A Tribe Called Quest
Mardi Gras at Midnight
[Produced by The Ummah]
[Verse 1: Q-Tip]
African-American with the power
Just tapped in to the cultural gin
That be swallowing our minds whole, but yo bust it
Empty-ass rappers get me fueled and disgusted
Can't even kick a rhyme about yourself properly
Listen man, I'll show you why you ain't topping me
Epitome of levelheadedness
Whose concern is how ill I come off and not how ill that I dress
I don't hit you with a whole bunch of bullshit
On the microphone, I keep my prose fluid
Speaking to them people in a Tongue that's Native
Not with an ego that's anti-creative
Conscious to the fact that I'm a talented lad
Make your move at a jam and feel better when sad
Hey, "As-salamu alaykum" to them firm true believers
Hope y'all pretty good as the message receiver
'Cause yo, we got to take things into our own hands
And be aware of these dangerous, plentiful lands
That we exist within and combat the Sheitan
But do it all with Tribe because Tribe is the bomb
We get through, especially if you got my back
The Abstract use machete cutting down on slack
And we do it like this, rarely do we miss
Catch you in the chest with an eagle claw fist
And back you, get it two by four and she'll lack you
(Tip, you hardly find a n***a now that out-raps you)
(Or gets at you, and insists that you do it)
('Cause you make it smooth and you make it like fluid)
[Refrain: Q-Tip, (Rah Digga)]
Sometimes I just be wondering
How these cats be coming in
(I just be wondering like, what the fuck?)
I think we need to rectify this, Rah
(And show these motherfuckers how we Mardi Gras)
[Verse 2: Rah Digga]
The name's Digga and I'm on a mission to be larger
Than them crackers that be running Time Warner (That's-right)
I take it further, even running shit in Persia
With acquisitions and mergers
"You takin' me?" I might have you stressin'
"Your rap styles clear," but I'm the only danger pressin'
Rah lyrics with Ummah productions
Be phatter than a chick that had liposuction
They wasn't ready, for that which came
Twas a slim little hunny after the fat bitch sang
I break it down like quadratic equations
You lukewarm, my shit hotter than Cajun style (Blazing!)
You ain't even worth my while
Mama's boy tryin' to play like he motherless child
The whole rap industry's in upheaval
They play enough times then I just might believe you
Heads was still rhymin' Glock with clock
I was puttin' shit together phatter than 10 Shirley Murdock's
Ain't nothin' but a bunch of thorns in my side like you was acupuncture
Bust it
Playin' post with me? That's unruly
No matter how bougie, you'll still be a moolie
It's Rah Digga from the O-U-T's
Having bullshit rappers going "Woe is me"
[Verse 3: Q-Tip]
We demonstrate MC-ing and music
Laced with the raw P-funk, you must choose it
We Buck Rogers, ayo we sun you like Twiggie
Girls be like (he's jiggy), and they friends be like (who is he?)
Mastering the mic like Jordan with the pill
Show a n***a love cause a n***a got skills
A little something something, corny cats must flee
Rah Digga forms the lines with the Ab' MC
[Verse 4: Rah Digga]
(Ahh) Peace Tip, the love flows abundant
To Pacewon, the underdopeless and youngin
Rappers be off on a tangent
I could flow longer than the Van Wyck
Backwards Stan Smith
When I come bring the noise
I sweep rappers by the Bunch like they Brady's boys
So change your sound 'fore I claim that crown
That's for all y'all home girls on dangerous grounds
[Refrain: Q-Tip, (Rah Digga)]
Sometimes I just be wondering
How these cats be coming in
(What's going on?)
I think we need to rectify this, Rah
(And show these motherfuckers how we Mardi Gras)
(Know what I'm saying?)
Sometimes I just be wondering
How these cats be coming in
(And I wonder, what's going on?)
I think we need to rectify this, Rah
(And show these motherfuckers how we Mardi Gras)
(Let's show 'em)
Sometimes I just be wondering
How these cats be coming in
(What's up with the industry?)
I think we need to rectify this, Rah
(And show these motherfuckers how we Mardi Gras)
(I don't get it)
Sometimes I just be wondering
How these cats be coming in
(Anybody could get in there now, fuck it)
I think we need to rectify this, Rah
(And show these motherfuckers how we Mardi Gras)
[Outro: Q-Tip, (Rah Digga)]
Yeah yeah Native Tongues in the house (In the house)
Yeah yeah, Outsiders in the house (Outsiders in the house)
Yeah, The Ummah's in the house (Ummah's in the house)
Big Tribe in the house...