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"Ya on point, Phife?"
No one knew how to kick off a track like Phife.
Legendary Lyric: "A-yo Bo knows this (what?) and Bo knows that (what?) / But Bo don't know jack, cause Bo can't rap"
Phife was a confident MC.
Legendary Lyric: "When was the last time you heard the Phifer sloppy / Lyrics anonymous, you'll never hear me copy / Top notch baby, never coming less / Sky's the limit, you gots to believe up in Quest"
He was seriously, lyrically gifted.
Legendary Lyric: "Yo, microphone check one two what is this / The five foot assassin with the ruffneck business / I float like gravity, never had a cavity / Got more rhymes than the Winans got family"
He had a smooth flow.
Legendary Lyric: "I instruct you to be the obeyer / A rhythm recipe that you'll savor / Doesn't matter if you're minor or major / Yes, the Tribe of the game, rhythm player / As you inhale like a breath of fresh air"
He could be blunt and clever at the same time.
Legendary lyric: "I like em brown, yellow, Puero Rican or Haitian / Name is Phife Dawg from the Zulu Nation / Told you in the jam that We Can Get Down / Now let's Knock the Boots like the group H-Town"
He could battle with the best of them.
Legendary Lyric: "The mic is in effect so you know I'm never stallin / Walkin through the door and all them suckers started haulin / Talk a lot of trash but no one can seem to beat it / Pull out your microphone and watch the Phifer make you eat it"
He knew how to bring the energy onstage.
Legendary Lyric: "Now here's a funky introduction of how nice I am / Tell your mother, tell your father, send a telegram / I'm like an energizer 'cause, you see, I last long / My crew is never ever wack because we stand strong"
He stayed true to the spirit of hip-hop.
Legendary Lyric: "I be three albums deep, but I don't wanna go pop / Too many candy rappers seem to be at the top / Too much candy is no good, so now I'm closing the shop"
He spoke about classic issues in a relatable way.
Legendary Lyric: "Not dealing with nobody, now that's what you told me (what?) / I said, hey yo, it's cool, we can just be friendly (come on) / 'Cause yo, picture me messing it up / Her mind not corrupt with the ill C-Cups"
He was always honest about the industry.
Classic Lyric: Like Chuck D, I got so much trouble on my mind /
'bout these no-talent artists getting signed, they can't rhyme
Last but not least: He used his platform to be open about his illness.
Legendary Lyric: "Mr. Energetic, who me sound pathetic / When's the last time you heard a funky diabetic?"
Thank you for showing us what real hip-hop should look like.