“Rock Co.Kane Flow,” featuring MF DOOM, is a highlight from De La Soul’s 2004 album, The Grind Date. The track showcases the group’s signature clever lyrics and innovative production, alongside MF DOOM’s inimitable style.
Produced by Jake One, the song is a sharp critique of mainstream hip-hop, emphasizing De La Soul and DOOM’s commitment to lyrical integrity over industry trends.
The Grind Date itself is celebrated for its lean sound, featuring production from J Dilla, Madlib, and 9th Wonder, and guest appearances from artists like Ghostface Killah, Carl Thomas, and Common.
Lyrics:
Up in them five-star tellies and two mic rhymes
Be them average MC’s of the times
Unlike them, we craft gems
So systematically inclined to pen lines
Without sayin a producer’s name, all over the track
Yeah I said it! What you need to do is get back
To reading credits, we them medics
Alphabetically stuck on that English
And knock it out before we pour
That sure shot more rock co.kane flow
–
From the top of the key, the 3 Villain
Been on in the game as long as you can wheelie your Schwinn
Turn the corner spinnin’, bust that ass and get up
Dust off the mask, whoever laugh give him a head up
He got jumped, it pumped his adrenaline
He said it made him tougher than a bump of raw medicine
To write all night long, the hourglass is still slow
Flow from Hellborn to Free Power like Wilco
And still owe bills, pay dues forever
Slay huge when it comes to who’s more cleverer
Use to wore a leather goose ski with a fur collar
Hand charged a fee for loose leaf words for dollar
Ya heard? Holla, broad or dude, we leave food
Eat your team for sure, the streets sure seem rude
For fam like the Partridges, pardon me for the mix-up
Battle for your Atari cartridges or put your kicks up
It’s a stick up
–
Now put your blix up, these Riddick Bowe cuts
Is swole like penile flicks, give 'em 20
The danger in his eyes’ll let you know he’s a brawler
Bring your tallest champs like that much taller
Ten pounds heavier, one step ahead of it
Vocab, stamina, style’s all irrelevant
34 Camps and cliques, units, squad crews and clans
Even your tongues’ll fuck around and leave your mouth
–
Doom brung that bum, there goes that news van again
Act like you knew like Toucan Sam and 'em
He eat rappers like part of a complete breakfast
Your rhymes ain’t worth the weight of they cheap necklace
String 'em up, bring 'em up under whack junk snack
And get that out your hand, punk, jump and get your dunk smacked
Foul, we all know the rules bro
You slow, you blow the soup on your fools, his Impulse like Yugo
–
You go lights, camera, action with no makeup
We De La to the death, or at least until we break up
Here’s a couple of nice guys who finished first
So nice try, but the prize is ours dispersed
They say the good die young, so I added some
Bad-ass to my flavor to prolong my life over the drum
Everyone cools off from bein’ hot
It’s about if you can handle bein cold or not!
And we was told to hop for no one, it’s what I dig bout Prince Paul
We stayed original ever since y’all
First to do a lot of things in the game, but the last to say it
No need to place it on a scale to weigh it
And don’t do it for the plays or to raise the bar
Yet it’s raised anyway, it’s so amazing, are
The three L.I. brothers from a other way of thinkin’
Hey your lady’s winkin’, I think you need to control that aura
Or I can hold her
–
The elements are airborne, I smell the success
(Yo let’s cookie cut the shit and get the gingerbread, man)
Sacrifice mics and push drugs to these rappers
Puff ponies 'til I turn blue in the lips
Sippin broads like 7-Up (ah) so refreshing
I think I’ll pop these verse like first dates to birthdates
De La Soul Get Animated Foir ‘Rock Co.Kane Flow’ Video [07-03-2025 | antimusic.com]
(Jensen) Platinum-selling, GRAMMY Award-winning hip-hop icons
De La Soul today release the brand-new visual for “Rock Co.Kane Flow” catapulting viewers into a bold, otherworldly universe where lyrical warfare meets sci-fi action.
In this reimagined, animated world, created by Matt Hutchings of Matt Hutchings Films, De La Soul members Posdnuos, Maseo, Trugoy The Dove and MF DOOM take on the roles of unstoppable superheroes, rising up to battle an alien invasion that symbolizes other MCs-those who lack the lyrical depth, authenticity, resilience, originality, and creative chemistry that De La and DOOM embody.
What unfolds is a visually striking battle of worlds: iconic hip-hop artistry versus hollow imitation. The superheroes repel the invasion with skill and spirit, ultimately emerging victorious and reaffirming their place in hip-hop’s pantheon.
Just like the track itself, which can be found on the 20th anniversary re-release of the group’s seminal album The Grind Date (BMG), the video is a powerful statement-celebrating collaboration, creative integrity, and unmatched lyrical mastery. It’s not just a fight scene-it’s a declaration: these superheroes of sound can’t be touched.
“With this project, we knew we wanted to create something special. Posdnuos had a clear vision of the vibe and comedic tone of the video, looking to recreate the group’s look during The Grind Date’s release back in 2004 (with a wrestling superhero twist),” says Hutchings. “We knew we didn’t want to go down the road of AI and Deepfaking, instead opting to create fully animated versions of all the characters, no small undertaking. We took influence from various superhero films and media, and drew upon hours of classic wrestling footage for reference. After months of animating, rendering and complex visual effects work, we were finally able to bring De La Soul & MF DOOM to the big screen just as they were in 2004.”
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of De La Soul’s seventh studio album, The Grind Date, BMG released a special package of the original album on vinyl and CD including bonus tracks and instrumental versions.
The Grind Date, originally released in 2004, showcases the groups signature blend of clever lyrics, innovative production, and a mix of playful and introspective themes including a plethora of featured artists such as MF DOOM, Ghostface Killah, Carl Thomas and Common.[1]
Nicely done, thanks for sharing it with us!
Video Description:
“Rock Co.Kane Flow,” featuring MF DOOM, is a highlight from De La Soul’s 2004 album, The Grind Date. The track showcases the group’s signature clever lyrics and innovative production, alongside MF DOOM’s inimitable style.
Produced by Jake One, the song is a sharp critique of mainstream hip-hop, emphasizing De La Soul and DOOM’s commitment to lyrical integrity over industry trends.
The Grind Date itself is celebrated for its lean sound, featuring production from J Dilla, Madlib, and 9th Wonder, and guest appearances from artists like Ghostface Killah, Carl Thomas, and Common.
Lyrics:
–
–
–
–
–
#DeLaSoul #MFDOOM #RockCoKaneFlow #TheGrindDate #HipHop #MusicVideo
De La Soul Get Animated Foir ‘Rock Co.Kane Flow’ Video [07-03-2025 | antimusic.com]
(Jensen) Platinum-selling, GRAMMY Award-winning hip-hop icons De La Soul today release the brand-new visual for “Rock Co.Kane Flow” catapulting viewers into a bold, otherworldly universe where lyrical warfare meets sci-fi action.
In this reimagined, animated world, created by Matt Hutchings of Matt Hutchings Films, De La Soul members Posdnuos, Maseo, Trugoy The Dove and MF DOOM take on the roles of unstoppable superheroes, rising up to battle an alien invasion that symbolizes other MCs-those who lack the lyrical depth, authenticity, resilience, originality, and creative chemistry that De La and DOOM embody.
What unfolds is a visually striking battle of worlds: iconic hip-hop artistry versus hollow imitation. The superheroes repel the invasion with skill and spirit, ultimately emerging victorious and reaffirming their place in hip-hop’s pantheon.
Just like the track itself, which can be found on the 20th anniversary re-release of the group’s seminal album The Grind Date (BMG), the video is a powerful statement-celebrating collaboration, creative integrity, and unmatched lyrical mastery. It’s not just a fight scene-it’s a declaration: these superheroes of sound can’t be touched.
“With this project, we knew we wanted to create something special. Posdnuos had a clear vision of the vibe and comedic tone of the video, looking to recreate the group’s look during The Grind Date’s release back in 2004 (with a wrestling superhero twist),” says Hutchings. “We knew we didn’t want to go down the road of AI and Deepfaking, instead opting to create fully animated versions of all the characters, no small undertaking. We took influence from various superhero films and media, and drew upon hours of classic wrestling footage for reference. After months of animating, rendering and complex visual effects work, we were finally able to bring De La Soul & MF DOOM to the big screen just as they were in 2004.”
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of De La Soul’s seventh studio album, The Grind Date, BMG released a special package of the original album on vinyl and CD including bonus tracks and instrumental versions.
The Grind Date, originally released in 2004, showcases the groups signature blend of clever lyrics, innovative production, and a mix of playful and introspective themes including a plethora of featured artists such as MF DOOM, Ghostface Killah, Carl Thomas and Common.[1]
Edit:
[1] https://www.antimusic.com/p/25/0703de_la_soul_get_animated_foir_rock_cokane_flow_video.shtml ↩︎