Verified archive entry

Message To B.A. (Interlude)

Message To B.A. (Interlude) is a diss track by N.W.A. targeting Ice Cube. N.W.A. answered former member Ice Cube after his departure amid royalty and management disputes; the exchange later culminated in “No Vaseline.”

Released1991
Annotated4
ExplicitYes
Addressable transcript

Lyrics & breakdown

Demo lines only. Select a line number to copy a stable deep link.

  1. 01

    [Intro: Dr. Dre]

    02

    A message to Benedict Arnold: No matter how hard you try to be, here's what they think about you!

  2. 03

    [Answering Machine Messages]

  3. 04

    [Female caller 1]

    Multi-line diss block
    05

    Hello? I was at The Celebrity... and I was wonderin' why that punk Ice Cube was cryin' after he got his ass beat by ATL?

    Block noteForces the dispute into a direct contest

    TargetIce Cube

    MeaningWhat it means: In “Hello? I was at The Celebrity... and I was wonderin' why that punk Ice Cube was cryin' after he got his ass beat by ATL?,” N.W.A. addresses Ice Cube as an opponent who must prove the claims being made rather than rely on reputation. Why it was said: N.W.A. answered former member Ice Cube after his departure amid royalty and management disputes; the exchange later culminated in “No Vaseline.” The challenge narrows the argument to performance under pressure, where refusing or failing to answer can itself be presented as a loss for Ice Cube.

    ContextN.W.A. answered former member Ice Cube after his departure amid royalty and management disputes; the exchange later culminated in “No Vaseline.”

  4. 06

    [Beep]

  5. 07

    [Male caller 1]

    08

    Yo! Dat nigga was sayin' he from Compton? He ain't from Compton, he was from a planet called: "Punk!" he was fed pussy, protein and pearl tongue!

  6. 09

    [Beep]

  7. 10

    [Female caller 2]

    Multi-line diss block
    11

    All I wanna know is why y'all let his punk-ass in the group in the first place, when you knew what kinda bitch he was?

    Block noteUses a pointed question as an accusation

    TargetIce Cube

    MeaningWhat it means: In “All I wanna know is why y'all let his punk-ass in the group in the first place, when you knew what kinda bitch he was?,” N.W.A. puts Ice Cube's conduct on trial through a question that is meant as a challenge, not a neutral request for information. Why it was said: N.W.A. answered former member Ice Cube after his departure amid royalty and management disputes; the exchange later culminated in “No Vaseline.” The question shifts the burden onto Ice Cube: any answer must accept the premise raised in the lyric or explain why that premise is false.

    ContextN.W.A. answered former member Ice Cube after his departure amid royalty and management disputes; the exchange later culminated in “No Vaseline.”

  8. 12

    [Beep]

  9. 13

    [Male caller 2]

    14

    Yeah, I was in the New Music Seminar in New York!

    15

    And I watched that punk muthafucka run while the rest of his homeboys got they ass beat!

  10. 16

    [Beep]

  11. 17

    [Female caller 3]

    Multi-line diss block
    18

    Hello? I'm callin' in to say since Ice Cube is suckin' so much New York dick, could he come and eat some of this Chicago pussy?

    Block noteUses gendered or sexual humiliation

    TargetIce Cube

    MeaningWhat it means: In “Hello? I'm callin' in to say since Ice Cube is suckin' so much New York dick, could he come and eat some of this Chicago pussy?,” N.W.A. uses gendered or sexual language to question Ice Cube's masculinity or humiliate the target in front of the audience. Why it was said: N.W.A. answered former member Ice Cube after his departure amid royalty and management disputes; the exchange later culminated in “No Vaseline.” The tactic tries to trigger an emotional reply and damage Ice Cube's public image, even though the framing itself can reproduce homophobic or sexist stereotypes.

    ContextN.W.A. answered former member Ice Cube after his departure amid royalty and management disputes; the exchange later culminated in “No Vaseline.”

  12. 19

    [Beep]

  13. 20

    [Men]

    21

    I smell... [3 sniffs] PUSSY!

  14. 22

    [Beep]

  15. 23

    [MC Ren]

    Multi-line diss block
    24

    Yeah, nigga; when we see yo' ass, we gon' cut your hair off and fuck you with' a broomstick!

    Block noteImagines the battle as physical destruction

    TargetIce Cube

    MeaningWhat it means: In “Yeah, nigga; when we see yo' ass, we gon' cut your hair off and fuck you with' a broomstick!,” N.W.A. converts lyrical defeat into death, shooting, burial, or bodily harm directed at Ice Cube. Why it was said: N.W.A. answered former member Ice Cube after his departure amid royalty and management disputes; the exchange later culminated in “No Vaseline.” The violent image makes the response sound final: instead of proposing an endless exchange, the artist depicts Ice Cube as unable to return for another round.

    ContextN.W.A. answered former member Ice Cube after his departure amid royalty and management disputes; the exchange later culminated in “No Vaseline.”

  16. 25

    [Beep]

  17. 26

    [Outro: Dr. Dre]

    27

    Think about it, punk muthafucka