Madd respect to The Rockabye Review
The above embedded track is titled ‘Forever’ and it is becoming the 2009 ‘Swagga Like Us’.
‘Forever’ features Drake, KanYe West, Lil’ Wayne and Eminem.
From a rapping standpoint Eminem came in the hardest. KanYe West also delivered a supreme verse, but Eminem was the king on this track. After KanYe West we have Drake and then Wayne’s verses to round out the fantastic four. Actually, Drake and Wayne’s verses weren’t all that spectacular. Drake’s lines are serviceable, Wayne is totally overshadowed by KanYe and Eminem. Wayne doesn’t even belong on this record.
The Lil’ Wang fans will immediately accuse me of hating on their favorite rapper, but the truth is that I listened to this song more than fifty times while I set up all the drops for my site today. To prove my point that Wayne’s verses are subpar I will go to the numbers that don’t ever lie. I believe the polysyllabic word count not only illustrates which artist’s have better lines but better technique and mic skills.
EMINEM
Word Count: 222
Polysyllabic: 12
There they go, packin’ stadiums as Shady spits his flow
Nuts they go, macademia, and they go so ballistic, whoa
He can make them look like bozos, he’s wonderin’ if he should spit this slow
Fuck no, don’t provoke, his cup just runneth over, oh, no
He ain’t had it with bars like this since the last time that he overdosed
They been waitin’ patiently for Pinocchio to poke his nose
Back into the game and they know rap’ll never be the same as before
Bashin’ in the brains of these hos, and establishin’ a name as he goes
The passion and the flame is ignited, you can’t put it out once we light it
This shit is exactly what the fuck that I’m talkin’ about when we riot
You dealin’ with a few true villians who stand inside of the booth true spillin’
And spit true feelings until them tooth fillings come flyin’ up out of our mouths, then rewind it
Payback, motherfucker, for the way you got at me, how’s it taste?
I’ma slap the taste out of your mouths with the bass so loud that it shakes the place
I’m Hannibal Lecter, so just in case you’re thinkin’ of saving face
You ain’t gonna have no face to save by the time I’m through with this, play some Drake
KanYE WEST
Word Count: 185
Polysyllabic: 8
I used to have hood dreams: Big fame, big chains
I stuck my dick inside this life until that bitch came
And went hard all fall like the ball teams
Just so I could make it rain all spring
Y’all seen my story, my glory
I had raped the game young, you could call it statutory
When a nigga blow up, they gon’ build statues for me
Old money, Benjamin Button, what, nothin’
Nah, superbad chicks givin’ me McLovin’
You would think I ran the world like Michelle’s husband
You would think these niggas know me when they really doesn’t
Like they was down with the old me, no, you fuckin’ wasn’t
“Uh, you such a fuckin’ loser
You ain’t even go to class, Bueller”
Trade the Grammy plaques just to have my granny back
‘Member she had that bad hip like a fanny pack?
Chasing the stardom’ll turn you to a maniac
All the way in Hollywood and I can’t even act
They pull they cameras out, and God damn, they snap
I used to want this thing forever, you can have it back
DRAKE
Word Count: 144
Polysyllabic: 3
Last name Ever, first name Greatest
Like a sprained ankle, boy, I ain’t nothin’ to play with
Started off local, but thanks to all the haters
I know G4 pilots on a first-name basis
In your city faded off the brown, Nino
She insists she got more class, we know
Swimming in the money, come and find me, Nemo
If I was at the club you know I balled, chemo
Dropped a mixtape, that shit sounded like an album
Who’da thought a country-wide tour be the outcome
Labels want my name beside an X like Malcolm
Everybody got a deal, I did it without one
Yeah, nigga, I’m about my business
Killin’ all these rappers, you would swear I had a hitlist
Everyone who doubted me is askin’ for forgiveness
If you ain’t been a part of it, at least you got to witness
Bitches
LIL’ WAYNE
Word Count: 160
Polysyllabic: 3
Okay, hello, it’s the Martian, Space Jam Jordans
I want this shit forever, wake up and smell the garden
Fresher than the harvest, step up to the target
If I had one guess, then I guess I’m just New Orleans
And I will never stop, like I’m runnin’ from the cops
Hopped up in my car and told my chauffer “To the top”
Life is such a fuckin’ roller coaster, then it drops
But what should I scream for? This is my theme park
My mind shine even when my thoughts seem dark
Pistol on my side, you don’t want to hear that thing talk
Let the king talk, check the price and pay attention
Lil Wayne, that’s what they got to say or mention
I’m like Nevada in the middle of the summer
I’m resting in the lead, I need a pillow and a cover
Shhh, my foot’s sleepin’ on the gas
No brake pads, no such thing as last
You can even see through the text formatting that Eminem is going in with his bars. He spits a polysyllabic word per every 18.5 words in his verse, while Drake has a polysyllabic word for every 47 words he issues and Wang comes through with an abysmal tally of 53.3 words for every one that he utters with more than three syllables. KanYe West was right on Eminem’s heels with a count of 23.125 within his bars and that figure slightly more than doubles Drake’s output.
There are two things that I would like to clarify here. Rap music is firstly and foremost about the skill and dexterity the orator has with language. Some of us might use the term wordplay but it extends far deeper[ll] than simply playing with words. Does the orator have a mastery of words? Or is the speaker restricted by his or her own limited vocabulary? Complex compound words are the zenith of the English language. If you think grunts and chirps are so evocative why aren’t you in an aviary(see what I just did) listening to birds tweet since you are obviously a birdbrain?
Finally, if you take away anything from this drop it should be the knowledge that some rappers make simple rhymes for simple minds.
‘Nuff said.
