The Breakfast Club - Top Storytelling Rap Songs of All Time

Episode Date: April 3, 2023

Nyla, Mouse and producer D- Block list the top Storytelling rap songs of all time. Find out how many of Biggie’s classics cracked our list.  Tune in and comment in the socials below. Be sure to subscribe, rate, comment and share. Follow: @thewhathiphoppod @nylasymoneee @mouse_jonesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's up guys and welcome to the What Hip Hop Questions Legends and List. I am Nyla Simone. And I am the man that puts the juxtaposition, Mouse Jones. Hey, this week we on it and I'm excited because we have a lot to talk about. I'm excited about this fit. This is fit gang. You like it? Yeah, you go denim doing denim with the brown at the bottom. It's crazy. The agenda is no longer agendering, but we don't have to talk about that. They don't know what I'm talking about. That's fine. You know what I'm talking about.

They don't know what I'm talking about. Okay, but the agenda is coming back, but you know right now I got to cash in. But we don't have to talk about that. They don't know what I'm talking about. That's fine. You know what I'm talking about. They don't know what I'm talking about. Okay, but the agenda is coming back, but right now I got to cash in. I have to cash in, so that's what I'm doing. But really, I just have a few things going on today, so I thought I would dress up a little more. I like it. It looks good.

I like it. Thank you, thank you. I'm always been a fan of big pockets. Oh my God. You know, baggy jeans makes me feel like Aaliyah. Come on. Boy, I've been watching you fly up in the sky. Is that the real dance moves or is this what you're having a moment?

It feels like, it might be honestly. I've seen the videos so many- I don't think they would. Do it one more time, just do that. Just do it one more time. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, man.

You practice this. This isn't the first time. No, she's gonna do the baby sounds. Shut up, no I didn't. Do the baby sounds man. You practiced this. This is the first time. No, I didn't. Do the baby sounds while she's doing it. That sounds like some Walking Dead shit or something. That sounds like a clicker. That's the last of us.

Yeah, I felt like a clicker for the last of us. That's definitely the last of us. Oh my God. Speaking of TV, film stuff, this whole Jonathan Mays- Oh man, what are we doing over here? This is a major thing. It's crazy. Vindication for that black man. Vindication, you said?

Vindication for that black man. Are they really going to give him vindication? They better. Are you ever really vindicated when you get these type of allegations? One thing I love about today is the same thing that we hate about today. These fucking phones. Video footage will always vindicate. The word of mouth don't do shit. When video footage drops, everybody will get- They're dropping footage?

They're dropping the footage. That's what the attorney said. I love that. Good. I hate that this happened, especially right now. They're on a pinnacle. Creed 3 was amazing. Amazing. And then now this. I'm like, of course they just can't let the Kings go. Is that why you didn't want to go see the movie yesterday? No, no.

I'll still go. No, okay. Because we were supposed to go yesterday. Yeah, and you didn't text me back. That's what it was? How dare he try to act like I'm the reason why we didn't go to the movies. I said, yo, we still going to the movies or what? I know we got an early recording.

Right. And he didn't text me back. I thought I did. That's on me. That's on me. I'm not always the best. This is why I don't like light skin. I'm not light skin.

What are you talking about? Okay. Anyway. Do your friends like light skin? Oh, shut the hell up. Absolutely not. You know what? I'm not fooling with you.

Anyway. So today on the what, we're going to be talking about top five best storytelling records. This is a favorite topic of mine. This is a hard one, honestly. I thought it was going to be easy, but I'm like, damn, there's so many. There's so many. There's a lot.

There's so many. Let's get into it. All right, guys. It's the what hip hop questions, legends, and listen. Today, we're talking top five best storytelling rap songs that I want to know Mouse and D-Block. To you guys, what makes a good storytelling record? I mean, one, telling a story. Check. That's to tell a story. Yes.

Captain Obvious. Yeah, you know, it's right there sometimes. That's it? Sometimes you got gotta take it right there uh what makes you good that's good um doing more than enough but not doing too much right where like i think when people get just to do a good storytelling you don't have to have like the greatest lyrical dexterity you just have to be able to keep somebody's attention for three minutes. Right?

So I think sometimes the lyrical miracle rappers do a little bit too much. Whoa, whoa, whoa. I'm not hating. I like that type of rap. I like it. I'm just saying. Sometimes they can do too much. Okay.

And you lose people because you have to keep people attention i think to be honest i would love to hear a storytelling record from like jeezy i think jeezy does a good i think jeezy does like an amazing job of keeping you uh captivated and engaged throughout songs i would love to hear him just tell one story which he kind of did on this last mixtape with Drama, talking about, I think it was like Michael Jackson Cry, I think that was the name of the song. Where he's talking about, no, it's not the name of the song, I forgot the name of the song, but where he's talking about his homeboy, all his friends passing.

Sure, it wasn't one linear storyline about one person, but it still, it stayed on topic. Telling stories, yeah. So I would have loved to hear more stuff like that from him. But I just think being able to keep someone's attention, almost like writing a movie. You know, keeping me on the edge of my seat for the next word. Yeah. I agree. Not in deep luck.

I was just going to say, just like any story, beginning, middle, and end. You know, I think that middle part sometimes gets lost as far as creating those stakes. I think that's why Biggie does such a good job on a lot of his storytelling reps is that he has that middle part that kind of gets you – that has the stakes in it, especially in I Got a Story to Tell. That middle part where – The man walks in. The man walks in and he has to figure out what to tell. That middle part where- The man walks in. The man walks in and he has to figure out what to do.

Yeah. I think for me, I really like records that evoke emotion. So you're telling the story of maybe something I've been through or something somebody I know has been- Run away, love. I don't know why that jumped into my head. Not bad. Not bad. I see you've been practicing. I don't know why that jumped into my head. Not bad. Not bad. I see you've been practicing. Something that's familiar.

Who's inspired that? No, you said something that's familiar. Something that's familiar. Something that I'm like, damn, I feel this. So that's what gets me going when it comes to storytelling records. So let's start off. Let's do it. You're starting with me?

You first. Yeah, come on. I know, right? It, so let's start off. Let's do it. You're starting with me? You first. Yeah, come on. I know, right? It's so hard to pick five. You want to get into honorable mentions first? Yeah, I was going to say, can we do honorable mentions first? Wait, are you guys doing a specific order?

I have mine in order. We can do an order. My one is just the one, and then the rest, they're just two, three, four, five. Your number one is your number one? Yeah, two, three, four, five. Yeah, mine is in order.

Let's get some honorable mentions out. So my honorable mention is Keisha Song. Wait, can we do honorable mentions at the end? Because I don't know who's going to make my five. See, get your shit together. You can name one that's not going to make your five. Okay, yeah, I can actually. I'm going to say Keisha Song by Kendrick Lamar.

That is like, it's not on my five, but it's a huge, huge favorite of mine. I'm going to say Keisha's song by Kendrick Lamar. It's not on my five, but it's a huge, huge favorite of mine. I think it had two records on Section 80 that were super heavy in storytelling. I want to say it was that song and Tammy's song. Tammy's song obviously was a little bit more playful, with the whole, the girl ended up turning queer at the end, but Keisha's song just telling that story of the young prostitute. Kendrick actually has a shitload of stories. His whole first album is one big story.

I love it. Even his early mixtapes are fucking... It's too many. But those are good ones. Yeah. What about you, D-Block? Honorable mentions? I put something that's a little fun, Just a Friend by Biz Markie. Ah, yeah.

I think it's just a great story. Stop. No, you don't. It's a great story. Don't throw the tomato. You don't throw him the tomato for that. On the... What?

We're talking about the greatest of... We're talking about the... But that we're talking about but that one has stood the test of time the new generation flip has it had there was a commercial that had bismarck did that song stand at that time or did the or did mario's remix stand at that time no not mario's remix whoa no no mario's remix absolutely Whoa, whoa. Way to show your age, D-Block. He said, hey, hey. No, Mary, what? Are you ready for me?

All you got to do is come at that bridge, too. You can call me anytime. Oh, anytime. Said it doesn't matter. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Don't fight the feeling. Don't fight the feeling. So, oh, girl.

And they not doing that. They not doing that for me. We should change the name of this podcast to Wash Youngin and Somewhere in the Middle. And Somewhere in the Middle. What about you, Nylas? We're just putting anything up there now. Wait, that's your only one? I got Miss Fat Booty by Mos Def too.

As your honorable mention. But there's another honorable mention that I think we need to talk about. What? You better not say it. Stan. Stan is a good storytelling song. Darren got all the tomatoes today.

Darren got all the tomatoes today. Darren got all the tomatoes. All yours. All yours today, D-Block. That's a good story, though. It's a good story. It is a good story. Beginning, middle, and end. I mean.

If a black man wrote that, he'd be locked up. I got to say, I think. Didn't a black man write Swarm? A movie? No, they're similar. What the fuck? Stan culture. No, I think when Clark Kent was on here, he talked about Kendrick and Eminem's similarities. Oh yeah. In the sense that he's talking about stuff that's unspoken, right?

In white families. I thought Stan was about an obsessive fan. It is. It is. Oh. I know, I didn't think overall. It's about him. I think the worst part

about Stan is when Eminem comes into the song at the end. I think the guy, from the point of view of the fan, all those bars are great. But when he comes in

at the end, it feels kind of like milquetoast to me. It feels like a little bit like... I mean, that song doesn't live without that.

It's the connector, but I feel like it could have been... Yeah, that song doesn't... It could have been sharper. You know? It's like, oh shit I feel like it could have been. Yeah, that song doesn't. It could have been sharper, you know? It's like, oh shit, it was you.

That song doesn't become the hit it does without that. Like, because no one was, no one's playing, no one's playing that song. It's just too sad. With the first two verses. There's also like the dark humor

of like, and we should be together. Just like all that shit that he was throwing out there. Stan became a part of the vernacular after that. Yeah. I think it's a great song.

It's not in my top five, though. It sounds like it's close to your top five. I say that I'm going to go with Lupe Fiasco, Paris, Tokyo. It's one of my favorites. You don't like Paris, Tokyo? I thought you were going to say Kick Push. Kick Push is one, too, but I like Paris, Tokyo because I just feel like- I want him to, I want him to, I want him to, nevermind.

You want him to what? Anyway, I love Paris, Tokyo. It's one of my favorite records just in general because it's a guy who's saying, I'm working, but you're still with me in spirit. And then eventually she does actually get to go with him to Paris and to Tokyo and travel the world as he makes money on music. I just fuck with it because I am a girl who's working and making money on music, so I feel it. So anyway, wow.

I don't like you. Paris has a good- Rob Markman, Jr.: Any other outsider you want to get to that later, Nyla? Nyla Lyons- I guess I'll go with Ice Cube, Today Was A Good Day. Okay. Wow. Wow.

Okay. That's a good one. I'm not mad. I also would like to say I forgot to mention what me and you talked about off air. Slow Down, that I think about it is- Brand Nubian. It brought Brand Nubian. Yeah.

Like that's, yeah. That's one of those ones. But I really want to do Don't Let It Go To Your Head. That's the other one. is. Brand Nubian. Rob Markman, 2 Chainz, and Y'all. Brand Nubian. Rob Markman, 2 Chainz, and Y'all. Yeah. Rob Markman, 2 Chainz, and Y'all. That's one of those ones. But I really want to do Don't Let It Go To Your Head. That's the other one.

Because I feel like it's half storytelling, half not-ish. But I listen to that record a lot when I just be looking at the culture and things that is happening or just- Rob Markman, 2 Chainz, and Y'all. I want y'all to know Nyla is not even 30 yet. Rob Markman, 2 Chainz, and Y'all. When I interact with certain people, I just be like-

Rob Markman, 2 Chainz, and Y'all. Nyla is the definition of she's been be like, let me put on this brand new VN to get my mind right because these niggas is crazy. When we're all out here listening and touching my dinner and I got in my good end and she's listening and know how to go to your head. Some internet nerds realize the actual day Ice-K was talking about, they put it all together. What day was he on? Of the day, it was February 23rd, 1993.

No, how did they find out? Because last night, it's actually pretty easy. They put it all together. What day was he on? Of the day. It was February 23rd, 1993. No. How did they do that? It's actually pretty easy. All you have to do is look up. It's like they did all the data points and looked at all of it. It's not hard at all. Last night, the Lakers beat the Supersonics. All you have to do is look up the night the Lakers beat the Supersonics. Shake them up.

Shake them up. Shake them up. Shake them. Throw it in a circle. I think it's a little inauthentic. Huh? I got a triple-double. Cube. No it in a circle. But him getting a triple-double, I think, is a little inauthentic. Fucked around and got a triple-double. No, it's not. Sometimes that lets me know you won't be playing basketball with the homies.

Because sometimes it just be a day. And it feel like you fucked around and got a triple-double. Silly. And it might have not have been a strong triple-double. 10-10-10? Might have been 10-10-10. 10 turnovers? Might have had 10 turnovers, 10 assists, and you might have got blocked 10 times.

Fucked around. But you fucked around and you got a triple-double. He didn't say what kind of triple-double it was. That's true. That's true. Can we start with our number five or our number one? Oh, number five. What type of?

Backhand, yeah. Number five. Because my number one is so important to me and I would be pissed if y'all say it. Hold on. Let me get to these tomatoes Oh he's ready Because I put some young niggas on here Because I knew y'all wasn't I love this show

This is Wash the young one and somewhere in the middle That's not the PR news This is a what Wash the young one and somewhere in the middle Featuring the wash the young one That's not the PR news. This is a what. Why? Wash, the young one, and somewhere in the middle. Featuring the wash, the young one, and someone in the middle. As long as everyone knows who's who.

I am definitely the young one. The somewhere in the middle. No, no. You're the fuck not. It's somewhere lost. All right. Let's do it. I'll kick it off.

My number five, The Art of Storytelling by OutKast. I love that. Me personally, I love cohesiveness. I've said this on multiple occasions, OutKast is my favorite group. But as a kid growing up in New York, I didn't hear those stories. I didn't hear it that way. You know, that Andre 3000 verse, probably one of my favorite Andre 3000 verses, just talking about the young girl. There was just so much stuff, nuance, that I was hearing that you didn't expect to hear from a person from the South. And, you know, that might have been just my young ignorance at the time. I also love that the art of storytelling isn't the only artist storytelling. There's four of them. Yeah.

And each one, I don't know about two, but each one, two is not my favorite, but like three and four. That's the one with Slick Rick. No, I think that's three. Oh. Three has Slick Rick and four is him and four is on drama. No, two is with Slick Rick. No, I don't think so.

So the artist storytelling, which is on my list, is the story of two women, Suzy Screw and Sasha Thumper. Sasha. He calls her Thumper because she's, one is a very promiscuous woman. The other is a drug addict. Yeah. I think it's a great song, too. Like I said, you don't hear those stories.

You know what I mean? you don't hear those stories. You weren't hearing those stories. And then like I said, there's just something about that Southern drawl that Andre 3000 was in the middle of crafting at the time that just literally pulls you in. Y'allarayne Hill Oh, you know what? He's on part one. He's on the first one? Rob Markman I think he's in the sample.

Y'allarayne Hill Oh, okay. Rob Markman But Slick Rick is on the third one, not on the second one. Y'allarayne Hill Yeah, no, that's a the sample. Oh, okay. But Slick Rick is on the third one. Oh, okay. Not on the second one. Yeah, no, that's a great one. That's definitely on my list, too. But since it's on your list, I'm taking it off my list so I can just give it to somebody else. Favorite line in that song. Now Suzy Sue had a partner named Sasha. I think that intro is my favorite.

Just the way he played with the way he sung it, the cadence. I don't know if I have a favorite. Just the way he played with the way he sung it, the cadence. I don't know if I have a favorite. To me, it's not one of those... It goes back to what I was saying earlier about lyrical dexterity. I don't think it was so much that there were favorite lines. It was the through line that got me, as if I was watching a movie. Rob Markman, 2 different women. Rob Markman, 2 different women. Rob Markman, And then hearing Big Boi's look, hearing Andre Andre look. And then I really loved the way Andre brought in his bird. Saw the girl's name.

It just was like, okay. It was like sitting in a bathtub and just letting the water fill up, if that makes sense. You're just, okay, I'm comfortable. I'm here. Wherever you want to take me, I'm going at this point. Rob Markman, Productions was phenomenal. Rob Markman, Come on.

Rob Markman, I love that. Rob Markman, What you want to be when you grow up? Rob Markman, She said, she said alive. Rob Markman, She said I want to be alive. Rob Markman, I really like the beginning where it's the small things. I love that. What? When the beat drop.

Rob Markman, I'm ready for Nihilist production. Rob Markman, Yo, I love that. Rob Markman, That whole organized noise, was it? Rob Markman, Organized noise. Rob Markman, Organized noise. Rob Markman, Beautiful. Rob Markman,'m ready for Nihilist production. Rob Markman Yo, I love that. Rob Markman That whole organized noise. What was it? Rob Markman Organized noise. Rob Markman Organized noise.

Rob Markman Beautiful. What makes their production so great, I think to me, is just like, you can hear the soul and the beats. Rob Markman Absolutely. Rob Markman Once they start rapping on it, it's just like magic. Rob Markman That chime, that. Rob Markman It was all there, and then the end, where

it was like- Rob Markman How it triggered out. Rob Markman Yeah. Rob Markman Yeah. Rob Markman It was all there and then the end where it was like- Gia Peppers How it triggered out. Rob Markman Yeah. Gia Peppers Yeah. Rob Markman I loved everything. Gia Peppers Actually no, some of the skits be blowing me. I'm like, this should have been on the album where you could skip it, not on the song where

I got to hear the whole thing. Rob Markman Whoa. Gia Peppers Like on it. Rob Markman You're so disrespectful. Gia Peppers And I'm not even talking about this with OutKast like on the Miseducation, Lauryn Hill. Rob Markman Miseducation, you always skip the stuff. Gia Peppers I always got to hear a skit.

Rob Markman Yeah. Gia Peppers I'm so tired of hearing that L-O-V-E. Rob Markman What's happening here? Gia Peppers Last week. Gia Peppers Love, love, have any of y'all been in love? Rob Markman Yo. Gia Peppers At the every single time I've been in love, I've been in love. Rob Markman Yo. I'm so tired of hearing that L-O-V-E. What's happening here? Love.

Love. Have any of y'all been in love? Every time I listen to this. This is my own bill. That's a DJ I can understand when I was coming. Yo. Are you nuts? You want to cue up those songs.

You love them? I love. Yes. My thing with skits is if you put it on the album, you got to live with it. So when you got a skit that works, you need it. You got a skit that doesn't work, you... But you could keep the skit to make it. No, the album is not...

Do you remember... Oh, God. Why can't the skit be its own track? I guess it's like... No, because it's a part of the song. Yeah, but now when I'm trying to put it on a playlist, you got a whole skit leading into the song that I'm not leading into. Well, you got to go into Apple.

Let me tell you to go into Apple. Let me tell you, you go into Apple, like we used to do back in the day. You remember when you used to be able to go on iTunes, you used to be able to scrub, but you used to be able to change the time. I could do that? Rob Markman Well, I don't know if you could still do it on iTunes, but back in the day you could. You remember what I'm talking about. Like if the song was like five minutes, you could go in there and stop the song at like

three. Wow, that's great. Rob Markman I the song was, like, five minutes, you could go in there and stop the song at, like, three. Wow, that's great. I don't know if you can still do it on iTunes. I need that, because on my playlist, like, I can't with these skits. Like, you're throwing off the vibe. I think you can do it if it's downloaded to your computer, not if it's, like, on Apple Music. Got it.

Okay. But speaking of skits, with De La back in all our mind, Three Feet High and Rise and Skit is what the whole game show does. Yeah, I will say, and even from listening to the De La album, it's making me a fan of scratching. I've always wanted to know just so hip hop purists or DJ purists can't come and be like, ah, you're not a real DJ, blah, blah, blah. But now it's like, I actually like it sonically in the music.

I know when I hear it on air, I'd be like, do less and just play the record. But there's a time and a place, and I think it on air, I'd be like, do less and just play the record. But there's a time and a place, and I think it was done well. Rob Markman, The hook. The hook. I remember you asking me the favorite. Rob Markman, Oh, the hook. The hook.

The hook was, It's like that now. Rob Markman, Let y'all line that. Get the hump out your back. Rob Markman, Let it go. Get the hump out your back now. It's like that y'all. It's like that.

And it took me a lot of... Let me also say this, because I know sometimes, you know, our peers can be on these platforms and sometimes accidentally or even on purpose sound like, you know, historian. Like, I'm a historian in a different way, where like, it didn't hit me. I didn't know what the fuck they was talking about for the longest. It didn't hit me until... Because, like I told y'all before, like, my introduction to OutKast was music videos that were on Rap City and then Be In My House. I don't know if you remember that, but I know you do.

So Be In My House would be like, where I guess being older now you realize all the labels would have all these printed up CDs and whatever they sell, obviously, they would have in a warehouse and then you can subscribe to the CD place. So you'd get like, what was it? D-Block, I'm sorry. You'd get like 10 CDs for like 99 cents. Oh, wow. Rob Markman, And then the next time you'd order, I guess you'd pay full price.

And then you got like another 16 for like six cents. That's kind of nuts. Rob Markman, That's like Columbia Records type shit? You get those- Rob Markman, There was Columbia, there was BMI, and there was somebody else. But yeah, so that's how I got AT Aliens. And so I had AT Aliens as a CD as a kid. I'm just liking the music.

I didn't know what the hell was going on. And like Outkast just, every time they were on my TV, they fucking grabbed my attention. Like whether it was like me and you, your mama and your cousin too. Your mama and your cousin too. Burn like Cadillac, dog. Like just they, everything about them always encapsulated me. I think I have another honorable mention. Cooler than a polar bear's toenail.

Yeah, so it's like, yeah. Oh hell, there he go again, talking that shit. Rob Markman, Sip my duck. Rob Markman, We're talking about two guys who don't really get their crack. They don't get the crack they deserve. Rob Markman, Big boy's wordplay. Rob Markman, He's phenomenal. But I think that just happens.

And I've been a victim of it as well. I've just jumped off the boat and been like, oh, 103,000 the greatest, which I do believe. I do believe 103,000 is top three greatest lyricists of all time. But man, Big Boi does not get his credit for,

one, just being as nice as he is. Two, standing next to 103,000 being just as nice as he is. That's a good one. So you're currently listening to the What Hip Hop Questions, Legends & Lists. We'll be right back after this break. Sup, y'all. This is Questlove,

and I'm here to tell you about a new podcast I've been working on with the Story Pirates and John Glickman called Historical Records. It's a family-friendly podcast. Yeah, you heard that right. A podcast for all ages. One you can listen to and enjoy with your kids starting on September 27th.

I'm going to toss it over to the host of Historical Records, Nimany, to tell you all about it. Make sure you check it out. Hey, y'all. Nimany here. I'm the host of a brand-new history podcast for kids and families called Historical Records. Historical Records brings history to life through hip hop. Flash, slam, another one gone.

Bash, bam, another one gone. The crack of the bat and another one gone. The tip of the cap, there's another one gone. Each episode is about a different inspiring figure from history. Like this one about Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old girl in Alabama who refused to give up her seat on the city bus nine whole months before Rosa Parks did the same thing. Check it. Get the kids in your life excited about history by tuning in to Historical Records. Because in order to make history, you have to make some noise.

Listen to Historical Records on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What you got, Nyle? I know what you got. So for my number five, I'm just get this out the way. Here we go. It's J. Cole, Lights, Please. Are you?

And you know what? J. Cole got another one that I would just put comma J. Cole, Lights, Please comma Sideline Story. And I have to put, you don't like Sideline Story? These are yours.

These are your picks. I'm just saying he has songs that you're just skipping over. Which one do you think should be it? Dreams? What, Dreams? No. Wait, that's the one where he killed a boyfriend? Yes.

Yeah, that's not. It's definitely not my pick. You got Dreams, and then what's the other one? Enchanted. Oh, I love Enchanted. But yeah, it's not my pick. Let me have my five. I just said that. So I'm going with J. Cole, Lights Please, because that's the first J. Cole record

I ever heard. And you know that's my favorite rapper. So it's just like- Oh is it? I didn't know that. Yeah. Yeah. You see it.

No, you stop. So love Cole, Lights Please. And then I also really like Sideline Story because it's him just talking about being in the rap game and being unappreciated and just waiting for his moment to get up off the sideline. And I resonate with that because I'm in the entertainment industry and it's a lot of shit I'm dealing with. So the record just parallels to my life. So yeah, I like the sideline story by J. Cole. Not mad at it. Not mad at it.

I mean, I think what happens in Lights Please that really appeals to you as far as with the storytelling of it all. I mean, I really, that's why I said slash sideline story. Because sideline story really resonates more with me than Lights Please. Lights Please is just him saying he got this girl. She bad as hell. He's trying to talk to her about real life shit that's going on, but she just wants to fuck. And you know what? He always falls victim to wanting to fuck, because pussy is power, and he's hypnotized by the pussy.

And horny. And horny. And horny. Horny old ones. You know, he's trying to be more of an intellectual but she just wants to fuck and that's just

what that's about. So sideline story is more I think fitting. But shout out to Cole. Who's got next? Mouse. I just like making it awkward.

I'm like, I have to look around. I just enjoy making it awkward sometimes. People are like, you didn't say yours. Oh, you was agreeing with me. Okay. The art of storytelling is on my list too. All right. So once again, mine is in order.

Number four, Ghostface Killer. All that I got is you. Now my favorite, I have this because it's like my favorite line. Well, not my favorite line, my favorite setup. So he said, family ain't family no more. We used to play ball, eggs after school, eat grits because we was poor, grab the pliers for the channel, fix the hanger on the TV. Rocking each other's pants to school wasn't easy.

We survived winter, snotty nose with no coats. We kept it real, but the older brother still had jokes. Sadly, daddy left me at the age of six. I didn't know nothing, but mommy neatly packed his shit." Rob Markman, So that was my... I used to rap that like it was mine. He just painted a story that I knew so well. I mean, just to take it there. Growing up, black man in a community, like, in a black community, you see this.

You see this. Like, there was times where we was damn bad. Not like, you know what I mean? Not as bad as them, but, like, it resonated. And I think off-rip it resonated. Like, that was one of the first songs I remember listening to as a kid with the tears welling up.

Like, to this day, I listen to that song. The tears are going to well up because it's so real. And I feel like even if it was a song that I couldn't personally resonate, if I hadn't seen that with my cousins, if I wouldn't have seen that with myself, it's one of those songs where he painted such a vivid picture. I felt like I was there. I know I know people like that. The people up the street from where we grew up, that was the first people I ever met on Section 8. They was at the end of our block. They were the first people I ever met on Section 8. And we knew, you feel what I'm

saying? We knew, they knew they was on Section 8. They knew the food stand, they going to Jimmy's up there on Straight Path to get the sandwich with the stamps. I seen, they knew the food stand. They're going to Jimmy's, you know what I mean? Up there on Straight Path to get the sandwich with the stamps. You know what I'm saying? Like, I seen that with my, you know what I mean? So, like, to see that and to hear that at the time, you know, I'm a young. Resonated. Yeah, it resonated. And then that last, that hit me.

You know what I mean? It kind of hit in reverse for me because when I was six is when my mom met and married the man that raised me. But up until then, I was a kid. I knew what it felt like not to have no dad. So like, when he says, you know, dad left when he was six, I kind of got a dad when I was six. But it resonated with me. So that right there, All That I Got Is You, like I said, I listened to that once a month and it's still, the tears gone well up every time and everything was just perfect. I think we understood, at least for me, growing up, I understood Ghostface is bigger than just a rapper.

That was his first big step out from the... And it was bigger than just some braggadocious, fly, gangster rap. It was like he used his voice as an instrument. For the first time for me. His voice is just as important as the strings on the sample and the keys on the sample. Of course, Mary J on that hook is amazing. The video, the video's amazing. Rob Markman, The video, and also for me, the familiar part that Nyle had mentioned,

the roaches out of the cereal box line, That was familiar for me growing up in the projects. We did have roaches everywhere in the projects growing up. You turn on the lights in the morning, that shit was really real. The roaches and water bugs everywhere. That was familiar. Listening to you describe the emotions evoked from the record, evoked two other records in my brain, but I'm like, all right, I don't have time to

name them all. There's so much. But I'm going to go with Clock With No Hands by Black Thought. And I really like this record because he's just talking about dealing with family and friends and how frustrating it can be. And it's just a real ass record. You could cut other people off in your life. There's coworkers you don't really like. You only got one family. You just got to deal with it kind of thing. So this record, Clock With No Hands, is fucking

a damn near perfect song, just if you're going through that and you're in that thought process. Especially, I feel like when it first dropped, well, I don't even know actually when it first dropped, but when I first found out about it- I was like, come on, come on, Nala. When I first found out about the record, I was still in Maryland, but it really resonated me when I got to New York and I was by myself and I guess I had time to reflect on family. So yeah, and just Black Thought is just- Rob Markman, Jr.: An amazing artist, amazing lyricist.

Lakin Starling, Jr.: Probably one of the best rappers, period. Rob Markman, Jr.: Definitely underrated still. Lakin Starling, Jr.: Judging by Mouse's face, I guess so. I'm agreeing. Oh, okay. All right, all right. Next. You're getting D-blocked.

Oh. The Art of Peer Pressure by Kendrick. Shout out to Kendrick getting love on the fucking lish. Yeah. Duh. Yeah. I think the whole thing about for the homies line that he keeps on saying, like, I think the whole thing about, for the homies line that he keeps on saying, I'm sober, but I'm with the homies.

When he says, I'm usually non-violent, but I'm with the homies, that shit is just, it's real for a lot of people going through it. Rob Markman Let's drop K-Dot off, because I know he's trying to fuck on Shireen tonight. You matter of fact, drop me off too. I'm trying to fuck on something tonight. Man, sit your dumb ass back down. And that whole hook, like, one day it's going to burn you out.

I mean, that's just, you got to figure out. I think that's everybody growing up. One day it's going to burn you out. You have to figure out what you do with your friends and how you need to create that separation at some point. They just, yo, can we talk, oh man, I know it's your song, but can we talk about, like, yo, Kendrick was, Kendrick was not, he wasn't human on Good Kid, Mad City, but specifically on the Art of Peer Pressure, when he's talking about, it's the way he merges his cadence with the beat, the actual beat, but also taking

beats, which is leaving that pocket of air in between words. So like when he says, we hit the block, he hit the crib looking for anything on the Nintendo, hit the block, and he's like, woo woo, everybody to the right, made a left, made a right, made a left, one lucky night with the homies. I like how he called him not human. He to the right. Made a left and made a right. Made a left. One lucky night with the homies. I like how he called him not human. He's not human. Yeah, you're right.

If you listen to that song, listeners at home, I want you to stop this show right now. Press pause. And I want you to go listen. Can we put that part in there? Can we just put that part? The left or right part? Can we put either that part or the part where he's talking about the actual breaking?

Because the part where he put the actual breaking is where I realized we're not dealing with a human. Because the way, like, I can't even, as a person who's not a rapper, let alone a rapper of his caliber, I can't even reenact it the way he did it. But it's like the way, he's like just the way, it's like a snake moving through a room, the way he did it, but it's like the way he's like just the way it's like a snake moving through a room the way he put those words together. I feel that. And he was just like, you know, in search of anything. Like, because he could have said looking for. In search of anything.

It was, that's crazy. Shout out to you, D-Block. Because I definitely forgot about that record. And like I said, I had Kendrick for my honorable mentions. But yes, Art of Peer Pressure. I mean, he does have a lot of story. Duckworth is also another one. Duckworth is like, I think people, one, that being at the end of the album.

He's a nutcase. He's not human. But just that story being a true story and the way he told the story. I really like that. Bugging out. This shit is not human. He's not human. But just that story being a true story and the way he told the story. I really like that. Bugging out. This shit is not human. He's not human. Not human.

Like Kendrick's not human in the way that he performs these records. Hell of a solid four. That was four? That was just four. All right. Number three. I'm sitting in the crib dreaming. Somebody got died.

I'm big. Dang. Mine is a Biggie one too. But it's a different one. Biggie got died by Big. Dang. Mine is a Biggie one too. But it's a different one. Biggie got mad story time. Biggie does have a lot. He wanted to put you to sleep. He said he wanted to put you to sleep.

He wanted to put you to sleep. He wanted to put you out of sleep. He got some nighttime stories. But we said, I'm sitting in the crib dreaming about Learjets and Coops. The way Salt shoots and how they sell records like Snoop. I'm interrupted by a doorbell. 352. Who the hell is this?

I get some quick cocks, my shit. Stop the dog from barking, proceed to... I feel like I got to wrap my songs now. You really sell them. You're so invested. You get what I'm saying? If you're outside of All I Got Is You, these other songs are catching me from the beginning. Big says this and I feel like, I'm going to sound like I'm being extra, but this is really how I ingest music. Every time I hear the record, I feel like I'm sitting down

and the TV credit just opened up and you see the big pin. It's like an allegory film, like Wu-Tang has done over this last season. I feel like I'm watching an allegory film. I feel like I'm watching what he's talking about. I want to see this movie. He's chilling, dreaming Learjects and Coops. The way he brings- Rob Markman And he also mentions when he drops Snoop, the whole stuff that's going on at that time. He just says it very nonchalantly, factually. Snoop Dogg He said, I grab my thing and I get to walk

and you see this big hulking figure walking around with the gat. He's like, yeah, big. Yeah, what's going on? Somebody got to die. Let the gunshots go. Somebody got to die. Nobody has to know that I killed your ass. Yeah, he's crazy. My big record, which is number three, is Everyday Struggle. I was like, it was hard to pick one of his, because we could do a top five best big storytelling. Storytelling song, yeah.

Yeah, just on him, because he got so many. But I've always liked when Big rap fast, like on Notorious Doug. So I like in the second verse when he's like, I got the master pen, I'm in the caravan, on the way to Maryland. With my name two-tux to take over the project. They call him Two-Tex, he told me Two-Tex, and when he spark the bus, he like to ask who's next. Big is nuts! He's a bust, he like to ask who's next. Big as nuts. He was nuts.

Big as nuts. Yeah, his storytelling is just phenomenal. And I just love it. Like, I got a daughter. In the morning, in the crack of a ass. Two pounds of hash. Two pounds of hash in the stash. And we were trying to make a quick cash.

Yo, he said they got my- And last, literally- He said when they got his bitch, he said, I'll hold it down, she'll be home in three. I'm like, what? I'm like, what? I'm like, what? I'm like, what?

I'm like, what? I'm like, what? I'm like, what? I'm like, what? I'm like, what? I'm like, what? I'm like for her to make a quick cash. Yo, when he said they got my... It lasts literally. He said when they got his bitch, he said, I'll hold it down. She'll be home in three. I said, damn it. And so then I'll be home for the whole family. A true G, that's me.

Easy. I don't want to live no more. Sometimes I hear death knocking at my front door. Living every day like a hustle. Another job to juggle. Another day, another job to juggle, another day another struggle. Right, right.

Rob Markman, Right. Rob Markman, Whoa! D Block, do you understand how lucky you was to live through that? I know, man. Rob Markman, Oh my God. I'm seeing body after body. Rob Markman, I can tell you how lucky I am, because my number three is, who the fuck is this paging me and my-

Rob Markman, That's your number three? 46 in the morning, crack a donut. Rob Markman, Your number two, let me tell you this, your number two and your number one better be phenomenal pics. It's my nigga Pop from the barbershop. Told me he was in the gambling spot. Heard the intricate plot.

A nigga's water stick you like fly papers caper. Slow down love, yo, please drop the caper. Remember them niggas up in Brownsville that you grew up with, broke up and got nice with? Yeah, that's my nigga Faye from the process. I didn't say them. Love with disrespect. I didn't say them. It's a nigga that you knew from back when,

when you was clocking minor figures. Now to hear you blowing up like nitro. And they want to take the neck through your windpipe slow. Thank you. Thank you for warming me now. Water you. I got the max. Tell me what you want to do. Damn. Why did they for warming me now. What are you? I got the Mac.

Tell me what you want to do. Damn. Why did they even print me from a paper? Damn. All right, all right, all right. Nah, that's crazy. I think what's going on in that song, even the fact that that whole part of, I didn't say them.

Yeah, I know. That storytelling is so specific. Like, no, I'm not talking about those guys. Like a real convo. Talking about someone else is so incredible. You ready? You ready for what I'm about to say? Because like- He wasn't human.

And also the paranoia that you feel in his songwriting. He was really fucking nervous about what you think all the guns is for. What you think? I was just about to say that. What you think all the guns is for? See he said, in the feet of gunpowder. So they can devour the criminal. Trying to drop my disc. Ah!

Ha! Ha! Ha! I mean, the psychosis that was going through his head and a lot of his lyrics is just like, you know. He got too many, honestly. He got, because all, he got. I mean, how could you want to live like that? You make all this money to get out of the hood

and then you just like, it's so sad how it ended. But it's just as like, when you think about once he got out, he had this whole other thing of fears. Nah, and they say he was really paranoid. Lil Cease and them have said in that latter part of at least when they were recording that album, he was really paranoid, especially after the accident. Shit, I believe it. And we've seen even more recent stuff with Pop Smoke and all these guys who've

been- Damn, why they want to stick me for my paper? Damn, why they want to stick me from my paper? Damn, why they want to stick me from my paper? Rob Markman, Jr.: It's a great song. Damn. Rob Markman, Jr.: And I put that ahead of another Biggie song, which I think Mouse may talk about later because of the entertaining part about the guy with the auto-tune he did on the voice as if he's calling from his cell.

Rob Markman, Jr.: I just think, I love the other song- Rob Markman, Jr.: Oh, you're talking about, yeah. cell. I just think, I love the other song. Oh, you're talking about, yeah. I love the other song. I think Mouse is going to talk about maybe later, but it's just, I think the entertainment value of Warning is just- The entertainment values of all of these records. Big does something no matter if it's on Ready to Die, no matter if it's on his feature.

Big, you can tell and you can appreciate it as with hindsight you know, with hindsight, how talented he was and how intelligent he was. You know, even the worst rapper is, you know, kind of a bit more intelligent than the average person because you have to be entertaining. I think there's a level of intelligence that has to go into entertaining people. I disagree with this thing, but okay. Big was so entertaining because he attacked it like TV. Like you think of, you know. He painted a picture. He painted a picture.

You're now listening to the What Hip Hop Questions Legendary List. We'll be right back after the break. What's up, y'all? This is Questlove, and I'm here to tell you about a new podcast I've been working on with the Story Pirates and John Glickman called Historical Records. It's a family-friendly podcast. Yeah, you heard that right. A podcast for all ages.

One you can listen to and enjoy with your kids starting on September 27th. I'm going to toss it over to the host of Historical Records, Nimany, to tell you all about it. Make sure you check it out. Hey, y'all. Nemany here. I'm the host of a brand new history podcast for kids and families called historical records. Historical records brings history to life through hip hop. Each episode is about a different inspiring figure from history.

Like this one about Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old girl in Alabama who refused to give up her seat on the city bus nine whole months before Rosa Parks did the same thing. Check it. Get the kids in your life excited about history by tuning in to Historical Records, because in order to make history, you have to make some noise. Listen to Historical Records on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. All right, number two. My number two, it's my favorite, but if I have to be honest, it's number two.

I think I've crafted my list based on a hard criteria. Although this is my number two, my favorite storytelling rap of all time, I understand you putting it number two, even number three on some people's list. I don't understand it not being on people's list. Meet the Parents by Jay-Z. Meet the Parents on Jay-Z on the Blueprint 2, it's like a master class in storytelling. Not only is it a master class in storytelling, you can tell he was influenced by one of the greatest storytellers ever, Biggie. And Blueprint 2 starts off with the conversation with Big and Hole and faith on the hook. To see as the album progresses, we get Meet the Parents where Jay-Z is literally rapping

about a father killing his son. And he talks about, he says, what did he say? He said, it seems like the end of every young black life is this line. Damn, him already? Because then we saw some of us, he fought like us, smacked up against the wall even. You know what I mean? And he's like, even how he ends it, six shot, enter your kin out of a gun. Niggas be a father, you're killing your son, meet the parents.

And he talks about ISIS and Mike. And Mike was just this, he wasn't really the one to love her, right? Do his nigga names, want to take her out to city life. What he said, he said, but Isis liked this. Isis loved this city life. She liked the Gucci sneakers, the red, green, and white. She was so turned on when he first saw the fight. She had to go home, and then she had to shower twice. He paints this picture. You feel like you are in Bed-Stuy and you know Mike and you know Isis, you know they

son, you can see him. You can see him. You can almost paint this young man's face. Damn, man. The interesting thing about it is that he didn't know it was his son, right? He had no idea that this was his son that he- But he had no, because that's how far removed he disowned him.

Rob Markman Like there was so much. It's like a, it's like a Scorsese or Spike Lee film. Rob Markman It's a Greek tragedy, Oedipus complex, right? So you talk about the father killing the own son on those Greek tragedies, Electra complex, the mother has sex with her own son. All those classic Greek storylines. Rob Markman And you look at it and you're like, everybody's, I don't know how long it took Jay-Z to craft this song.

If somebody told me it took him a year to craft this song, I would be like, you damn right. Because if you think about a movie, right? Like D-Block, you're a producer, you're a director. Even to get to what we do every day is not just, you know, me and LL are great, but there still is some part where you're like, all right, hey, what are we talking about? We'll go here. We'll go here.

So on these like longer shoots, when you're doing your documentaries and things of that nature, it's like, okay, we know how I want to start. I know how I want to finish. We have to fill all this in. And then when I fill this stuff in, you know, this interview is really a splice of like, because I really want to touch on like five or six more things from this interview. He had to do that.

Jay-Z had to do that almost as if he was writing a script. There was character breakdowns. You know, you had to... What did he say? He said, you talk about the dad, Mike, and he's like, his mom is... He said, if that baby was mine, it would be more dark. So it's mama's baby, papa's maybe. You know what I mean?

And now that's become something in the ethos, right? Everybody says it now. You watch more of it on mama's baby, papa's maybe. You know what I mean? And you just look at that and it's like, how the fuck did you come up with this? What was going in your head? But it's not that hard to think. Wait, that wasn't the same before, Jay? I don't know. I didn't. It could have been. I'm young. I'm 33. I never heard. up with this. What was going in your head? But it's not that hard to think because that's what-

That wasn't a saying before Jay? I don't know. It could have been. I'm young. I'm 33. I didn't hear it before Jay. Was that a saying before Jay? Momma's baby papa's maybe. It might've been an old school saying. I don't know if it was on wax, but I think the peeling of the onion that you're talking about, he starts off just saying, this is your typical stuff, rainy night. Night, yup.

You know, this kind of, and then he's just kind of like, but there's more layers to this. Yeah. I think that's what is amazing about this song. Yeah, that's the, and every layer felt, I'm going to sound like such. I probably sound like such every time we're talking about hip hop. I could smell the rain. The first time I'm listening to it, I can smell the rain. Yeah. I can smell the rain. I can feel that moment where Jay-Z says, the moment he says, he tells the youngin to get

off the block, but the youngin ain't buzzed. He stood him. He said, but in him, he saw something like a very nice scene from the old, he said like a sign from the almighty Lord. You know what I'm saying? I feel like I'm... And, you know, I have my own issues with my biological father,

so I'm really connected. I'm really feeling like I've stood there. I've stood, you know what I mean? I'm stood in front of this nigga like, you know what I'm saying? Stop playing with me. Like, you know,

and what Jay-Z said. Jay-Z said, he said he's like a self, like he's seen him, but like he's looking at himself but more mature. I've been there. I've stood in this man's face and had issues with him and looked at him like, damn, he got to look like me.

You know what I mean? I've been there. So it's like, you know what I mean? Like you stand there. It's not funny. I'm sorry. No, I wasn't going to boom him, but I'm just sitting there. Like I've been in these situations where there's tension between us and I'm like looking him and it's like, in my mind I want to do this to him.

I want to do something to this man, but there's something that's stopping me because there's an innate connection between us. And I don't think this man is, I don't think it's reverberant to him. I don't think he's seeing it the same way. In my mind, and that happened with me. So to hear Jay-Z talk about with Mike and his son, he's like, you know what I mean? He said, what he pulled out, pulled out a brand new 38 snow. You say, what you know what they say about he who hesitates in war, he who hesitates

is lost. Didn't even blink for his mind when, ah, I'm about to go crazy. Meet the parents. Yo, what kind of line is that to say? Yes, yes. He calls it meet the parents in the last line of the song. Meet the parents. The parents.

The parents. Nah, it's like meet the parents. That's my favorite. That's a good. I'm surprised that's your number two. That's my number. It's my favorite of all time. But number two, it's a number two for a reason.

Meet the parents. Okay. My number two, I'm going to go with, I feel like it's way less as sentimental as what Miles just said. That was some real shit just now. I'm like, damn, all right, yeah, that's great. But I think mine is a fun one. Everybody likes Troy.

Pete Rock. Rob Markman, Jr.: Would he reminisce over you? My God. My God. That's an amazing song. That record is just, the beat is great. Rob Markman, Pete Rock. Rob Markman, Pete Rock. Rob Markman, Pete Rock. Rob Markman, Pete Rock. Rob Markman, Pete Rock. Rob Markman, Pete Rock. Rob Markman, Pete Rock. Rob Markman, Pete Rock.

Rob Markman, Pete Rock. Rob Markman, Pete Rock. Rob Markman, Pete Rock. Rob Markman, Pete Rock. Rob Markman, Pete Rock. Rob Markman, Pete Rock. Rob Markman, Pete Rock. Rob Markman, Pete Rock.

Rob Markman, Pete Rock. Rob Markman, Pete Rock. Rob Markman, Pete Rock. Rob Markman, Pete Rock. Rob Markman, Pete Rock. Rob Markman, Pete Rock. Rob Markman, Pete Rock. Rob Markman, Pete Rock.

Rob Markman, Pete Rock. Rob Markman, Pete Rock. Rob Markman, Pete Rock. Rob Markman, Pete Rock. Troy is one of the boys. Oh, is he really? Yeah. Fuck, I never put two and two together. I didn't know that. Yeah. Someone said, I think on Twitter recently, there's been no better eulogy song than Troy. That's a eulogy song? Yeah.

When they reminisce over you. My God. Wow. The horns, Pete Rock on those horns, man. He used to find some amazing fucking horns. That's a sexy ass- First of all, Mecca and his Soul Brother, one God. My God. Rob Markman, my God. Wow. Rob Markman, my God. Pete Rock on those horns, man. He used to find some amazing fucking horns. First of all, Mecca and the Soul Brother, one of my favorite albums.

One of my favorite albums of course, any genre of all time, like P-Rock. But you talk about, as good as Mecca and the Soul Brother is, Troy being the song that stands out says so much. I can't believe that's a eulogy record. Now I got to listen to it again. As good as Mecca and the Soul Brother is, Troy being the song that stands out says so much. I can't believe that's a eulogy record. Now I got to listen to it again. I thought that was him talking about his life and he just reminiscing all over his life.

I thought so too, but it just certain things wasn't making sense with interviews and stuff. So I didn't put two and two together until D Block just said it. And then when I think about it, reminisce over you. Troy, if you look it up, Troy is one of the boys. You know it's heavy D and the boys. One of the boys' name is Troy and he did die. Yeah, he died.

Yeah. I remember this, I'll never forget this. The days are way back. Even just down to, so he just, that's his good friend I'm assuming. Because he talking about his mom being the youngest, couldn't hurt her, here it is. Yo, my God, just that. Yo, the talking about Troy Dixon. Yo, the talking about your spouse, mama getting married in the house.

Check it. Positive over negative for a woman to master. It's like deja vu. Tell you what you're going to do. I don't know. That's impressive. That's actually really impressive. I didn't know that.

All right. Number one or number two. Number two is. Here's a little story I got. Actually, it's not going to be Paul Revere. It's not going to be Paul Revere. It's going to be children's story. I was about to flip this table. If it was Paul Revere not going to be Paul Revere. Oh, I'm not mad at that. I was about to flip this table. If it was Paul Revere?

If it was Paul Revere, I would have threw this table through that wall. Once upon a time, not long ago. People wore pajamas and lived life slow. With justice and injustice true. And people weren't behaving like they ought to do. There was a little boy who was misled by another little boy. And this is what he said. Me and you, can't we go and make some cash?

Robbing old folks and making a dash. They did the job. Money came with ease but one can't stop it like he had a disease. He robbed another and a sister and a brother. Try robbing and it wasn't easy. You know what? That shit's... Yo, but if you talk about... If you just think about it, I know I be dragging shit, but if you think about it like... Wait, highlight that.

I know I be dragging shit. I know you think about it, like, yes. Wait, highlight that. I know I be dragging shit. I know, I know. I love hip hop. Can you put that clip and send it to me so whenever he says something, I'm going to send a video of him saying, I know I be dragging shit. I love hip hop and I make no qualms about it. Yes, yes.

It's not just your fucking patty ants, everyone's going to sing Poo Putt song. Yeah. Think about what he's saying in the record. He's saying some fly shit. He's telling a fly story. Rob Markman Yeah. Rob Markman Like, he said, no need for static. No, no, no, no.

And he gave him a slap. Little did he know the little boy was strapped. The kid pulled out the gun. He said, why'd you hit me? The baron said, straight for the cop's kidney. Rob Markman Like, he talking about, like he even talking about, he's running. Dave the dope ass you ain't no fool.

Doesn't know the meaning of no water, no soap. I need bullets. Hurry up. Rob Markman, he even talk about, he run, Dave the dope ass you ain't no fool doesn't know the meaning of what to know so I need bullets, hurry up run, the guy put back a fake shotgun. Honestly, each time that you guys say a record, it reminds me of another record. I'm going to give an honorable mention, y'all going to laugh, but this is a story all about how my life got turned upside down. I'd like to take a minute.

I think that's a fun, but I think that goes back. And I'm not shitting on you. I think that goes back to what I was saying like a few seconds ago. I think that's a fun song. It's a chance to tell the story. It's a fun song. If you listen, there's no fly shit. This is a pioneer.

It's TV. Storytelling song. I thought that was a... That's Will Smith. I know, but I thought it was a... No, that's not a real record. That's just a TV intro. I thought it was an original that they just fixed for this. No, it wasn't, right?

Rob Markman Well, we talk about on list about we can't give the pioneers... I mean, pioneers are pioneers. You know what I mean? Like when we had the top groups. Yeah. Yeah. Just because you're first in the door. Rob Markman This is a pioneering storytelling song, so

it gets a lot of points from me. For sure. Rob Markman But it's also like just when you listen to it again, some of that Slick Rick's cadence that you, when he says, this ain't funny, so don't you dare laugh. It's like, there's something about the upbeatness of the song still, but the kid is shot by the cops at the end, right? Yeah.

So it's just when you realize that, the darkness behind it is short. I feel like Children's Story probably, if we're just talking about like most famous, it's probably number one. Yeah. We're talking about most famous yeah no no i think i think it will go i think it's number two to what you just rap i think fresh friends of bel-air is number one oh i think i i honestly yeah i think those are most popular yeah yeah i would Hill. The Rap is the Light. Those are story records.

Yeah. You ever been to somebody eating fried chicken? But, you know, as we talk about this, I'm like, damn, I think a lot of songs tell stories, but then they're storytelling records. Because when you were talking about, damn, I think your number three, what was your number three? My number three was... I can't remember. What is my number three? I think your number- It's all I got to die.

Your number three reminded me of how I felt about when I heard Queen Latifah, Unity. But I'm like, that's not really a storytelling record, but she is telling the story. She walks down the street, a dude disrespects her, and she's like, who you calling a bitch, nigga? Respect, Unity. And anyway, that's how I felt. But I'm like, it's not really a storytelling record though she telling the story.

Rob Markman Yeah. Storytelling- Moussa Abbas It's hard. Rob Markman It sucks you right in. It's like I said, like allegory, like you're stuck and you're just like, when the song end, you feel like you're watching credits instead of this next song is going. That's the way I kind of see it. Moussa Abbas Number one. Let's get to it Moussa. Rob Markman I kicked doors for you. Moussa Abbas Number one. Rob Mark the way I kind of see it. Number one. Let's get to it, Mouse.

I kicked roads for you. Number one. Kicked down doors for you. Even left all my motherfucking holes for you. So you said Frank Pussy Whip. Can you picture that? With the Kodak. It's the MedTech.

Come on, man. I got a story to tell, Biggie. I got a story to tell by Biggie. That's a great one. For so many reasons. Once again, it's layers upon layers upon layers. You know, it being about motherfucking Anthony Mason. You know, the New York Knicks fucking bully. That was my guy on the Knicks too. I love Anthony Mason. All my people loved him. All

my old heads loved him. That Knicks team of the early 90s was amazing. Oakley, Mason, Starks, Ewing. It was so crazy, but like just big, just... What y'all over there doing? Arm, leg. Arm, leg. Arm, leg is just such a dope job. But it's so dope because that's- You ruined his career. But also that's five percenter. That's five percenter now.

Is it? Yeah, the five. Arm, arm, leg, leg. Oh. That's the five percenter. I ain't said it. Put that together. Yeah.

I ain't know. Yeah, but arm, leg, leg. That's a great number one. Man, listen. You're engaged from day one. Just from the minute you hear that beat. You got to keep. Boom, boom, boom.

Check it out. Boom, boom. Yo, what y'all over there talking about? Oh, my niggas. Fucking hot niggas, bitch. And hot niggas cribs. I like the banter after the song, though, too. Yeah, like.

Just like the chatter after the song. What he said? Got the head, got the brain, and I'm gone. Now, that's a great number one. Like you just said, like, you were, I don't, the first time, I don't know, man. I keep saying this shit. Like, the first time, every time I heard, for the exception of, three out of the four of these records, three out of the five of these records, I'm on the edge of my seat every word. Because obviously you got all that guys you would say, he's just recanting his life. And then with Darge Storytelling,

I was a little green. I didn't know what he was talking about. I just enjoyed what they were... So I wasn't on the... There's no- It didn't connect. Not that it connected. It wasn't a ride. I wasn't like, oh, what's next? You know what I mean? Yes. But with these other three, on the edge of my seat, what is going to happen? Will Big make it out next time on Dragon Ball Z?

You know what I'm saying? That's what I'm hearing. So when he's like, you know, what she said? What she said? She said, tell him to be cool. He said, no, he said, when Big told the girl, he said, you better tell your man to be cool. She don't know I'm cool as a fig, gas hand. I don't want to blast a man, but I can in the will though.

I'm trying to chill though, even though the situation's looking kind of ill though. It came to me like a song I wrote. Come on. Come on. It came to me. Yo, first of all, Inception. It came to me like a song I wrote. Wait, nigga.

This is a song you wrote. Wait again, nigga. This nigga. Wait again, nigga. You don't even write. You don't even write. Oh my God. No, great record.

That's a good one. Mine's better, though. What? But... But Nyla, before we get to your one, because I want you to finish, can I just tell you what my number one is? I think you should finish this.

And then wrap it? Yeah. All right. No, but my number one is Black Steel and the Hour of Chaos by Pumpkin Enemy. And I think, you know, I got a letter from the government.

Like, that song, to me, is from the government. Like that song to me is a great story that you can, when you talk about the visualization, you can see all that happening as he's talking about

with the prison raid and just like them getting to the helicopter on top of the prison and getting out and just shooting his way out.

I think that's a dope, incredible song. I think that's a fair one. It don't resonate with me, but that... What? Rob Markman, I know it's a great one. My dad used to play that. It's like one of those records... It's like, yeah. Yeah, we can always acknowledge how great some shit is, even if it don't resonate.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, fair. All right, but mine is... Wow, you grabbed the tomato. Because I just want to tell you why. You put a lot of pressure on yourself. You said it's better than I got a story to tell. I think it's better, but they're in different lanes. Because like you said, I got a story to tell as entertainment where this is really- If you say waterfalls, I'm going to flip.

Because Left Eye's verse was so crazy. Oh, I was about to launch both of these tomatoes. No, my number one is Common, I Used to Love Her. Rob Markman Are you kidding me? That is not a story to tell? Y'all Common, I Used to Love Her, absolutely. Rob Markman That's a good one.

Y'all That's one of the best hip hop records, period. And it's great because it talks about hip hop in its purest form and then its transformation as it evolves to mass media selling itself, where as to now, you're trying to tell me that certain records are great when they're not even. It's a rhyme like Common Sense. By May 5, Mill. By May 5, Mill. No, I'm telling you, I used to love her.

It was great. And I will never forget. I thought the record was cute as I'm listening to it, because I thought it was about a girl. Come on, open it up, man. So I'm telling you, I used to love her as great, and I will never forget. I thought the record was cute as I'm listening to it, because I thought it was about a girl. Come on, open it up, man. So I'm like- We've been rapping this whole episode. Open the song up, bro. I met this girl when I was 10 years old, and what I love most, she had so much soul.

She was old school when I was just a shorty, never knew throughout my life she would be there for me on a regular. Not a church girl, she was secular. Not about the money, those stuff was Mike Chekita, but I respected her. She hit me in the heart. A few New York niggas had did it in the dark, but she was there for me and I was there for her. Put out a chair for her.

I just really like the way he dressed hip hop up as a woman. Rob Markman Yeah, as a simp. Rob Markman No, not as a- Rob Markman Not as a simp. Not as a simp is where you can't date my friends, nigga. Rob Markman Why? Because why is a simp. And then at the end, no, not as a- As a fucking simp. Not as a simp. That's why you can't date my friends, nigga. Why? Because, why is that simp?

Because, I know a few New York niggas dead in the dark, I pulled out the chair for them. Shut your punk ass up. Anyway, so- I didn't like that, it was a dig. I didn't like that. It was a little dig. That was not a dig. Yes, y'all.

Yeah, that was a little dig. That was a little dig. That was not a dig. It was a dig. He was just saying like- What you mean we did her in the dark? New York niggas- Lights was on. New York niggas was doing her.

Not in the dark. She said like she was a whore. Well, then she broke to the West Coast and that was cool because around the same time I went away to school and I'm a man of expanded. So why should I stand in her way? She probably get her money in LA and she did stuff. She got big for what was filed. She said that the pro-black was going out of style.

I just like how he broke down the eras of hip hop. Yes, that was super cool. He fell in love with it when he was in the New York scene, but he wanted a piece of it for himself. He sees her going out west and he starts expanding, which by the way, Common's evolution from his first album to his second album is two different fucking Commons. Which is why I don't trust him. Which is, well, I think he's explaining that also in the record.

So just- Can't trust no nigga that way. So who I'm talking about, y'all, it's hip hop. I was just like, oh shit. All right. Like that emoji where the brain is like lifted and you're like- Quick question. Put that emoji where my face is.

But do you think when she goes into the West Coast side of things that he actually has a little bit of this like, you know when he says says now black music is black music and it's all good. So when he says that line, is he kind of like still looking at her differently, you think? Good question. I mean, hip hop is the her, right? So is he looking at it differently based on the way... He said he wasn't salty. She was with the boys in the hood.

But do you believe it? Sure was because they got into a beef right after that. I think they got into a beef for other reasons, not because of that record. Rob Markman Him and Cube? Daraen Jones Like even on Erykah Badu, Loving My Life, he's like- Rob Markman I got to ask you, which one do you like better

though? Daraen Jones Loving My Life or that? I used to love her better, but I love the Erykah Badu record too. But to Darren's question of, do I think he was salty? No, because he says, the boys made her better to grow. I had to let her to be the cheddar, and I understood that. Looking for cheese that don't make her a hood rat. In fact, she's a queen to me.

Her light beams on me. I love it when she sings to me. Like, oh, you know you. Rock my world. You be grueling. I'll be mourning. Rob Markman, like come on man. Rob Markman, I think when it comes to my POV of hip hop and what it means to me, I used to love her. All the songs I named are songs that really resonated with me. Rob Markman The first time you guys heard that song, did

you know what the metaphor was right away? Yeah, because somebody introduced it to me. Rob Markman I knew at the very end. They told you before you played it? Somebody told me, yeah. My cousin was like, that was when I was getting into my lyrical bag and I was like, yeah, like having, like creating my standard of rap. And my cousin was like, yo, listen to this. Like he rapping about hip hop. Like it's not a woman, it's hip hop. So I already went into it knowing,

which kind of helped because I was able to... I'm not a thousand percent sure if I would have listened to it the first time, I would have been like, oh, he's talking about hip hop. I'm like, what girl he talking about? This girl's a whore. Stop. You would have thought she was a whore. Girl, from New York to Cali?

Oh my God. No, I was watching... I saw it on the countdown, like an MTV channel. I'm just watching it. I'm like, this is a vibe. This is a vibe. This is a vibe. Who I'm talking about y'all is hip hop. Rob Markman, Can you imagine a little girl watching MTV?

I'm like, oh shit, hip hop. I'm like, call my dad. Dad, you know this song by Common Core I used to love her? Rob Markman, Wait a minute. Time out. Common Sense. Rob Markman, No, no, no. Time out.

When did you discover this song? Because you said you picked up a cell phone. Well, no, a phone. Like the house phone. Rob Markman, Oh, and called you. Okay, no, no. Tell me about it. When did you discover this song? Because you said you picked up a cell phone. Nia Jax Well, no, a phone. Like the house phone. Rob Markman Oh, and called you. Okay, you're kidding. Nia Jax This is probably like 2004. Rob Markman Okay, okay, okay, okay.

That's fine. Okay. Nia Jax I had to call my parents. Rob Markman I thought Nila was like, oh, I discovered this song yesterday. Nia Jax They couldn't afford a babysitter, you know, so I'm in the crib. You're not allowed to be in the crib, whatever.

But I called my parents. Rob Markman Real niggas know. Nia Jax I'm like, dad, I just found this song. Rob Markman He's like, I'm at work. Nia Jax Nila, I. But I call my parents. Rob Markman, Real niggas know. I'm like, dad, I just found this song. Rob Markman, He's like, I'm at work. Nylah, I played that song your entire life. You don't know that song. Rob Markman, He's like, Nylah, I'm at work.

You never played that. Rob Markman, You remember calling your parents at work to ask something dumb? No, my brother used to be getting on my nerves. Shout out to Joseph. Rob Markman, Hello, can I speak to, can I speak to- LaShondra. Rob Markman, To LaShondra. Ma, can I have some fresh toast?

Ma! Rob Markman, Can I put some fresh toast in the oven? Joe keeps standing at the door. I'm like, I'm not gonna do that. I'm like, I'm not gonna do that. I'm like, I'm not gonna do that. I'm like, I'm not gonna do that. I'm like, I'm not gonna do that.

I'm like, I'm not gonna do that. I'm like, I'm not gonna do that. I'm like, I'm not gonna do that. I'm like, I'm not gonna do that. I'm like. Rob Markman, Jr.: Hello, can I speak to LaShondra? Ma, can I have some French toast? Ma! Rob Markman, Jr.: Can I put some French toast in the oven? Joe keeps standing at the door. I keep telling him to get out, but he's just standing at the door. Oh man, yes. Rob Markman, Jr.: That was a good way to end it as far as that storytelling raps. Storytelling raps. Rob Markman, Jr.: I used to love her as a great storytelling rap.

Yeah, I think I got her storytellers more, like he said, more like suspense. It's not suspenseful when I used I love it. It's a great storytelling rap. Yeah. I think I Got a Storytell is more, like he said, more suspense. It's not suspenseful and I used to love her. It's just a good story. Rob Markman There's a spin. But he takes... I don't argue with it being a fucking mastercraft of a song, of a storytelling song. Just saying. That and I Got a Storytell.

Come on, girl. No, no, no. Rob Markman There's real people in the story. All right. You know what? Let's make this a poll. Rob Markman Let's make this a poll. Let's make it a poll. Let's make it a poll. Let's do it. All right, guys. Me and Miles want to know, who do you think has a better storytelling record? Is it Common, I Used to Love Her, or-

Biggie, I Got a Story to Tell. Drop comments in the section below. Click the poll, all of that. We going to make sure, Dblock, AK, make sure we got a nice clip to post. I'm going to post it to the page. Make sure. I want to see that. Because this is ridiculous.

That night would be so disrespectful. Ooh, let's collab that one. Okay. So my people can yell at your people. Your people are probably going to agree with me. No, they're not. Don't bring the Hashiba community. The who?

I don't know. The Hashiba? Did he just make up a word? I did. All right. Any last words? Yeah. What?

I got a story to tell. Speaking of got a story to tell, you got anything going on that you want to shout out real quick? Same thing I always got going on, man. It's the What Hip Hop Question Lining List. Each and every Monday. Got it next door each and every Monday. And track karaoke. We on the road. Make sure you get your tickets. Trackkaraoke.com. door each and every Monday. And track karaoke. We're on the road.

Make sure you get your tickets. Trackkaraoke.com. You got something coming up. You got a whole bunch of stuff coming up. What's going on? You everywhere. You got a whole bunch

of stuff going up too. You forgot about Broccoli Fest by the way. Broccoli Fest. Oh my God. How am I going to talk about your jobs? I'm sorry.

Well that's why we're such good brothers and sisters because we hold each other accountable. I'm excited to see you at Broccoli Fest. I know your schedule. You know my schedule. We just don't know our own schedule at Broccoli Fest. I know your schedule. You know my schedule.

We just don't know our own schedule. Broccoli Fest is going to be dope though. Yes, Broccoli Fest is going to be insane. I cannot wait. It's going to be dope.

All right, I got... We got a special visitor. Who? Who? There's somebody popping out? No, I said I hope I have a special visitor. All right, anyway.

You're so annoying. So, all right. I just wanted to shout out my Amazon show every Wednesday night on Twitch. Make sure you guys tune in. It's called Rotation. She's up there arguing with niggas, y'all. Yeah, so what I do with Mouse. Honestly, after arguing with him, I'm ready to argue with anybody.

Mouse has got me prepped and ready for war. So, shout out to Mouse for that. Make sure you guys tune in to Rotation though every Wednesday. And then make sure you guys tune in to Amp every Tuesday and Thursday, 12 p.m. Tune in and listen. But we just more so playing new music on there. D-Block, what you got going on? You got stuff going on.

I got the what? Hip hop questions listening list every Monday. Bang, bang, bang, bang. And the documentary. More on that later. Bang, bang, bang, bang. More to come. Bang, bang, bang. More to come and we'll be back. That's my favorite thing about hip hop.

Ad-libs? No, when people, no, like when they do interviews, that would be my favorite thing. Like, that's how I know a nigga's lit. That would be my, like, marker for how lit you are, like, all the stuff you can't talk about. Like, I hate when an artist come up to him, oh, yeah, this dropping this day, this dropping this day. No, ask him when this coming. You know, we working, oh, yeah, this is dropping this day. This is dropping this day. No. Ask him when this is coming. You know, we working on dates right now, you know. You know, third quarter.

You know, look out for that third quarter. That used to be my favorite. Second quarter. Your second quarter. We come in early second quarter. I'd be like, yeah, this nigga's lit. Okay. Understandable.

But, yeah, I got some things I'm working on, too, that I can't really talk about yet. No, for for real Second quarter I mean third quarter Yeah yeah I'm gonna wait To Q3 To drop some more bombs Clue bombs

Alright So make sure you guys Tune in next Monday To another episode Of the What Hip Hop Questions Let us know Yo can you stop What this

That is Drop a clue bomb For the what Drop a cool bomb for the what. Drop a cool bomb, cool bomb, cool bomb, cool minority. We'll be back next Monday. Till next time, guys. Peace. Don't miss an episode of the what?

Hip hop questions, legends, and lists. Listen and subscribe on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, or wherever you get your podcasts. The what? Hip hop questions, legends, and lists podcast is a production of the Black Effect Podcast Network and our executive producer is Darren Byrne and produced by A-King.