"I think I like her like a metaphor" - Lupe Fiasco

Metaphors are tools, and similes are like tools. Rappers often misidentify similes as metaphors, but what is clear is that when done well, skillful MCs can use both forms of figurative language to create vivid pictures in the minds of listeners. This little segment will illuminate such examples of skill.

I am going to get this segment jumped off with a set of bars from two different MCs.

The Gza is known for bringing words to life and his verse on The Jump Off from Wu Tang Clan's The W was no exception. A master at economy of words, he used just a few lines to convey his point through an extended metaphor. Read and listen to the verse in its entirety.

Protect Ya Neck (The Jump Off)- Wu Tang Clan (skip to 3:45)

Run on the track like Jesse Owens
Broke the record flowin, without any knowin
That my wordplay run the 400 meter relay
It's on once I grab the baton from the DJ
A athlete wit his iron cleat in the ground
Wireless nikka who sprint off the gun sound
The best time yet still 7.0
Swift flow made the cameramen clothes blow

In the opening line, The Gza sets the foundation for the verse by letting the listener know he is going to draw direct parallels between his voice on the track (beat) and Olympic legend Jesse Owens' prowess on the race track. One of the most interesting things about this particular comparison is that Gza's flow is everything but fast, however he makes it work by trying to connect the idea of high skills in both respective art forms.

The next MC that demonstrated effective use of an extended metaphor was Joe Budden. In an attempt to share his perspective on his situation with his then label, Def Jam, he turns to a sports analogy to help illuminate his point.

Joe Budden - Broken Wing ("Free"style)

Feel like A-Rod, some say his time's up
Boo a nikka at home, yup I'm in my prime But
he by far the best player on the team
And then turn around, drop 'em to the bottom of the lineup
Should get traded, but he don't wanna move
'Cause this the only city he got somethin' to prove
And that's why I'm seen with heaters
'Cause you can't be the man when you on the same team as Jeter Ya dig

Joe Budden, signed to Def Jam at the time , was frustrated with what he believed to be lackluster support and promotion of his projects on the label. Def Jam President Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, according to Joe, could and should have done more to support him because of Joe's talent and skill. Joe sees this the similarities in his situation with that of, at the time, newly acquired New York Yankee 3rd baseman Alex Rodriguez. While Alex struggled mightily in the early stages of his time as a Yankee, team captain and favorite son Derek Jeter was showered with accolades while Rodriguez was pelted with boos. This, despite Rodriguez being a far superior player to Jeter. Clearly Joe feels as though Jay-Z is the Derek Jeter of the "team", more loved, but less skilled. Joe also seems to imply that Def Jam put him lower in the priority list as the Yankees lost faith in Rodriguez and "dropped him in the line-up" in their batting order. In the last line Budden delivers the most poignant comment of the verse where he acknowledges the uphill battle he faces in trying to become a big name on the same label as the biggest name.

"The more nikkas said they aint write down lyrics...the more it started to sound like they didn't" - Joe Budden

Everybody's "next to blow" Drake was caught up in a little bit of drama recently. Seems the Internets were a bit in a tizzy about a radio appearance where waynes ghost writer Drake "free" styled instead of freestyling.

“It shouldn’t be your tag line: ‘I don’t even write.’ Well, if it’s not quality product, who cares? We can tell,” Drake said. “Maybe if you took the time to write, your sh– would be a little better…"

MTV Shows

Dude caught a lot of flak in comments sections and I must admit I understand where the anger is coming from. We have failed to differentiate between "free" styling and freestyling, so now every young cat with a note pad and ad libs claims they can do it.

But this is no fault of Drake's. Besides, young homey makes a great point here. Mutherfuckas need to start taking more pride they craft! I mean, I get the whole "im-so-good-i-don't-need-to-work-at-it" attitude....but really.....I mean really?! If I am not mistaken the genesis of this whole non-writing was Biggie's legendary studio sessions. But that was Big, and when he did it, it sounded much better than the semi-organized-stream-of conscious stuff that rap cats are passing off for songs these days. (no shots)

"I peddle to the corner like a child on a big wheel"- Pusha T

The legendary Gil Scott Heron told us that the revolution would not be televised, but dude never mentioned anything about vlogging. After watching the Malice of the Clipse on his appropriately titled vlog maliceoftheclipse.com, I could not help but have grand dreams, if not visions for the future.

Malice Video Blog 1 from Malice of the Clipse on Vimeo.

Homie is not the first rapper to state the obvious - “I either never have, or no longer do, sell crack all day long” - however, he is the most recent. What makes this more interesting is the fact that Malice, along with his brother and partner in rhyme Pusha T, have damn near perfected their craft in "crack rap." Some would say murder music was to Mobb Deep as crack rap is to the Clipse.

The whole thing got me to thinking... what if several other rappers came out and said the same thing? That, in effect, the stuff that they were rapping about was a lie. (See future post on why telling all truth on wax is a ridiculously unreasonable and incredibly limiting and unfair expectation). What would happen? Would fewer aspiring rappers feel the need to rap about drugs/excess/etc? Would fans keep buying their music? If the former happened, record execs would still be happy...right? Would they actually begin to seek out talented artists? Would fewer artists aspire to or feel compelled to write exclusively about excess and materialism?

Its fun to dream.

zero to sixty...

Olympic level track athletes have the ability to get to their top speed in a short amount of time. They work tirelessly to shave tenths and hundredths of a second from their lap times. We hear announcers talk about athletes getting a clean start out of the starters block.
Many rappers also pride themselves on the first few bars of the rhyme begin the strongest. In many ways - along with the beat-it can be the difference between holding the listeners ear for the entire verse. Inspectah Deck is one MC that wastes no time hitting his full rhyme stride.

"I leave scientist, mentally scared, triple extra large
wild like rock stars who smash guitars
poison bars from the god blow holes through your mirage..."

from, Above the Clouds - Gang Starr

"I bomb atomically
Socrates philosophies and hypotheses can't define how I be droppin these
mockeries
lyrically perform armed robbery
Flee with the lottery
possibly they spotted me..."

from, Triumph - Wu Tang Clan


I can't believe I forgot to add Guillotine (Swordz) from the OB4CL album!
Not only does Deck start off strong, but he completely blacks out on on the rest of the track.



"Poisonous
Poisonous paragraphs smash ya phonograph in half It be the Inspectah Deck on the warpath
First class
leavin mics with a cast
Causin ruckus like the aftermath when guns blast
Run fast,
here comes the verbal assaulta
Rhymes runnin wild like a child in a walker
I scored
from the inner slums abroad
And my thoughts are razor sharp I sliced the mic from the cord
First they criticize,
but now they have become mentally paralyzed with hits that I devise
Now I testify, the rest is I Rebel INS your highness, blessed to electrify
With voltage of an eel
truth that I reveal'll
Crush the amateurs who screamed to keep it real
Caesar black down hoodied up and fatigues
Part time minor leagues receive third degrees
Attack like a wolf pack once I pull back the God - U
and bust through like a fullback"


I know there a bunch of others so put me on!