Great Moments in Lyricism...Mos Def

The Roots ft. Mos Def - Rising Down


I had heard of a guest stealing a song before, but this was the first time that a guest stole a whole album with one verse.

Every anywhere heights plains peaks or valleys
Entrances exits vestibules and alleys
Winding roads that test the firm nerve
Fortune or fatal behind the blind curve
The engine oil purr, lights flash to a blur
Speed work through the earth make your motor go scurrr
Tonight at noon watch a bad moon rising
Identities in crisis and conflict diamonds
Blinding staring at lights 'til they cryin'
Bone gristle popping from continuous grindin
Grapes of wrath in a shapely glass
Ingredients influential on your ways and acts
Zero tolerance to raise the tax
It don't matter how your gates is latched
You ain't safe from the danger jack
Made it way before they made the map
Or a GPS this is DEF leader

Great Moments in Lyricism...Joell Ortiz

Joell Ortiz - Hip-Hop

I'm far from a hip-hop purist, but I still get a thrill down my leg ( (c) Chris Matthews) whenever this joint comes on. This is bar after bar of prison bar hard hip-hop at its finest.

Great Moments in Lyricism...Jean Grae/Talib Kweli

Jean Grae ft. Talib Kweli


It's about time I did one of these on a femcee. Jean Grae, as I've said before on this blog, is my favorite female emcee. What she lacks in consistancy, she makes up for with rare passion and dynamic lycisims when she's on. And on this track, she's definitely ON!. She bodies this so hard, sometimes I forget that Kweli is even on the track, even though he spits a respectable verse. Just peep her second verse:

she lacks delivery, really, nigga I pack rap symmetry and send it to ya dorm
why y'all iggin' me for sure
Jean is synonymous with chivalry
open doors but I step through first
test the waters and I pee in them got no net worth
but now everyone's a rapper and everyone'll shoot you dead
only lead I stay strapped with a razor sharp pencil that could write but it could stab you rapid
it's all ass backwards, you're all mall performers, actors
what though?, come on let's race to where the cash is
get mauled like Roy and alter boy
I'll jet through you like a Jet through flight, I'm unemployed
you still cared to touch me, I got akin to rap leprosy
you face screwed ugly
I'm chasing all you club bunnies
and racing you tackle you down
take your money with your chest on the ground
I know it's foul, what you gonna do now

Great Moments in Lyricism...Canibus/Common

Common ft. Canibus - Making a Name for Ourselves


For many people the name Canibus is synonymous with lyricist, so I couldn't do a series on lyrics without dropping at least one Canibus post. While he was always limited as an all-around music artist, no one, not even LL cool J, could doubt the kids spit game. Since I'm lazy I decided to kill two birds with one stone by picking a track that features both Canibus and Common, another artist I was bound to do a post about later. While this is far from Common (Sense) at his best, it is still a nice piece of work.

From now, I will post my favorite line from each artist in each post.

Canibus: (too many to choose from...but)
"My face don't belong in The Source
It belongs on the shroud of turin, for certain "

Common:
"It's like a Malcolm X-orcisim, fuck the rhythm, I hit him"

Great Moments in Lyricism...Ghostface Killah/Sheek Louch

Ghostface Killah ft. Sheek Louch - Blue Armor


As with the last post, picking a Ghostface verse that stands head and shoulders above the rest is a futile undertaking. He is incredibly consistent in his output; from album to album, track to track, and verse to verse. To go with the whole underapreciated theme, I decided to go with a banger from his least known album, More Fish. Sheek, another dope lyricist, drops a tight ham verse for Ghost's sandwich slices. I'll post the lyrics later.

Great Moments in Lyricism...Pusha-T (Clipse)

The Clipse - The Funeral (2nd verse)


Though both brothers have lyrics for days, as Thomas posted in the comments, Pusha is head and shoulders above his brother. Picking a Pusha verse to post was no easy task. He has too many classic verses to count. I didn't want to post something from the official albums or the Got it 4 cheap tapes so I had to reach back. This track is the last track on their unrealeased debut, Exclusive Audio Footage. It may not be up there with his later mastrpieces, but it is still superior to 99 percent of the verses ever put to DAT.

Hold me high Gucci suit and tie
Let my casket reach the sky tell my girl dont cry
Just sing me a lullabye and let the white doves fly
Cuz I heard from a bird its only sleep when you die
Break me in unison outside is right thru the lens
My mother cried cuz she knew that I was only true to sin
Celebrate my passing with gun shots and systems blasting
Blown up posters of Terror held by children laughing
No matter how foul my burial open casket
Now simply so they can see my clusters and my diamonds smiling
Im sorry I failed only cuz the ones I left were so real
For me my doggs will lie, die, shoot, cry, or kill
First to Malice sorry that I left you half in a hole
But now you'll write for both of us I'll channel thoughts thru your soul
Emmanuelle remember this when you see my nemesis
Draw my picture on his chest and make his family reminisce
Revenge so sweet and I crush you with the heat
Your the first one I call when its time to put em to sleep
Now Pharrel grand dragon horns stabbing the skys
Turn Mag' em laser tag em couldnt sever all ties
My final request on the day im layed to rest
Take my body to the ocean and have a water front ves'
This will be my burial this eulogy will be in stereo
Blue Angels will draw my face in smoke during an aerial

Great Moments in Lyricism...Lupe Fiasco

Lupe Fiasco - No One Does it Better (Unreleased)


I have my issues with Lupe, but this stands as the greatest lyrical performance I have ever experienced. Every line is wound, rewound, and wound again. 3 years after I heard it, I am still unraveling new layers every time I listen to it again. I won't post the lyrics because it wouldn't do the listening experience justice.