Most people are surprised that I'm in love with hip-hop, but find me a genre with better wordplay these days. Here are a few of my favorite lyrics currently. Some are a bit old, but they're in heavy rotation in my iPod.
"Man, get these cocksuckers off stage
Where the fuck is Kayne when you need him?
Snatch the mic from them
Bitch, Imma let you finish in a minute"
This a tightly wound verse that incorporates the event of Kayne taking the mic from Taylor Swift at the MTV Music Awards, and twisting Kayne's quotes to fit Em's end game of dissing other rappers to shut up and get off the stage.
2.) same song, Eminem's part a little later on
"When I'm not even at my harshest
You can still get roasted because Marsh is not mellow"
This is a clever wordplay on his real name, Marshall.
3.) Young Buck's part in 50 Cent's "Hate it or Love it" (G-unit remix)
"You know I'm still nice wit my cook game
Look mayn
It's a hood thang
That's why I'm loved in Brooklyn
Let me what a thug bout, going to die
I took the bullets outta 50
Put em in my fou. five"
What I love about rap is the ability to make totally unlike words rhyme. For instance "game", "thing", and "Brooklyn" aren't exactly like sounding cousins, but with the right accent they can run together like poetry. And let me just say, "I took the bullets outta 50 and put them in my .45" is one of the best rap lines I've ever heard. In case you don't know 50 Cent was shot nine times in his life and survived. This line has such imagery, and is both a wink at 50 (the song's main rapper) and truly creative way to be street and imaginative.
4.) Kayne's part in "Forever" with Drake, Lil Wayne, and Eminem
"You'd think I ran the world like Michelle's husband"
Alright, I'm a Lit major so allusions of any kind are like candy to me. Now, I'm sure 99.9% of the country knows who Michelle Obama is, but to allude to the president by his wife's name alone, shows the popularity Michelle Obama has in this country. Do you think anyone rapped about Laura Bush? Exactly.
5.) Drake's part in "Fancy" with T.I. and Swizz Beats
"I've always liked my women book and street smart.
Long as they got a little class like half dazed
Time heals all
And heels hurt to walk in,
But they go with the clutch you carry your lip gloss in"
Love the wordplay of past/past and heal/heel. It's done so smooth too, like he's just sitting there playing with words and meanings.
Good stuff. Night, folks!
0 comments:
Post a Comment