referring to sharing wisdom or learned information.
Yeah, well you do that like right now
Urging someone to share wisdom immediately.
And some wisdom for the people
Urging the sharing of wisdom for the benefit of others.
What's up with that?
Asking why it's not already happening.
Okay, I got it
Acknowledging understanding or agreement.
Your mom is so fat (How fat is she?)
Beginning a joke about someone's mother.
Your mama is so big and fat that she can get busy
With twenty-two burritos, but times are rough
Jokingly exaggerating the size of someone's mother and her ability to eat large amounts of food.
I seen her in the back of Taco Bell with handcuffs
The sad fact (what?) ya mama smokes crack (What?)
Making a joke about someone's mother being arrested for drug use.
She got a burning yearning and there's no turning back
Her knuckles drag down to the ground when she walk
Spit comes out that bitch mouth when she talk
Continuing to make jokes about someone's mother in a vulgar manner.
Naked on a mountain top, tootin' on a flizoot
Ridin' on a horse drinking whisky out a bizoot
She's got the wings and teeth of a African bat
Continuing to exaggerate the strange and mythical qualities of someone's mother.
Her middle name is Mudbone and on top of all that
Your mama got a glass eye with the fish in it
(Your mama got a glass eye with the fish in it)
Continuing to make jokes about someone's mother's unusual attributes.
Ya mama, ya mama, ya mama
Repeating the joke about someone's mother for emphasis.
Your mama look like she's been in the dryer with some rocks
With the big bust nose sucking dirt out of socks
Continuing to insult the appearance of someone's mother in a crude manner.
Held up the ice cream truck with a slingshot
She grabbed a bag of Cheese Corn and a soda pop
Making a joke about someone's mother robbing an ice cream truck.
Your mama root'n'toot and stole my loot and my suit
She may have the muscles, but no, she's not cute
Continuing to disparage someone's mother in a vulgar manner.
She's not pretty, oh what a pity, got the glass titty
Filled up with Kool-aid, just for the kiddies
Continuing to insult the physical attributes of someone's mother in a vulgar manner.
On a cliff butt naked, tootin' on a flute
Ridin' on a horse drinking whisky out a boot
She's got the teeth and the wings of a African bat
Continuing to exaggerate the mythical attributes of someone's mother.
Your mama got the wooden legs with real feet
(Your mama got the wooden legs with real feet)
I said your mama got the wooden legs with real feet
Making a joke about someone's mother having wooden legs with real feet.
Watch out, I'm thinkin' about your mother to a funky beat
I went to your house, and she licked me on the cheek
Continuing to make sexual jokes about someone's mother.
I said excuse me lady, but I remember seeing you at the Palladium
Way back in September
Pretending to have met someone's mother in a fictional situation.
'Cause you was beatboxin' for Lou Rawls
In some bright red boxer drawers
You said ya moms was pretty and young
But she's old as dirt and got hair on her tongue
Continuing to insult someone's mother in a crude and vulgar manner.
Ya moms, ya moms, she uses Brut
And I saw her ridin' a horse drinkin' whisky out a boot
She's got the wings and teeth of an African bat
Continuing to exaggerate the mythical and unusual qualities of someone's mother.
Your mama's got a peg leg with a kickstand
(Your mama's got a peg leg with a kickstand)
I said your mama's got a peg leg with a kickstand
Making a joke about someone's mother having a peg leg with a kickstand, which is impossible and absurd.
Aww, ya mom is so fat (How fat is she?)
We rode up on her back to get some burgers from Wendy's
And her skates went flat, I got stuck in her butt crack
Continuing to make vulgar and crude jokes about someone's mother's weight and appearance.
They thought I was lost but I was caught by the G-strap
Heaven forbid a giant fart would give way
'Cause that would blow me 'round the world in a day
Continuing to make crude and vulgar jokes about someone's mother.
We drove to the drive-in and she didn't have to pay
Because we dressed her up to look just like a Chevrolet
Making a joke about someone's mother's size and appearance in a vulgar manner.
Your mama's got an Afro, with a chin strap
(Your mama's got an Afro, with a chin strap)
I said your mama's got an Afro, with a chin strap
Continuing to make jokes about someone's mother's appearance in a vulgar and crude manner.
Your mama got snake skin teeth
Your mama wears coat hangers for earrings, dude she looks like
Your mama was making sex threats to Ricky Bell and shit
Continuing to insult someone's mother's appearance and character in a vulgar manner.
Your mama jacked the Kool-aid man for a sip, nigga
Your mama was walking down on Sunset with a 99 cent sign on her back
(You're a sellout) Your mama's a sellout nigga your mama
Nigga your mama did a pop tune nigga
Making vulgar and crude jokes about someone's mother's character and behavior.
Your mama's glasses are so thick she look into a map
And see people wavin' at her
Your mother got an Ouija board on her back
Continuing to make crude and vulgar jokes about someone's mother's appearance in a nonsensical and absurd manner.
Sidney with EQ and everything what he be sayin'
His mother be hooked, fishin' with a hook and reel at the frozen food section
Tre's mama got Playdough teeth
Making absurd and nonsensical jokes about someone's mother's behavior and appearance.
Your mother be eatin' Daytons like Now and Laters and shit
Your mama's an extra on the Simpsons and shit
Your mama's so fat you can't even see her legs
It just looks like she's just gliding across the floor
Continuing to insult someone's mother in a crude and vulgar manner.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DERRICK STEWART, DERRICK LEMEL STEWART, EMANDU WILCOX, EMANDU IMANI RASHAAN WILCOX, JOHN MARTINEZ, ROMYE ROBINSON, TREVANT JERMAINE HARDSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@fardass3535
other rappers: drugs, gangs, guns, money
the pharcyde: yo mama jokes.
@RobertNES816
I was laughing the whole time I watched this video. This music is amazing!
@carlosvillalobos3175
This is one of the hip hop bases I mean talking shit about yo mama and yo sista
@leejee88
this is how the art of the emcee was born it derives from playing "the dozens" old game slaves would play among themselves they'd be talking bout each others mama's but in reality they were snapping on the slave owners
@shigeon2668
the pharcyde literally made a song about smoking weed on the same album
@JoblessPovertyMillionare
@@shigeon2668 lets pack da pipe
@DarknessViper99
Pharcyde's style has always been so unique, real gem of hip-hop they are.
@Yovry
The Onyx Viper true. They have that style of early 80's rap with the types of lyrics of 90's rap. Truly a great rap group
@187killabitch
such a underrated group too
@entertainingsportshighligh7525
they were a product of TRIBE CALLED QUEST, LORDS OF THE UNDERGROUND, & LEADERS OF THE NEW SCHOOL combined