The Infamous Date Rape Lyrics

[Intro: Q-Tip & Phife Dawg]
Classic—
Classic—
Classic example of a (a date rape)
Classic example of a (a date rape)
Classic example of a (a date rape)
Classic example of a (a date rape)

[Verse 1: Q-Tip]
Listen to the rhyme, it's a black-ink fact
Percentile rate of date rape is fat

This is all due to the reason of the skeezin
You got the right pickin but you're in the wrong season

If you're in the wrong season, that means you gotta break
Especially if a squaw tries to cry out rape
You be all vexed 'cause she got it goin' on
You don't wanna fight 'cause you know that you're wrong
So instead you rest your head on the arm of the couch
Envision in your head of a great sex bout

Worthy opponent, all you wanna do is bone it
You ask can you kick it, she says you can't stick it
This is the case, the situation is sticky
Should you try to kiss or hint towards a hickey?
Not even, you can ask Steven
If the vibe ain't right, huh, ya leavin
Hit the road Jack and all of that
But if she offers her abode, you'll drop ya load
Right smack dab in the middle
Get the kitten, I got crazy tender vittles
[Verse 2: Phife Dawg]
Uh-huh, you know the science; you get buckwild
Runnin' mad games as if your name was Scott Skiles
Or better yet Magic or even Karl Malone

Regardless who it is, your aim is to bone
If she tries to front, that's when you start to diss her
If she's with the program, that's when you start to kiss her
Might as well get to the point, no time to waste
Might as well break the ice, then set the pace
You start to talk nasty, now she's ready to bone
Step out of the shower, throw on cologne
All of a sudden, her sugarwalls tumble down like Jericho
She's hotter than Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego

You listen to After 7, break fool after 10
Do your thing at 12 o'clock and when you go again

There goes round 1, ding, there goes round two
Now tell me what the (fuck) are you supposed to do? Huh
What do you know, when the meow is completed
Girly girl cried rape, yo, I didn't really need it

[Interlude: Q-Tip]
Sweetheart, we ain't goin' out like that
Sweetheart, we ain't goin' out like that
Sweetheart, we ain't goin' out like that (Zulu)
We ain't goin' out like that (Zulu)
We ain't goin' out like that
[Verse 3: Q-Tip]
Now baby bust it, if you wanna groove
Me and you can do it, it will be the move
I won't cry over spilled milk
If you won't let me take you to the Hilt

I don't wanna bone you that much
That I would go for the unforbidden touch
I'm not the type that would go for that
I'll have to fetch a brand new cat
Baby, baby, baby, I don't wanna be rude
But I know the cause of your bloody attitude
I know why you act that way
It usually happens on the 28th day
I respect that crazily
When you're done with the pads, can you come check me?
This ain't a joint to disrespect you
Because one head ain't better than two, check it out, it's a-

[Outro: Q-Tip & Phife Dawg]
Classic example of a (a date—)

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About

Genius Annotation

“The Infamous Date Rape” is the eighth track on A Tribe Called Quest’s sophomore album, The Low End Theory. The song, notably, covers the crime of date rape which usually involves a person drugging their sex partner during a romantic encounter before raping them when they are rendered semi- or unconscious.

In 1990, Katie Koestner, brought attention to date rape through activism and a high profile case on her college campus, which started a dialogue about date rape throughout America. Even so, in 1991, when this song was written, date rape did not often go reported and was misunderstood.

While studies conducted in 1991 survey suggest this occurred to only approximately 110 out of 10,000 women during the time that the song released, more reliable studies show that about 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men have been raped at some time in their lives. Among survivors, 51.1% of women report being raped by an intimate partner, 40.8% of women report being raped by an acquaintance, and 52.4% of men report being raped by an acquaintance.

Q-Tip and Phife Dawg offer social commentary on this topic as they trade verses throughout the track. The duo covers the topic of rape towards women while also providing casual jokes about sex, in general.

Overall, the content heavily contrasts that of the misogynistic vibes given by most rappers during the late 1980s and 1990s. Chuck D described violent abuse towards women on “Sophisticated Bitch” and Dr. Dre rapped about murdering his partner on “One Less Bitch”.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What songs were sampled for the beat on "Infamous Date Rape"?
Genius Answer

“Infamous Date Rape” samples drums from Jackie Jackson’s 1973 song “Is It Him or Me”:

The Rhodes keyboard sample heard throughout the song was taken from Cannonball Adderley’s 1972 song “The Steam Drill”:

What did A Tribe Called Quest say about "The Infamous Date Rape"?
Genius Answer

As far as the “Date Rape” lyrics, that’s just the way Phife was kicking it for that song. He wasn’t disrespecting or nothing, that’s just the way a lot of women are living … that is reality.

— Ali Shaheed Muhammed, The Source, November 1991

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