Released: 2004
Aight, let’s vibe off with “One Beer” by MF DOOM. In essence, this joint brushes on the cutthroat nature of the rap scene, DOOM’s lyrical craftsmanship, and a critique on material culture in hip-hop. Your boy DOOM smears the whole game with a smooth, yet complex flow layered with metaphors and coded language. Get strapped in, we’re about to dissect the mastery.
Peep this, the first lines are a shout-out to the classic song, “I Get a Kick out of You” by Cole Porter. Except, DOOM flips it and says he gets a kick out of brew, not champagne. He’s saying his satisfaction ain’t from flashy luxuries, but from simple pleasures. That “One Beer” also becomes a metaphor for the singular spot in hip-hop, and how every MC is scrapping for that, yelling in our ears like we’re deaf.
In the verse, “Tempt me, do a number on the label, Eat up all they emcees and drink ’em under the table,” DOOM asserts that he devours other rappers in the game while they’re just too busy flexing. When he says, “It’s on me, put it on my tab, kid,” he’s saying he’s not minding the cost to dominate the scene.
DOOM uses the line, “I crush the mic, hold it like the heat, he might toss it,” showing his power and control over his lyrics, as if the mic is a weapon. The line “it’s like he eating watermelon, stay spitting new seeds” is a clever way to say he’s constantly creating new ideas.
The verse, “First hour at the open bar and they’re trooping off, He went to go laugh and get some head by the side road,” could be a jab at rappers who prioritize pleasure over their craft. And when he says, “Crooked eye, mold, nerd geek with a cold heart,” DOOM’s describing himself as a unique entity in the game, not conforming to mainstream stereotypes.
The line, “They call the super when they need their back, uh, plumbing fixed,” could be a slick way DOOM is highlighting his usefulness and how others call upon him when they need assistance. And the verse “MCs sound like cheerleaders, rapping and dancing like Red Head Kingpin,” is a straight diss to artists who DOOM thinks are more about show and less about lyricism.
DOOM ends with a skit, a throwback to his comic book inspiration, where he likens himself to a supervillain taking control over world leaders. It’s a metaphor for him taking control of the rap game, with everyone else being just ‘programmed’ followers.
In a nutshell, MF DOOM’s “One Beer” is a bold declaration of his own prowess and a critique of the hip-hop industry. Using his cryptic lyricism and metaphoric intelligence, your boy pulls no punches, ripping into the superficial, fame-chasing MCs and stating that he’s here to change the game. And that’s the word on the real, homies!
