KMD는 MF DOOM이 초창기 시절 머물렀던 팀으로 당시에는 ZEV LOVE X라는 이름으로 활동했으며 고인이 된DJ SUBROC, ONYX THE BIRTHSTONE KID 과 함께 3명으로 구성된 트리오였다. 재즈 뮤직을 샘플링한 비트위에 더해지는 특유의 재치가 넘치는 유머러스한 가사와 유려한 랩핑은 같은 시기에 활동하던 DE LA SOUL, A TRIBE CALLED QUEST 같은 그룹들과 비교되기도 하는데 이들의 첫번째 앨범이었던 'MR.HOOD'는 마지막 앨범 'BLACK BASTARDS'와 함께 클래식으로 손꼽히는 작품이다.
[Zev Love X-Talking] Yeah, yeah, yeah, Imma set it off, Imma set it off soft And smooth, and smooth, yo, yo, listen to this groove. ? and it's about to move me, yeah, yo ?
[Zev Love X] I start it off with an answer, love smokes no cancer stick But on a dancers dick, there's a romancer of a rhyme text Time check timex, timeout, I'm X, for silence it's signex ? one what one did lesser one hundred Since duckets is under it, the cause stays funded Time says disperse the necessary to trigger release More verses and speeches from X this figure of speech
(You are nuthin but a) figure of speech
[Zev Love X] Yeah.. Verse two is picked up freeze stay frozen Reaches a stick up, while exhale blows in Peoples get sick up said as vapor goes in Suggested is hiccough, while I hold a rows in my fronts Once in go, see Sub for info Fee is the lingo, sixteen gets in though Dance til toenails ingrown Skeezin props, I send note for jimbo is bricko Every wind blown Sounds are boomin, emcees shouts doom is In the house after one, two'in ZL needs a nuprin Driftin like driftwood I ask if could Stay away from stiff hood So does R.I.F. Productions write up songs quite clever But light up a torch pipe R.I.F. will never I'm no snuff head I prefer headsets Decided nuff said for head sweats X, this figure of speech
(You are nuthin but a) figure of speech (You are) figure of speech (You are X) (You are nuthin)
[Zev Love X] Remain in a frenzy Stay craze as I pause in ya Benzy Then reach in haste to taste A sip of this throttle in a bottle Then shake ya hip but don't slip into follow The motto goes: sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll I prefer: love, hugs and hip hop soul And that's final, down to the sto' Cause is on vinyl So be sure to dub these sounds of a b-boy But X ain't no also ain't no decoy For KMD paints no Pigeoned as I talk drink free from a ? Image of a walking stick from a Mack Dad Wouldn't you rather dwell among those liable To rock well with tongues and stay tribal? Well in 80 dekka I'm extra hard to reach But I'll be expectin ya, says X, this figure of speech
(You are nuthin but a) figure of speech
[Zev Love X] Have a crooked letter humpback each Let the panter peach style screech Then skid through the sounds of earth tones We've grown (The Barber Subroc and The Birthstone Kid Onyx) Place of rest is Dooms (re-womb) we loopty toon And add a sonic kick Boom A dash of this then up next, last but not least Is Zev Love X, this figure of speech..haha
[Zev Love X] (..You are) figure of speech (You are nuthin but a) figure of speech. (You are X..) (You are nuthin but a X...) (...You are X) (..You are nuthin but a X) (...You are X) (..You are nuthin but a X) (..You are nuthin)
Mmm mmm, mmm mmm mmm Yeah this here's blues joint A lot of brothers don't like this joint Cause it might not be funk or funky (teach anyway, teach) It's more tribal And speaking to my only two real tribes out there now With the help of the Kause, yo Kause y'all with me? (yeah yeah) Hmm? Aight, so we feel to build open, the bananapeel blues Check it
The original man is the black man true? (true true true) Presented to the youth, is more than nuff proof But when one mixes truth with a goof Caused this contradiction and confusion so I raise the roof (raise it) Tongue to truth, it may sound like a good hand to feed from But follow this lead, we need to find what's true indeed Some get caught up in the thought of intellect And say he helped us, when it's his lumpless but that got us in this mess What a monkey (teach, gwan teach) I said a lot of brothers might not get this cause it ain't funky Sure enough we ain't gonna be played by no monkey See because the monkey fits the shoes In these bananapeel blues (ain't that somethin, ain't that somethin) Y'all with me? (yeah yeah)
Twas once said to remember that the soul is see-through How true we'll soon see as I check to what's written (check the script and read) Let's see uhh Genesis chapter two verse seven "Man became a living soul" so where's my man getting this Actual force, probably that same old can Or barrel of monkeys who call me and you a soul man And call my food a soul food Yeah I'm sposed to have soul, yet I'm uncivil and cruel And I come from apes, yet this monkey rapes And I'm a babboon, then soon to be coon And when I know this, I'm labelled a lunatic Racist rebel crazy Muslim Now face this monkey Truth is truth is what pays me And can a Muslim be fooled (not nowadays bro!) And can a quote unquote monkey be reformed (now cipher!) Yeah, and while me and you is warmed by the sun Most of all life or in existence, uhh I take this instance to ask If the monkey man was so pure why can't he endure (uh-huh) The sun which is the natural source for all living (uh-huh) Without giving up his life to cancer And three-fifths or less is the dancer Wrong answer Yeah wrong answer says the Kause And while his still skin rumples and wrinkles Zee L exposes a monkey's uncle (what's up with a monkey's uncle) (speak the truth) (it's smooth, it's smooth, I like this beat) (To the Gods out there, peace to the Gods) "(but tell me) how much more evidence do the citizens need?" [x16]
Ay-yo, peace god, Shaquan Allah! Yo peace, this J-Quest the Boogie Man Yo, peace, god, D-Black Peace to the gods! Tony D. from the Now Rule mob Ay-yo, ain't them the gods K.M.D. in matter of fact? Yeah, K.M.D. - yo, ain't them the brothers Brand Nubians? Yo, I heard they go by the name of the God Squad, what's up with that? The Five Percent and the Ansaar together? That is something totally new indeed, god, true indeed god
[Zev Love X] Check it out! Born again, my soul then, blends K.M.D. and Brand Nubian, friends X tends to grip palm in cousin calm In this knowledge of self, so commence to bombin' As alarmin' as a beep from your beeper What you needed was a wake-up call to the Sun, you sleeper You don't wanna get wolfed by the wolf, does ya? (Naaah) Good guessin' - switch the pitch up Another session from the infamous God Squad See, we's all peas in the same pod, god On and upright, getting downright knit With rod held up tight, 'cause I'm sick wit' Nitwit Witnesses knockin' at my door Preaching the Lord to change your life around I figure I just saw Jamar the other day uptown Give him a pound, it's no puzzle, relax The nit-wits guzzle 85 proof that's Max!
[Grand Puba Maxwell] God Cipher Divine, as I build on an incline Quick to help another, 'cause I know I'ma get mine Build-Powers think they hard, but they killin' they own kind Emphatically no, divine evil got him in his mind Now you caught a case you're in the mountains, you're a lifer With no skins from your girl, that's a He-Cipher-Monkey-Cipher Or you can use the next plan Vaseline, a magazine or your lovin' hand I know you know who got you livin' like this, Black man So honey, honey, honey, with the real big titties... "Let's get right down to the real nitty gritty now!" Put some clothes on that behind And maybe brothers wouldn't think skins all the time You wanna look lustful, but don't want them to lust Which is crazier than a bag of dust So weavy weavy weavy is quick to deceive me So I had to tell Weavy weavy, leave me
[Onyx the Birthstone Kid] Yeah, I hear you Haji, but yo, I got something for those that are Frontin' out there, god Now ain't that the pits - another brother's blown to bits But when the news hits, everybody catch fits He gets mad, but still at home we sits Piggin' out on the big pig, spoon to the grits Talkin' 85 jive, brothers they wanna get live But some funk while I strive See I strive, I gotta keep gods steppin' in harmony The devils try bombin' me, the devils try Tommin' me up But Now Cipher Way, I gots knowledge of self I been had it, but it's a bad habit to health See I build with the Nubians I chill with I fill with - my Zig-Zag-Zig I never lived big, I never lived large, I never lived fat The devil man in this land, he won't allow that So brother man, I don't wanna bust you But if you don't know the devil, then how can I trust you? Know'm sayin'?
[Lord Jamar] Ay-yo, true indeed Onyx, they don't know the time on the dial It's like this... Life's hardships Stones are placed and one must face trips Falls and spills and kills and cause mishaps These are some of his traps But I got a jewel which needs no gift wrap So just receive, believe when shown the light The devil gets left, the Gods gotta get right To the source of our loss, stop wearing the cross Do for self, kill that "Yes, sir, boss!" and When you do, from the other you won't beg Can't you see my brother, yo, the Arma-Legga-Leg Arm supreme Head And instead Of relyin', why don't you start tryin'? You say try is to fail, I say try is an attempt 'Cause when you stop tryin' that Makes victory exempt from your cipher The life you lead is not hype The Black man was not born to be a gutter snipe Or an alley cat - you should be steppin' to the rally fat Not just with dough, but with the knowledge you know So, get up and go Get yourself a book of life instead of living life like a hooker!
Know'm sayin, that's the knowledge of self And do for self! Black man gotta move on...
[Subroc] I see some so dense Man, from head to toe they're full of lead I flipped a brick, nah, I build a fort instead So I talked, chilled, before I flipped! 'Cause in actuality my man's mentality was stripped Back to the roots I am, that I am a king Cream in the coffee? No thanks, plaything You simple teenage, you thought you got the knack to be Black State of mind ain't like mine I got soul that you lack Each one teach in every town, we like that The God Squad is like Homey the Clown, we don't play that Coon, jigaboo, Uncle Toms in the mix Get a clue, or get the Book of Psalms, 82 and 6 "All gods, and children of the Most High" Cave-guys still fry in the Sun, and don't deny I got a third eyesight vibe that don't lie I AM that I AM good night, divine evil's the bullseye Bam! Right between the eyes! So y'all know who's the target right?
[Sadat X] Yeah, I hear ya Subroc, and I see it like this: It's a modern type of style, look at what I did A devil still can't build a pyramid I dug a - tunnel to Asia Wrote a speech with a laser Rush your brain with a [???] strain A god in god's clothing, and the devil's loathing Got enemies, but I really don't give a damn Smacked a man 'cause he tried to serve a plate of ham Disguised in a patty, my uncle Trevor's knotty dread [? He got a dude that's Fred, used to be a foot Fed The city {???] suspension?], and I forgot to mention That I'm the word buff, yes, enough is enough Zig-zag-zig, watch the Black man get big and burst The Black man is first I drive a black hearse and I bury all the devils With K.M.D. I can raise up my levels Bust it!
[everyone] Yeah! You know what I'm sayin'? It's time to build, it's time to build... We gotta raise up the dead... Word is bond, we gotta reach them - let 'em see the light You know what I'm saying? True indeed... 'Cause each one must teach one, that's how we reach one God Squad - getting down to the Nitty Gritty..
Boring... same ol' Sunday type shit Man, kinda boring Hey you, kid! (Who me?) Yeah you Ahh what are you listenin to in that there Walkman huh? (The new "Gas Face" rewrote'd by K.M.D. It's kind of funky with a lot of bass) Yeah but I bet you wonder where they got the bass from huh? (I don't really care) Don't care? Well let me you this story Go on now, let him tell you this story
[Zev Love X] Friday, I believe it was a payday Onyx, Subroc and myself goes out of subway To catch the X train, the drums roll Brooklyn Plan was a night of intense hookin We enter the club, where we hooked 'til we drop When stopped, to exit, I spoke of this prop Talked about her bouncing guns The word buns was on the tip of my fun swing {"All at once!"} Approached this big fat seven foot.. {"I'll teach you to talk to my girl!"} Said the hood Sub and I geesed, Onyx sped up the block And it was fast, I looked back and Fats was headlockin him I was clockin, about two blocks per minute And then I thought, that voice there's somethin definitely familiar in it Not long did I cram From the lows, I knows it was the 808 Man
[Chorus] "Thump... thump... THUMP! They heard the.." {Eight-oh-eight} {MAN!}
[Zev Love X] Clockin crazy mileage like a 60-deck of math Ducked into an alley like on Kickdrum Ave. Stopped and told Sub, but Sub was stumped I said do you recall the bass that thumped In the Jeeps of the streets, as the pedestrian bops? Heard with vocals where any hip-hop beat drops Y'know the bass fool! {"And everything happened as it did before"} But Sub wasn't passin it To escape harassment, I booked like a crook Out of sight, all my mics was took Conscience eatin me, my boy's hooked in Hook Off the 808 Man, so I peeps to look No immediate danger did I see myself in Watchin 'round the block thinkin "Ehh, who's missin him?" Onyx was headlocked and Subroc was half nelson'd Think I was wrappin up? Man, listen
[Chorus]
(Man you guys must have been really scared!) Was I? You think I wasn't?! Man I was petri-scared stiff! (What were you thinkin about?)
[Zev Love X] I was thinkin about my cousin Enus, if he asked me once He asked me a dozen times to go bowlin with him But still I wasn't runnin from the Bass, Man as he walked up Then from the back of my thoughts I forked up The teachings of Mr. Hood And I began to recall when suddenly it dawned on me Lesson one - if a sucker tries to come, let him come By then the hood was up on me Lesson two was to recite the words you can't do me none Even though you might be bluffin, it's nothin Follow procedure and sure 'nough, no doubt Left that seven foot fat hood whupped out Lesson three said a keeper of a hood is his brotherhood As we helped him up he said "Damn! You sure pack a punch, I had a hunch you was a hood Well if you ever need bass, hook up with the 808 Man"
[Chorus]
Say word Man tried to get me to throw hands, I had to go HU HUH! Yeah check it out yo, yo that's a tight headlock true indeed Yeah, the half nelson got me in a neck brace Yeah, but kid you know where they got the bass from now? (Yeah yeah, sure do!) Yeah yeah word But I'll tell you what I'll give you this exclusive K.M.D. album tape, unreleased! (Sweet, thanks!) (I'll let my boy Lil' Rock hear it, I'll let Bill hear it) (And my mom and dad will hear it) Yo yo, don't let nobody dub it, don't let nobody dub it Don't let somebody dub it, you'll get funked Now scram, or 808 Man'll do ya Now get up out of here, you thumpty-hump dump head (What?) Yeah yeah, just scram, scram Get out of here (808) {Man} ... (808) {Man}
[Zev Love X] (...Yeah) I started off with a question Can you perceive Right before yours ears move trickin My voice box make the choice to believe Yeah I see youre rootin For the words that I'm tootin Im just a pusher of this thing called money But whatcha smokin whats that ya gettin in Stop to buildin and growin To jump the hurdle that the wolf said suck
Hes a wolf!..And you a sheep Hes a wolf!..And you a sheep
[Zev Love X] I greet you peace but why call me money guy Do I resemble he who never told a white one Or him who freed us so where stands I Raise another question which ones the right one Some wish to live the single sing'em They know the half I know them from sixty If we all live the single how can we all sing Im creative but you cant remix me
Hes a wolf!..And you a sheep Hes a wolf!..And you a sheep
[Singing] They are nasty they will bite And if cornered they will fight Never ever go near..a wolf?
[Zev Love X] Concerning the N-word why's when I say it it gets no play Officially it means stupiD or ignorance Stay stupid or ignorant in place anyway Any how whats reinfored I cant out figure it I figure blue and donna grasp a stick shot is simple Now heres the plan strictly between you and me Through communication comes the unination And no wolf can down a brick house unity So feel free to dance but this is not all I heel the think Beware sheep of wolf in sheeps sun burn We bit his brand and we wear his clothing Then he mocks us in return Wolfman, whats up with this vibe you sendin me? What are you anywayway my friend or my foe? The way this is going you might just be the end of me And I still dwell here even though (He's a wolf!)
And you a sheep Hes a wolf!..And you a sheep
[Zev Love X] K-n-o-w War would trouble ya to Hell However take you express no shovel This is the land of the frightened The place of the slave and occassional unheard muffle Its up to you to decide by the fruit that his tree provides If not I'll embark by myself on the archany Marches the boy who cried (He's a wolf!)
And you a sheep Hes a wolf!..And you a sheep
[Singing] Now listen past your ear Just remember this my dear Never ever go near.. a wolf?
Hes a wolf! And you a sheep Hes a wolf! And you a sheep Hes a wolf! And you a sheep Hes a wolf! And you a sheep And you a sheep And you a sheep
[Subroc] Peace! This is the one Subroc Chillin here, with my partners And they're about to do, the Gas Face, rebuttal Yeah, quite subtle His name is Zev Love X He's gonna kick it next
[Zev Love X] And I'ma kick it like this (uh-huh) A Gas Face, can either be a smile or a smirk When appears, a monkey wrench to quirk one's clockwork A jerk threw a wrench, I thought it missed Made me so pissed I felt a ball in my fist To drive to place a blister on that certain mister That's one more on my list of scrubs lined up to kiss The very X on my Swatch watch ticker Every second on the second, I kick a rhyme to wreck it Every minute, catchin the bag, I'm fin' to skin it One of the more than one ways it pays to stay in it to win it Mike is riffin, think I'm gonna pay my bill still? On your grill you gets a Gasface Refill Ill, I hit and bend, what's up to style The owner of the hand, I never ran a mile In your shoes, sang blues with the so-called jewels You claim no lose if you choose to snooze You're just another Gasface Victim
[Subroc] Yeah, who's next? My man Yo he's gonna kick it His name is Onyx
[Onyx] And I'ma bust it like this Well if the face fits take it, eventually you have to make it If someone states that word is bond and then break it See my word is bond that I shall never dye my hair blonde Cause of my culture am I fond It's not the goal to give the Gas Face The goal is to uplift the whole soul race But if you step to this brother, thinkin punk is to peace It's a sad one (UH-UHHH, YOU CATCH A BAD ONE!) Check yourself, keep a gas mask handy Then shall you dig, you'll find it dandy To never leave home without it cause there's not a doubt about it That you'll end up short in this sport, so resort To a wise way of thinkin, never sleep, not even blinkin Never start sinkin in the old man's quicksand And if you fight, for others in the cause Then the gas face is truly yours
[Interlude] Yeah, signed and sealed Onyx, the birthstone kid Yeah I like that, one more time I'll tell you what - one more time, like this
[Zev Love X] Set up correct with the effect The second of two episode I recollect 'Twas not to dismiss a myth, with the stamp of approval And the super common blue eyes respect what the heck In the steps of the King Solomon who used a jin To clear his whole temple from within Does make my head spin, when one dares to question How one learns a lesson, you guess it turns
[Onyx] A smile to a frown, from a smirk to a chuckle Knowledge of self, a gas mask with a buckle Here rides the clan, this land with gas chamber Here to threat and bring sweat to the stranger That old serpent had the gall Saying that he knew how I felt, yet and still, he's living tall Yeah that's a laugh but surely we'll trick him Flip the coin, make him a Gas Face victim!
[Outro] Yeah, once again That's how we kicks it, for 80-deca Yeah, guess the B-Side wins it, y'knahmsayin? Yeah but who gets the Gas Face this time? No Gas Face for SD-50 No Gas Face for Plugs One, Two and Three No Gas Face for Michael and Peter No Gas Face for the Brand Nubains Preacher Porkchop ["Another Gas Face victim"] For all the Uncle Toms ["Another Gas Face victim"] What about the New York cabbies ["Another Gas Face victim"] Yo what about [?] the weird boy ["Another Gas Face victim"] No Gas Face for the Ansaars on the Ave No Gas Face for Frukwan the God Yeahhh no Gas Face to [?] the S.O.I. No Gas Face for my man D-Black No Gas Face for the engineer Ganz No Gas Face for the Nubian Nation Yeah, but uhh, what about that dude [?] The [?] ["Another Gas Face victim"] [babbling]