This week saw LL Cool J somehow get involved with a song that was even worse than his last one. But racists, accidental or otherwise, couldn't stop the flow of awesome music. Below, the Lines of the Week:
5. “Eastside LBC with a G on it/V.I.P., R.I.P. with a 'c' on it” — Snoop Dogg, 'R.I.P. (G-Mix)' lyrics
It's Uncle Snoop's smooth delivery, as much as his subtle gang shout-out, that got this on our list. Combining the Crip love with a mention of the song's title is a masterstroke by a veteran who can still pull off a dope verse (at least, when he's not attempting reggae).
4. “It's the Code of Hammurabi when the Joker's in control/I'm a villain — God willing, I destroy this hero's soul” — Killer Mike, 'Villain' lyrics
Killer Mike is one of our favorites. He consistently creates aggressive, challenging music. Even on this tune, basically a commercial for a video game, he still manages to sound menacing while working in a history lesson.
3. “Saw all your hating, you 'Once Upon a Time America''d me/Now jump inside the garbage truck, b” — Raekwon, 'Restaurant' lyrics
Rae creatively turns a movie title into a verb here, while hearkening to perhaps its most iconic scene. We look forward to more movie-titles-as-actions in the future!
2. “I'm too fly for divas, I'm too high for Jesus/Maybach money, but I saved to get a Prius” — Nature, 'Rock Like This' lyrics
The unexpected intro of an environmentally smart, fuel-efficient car into a rap brag is a sure winner. Soon, Nature will hopefully be bragging about getting his kids cloth diapers.
1. “Cold summers, hot winters, God's with us/The truth's hard to swallow like cod liver” — Roc Marciano, 'Trynawin' lyrics
Roc Mars is better than almost anyone else alive at the kind of hard, intricate, oblique rhyming that used to be heard all over NYC. The simple act of leaving off the “oil” at the end of this line makes it sound both ominous and playful.
Groaner of the Week: “When it come to beef, man/Call me the beef man” — Uncle Murda, 'Fuck A Cop' lyrics
Hey Murda? You know a “beef man” isn't really a thing, right? It's called a butcher. Then again, you can't make a Jay-Z-copping pun using that word.
