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What is this?
The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.
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With his narrated deafblindness and progressive leanings, it’s been theorised that Lupe channeled Helen Keller for this verse.
Genius user Skhills analysed and broke down this verse’s rhyme scheme for DJBooth’s Breakdown series.
Some takeaways from Lupe’s “Dumb It Down” verse above:
- The verse is 20 bars long and contains 174 words, or 8.7 words per bar
- 109 of those 174 words are unique, or 62.6%
- 117 of those 174 words contain rhymes, which is 67.2% or 5.85 words per bar
- With 144 significant rhymes, Lupe averages 7.2 rhymes per bar
What is this?
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A “grill” is a gold/diamond piece that goes over one’s teeth; it was popularized by several important Houston and New Orleans rappers in the early 2000s. Lupe’s criticism of these accessories, and the commercial style of music they are associated with, ties in to his car metaphor is covered in roadkill (other rappers that he “runs over”).), since the “grill” is also the front of an automobile.
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What is this?
The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.
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Lupe’s rhymes are transparent, like a ghost. “Biter of throats” seems to mean “rhyme biter”, but also plays on ideas of vampires, who according to common belief, have no reflection in mirrors.
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What is this?
The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.
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What is this?
The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.
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What is this?
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Heavy D and the Boyz–an iconic rap group from Hip Hop’s golden age
Reborn, remove the gold coins from my eyes The Roots (Ft. Dice Raw & Peedi Crakk) – Get Busy
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I think Dice is mixing the Greco/Roman tradition of putting gold coins over the eyes of the dead with the concept of rebirth
It goes with the “half this/half that” theme of the song
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