Rapp Snitch Knishes

"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.

Composition

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

Critical reception

David Jeffries of AllMusic wrote, "Mr. Fantastik gives fakes a proper whooping on the excellent 'Rapp Snitch Knishes.'" Nick Sylvester of Pitchfork also praised Mr. Fantastik's performance, writing he "hardly embarrasses himself". 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."

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

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."

Certifications

References

1. MF Doom
2. Take Me to Your Leader (King Geedorah album)
3. Mm..Food
4. Madvillain
5. The Mouse and the Mask
6. KMD
7. Black Bastards
8. Special Herbs, Vols. 5 & 6
9. Vaudeville Villain
10. Madvillainy
11. Born Like This
12. One Beer (Madvillain song)
13. MF Doom production discography
14. Doomsday (MF Doom song)
15. Operation: Doomsday
16. Danger Doom
17. Super What?
18. MF Doom discography
19. Special Herbs, Vols. 4, 5 & 6
20. VV:2