clipping. is a rap trio from Los Angeles formed in 2010 by William Hutson (… Read Full Bio ↴clipping. is a rap trio from Los Angeles formed in 2010 by William Hutson (Rale), film soundtrack composer Jonathan Snipes (ex-Captain Ahab) and vocalist Daveed Diggs.

Lyrically, clipping.’s music attempts to reshuffle and repeat accepted rap scenarios, while eliminating a traditional single-point perspective. Diggs’s writing is heavily citational, like a rough-edged collage, gluing together half-glimpsed images and misremembered references, many of which might feel familiar, and some of which assuredly do not. But even while he consumes and regurgitates established styles, his self-erasure is incomplete; Diggs’s dense, often motormouthed flow remains wholly his own.

Individually, the members are known outside of the group for their extra-curricular artistic projects. Diggs is a stage actor, while Snipes composes music for film, and Hutson is an established noise music artist. Snipes and Hutson have collaborated on many projects, including the score to the documentary Room 237, which was released by IFC in 2013.

In February 2013, clipping. released their debut album, Midcity, on their website. The project was created entirely in-house, with the trio writing, producing, engineering, mixing and mastering all of the material themselves. There was no budget, no outside promotion, no hype-machine, no blog or label interest. In fact, clipping. had no expectation that anyone would bother listening to the album, let alone enjoy it. Nevertheless, reactions were largely positive— despite the uncompromising nature of the production, and its obfuscatory lyrical content— and within five month’s of Midcity’s release, clipping. signed a deal with Sub Pop Records.

CLPPNG, the band’s label debut, was written and recorded between February and October of 2013. Highly well-received, CLPPNG is an album that demonstrates the variety of sounds available when the ‘rules’ of a genre are willfully questioned.

http://www.itsclippingbitch.com

Dominoes
clipping. Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴

Khakis and house shoes, pork pie hat ace, deuce
Gold thin-rimmed bifocals, eyes in today's news
Ball on the TV, highball glass clinking
As ice melts in dark liquor tight joint pressed freely to
Thin lips, smoke whists, counts points on fingers
With rings emblematic of juice he drops talking 'bout
Young blood, cuz cuz, game is to be sold
No pillow talking, real men don't freeload

They hustle, mouthpiece, enemies closer
Family first trust your fist before toasters
Always your first mind, don't get caught slipping
Don't talk to pigs get money over bitches
Pussy is good but don't let that ho run you
Back in the day you don't know what they've been through
No snitchin, shake hands, eye contact, fake friends, ain't shit
No regrets, youngin' run to the store for some cigarettes

Drop drop drop that game on 'em
Drop that drop that game on 'em
Drop that game on 'em

Money talk, listen to the OG

Drop drop drop that game on 'em
Drop that drop that game on 'em
Drop that game on 'em

Cause he always gonna say it how it be

Drop drop drop that game on 'em
Drop that drop that game on 'em
Drop that game on 'em

Telling stories 'bout the glory and defeat

Drop drop drop that game on 'em
Drop that drop that game game
Like it's dominoes

And the game is the [?]

Smokin' out, pulling up, lean with it, rock
Wood grain, leather seats, ain't nothing stock
How many spokes 'fore they hear what you sayin'
How many tracks do a pimp got to stand
How many traps 'fore they catch on they bitch on
The position to get pissed on, there no Kelly here so no pissin' on
He pissed off them police by driving too slowly and
Flashing them rollies and gold teeth for the homies who
Don't care, put one in the air, put Sun in
The mirrors drive east get bust up these sirens
Are serene she slurping her codeine with slurpee and
Coating her [?] like y'all don't even know anything about
Trill shit, yeah ho, real spit, deal dough for them
Fuckboys, fuck around with them fuckarounds get cut for it
Mafia, meet [?] meet [?] make magic city
Savages with them karats making this ratchet shit look lavish
Cause it is

Drop drop drop that game on 'em
Drop that drop that game on 'em
Drop that game on 'em

Always Gs getting money in the streets

Drop drop drop that game on 'em
Drop that drop that game on 'em
Drop that game on 'em

And they never scared to tell it how it be

Drop drop drop that game on 'em
Drop that drop that game on 'em
Drop that game on 'em

Telling stories 'bout the glory and defeat

Drop drop drop that game on 'em
Drop that drop that game game
Like it's dominoes

Cause [?]

Beanpole on the playground, size six Chuck Taylors
Little girls and basketball young [?] players
Talking mess like kids do "yo mama's so fat"
Circle starts forming, he ain't gonna take that
Small fist through small teeth, fractures enamel
Lip swells up quick plus spit make him look camel-
-Esque got him some get back, elbow to left eye
Scrap till they pulled apart, no tears Gs don't cry
Pops didn't, never seen it, just sucked teeth and quick walk come
Back after click-clack sound grab keys and hit the block
[?] keep names out strange mouths
Replace it with blood make that fool one with the ground
Scraped knees, ripped clothes, school nurse, parent's called
He remembers all that sips dark liquor from highball
Glass khakis and house shoes pork pie hat ace, deuce
Gold thin-rimmed bifocals, eyes in today's news

Drop drop drop that game on 'em
Drop that drop that game on 'em
Drop that game on 'em

Money talk, listen to the OG

Drop drop drop that game on 'em
Drop that drop that game on 'em
Drop that game on 'em

Cause he always gonna say it how it be

Drop drop drop that game on 'em
Drop that drop that game on 'em
Drop that game on 'em

Telling stories 'bout the glory and defeat

Drop drop drop that game on 'em
Drop that drop that game game
Like it's dominoes

And the game is the [?]

Drop drop drop that game on 'em
Drop that drop that game on 'em
Drop that game on 'em

Always Gs getting money in the streets

Drop drop drop that game on 'em
Drop that drop that game on 'em
Drop that game on 'em

And they never scared to tell it how it be

Drop drop drop that game on 'em
Drop that drop that game on 'em
Drop that game on 'em

Telling stories 'bout the glory and defeat

Drop drop drop that game on 'em
Drop that drop that game game
Like it's dominoes

Cause [?]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Dominoes" by clipping. are a commentary on the codes and ethics of the streets. The song paints a picture of an older, wiser OG sharing his knowledge and experience of the game with the younger generation. He advises them to never let their guard down, always trust their instincts, and never talk to the police. He speaks of the importance of family loyalty and warns against the dangers of fake friends. The chorus reinforces the idea that in the game, everything is connected and that each move affects the next, much like a game of dominoes.

The lyrics are full of slang and references that are specific to the streets and created by hip hop culture. They are also highly rhythmic and densely packed, giving the song an energetic momentum that matches the subject matter. The use of repetition in the chorus reinforces the idea of dropping the game on the listener and emphasizes the importance of the message being conveyed.

Overall, "Dominoes" is a highly compelling and thought-provoking commentary on the social dynamics of the streets and a powerful message about the importance of staying true to yourself in the face of adversity.

Lyrics © Fintage House Publishing
Written by: DAVEED DIGGS, WILLIAM MORAN HUTSON, JONATHAN RALEIGH SNIPES, STEVEN KAPLAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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