I’ve finally starting listening to the MC’s MC, Rakim:

That’s from 1999′s The Master, which is full of amazing lyricism. Rakim says “if I wasn’t then why would I say I am?” (or is that a sample?) and a year later Eminem referenced that in his hit “The Way I Am”.

That’s a big loop closed for me, because I never understood Em’s lyric, it seemed like disappointing say-it-to-rhyme nonsense: “I am whatever you say I am,/ If I wasn’t then why would I say I am.” In a chorus that’s just unforgivable laziness. Except now I know that it was a Rakim shout. “My bad.”

Hip hop bibliographies are about copying lyrics or lyrical structures, but not both. That’s the thin line between shouting someone out and plagiarism as I understand it.

I’m listening to Ace’s Disposable Arts to track down another obvious shout to illustrate what I mean about the difference between lyrics and lyrical structures, but I couldn’t guess the track. In any case, does Enuff say there aren’t enough Caucasians in hip hop (like Paul from Saskatchewan)?! Say word.

Oh, right, this is supposed to be a review of The Master, okay: It’s masterful! Sounds glib, but I’m not kidding: liquid, healing rhymes. Srsly. Not a lot to say: Hearty recommendat.