who said hip hop lyrics were unintelligent?

[mark414]

today is the shadow of tomorrow
today is the present future of yesterday
yesterday is the shadow of today
the darkness of the past is yesterday
and the light of the past is yesterday
the days of yesterday are all numbered in sum
in the world once
because once upon a time there was a yesterday
yesterday belongs to the dead
because the dead belongs to the past
the past is yesterday
today is the preview of tomorrow but for me
only for my better and happier point of view
my point of view is the thought of a better or try
reality is today of eternity
the eternity of yesterday is dead
yesterday is as one
the eternity of one is the eternity of the past
the past is once upon a time
once upon a time is past
the past is yesterday today
the past is yesterday today
while we're searchin for tomorrow

the light of the past is the light which was
the wisdom of the past is the light of the past
the light of the future is the light which is to be
the wisdom of the future is the light of the future see
yesterday belongs to the dead
tomorrow belongs to the living
the past is certified as a finished product
anything which has ended is finished
that which is perfect is finished
the perfect man is no exception to the rule
the perfect man of the past is made according to the rule of the past
the rule of the past is a law of injustice and hypocrisy
the revelation of the meaning of the law is revealed through the law itself
the wisdom of the past is the light of the past
the light which is to be the wisdom of the future
the light of the future casts the shadows of tomorrow

quasimoto (aka madlib) and the supervillain (aka mf doom)

together, madvillian

from the album madvillainy

[Nevernose]

1. Derivative, cliched

Gets better towards the end, though.

[mark414]

2. would you have said that

had you known that the lyrics were inspired/derived from a sun ra song?

[Nevernose]

4. Nope

I have no idea who Sun Ra is (the jazz musician? If so, my appreciation just rose), or even how this song sounds set to music. Also, when I said "derivative", I was thinking about 19th century poetry, not modern hip hop. All I know is what you posted, and the first stanza, especially, seems a little too familiar for comfort.

In the first stanza I like:
the days of yesterday are all numbered in sum

and

today is the preview of tomorrow but for me
only for my better and happier point of view
my point of view is the thought of a bette

From the second stanza, the following lines interest me:

the perfect man of the past is made according to the rule of the past
the rule of the past is a law of injustice and hypocrisy
the revelation of the meaning of the law is revealed through the law itself

Finally, I'm not a hip-hop hating asshole. I just haven't found snything in this song to float my proverbial boat.

[gospelized]

3. there's plenty of intelligent rap

check out my buddy Subtitle

http://www.benbarnes.net/Unstoppable03.htm

[seventhson]

5. Cool - AND MOS DEF's new cd will be out any day now!!!!

Mos Def is a Prophet, Y'all.

Mark my words his music and lyrics are very very very intelligent and beautiful.