Alotta cats don't like adlibs...dropping ill lines shows more talent than a lame gimmick adlib, they say. And sure, some adlibs can get annoying after a while. But, generally, I'm a sucka for an ill adlib. They can really have a strong effect on a verse...be it adding humour, emphasing a punchline or just displaying all around swagger. But which artists' adlib phrases are the coolest? Let's explore...
10. Jim Jones "Ballin!" You gotta mention it...cos everyone associates Jim Jones with the phrase. In fact, it's hard to bring him up without impersonating the adlib...it's just too funny for some reason!
9. Joe Budden: Various ("Ill! (Ill!), "Waitaminute", "Ugh!") Budden has some real cool adlibs. The "Ill!" echo thing that appears throughout his Mood Muzik mixtapes is cool (even though I'm pretty sure that's actually not him saying it). His other adlibs are always delivered passionately and add emphasis to the accompanying lyrics.
8. Pusha T: "Yeeuuughh!" This is a great one...often delivered when the beat cuts out for a sec, really grabbing the listener's ear. He spits this adlib with such nastiness that it rightly became Pusha's calling card...at any Clipse show just listen to the crowd join him in the infamous "Yeeuuuughh!" delivery.
7. Master P: "Uhhhhhhhhh!" This is more of an infamous one. Master P ruled the game in the mid-to-late 90s, and this adlib became synonymous with the man. So...it's pretty much historical and shit. And it's real fun to do too...
6. Sandman - "Yeah...cannons!" This one has to be included due to sheer persistence: it appears at the beginning of every Sandman appearance (it sounds pretty awesome over heavy, intense beats like those featured on the Clipse's We Got It 4 Cheap Vol 2 Mixtape). His label, C.A.N.N.O.N.S. Inc., includes a deep list of artists including HouseWife, Lil’ Spazz, Lo’ Pro, Kawshen, Wild Bill, Eddie Somerset, Teflon, Chris Bugz, Cheech Myers, Rush and Filthy Rich. I guess he's trying to get a little more exposure to his project with his ever present adlib. And hey...it worked: here I am giving it some light.
5. Jadakiss: "Eh haa!" This is just a real cool sounding adlib. It is a fun adlib and almost tongue in cheek. It says "Yep...it is me. And I am so fly I can laugh about it but make it sound crazy cos ya'll muthafuckas love me"
4. Rock: *Wierd evil laugh* ("hehehehe") / Ruck (Sean Price): "P!" Heltah Skeltah bring it collectively. Rock has that awesome evil laugh thing going on in most of is verses, right in the background when he drops a quotable. Like his lines, the evil laugh is also tongue in cheek and helps bring you into the whole crazy gangsta shit he does so well.
Then there is Sean Price. His famous "P!" shout is addictive as hell. Hearing the "P!" is unlike anything else in hip-hop. With the holler of that one simple letter, Sean delivers emphasis of a punchline and is also pretty much reminding us he has control of the mic...all attention should be directed towards his verse, if it wasn't already. His lines demand our ears, so listen up to "P!"
3. DMX - *Bark*, *Growl* Nothing really needs to be said here. The whole concept of the bark is crazy...crazy enough that it works almost as well as any adlib in the game. The first time you hear him imitating the sacred canine with barks and growls you almost don't know how to react...all you know is, you want to hear it again. And again.
2. Playboy Tre - Various ("Nah!", "Mayne!", *high pitched wierd laugh*) I just love Playboy Tre's adlibs. The southern veteran doesn't rely on crazy rhymes, word plays and flow, but more on actual content, often emotional. His adlibs therefore are vital to his verses, and they are delivered with such weight and meaning that they become highlights. Then he has this cool little laugh which he does sometimes, which is almost like the antidote for his more angry, passionate adlibs.
1. Young Jeezy - Various ("Yeah!", "Dayum!", "Haha!") Jeezy. Obviously number one. The long "Yeah!" he spits is infectious. Some of my favorite adlib tracks of his are the UGK jawn with Jigga "I'm Throwed" and the T.I. joint "I'm Straight". Also he has my favourite adlib progression of all time, occuring in the song "Don't Get Caught," where he spits (adlibs in brackets):
"Some niggas rob (What?) / Some niggas slang (For real?) / Some niggas stack (Nawh!) / Some niggas bang (Yeh!)"
and the "Yeh!" at the end just cracks me up. It's hard to explain why it's so funny...it's delivered so forcibly when you wouldn't really expect it...it's adlib genius...that's Jeezy.
