Beef Rap by MF DOOM Lyrics Meaning – The Ingenious Commentary on Society’s Ills
Lyrics
Or even a wreath for mom dukes on some grief crap
I suggest you change your diet
It can lead to high blood pressure if you fry it
Or even a stroke, heart attack, heart disease
It ain’t no startin? back once arteries start to squeeze
Take the easy way out, phony, until then they know
They wouldn’t be talkin? that bologna in the bullpen
So disgustin, pardon self as I discuss this
They talk a wealth of shit and they ain’t never seen the justice
Bust this like a cold milk from out the toilet
Two batteries some Brillo and some foil, he’ll boil it
He be better off on PC glued
And it’s a feud so don’t be in no TV mood
Every week it’s mystery meat, seaweed stewed
He wears a mask just to cover the raw flesh
A rather ugly brother with flows that’s gorgeous
Drop dead joints hit the whips like bird shit
They need it like a hole in they head or a third tit
Her bra smell, his card say, aw, hell
Barred from all bars and kicked out the Carvel
Keep a cooker where the jar fell
And keep a cheap hooker that’s off the hook like Ma Bell
Top bleeding, maybe fellow took the loaded rod gears
Stop feeding babies colored, sugar coated lard squares
The odd pairs swears and God fears
Even when it’s rotten, we’ve gotten through the hard years
I wrote this note around New Year’s
Off a couple a shots and a few beers, but who cares
Enough about me, it’s about the beats
Not about the streets and who food he about to eat
A rhymin? cannibal who’s dressed to kill, it’s cynical
Whether is it animal, vegetable or mineral
It’s a miracle how he get so lyrical
And proceed to move the crowd like a old negro spiritual
For a mil’ do a commercial for Mello Yello
Tell ’em devil’s hell, no, sell y’all own Jello
We hollow krills, she swallow pills
He follow flea collar, three dollar bills
And squeal for halal veal, in y’all appeal
Dig the real, it’s how the big ballers deal
Twirl a L after every meal
Word up to all rappers, shut up with ya shuttin? up
And keep your shirt on, at least a button up
Yuck, is they rhymers or strippin? males?
Outta work jerks since they shut down Chippendales
They chippin? nails, doom, chippin? scales
Let alone the pre-orders that’s counted off shippin? sales
This one goes out to all my peoples skippin? bail
Dippin? jail, whippin? tail and sippin? ale
Light the doobie ?til it glow like a ruby
After which they couldn’t find the villain like Scooby
He’s in the lab on some old Buddha Monk shit
Overproof drunk shit and who’da thunk it
Punk, try and ask why ours be better
It could be the iron mask or the Cosby sweater
Yes, you, who’s screwed by the dude on the CD nude
Peering through the iron mask of one of hip-hop’s most enigmatic figures, MF DOOM, ‘Beef Rap’ serves as a vessel for intricate wordplay and weighty social commentary. The track, off the seminal album ‘MM..Food?’, marries seemingly disparate themes into a stew of satirical wisdom.
‘Beef Rap’ canters through the convoluted corridors of DOOM’s mind and emerges as a dense tapestry of cultural critique. As we dissect the song, note by note, line by line, the sneaky genius of DOOM’s lyricism unfolds like a comic book for the woke; an invigorating blend of humor, reality, and prophetic insight.
Unmasking the Metaphors: A Look Into DOOM’s Lexicon
MF DOOM, born Daniel Dumile, was no stranger to cryptic lyricism, often weaving complex layers of meaning into his rhymes. ‘Beef Rap’ is rife with metaphorical language, beginning with the title itself. DOOM plays off the double entendre of beef—both the meat and the slang term for grudges or disputes. By linking the two, he suggests the perils of indulging in either: physical harm or the deterioration of one’s health.
‘Beef Rap’ reaches further, pulling in imagery from everyday life to underscore the consequences of our choices. When he raps about ‘phony’ characters ‘talkin’ that bologna in the bullpen,’ he’s not only alluding to nonsense chatter but also hinting at the fakeness and insubstantial nature of such talk. The bullpen, a term for a police station’s holding area, might also imply the inevitable end of those who engage in ‘beef.’
Doomed Diets and Lethal Lifestyles: A Critique of Excess
In the opening verse, DOOM warns of the health hazards triggered by poor dietary choices—a not-so-subtle jab at modern food culture’s darker side. The bluntness delivered in ‘It can lead to high blood pressure if you fry it’ doubles as cautionary advice and criticism of society’s addiction to quick, unhealthy eating habits.
Yet, the ‘stroke, heart attack, heart disease’ DOOM speaks of transcends the literal. It’s a metaphor for the wider societal strokes suffered at the hands of excessive lifestyles, whether that’s physical, emotional, or ethical gluttony. He chastises the figurative heart disease plaguing the collective conscience, leaving listeners to ponder their personal indulgences and their price.
The Mask of Misdirection: Hiding True Intentions
Interlaced within ‘Beef Rap’s’ dense lyrics is the theme of concealment, a subject near to DOOM’s heart, as he frequently donned a metal face mask. ‘He wears a mask just to cover the raw flesh,’ symbolizing the vulnerability and the hidden complexity behind the villainous façade.
This idea resonates with a culture obsessed with image, the constant struggle to maintain a façade while hiding true intentions or insecurities. His ‘ugly brother’ with ‘flows that’s gorgeous’ is an artistic embodiment of how appearances can deceive and how society often values superficial beauty over substantive talent.
Deciphering the Hidden Meaning: Between the Bars and Beats
While DOOM’s lyrical prowess is manifested in his witty punchlines, the hidden meaning woven throughout ‘Beef Rap’ is a sobering examination of justice—or the lack thereof. His experience with ‘never seen the justice’ calls out a system fraught with inequity and legal disparities, especially for marginalized voices.
The ‘cold milk from out the toilet’ perhaps best encapsulates the record’s essence, with DOOM addressing how people are forced to find sustenance, artistic or otherwise, in a system that often feels like a prison. There’s also a nod to making the best out of a bad situation, a defining characteristic of some of the most resilient communities.
Memorable Lines That Stick Like Bird Shit on Whips
MF DOOM’s penchant for unforgettable one-liners is in full effect on ‘Beef Rap.’ From humorous quips like ‘They need it like a hole in their head or a third tit’ to more poignant takeaways such as ‘even when it’s rotten, we’ve gotten through the hard years,’ each line is deliberately crafted.
Perhaps the most significant is the seemingly throwaway line, ‘Enough about me, it’s about the beats / Not about the streets and who food he about to eat.’ Here, DOOM flips the script on an industry fixated on ego and materialism, pushing the art—and the music itself—back into the spotlight, away from the superficial narratives that too often take center stage.
