Forever: In Black And White…

forever

The above embedded track is titled 'Forever' and it is becoming the 2009 version of 'Swagga Like Us'.

'Forever' features Drake, KanYe West, Lil' Wayne and Eminem.

From a rapping standpoint Eminem came in the hardest. KanYe West also delivered a supreme verse, but Eminem was the king on this track. After KanYe West we have Drake and then Wayne's verses to round out the fantastic four. Actually, Drake and Wayne's verses weren't all that spectacular. Drake's lines are serviceable, Wayne is totally overshadowed by KanYe and Eminem. Wayne doesn't even belong on this record.

The Lil' Wang fans will immediately accuse me of hating on their favorite rapper, but the truth is that I listened to this song more than fifty times while I set up all the drops for my site today. To prove my point that Wayne's verses are subpar I will go to the numbers that don't ever lie. I believe the polysyllabic word count not only illustrates which artist's have better lines but better technique and mic skills.

EMINEM

Word Count: 222

Polysyllabic: 12

There they go, packin’ stadiums as Shady spits his flow

Nuts they go, macademia, and they go so ballistic, whoa

He can make them look like bozos, he’s wonderin’ if he should spit this slow

Fuck no, don’t provoke, his cup just runneth over, oh, no

He ain’t had it with bars like this since the last time that he overdosed

They been waitin’ patiently for Pinocchio to poke his nose

Back into the game and they know rap’ll never be the same as before

Bashin’ in the brains of these hos, and establishin’ a name as he goes

The passion and the flame is ignited, you can’t put it out once we light it

This shit is exactly what the fuck that I’m talkin’ about when we riot

You dealin’ with a few true villians who stand inside of the booth true spillin’

And spit true feelings until them two feelings come flyin’ up out of our mouths, then rewind it

Payback, motherfucker, for the way you got at me, how’s it taste?

I’ma slap the taste out of your mouths with the bass so loud that it shakes the place

I’m Hannibal Lecter, so just in case you’re thinkin’ of saving face

You ain’t gonna have no face to save by the time I’m through with this, play some Drake

KanYE WEST

Word Count: 185

Polysyllabic: 8

I used to have hood dreams: Big fame, big chains

I stuck my dick inside this life until that bitch came

And went hard all fall like the ball teams

Just so I could make it rain all spring

Y’all seen my story, my glory

I had raped the game young, you could call it statutory

When a nigga blow up, they gon’ build statues for me

Old money, Benjamin Button, what, nothin’

Nah, superbad chicks givin' me McLovin’

You would think I ran the world like Michelle’s husband

You would think these niggas know me when they really doesn’t

Like they was down with the old me, no, you fuckin’ wasn’t

“Uh, you such a fuckin’ loser

You ain’t even go to class, Bueller”

Trade the Grammy plaques just to have my granny back

‘Member she had that bad hip like a fanny pack?

Chasing the stardom’ll turn you to a maniac

All the way in Hollywood and I can’t even act

They pull they cameras out, and God damn, they snap

I used to want this thing forever, you can have it back

DRAKE

Word Count: 144

Polysyllabic: 3

Last name Ever, first name Greatest

Like a sprained ankle, boy, I ain’t nothin’ to play with

Started off local, but thanks to all the haters

I know G4 pilots on a first-name basis

In your city faded off the brown, Nino

She insists she got more class, we know

Swimming in the money, come and find me, Nemo

If I was at the club you know I balled, chemo

Dropped a mixtape, that shit sounded like an album

Who'da thought a country-wide tour be the outcome

Labels want my name beside an X like Malcolm

Everybody got a deal, I did it without one

Yeah, nigga, I’m about my business

Killin’ all these rappers, you would swear I had a hitlist

Everyone who doubted me is askin’ for forgiveness

If you ain’t been a part of it, at least you got to witness

Bitches

LIL' WAYNE

Word Count: 160

Polysyllabic: 3

Okay, hello, it’s the Martian, Space Jam Jordans

I want this shit forever, wake up and smell the garden

Fresher than the harvest, step up to the target

If I had one guess, then I guess I’m just New Orleans

And I will never stop, like I’m runnin’ from the cops

Hopped up in my car and told my chauffer “To the top”

Life is such a fuckin’ roller coaster, then it drops

But what should I scream for? This is my theme park

My mind shine even when my thoughts seem dark

Pistol on my side, you don’t want to hear that thing talk

Let the king talk, check the price and pay attention

Lil Wayne, that’s what they got to say or mention

I’m like Nevada in the middle of the summer

I’m resting in the lead, I need a pillow and a cover

Shhh, my foot’s sleepin’ on the gas

No brake pads, no such thing as last

You can even see through the text formatting that Eminem is going in with his bars. He spits a polysyllabic word per every 18.5 words in his verse, while Drake has a polysyllabic word for every 47 words he issues and Wang comes through with an abysmal tally of 53.3 words for every one that he utters with more than three syllables. KanYe West was right on Eminem's heels with a count of 23.125 within his bars and that figure slightly more than doubles Drake's output.

There are two things that I would like to clarify here. Rap music is firstly and foremost about the skill and dexterity the orator has with language. Some of us might use the term wordplay but it extends far deeper[ll] than simply playing with words. Does the orator have a mastery of words? Or is the speaker restricted by his or her own limited vocabulary? Complex compound words are the zenith of the English language. If you think grunts and chirps are so evocative why aren't you in an aviary(see what I just did) listening to birds tweet since you are obviously a birdbrain?

Finally, if you take away anything from this drop it should be the knowledge that some rappers make simple rhymes for simple minds.

'Nuff said.