Hip-Hop for Breakfeast
For more than a decade now, Gorillaz and hip-hop have collided to create an abundance of catchy beats with sick lyrics, and it doesn’t seem like they plan to stop! That being said, choosing just one song to discuss and break down can be quite the difficult decision. However, whenever I turn on my TV to check-up on the world news, I’m often reminded of one particular song: Dirty Harry. Specifically, the verses from Pharcyde member (and personal favorite of mine) Bootie Brown. His verses are detailing the viewpoint of a soldier, and the specific weight the lyrics carry may be missed if you’re not paying attention! But, really, that can often be said about most rap. Regardless, today I plan to take Bootie’s verse and break down the lyrical prowess of the bars, both in it’s deep meaning and impressive rhymes. So, without further ado, let’s dig in!
It’s important to note that the song’s title, “Dirty Harry” is VERY important to the contents within it. Dirty Harry is a film staring Clint Eastwood as a member of the San Francisco Police Department, and is very known for it’s controversial themes, from police brutality to victims’ rights and the nature of law enforcement, which reflects upon the lyrics found in the song, which focuses on war and violence.
Bootie starts off his verse with a sick rhyme scheme that really hooks the listener in the moment you hear his voice:
♪ from “Dirty Harry”
Four bars into the song, he starts giving us that lyrical goodness we admire oh so much. This verse details that he is, like I said, a soldier fighting for his country, who has a peacekeeping mission. He details that he changes the opposing side’s location from the battlefield to a pine coffin that’s six feet under, obviously meaning death, and that he does not understand the reasoning behind the constant onslaught of killing that ensues, yet continues to follow orders. He also mentions that it’s that onslaught that has left him on constant alert.
♪ from “Dirty Harry”
Continuing from the last verse, Bootie talks about the hardships of war. Specifically, the amount of anger and hatred found on the battlefield, and how much it bothers him, despite letting that same hatred control him. He also talks about the change in lifestyle from home to war, such as missing close family, water conditions, the mentally-scarring events and PTSD that affects many soldiers after experiencing war. Also, to add onto this, in the third bar, he references the Iraq War by saying he’s the reason you can “…fill up your Isuzu”, Isuzu being a type of motorcycle.
♪ from “Dirty Harry”
He mentions again that war has left him on constant alert both day and night, and that it’s left him a “light sleeper”, while also talking about the constant bloodshed of war and the mass amount of lives taken because of it.
♪ from “Dirty Harry”
Nearing the end of his verse, Bootie references being in the desert with his street sweeper (military slang for machine gun), which may be a metaphor for how useless and endless the war seems, like sweeping in the desert. Afterwards, he references past American President George W. Bush’s flying of a Navy S-3B Viking aircraft, which followed up later that day with a speech declaring the war in Iraq is over. He wonders if perhaps his position as a soldier is being used to pursue the self-focused plans of higher-ups and leaders.
♪ from “Dirty Harry”
He ends his verse by reminiscing of a time when he was carefree and enjoying life, or dancing, and wishes that he could do nothing but relive and experience those good times once more.
♪ from “Dirty Harry”
In conclusion, Bootie Brown’s verse on Dirty Harry details the troubles and woes of a soldier overseas, the questions and wonders that he asks himself, and the wish to relive and go back to happier times. His verse is not only written to be absolute poetry, but is also jam-packed with incredibly well-knit bars and excellent rhymes, producing a verse that’s both poetic and pleasing to the ear, which is why I rank it as one of the best guest verses in all of Demon Dayz, and perhaps one of the best guest verses in the entire Gorillaz discography.