I apologize if I'm jumping on a band-wagon
The lyrics sound to me like a brutal birth of Roman. Slim Shady was awful!
"I am not Jasmine, I'm Aladdin
So far ahead, these bums is laggin'
See me in that new thing, bums is gaggin'
I'm startin' to feel like a dungeon dragon
Raah, raah, like a dungeon dragon
I'm startin' to feel like a dungeon dragon"
Right away there's two major references: 1) A Disney-ized fairy tale. Roman tells us straight up he's not the princess, he's the guy with an adventerous spirit.
2) Feeling caged + Roman's identifying animal, being a dragon. He supposedly comes from Hell, which makes the dragon a perfect choice. Mortal Kombat (MK) chose the Chinese dragon. This part of the song is annoying at first. The more Roman says it (throughout the song), the more possessed he sounds.
"Look at my show footage, how these girls be spazzin'
So fuck I look like gettin' back to a has-been?
Yeah, I said it, has-been
Hang it up, flatscreen
(Haha) Plasma"
Girls go crazy wild at Nicki's shows. You'd think a female performer who dresses, dances, and acts provocatively would shed the focus on her male fans. Wouldn't guys go see her live? Yet its the spazzy girls that are showcased. Perhaps it wasn't Nicki's show at all. Why wouldn't Roman want to get a crowd of young girls even more hungry for him? He could probably have his way with any of those fans.
Next, he takes a jab at who sounds like Lil' Kim (given their public spat) and tells her to hang it up like a flatscreen. This is most likely to distract from who, and what, the song is really about.
"Hey Nicki, hey Nicki, asthma
I got the pumps, it ain't got medicine
I got bars, sentencin'
I'm a bad bitch, I'm a cunt
And I'll kick that hoe, punt"
The call-out to Nicki once again confirms this is Roman, who indicates Nicki's asthma isn't what it appears to be.
I wonder what the pumps are actually full of? Are these sentancing bars a reference to jail-time, a militaristic point-of-view, or whatever's in the asthma pumps? Or are the pumps in question just shoes?
A lovely Barbie-like pair of Louboutins
Not many women would call themselves a Capitol-UNT. Not many guys feel comfortable using the word...it is typically one used out of extreme anger. At least in Western society. Roman's mother is British, so I assume Roman's putting words in Nicki's mouth. He knows people still look at him as Nicki. He uses that.
"Forced trauma, blunt
You play the back, bitch, I'm in the front
You need a job, this ain't cuttin' it
Nicki Minaj is who you ain't fuckin' with"
MK alter egos are born out of forced trauma, Roman's being blunt about his situation. Nicki's in the back while Roman takes the lead. He seems to think she needs a real job because she can't deal with the rap game. People aren't "fucking with" Nicki; they're "fucking with" Roman. On the surface, Roman is still addressing Lil' Kim's comments about Nicki Minaj.
"You li'l brag a lot, I beat you with a pad-a-lock
I am a movie, camera block
You outta work, I know it's tough
But enough is enough"
"You li'l brag a lot, I beat you with a pad-a-lock
I am a movie, camera block
You outta work, I know it's tough
But enough is enough"
Continuing to allude to the Lil' Kim war. More likely, Roman's talking to either Nicki or Shady. He could even be talking to a large portion of the world with the unemployment line.
"Raah, raah, like a dungeon dragon
Raah, raah, raah, like a dungeon dragon
Raah, raah, raah, like a dungeon dragon
Like a dungeon dragon, like a dungeon dragon
Raah, raah, raah, like a dungeon dragon
Raah, raah, raah, like a dungeon dragon
Raah, raah, raah, like a dungeon dragon
Like a dungeon dragon, like a dungeon dragon"
This is where he starts to sound other-worldly...yet it sticks with you. I can't get it out of my head! Ahh, but that was the intention.
[Slim Shady's part. DO NOT confuse him with Eminem or Marshal Mathers]
["I ain't into S&M, but my whip's off the chain
A little drop of candy paint drips off the frame
Twisted-ass mind, got a pretzel for a brain
An eraser for a head, fuckin' pencil for a frame
You don't like it then peel off, bitch"]
A little drop of candy paint drips off the frame
Twisted-ass mind, got a pretzel for a brain
An eraser for a head, fuckin' pencil for a frame
You don't like it then peel off, bitch"]
Reference to BDSM.
Candy is a recurring theme throughout Nikki's career, and a tool used in MK conditioning. Slim's mind is as twisted as a pretzel, and is easily wiped clean. If someone (Nicki in particular, or anybody in general-could go either way) doesn't like it, they can either leave, or peel off into another person...or peel Slim Shady off into Eminem or Marshal Mathers.
["Every last woman on Earth I'll kill off, and I still wouldn't fuck you, slut
So wipe the smile on your grill off, I swear to God I'll piss a Happy Meal off
Get the wheels turnin', spin, and wheel off
Snap the axel in half, bust the tie-rod
Quit hollerin' "Why, God? " He ain't got shit to do with it"]
So wipe the smile on your grill off, I swear to God I'll piss a Happy Meal off
Get the wheels turnin', spin, and wheel off
Snap the axel in half, bust the tie-rod
Quit hollerin' "Why, God? " He ain't got shit to do with it"]
Ooh that last line is very telling! Do I even need to explain?
Shady thinks Nikki is a piece of shit and really hates her, from the sound of it. McDonald's is an environment reeking of conditioning. How many times have they used Hot Wheels, Barbie, Sanrio, and Disney products as Happy Meal toys? Love the vague Hot Wheels reference right after.
["Bygones'll never be bygones, so won't be finished swallowin' my wad
I ain't finished blowin' it, nice bra
Hope it'll fit a tough titty, bitch"]
He's pissed at somebody and isn't gonna be finished "fucking with" 'em any time soon.
["Life's hard, I swear to God, life is a dumb blonde white broad
With fake tits and a bad dye job
Who just spit in my fuckin' face and called me a fuckin' tightwad
So finally I broke down and bought her an iPod
And caught her stealin' my music, so I tied her arms and legs to the bed
Set up the camera and pissed twice on her
Look, two pees and a tripod!"]
Aesthetically he's describing his on/off (I couldn't tell you their current status) wife Kim, or Barbie, veiling a "diss" to Lil' Kim, to whom Nicki Minaj pays homage. All three look like, or have an obsession with, Barbie. The awful act that follows is most likely how Roman was born.
["The moral to the story is, life's treatin' you like dry sod?
Kick it back in it's face, my God
It's Shady and Nicki Minaj, you might find the sight quite odd
But don't ask why, bitch (Ask why not)"]
He's telling us something. Be aggressive, B-E aggressive; kick life (and God) in the face. Also, don't question why SHADY and Nicki are working together.
["The wo-world is my punchin' bag and
If I'm garbage, you're a bunch of maggots
Make that face, go on, scrunch it up at me
Show me the target so I can lunge and attack it"]
Shady has major anger issues and thinks little of those he views as beneath him. He's sick of the slander and can think of a worse response than we can insult "IF I'm garbage THEN you're a bunch of maggots!" He's just waiting for the signal to attack...a code, a symbol, a target. Just give the sign.
["The wo-world is my punchin' bag and
If I'm garbage, you're a bunch of maggots
Make that face, go on, scrunch it up at me
Show me the target so I can lunge and attack it"]
Shady has major anger issues and thinks little of those he views as beneath him. He's sick of the slander and can think of a worse response than we can insult "IF I'm garbage THEN you're a bunch of maggots!" He's just waiting for the signal to attack...a code, a symbol, a target. Just give the sign.
["Like a, raah, raah, like a dungeon dragon
You fell off, off, they musta bumped your wagon
You musta went off the back, I'm 'bout to go off the deep end
I told you to stay in your lane, you just choked in traffic"]
Nicki had a proverbial fall, though not necessarily of her own accord. Sounds like Shady warned her and is annoyed with her.
[Nicki Minaj:]
(I-I-I-I-Is) Is this the thanks that I get for puttin' you bitches on?
Is it my fault that all of you bitches gone?
Shoulda sent a thank-you note, you little ho
Now I'm a wrap your coffin with a bow
On the surface Nicki's addressing Lil' Kim and other naysayers and figuratively killing them (in sales, in success, in fame, etc...)
Underneath, Roman's pissed that he's not getting proper respect and is out for blood.
(Ni-ni-ni) "Nicki, she's just mad 'cause you took the spot"
Word, that bitch mad 'cause I took the spot?
Well, bitch, if you ain't shittin', then get off the pot
Word, that bitch mad 'cause I took the spot?
Well, bitch, if you ain't shittin', then get off the pot
The other alters (Roman's mother, most likely) are trying to calm Roman. Roman feels Nicki's jealousy isn't justified because she wasn't doing so well without him, otherwise he wouldn't be here.
Got some niggas out in Brooklyn that'll off your top
I-I-I-I hear them mumblin', I hear the cacklin'I got 'em scared, shook, panickin'
Overseas, church, Vatican
Roman's worrying the Vatican, eh? Odd, considering the Vatican's in with the Illuminati.
You at a stand, still, mannequin
You wanna sleep on me? Overnight?
I'm the motherfuckin' boss, overwrite
Nicki's a mannequin that was being used. Roman's taking control and not being pushed around.
And when I pull up, vroom, motorbike
Now all my niggas gettin' bucked, overbite
I see them dusty-ass Filas, Levi's
Raggedy-ass, holes in your knee-highs
I call the play, now do you see why?
These bitches callin' me Manning, Eli
(Manning, Eli!) Ma, ma-ma-ma-ma, Manning, Eli
These bitches callin' me (Manning, Eli)
It sounds to me as if Roman is flaunting his/Nicki's success in the face of all those who have wronged he and Nicki in any way. I'm not enough of a football (or any sport, for that matter) fan to understand the reverse Eli Manning comparision, even after looking him up. If somebody wants to explain the signifigance of him to me, that would be cool. Then again, this picture says enough.
[Slim Shady:]
["A-a-a-a-all you li'l faggots can suck it
No homo, but I'm a stick it to 'em like refrigerator magnets
And I'm crooked enough to make straitjackets bend"]
He loves homo-racist slurs all-the-while stating he's not gay "but..."
I've noticed this trend in other Shady lyrics in Eminem songs.
He admits to being corrupt.
["Yeah, look who's back again, bitch, keep actin' as if
You have the same passion that I have
Yeah, right, still hungry, my ass"]
Is he also joining the "Hate on Lil' Kim" parade? Is he talking to Eminem, who'd tried to leave the industry in an effort to stay sober and be there for his daughter? Or is he bitching out Nicki?
["You assdicks had gastric bypass
Ain't hot enough to set fire to dry grass
And 'bout as violent as hair on eyelids (Eyelash!)
Go take a flyin' leap of faith off a fuckin' balcony"]
Using religious faith as a weapon
["'Fore I shove a falcon wing up your fly ass
You know what time it is, so why ask?
When Shady and Nicki's worlds clash
It's (high class) meets (white trash)"]
Ah, so he's chewing out Nicki. It seems the media is obsessed with her rear. After all his verbal abuse it seems odd that he'd call Nicki "high class" and himself "white trash". "White rabbit", sure. After all, that was his character we followed in 8 Mile. No, I believe he's pinning her as Barbie, making her white. He was all but calling Nicki trash through-out the song. Yes, rap fans can argue "He called himself garbage just before calling us maggots. That makes him the white trash!" He didn't call himself garbage, he said "IF" first. Others have called him that. He was retaliating. Shady finds a way of putting himself above others. He wouldn't fuck Nicki so why would he call her high class?
["Raah, raah, like a dungeon dragon
Raah, raah, raah, like a dungeon dragon
Raah, raah, raah, like a dungeon dragon
Like a dungeon dragon, like a dungeon dragon
Raah, raah, raah, like a dungeon dragon
Raah, raah, raah, like a dungeon dragon
Raah, raah, raah, like a dungeon dragon
Like a dungeon dragon, like a dungeon dragon"]
Yup, sounding messed up again.
[Roman's British mother]
"Roman! Roman!
Stop it, stop it!
You've gone mad, mad, I tell you, mad!
You and this boy Slim Shady!
What's goin' on?"
Stop it, stop it!
You've gone mad, mad, I tell you, mad!
You and this boy Slim Shady!
What's goin' on?"
Roman's mother knows something's not right since the influence of Slim Shady. All that dungeon dragon chanting must be an incantation of sorts.
"They'll lock you away!
They'll put you in a jail cell!
I promise!
Take your mother's warning, Roman
Pleaaaaaaase
Back to bed! Run along!
Let's go! Come on!
Wash your mouth out with soap, boys
(Boys, boys, boys, boys, boys, boys...)"
Roman's mother is trying to protect the boys and get them to behave. Roman and Shady aren't listening.
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