Jay's reference to Bill Cosby's son on the Dynasty intro

[boskey]

So are we acting like "Ennis" not "Ennis Cosby" or "Bill Cosby's son" - but just "Ennis" was a household name 3 years after he was killed?

"Somebody like Ennis"-- Ennis Cosby is pretty much the only Ennis anyone has ever heard of.

Not hating on the verse, but this thread is confusing. He says his name and directly refers to how he was killed. He made it clear. That's not really an example of complex lyricism, its just a reference that is obscure to some but obvious to those that are familiar with the story...

 

[BruhMayne]

How many triple entendres has Jay had

Only one I can remember is from Dirt off your shoulder

 

[Foxmulder]

jay drop gems here and there....but he waste his intellect talking about dope or himself most of the time


waste of talent

Dude is a lot of people's GOAT, got a couple classic albums and is a hundred millionaire.I think he did pretty well with his talent.Everybody can't spit like the GOAT.

I'm slow as fukk back in the day I thought Ennis was some big time Brooklyn drug dealer.

 

[Yagirlcheatinonus]

I was more impressed with the beat on that intro

 

[Long Live The Kane]

It's a dope example of lyricism, very well written..personally not something I would expect to be needed to be decoded, but obviously not everyone is gonna get every reference off the jump

Would love to see a Decoded 2 with breaking down gems like

"I party with weirdos, yeah hov... Yeah hov"

 

[NvrCMyNut]

never read the quran or islamic scriptures
only pslams i read was on the arms of my nikkas



dynasty intro>>>>>

 

[mobbinfms]

"Somebody like Ennis"-- Ennis Cosby is pretty much the only Ennis anyone has ever heard of.

Not hating on the verse, but this thread is confusing. He says his name and directly refers to how he was killed. He made it clear. That's not really an example of complex lyricism, its just a reference that is obscure to some but obvious to those that are familiar with the story...

If he would have said "somebody like Ennis Cosby" - I'd completely agree with you. But Ennis Cosby was not well known enough for most people to make the connection just based off first name only. Plus the song dropped three afters the murder. It wasn't like it just happened.

Where is the direct reference to how Ennis Cosby was killed? Jay says you could go anytime just switching a spare (he doesn't say you could be murdered when changing a flat tire) on the highway of life (not the 405) - then he later mentions a guy named Ennis who's wealth and cavalier attitude made him envious.

He says this in between the reference to being able to die anytime and Ennis
nikka it's sharp in my sight
Oh! Keen senses ever since I was a teen on the benches

So its all there - but it needs to be put together. And you have to know who Ennis Cosby was and how he was murdered - b/c Jay doesn't come out and directly say "Bill Cosby's kid was murdered while changing a flat tire on the side of a highway".

 

[OG Talk]

"Somebody like Ennis"-- Ennis Cosby is pretty much the only Ennis anyone has ever heard of.

Not hating on the verse, but this thread is confusing. He says his name and directly refers to how he was killed. He made it clear. That's not really an example of complex lyricism, its just a reference that is obscure to some but obvious to those that are familiar with the story...

It's not even obscure.. It was a HUGE mainstream story..On major news networks nightly and on the cover of every mainstream super market publication..

It's literally like someone mentioning "Trayvon and Skittles" in 2016 and people being clueless about what he really meant



I'm sure they'll be some slow bus n1gga sayin "Well he didn't mention his last name, how we supposed to know who he was?"

 

[Poetical Poltergeist]

So are we acting like "Ennis" not "Ennis Cosby" or "Bill Cosby's son" - but just "Ennis" was a household name 3 years after he was killed?

His death was referenced in more than a couple of tracks by various rappers. Some references were not so kind.. ennis was also mentioned in a lot of bills comedy. maybe not a household name but most people familiar with bill knew that name well.

 

[mobbinfms]

His death was referenced in more than a couple of tracks by various rappers. Some references were not so kind.. ennis was also mentioned in a lot of bills comedy. maybe not a household name but most people familiar with bill knew that name well.

That's fair. And to be honest, maybe this is a reference that was immediately caught by me at the time (since his death was a big news story 3 years before the Intro) and those memories have faded with time making the line seem more obtuse and impressive.

 

[boskey]

It's not even obscure.. It was a HUGE mainstream story..On major news networks nightly and on the cover of every mainstream super market publication..

It's literally like someone mentioning "Trayvon and Skittles" in 2016 and people being clueless about what he really meant



I'm sure they'll be some slow bus n1gga sayin "Well he didn't mention his last name, how we supposed to know who he was?"

lol yeah it was def a huge story at the time I was being diplomatic

\ Jay says you could go anytime just switching a spare (he doesn't say you could be murdered when changing a flat tire) on the highway of life (not the 405) - then he later mentions a guy named Ennis who's wealth and cavalier attitude made him envious.

.

It wasn't exactly spoonfed but come on bro. 3 years isn't ancient history just say you've heard of him. This is hip hop, I guarantee there is TONS of other shyt you've missed if you need that level of detail..
www.rapgenius.com

 

[mobbinfms]

It's not even obscure.. It was a HUGE mainstream story..On major news networks nightly and on the cover of every mainstream super market publication..

It's literally like someone mentioning "Trayvon and Skittles" in 2016 and people being clueless about what he really meant



I'm sure they'll be some slow bus n1gga sayin "Well he didn't mention his last name, how we supposed to know who he was?"

It was a huge story - three years before the song. It was also a huge story because Bill Cosby's son was killed. Ennis did not go on to be a household name as a result. Everybody probably remembers that Cosby's kids was murdered - like they know Jordan's dad was murdered. First names though?

 

[mobbinfms]

It wasn't exactly spoonfed but come on bro.

But that's my whole point though. People are calling it a direct reference.

 

[the cac mamba]

Watch it my nikkas, I'm tryin to be calm but I'm gon' get richer
through any means, with that thing that Malcolm palmed in the picture
Never read the Qu'ran or Islamic scriptures
Only psalms I read was on the arms of my nikkaz
Tattooed so I carry on like I'm non-religious
Clap whoever stand between Shawn and figures

I

shyt breh id even say it looks like this

this is fukkin unreal

 

[boskey]

But that's my whole point though. People are calling it a direct reference.

He said his name, how much more direct can it get?

"Its time to fight back thats what Huey said, 2 shots in the dark now Huey's dead"
Pac didn't have to stop the song to explain the origins of the Black Panther Party and their significance or the details surrounding Huey Newtons death 7 years earlier, he just kinda expected people to already know this. If people don't get it, that doesn't make the line extra complex it just means people don't get it.

"Just cuz you don't understand him that don't mean that he bright"