Rapp Snitch Knishes

"Rapp Snitch Knishes"
Song by MF Doom featuring Mr. Fantastik
from the album Mm..Food
Released16 November 2004
GenreHip hop
Length2:52
LabelRhymesayers
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Daniel Dumile

"Rapp Snitch Knishes" is a song by British-American rapper MF Doom featuring rapper Mr. Fantastik, taken from the former's fifth studio album Mm..Food (2004). It uses an instrumental titled "Coffin Nails" produced by MF Doom himself (under the alias Metal Fingers), which contains a sample of David Matthews' rendition of "Space Oddity" by David Bowie.

Background

In an interview with XXL, MF Doom stated "At the time I wrote the song, I think I was with one of my boys and we stopped and got knishes that day. It's just something that resonated with me." He further explained:

Words that rhyme with knish...any aspect of that, how it sounds, how it can match with something in society. So "rap snitch" and "knishes" kinda go together. So it was easy to find a title. The challenge was coming up with good enough references to make a song.[1]

Composition

The production features a sped-up electric guitar riff, sampled from a cover David Matthews' of "Space Oddity", looping over a boom bap beat.[2][3] Lyrically, it criticizes rappers who self-incriminate by rapping about crimes they committed in their own songs.[4]

Critical reception

David Jeffries of AllMusic wrote, "Mr. Fantastik gives fakes a proper whooping on the excellent 'Rapp Snitch Knishes.'"[5] Nick Sylvester of Pitchfork also praised Mr. Fantastik's performance, writing he "hardly embarrasses himself".[6] Rapper Mos Def said of the song in a video conversation with HipHopDX, "This song needs to be out, and it needs to be a hit."[7]

Complex placed the song at number 22 on their list "The 50 Funniest Rap Songs".[4] Paste ranked it number 12 in their list of "The 25 Best MF DOOM Songs".[3]

In other media

In December 2018, author and veteran sportswriter Mike Lupica quoted lyrics from the song on The Beat with Ari Melber when talking about President Donald Trump's former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, who had been involved in the Mueller special counsel investigation, telling Ari Melber (who often references hip hop lyrics during his show): "I was just going to tell you that I know what you were thinking about Michael Flynn today. It was the old MF DOOM line: 'Snitches tellin' all their business / Sittin' in court and bein' their own star witness."[8]

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[9] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[10] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "DOOM Shares The Stories Behind Ten Of His Best Verses". XXL. October 18, 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  2. ^ Tart, Chris (February 12, 2015). "#TBT: MF Doom". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  3. ^ a b Russell, Scott (January 8, 2021). "The 25 Best MF DOOM Songs". Paste. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  4. ^ a b Rosenthal, Eric; Rosenthal, Jeff; Ju, Shirley (March 13, 2018). "The 50 Funniest Rap Songs". Complex. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  5. ^ Jeffries, David. "Mm...Food – MF Doom". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 12 April 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  6. ^ Sylvester, Nick (November 15, 2004). "MF Doom: Mm..Food?". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 12 September 2016. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  7. ^ "Mos Def Praises MF DOOM, Compares Against Lil Wayne". HipHopDX. Mar 27, 2009. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  8. ^ Yoo, Noah (December 7, 2018). "MF DOOM Quoted on MSNBC by Sportswriter Mike Lupica". Pitchfork. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  9. ^ "British single certifications – Mf Doom Ft Mr Fantastik – Rapp Snitch Knishes". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  10. ^ "American single certifications – Mf Doom – Rapp Snitch Knishes". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 6, 2024.