B.O.B. by Outkast Lyrics Meaning – Unpacking the Explosive Anthems of the Millennium
Lyrics
One, two, three
Yeah, inslumnational, underground
Thunder pounds when I stomp the ground (woo)
Like a million elephants or silverback orangutans
You can’t stop a train
Who want some? Don’t come unprepared
I’ll be there, but when I leave there
Better be a household name
Weather man tellin’ us it ain’t gon’ rain
So now we sittin’ in a drop-top, soakin’ wet
In a silk suit, tryin’ not to sweat
Hit somersaults without the net
But this’ll be the year that we won’t forget
1-9-9-9, Anno Domini, anything goes, be whatchu wanna be
Long as you know consequences are given for livin’
The fence is too high to jump in jail
Too low to dig, I might just touch hell, hot
Get a life, now they on sale
Then I might cast you a spell
Look at what came in the mail
A scale and some Arm & Hammer
Soul-gold grill and a baby mama
Black Cadillac and a pack of Pampers
Stack of question with no answers
Cure for cancer, cure for AIDS
Make a nigga wanna stay on tour for days
Get back home, things are wrong
Well not really, it was bad all along
Before you left adds up to a ball of power
Thoughts at a thousands miles per hour
Hello, ghetto, let your brain breathe
Believe there’s always mo’, ow
Don’t pull the thang out, unless you plan to bang
Bombs over Baghdad (yeah, yeah)
Don’t even bang unless you plan to hit something
Bombs over Baghdad (yeah, uh)
Don’t pull the thang out, unless you plan to bang
Bombs over Baghdad, yeah (ha, ha, ha)
Don’t even bang unless you plan to hit something
Bombs over Baghdad
Uno, dos, tres, it’s on
Did you ever think a pimp rock a microphone?
Like that there Boi and will still stay street
Big things happen every time we meet
Like a track team, crack fiend, dyin’ to geek
Outkast bumpin’ up and down the street
Slam back, Cadillac, ’bout five nigga deep
Seventy-five emcee’s freestylin’ to the beat
‘Cause we get krunk, stay drunk, at the club
Should have bought an ounce, but you copped a dub
Should have held back, but you throwed the punch
‘Spose to meet your girl but you packed a lunch
No D to the U to the G for you
Got a son on the way by the name of Bamboo
Got a little baby girl, four year, Jordan
Never turn my back on my kids for them
Should have hit it, quit it, rag-top
Before you re-up, get a laptop
Make a business for yourself, boy, set some goals
Make a fat diamond out of dusty coals
Record number four, but we on a roll
Hold up, slow up, stop, control
Like Janet, Planet, Stankonia’s on ya
Movin’ like Floyd, comin’ straight to Florida
Lock all your windows, then block the corridors
Pullin’ off my belt ’cause a whipping’s in order
Like a three-piece fish before I cut your daughter
Yo quiero Taco Bell, then I hit the border
Pitty-pat rappers tryin’ to get the five
I’m a microphone fiend tryin’ to stay alive
When you come to ATL, boy, you betta not hide
‘Cause the Dungeon Family gon’ ride, ha
Don’t pull the thang out, unless you plan to bang
Bombs over Baghdad (yeah)
Don’t even bang unless you plan to hit something
Bombs over Baghdad (uh, yeah)
Don’t pull the thang out, unless you plan to bang
Bombs over Baghdad (y’all heard me, yeah)
Don’t even bang unless you plan to hit something
Bombs over Baghdad, yeah
Bombs over Baghdad, yeah
Bombs over Baghdad, yeah
Bombs over Baghdad, yeah
Bombs over Baghdad, yeah
(B-I-G B-O-I)
Bob your head, rag-top
Bob your head, rag-top
Bob your head, rag-top
Bob your head, rag-top
Bob your head, rag-top
Bob your head, rag-top
Bob your head, rag-top
Bob your head, rag-top
Bob your head, rag-top
Bob your head, rag-top
Bob your head, rag-top
Bob your head, rag-top
Bob your head, rag-top
Bob your head, rag-top
Bob your head, rag-top
Bob your head, rag-top (one, two, three, let’s go)
Power music, electric revival
Power music, electric revival
Power music, electric revival
Power music, electric revival
Power music, electric revival
Power music, electric revival
Power music, electric revival
Power music, electric revival
Power music, electric revival
Power music, electric revival
Power music, electric revival
Power music, electric revival
Power music, electric revival
Power music, electric revival
Power music, electric revival
Power music, electric revival
When Outkast released ‘B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad)’ in 2000, it wasn’t just a song; it was a seismic cultural event that sent shockwaves through the music industry. The track, part of their critically acclaimed album ‘Stankonia,’ is blazing with fast-paced verses, eclectic beats, and a politically charged chorus that grabs listeners by the ears and refuses to let go.
The track’s enduring impact lies not only in its sonic vitality but also in its complex layering of themes—touching upon social issues, personal freedoms, and a pre-millennium tension that felt as urgent as the rappers’ delivery. Examining ‘B.O.B.’ reveals a narrative rich with metaphor, existential contemplations, and a call to awareness that resonates even in the current day.
Stomping Grounds of the Revolutionary Spirit
Outkast’s opening verse is more than an announcement; it’s a prophecy of impact. Invoking the imagery of ‘a million elephants or silverback orangutans,’ André 3000 and Big Boi make clear their intent to shake the foundations of the status quo. There’s a raw, untamable force to their words, symbolizing the unignorable nature of true artistic and societal upheaval.
The imagery of an unstoppable train serves as a poignant metaphor for the duo’s career trajectory and the inexorable march of time leading up to the year 1999—a year fraught with apocalyptic anxieties and a looming hope for change. Outkast took this zeitgeist, channeled it into their music, and emerged as household names with a message.
The Dichotomies of Success and Struggle
A closer look at the song’s verses reveals a juxtaposition of success and the grittier realities of life. ‘A scale and some Arm & Hammer, soul-gold grill and a baby mama,’ these lines read like a shopping list of the American Dream tinged with materialism and the complexities of personal responsibilities.
Yet, this tension is exactly where Outkast thrives—identifying the narrow margins that separate aspiration from desperation, where ‘cure for cancer, cure for AIDS’ is placed beside the sobering awareness that those at the bottom remain sidelined by the society’s indifference to ‘a pack of Pampers’ and existential struggles.
An Introspective Dive at Breakneck Speed
Outkast’s ability to compress profound messages within rapid-fire delivery is a testament to their lyrical prowess. Lines like ‘Thoughts at a thousand miles per hour’ and ‘Hello, ghetto, let your brain breathe’ advise the listener to maintain mental agility and awareness, as the world’s chaos unfolds.
Within this maelstrom of words, there’s a plea to stay conscious and informed, a hidden instruction manual for navigating the rapids of early 21st-century life. The song suggests that despite the hardships, there is always more to learn, live, and aspire to.
The Underlying Pulse of ‘B.O.B.’: A Call to Action
The chorus’s demand, ‘Don’t pull the thang out, unless you plan to bang,’ resounds as a battle cry against half-measures and hesitancy. Outkast is challenging their listeners to engage fully with the issues at hand—be it systemic injustice or personal accountability—emphasizing the necessity of intentionality in every action.
‘Bombs Over Baghdad,’ beyond its immediate pre-war connotations, conjures the sense of an imminent explosion, an urgency to address the socio-political climate before it reaches a boiling point. The song is less a directive and more a philosophical question: what will you do when faced with the opportunity for change?
Phrases That Echo Beyond Their Time
Some lines transcend their verse and become etched into the collective consciousness. ‘Make a business for yourself, boy, set some goals / Make a fat diamond out of dusty coals’ is advice that will never stale, encouraging self-empowerment and resilience.
The repetition of ‘power music, electric revival’ in the outro serves as a hypnotic mantra of empowerment. It’s a religious experience bundled in a dynamic rap track, promising the possibility of societal resurrection through awareness, tenacity, and the profound power of music.
