El-P interview: the story behind "Habeas Corpses (Draconian Love)" ft. Cage

El-P tells Open Mike Eagle the story behind "Habeas Corpses (Draconian Love)," his dystopian sci-fi-inspired song featuring Cage from 'I'll Sleep When You're Dead.'
From What Had Happened Was season 2.
#ElP #RunTheJewels #WhatHadHappenedWas #IllSleepWhenYoureDead #bestof #interview
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About What Had Happened Was:
Open Mike Eagle Sits down with the legendary creators in hip-hop to discuss their life, impact, and legacy over the course of a season. Season one covers DJ Prince Paul (De La Soul, Handsome Boy Modeling School). Season two covers El-P (Company Flow, Run the Jewels) Brought to you by Stony Island Audio.

[@johnnyhummerick1514]

This is my favorite song of all time by elp. I think it maybe the most underrated rap songs of all time based on views. I've always wanted to hear elp talk about this song more

[@TroutBoneless]

no one talks about Cage much anymore this was the track that turned me into a big El-P fan. I was familiar with Can Ox and had heard some El-P on Aesop Rock tracks, and I was familiar with Cage's "Movies For The Blind," but then this song was the epitome of everything I liked about Cage and the production style that El-P used to elevate other rappers. Mike says something right off the bat that's exactly how i felt listening to this on a mix cd i made for driving home from work. It's a movie. It SHOULD be a movie. El-P NEEDS to make the soundtrack for a cyberpunk story

[@saihajsahni9225]

Beautiful song, love this explanation from El!🔥🔥

[@aaroncathey6706]

It is hands down one of my favorite rap songs. And I feel it doesn't get the plaudits it genuinely deserves.

[@TerhanPhillips]

I fuckin love you El p...

[@Kakashis]

I really thought this was interesting. I also thought it was inspired by living in the world of Deltron 3030 album/world. I typically listen to the trilogy of songs after 3030 as it seems like it is a different perspective from someone else there.

[@wukong1066]

This always felt same universe to me, so in my mind I make it so

[@Kakashis]

@@wukong1066 it really does though! I am glad someone else is on the same page and for that I hope you have a most wonderful day and days after that!

[@wukong1066]

Rap over the years has discouraged storytelling beyond street stories. Wutang, DOOM, del, and kool keith being sone notable exceptions. Aesop is an exceptional story teller whether primal (dog at the door) to poetic (blood sandwich). Cage and El-P definitely paint interestingly dark stories which ive appreciated over the years. I wish hiphop expanded more often beyond money, drugs, hoes, etc to tell deep stories.

[@sockgoop]

If you want some good rap that tells stories, check out Clipping. They're a really weird noise/industrial rap group with Daveed Diggs as the vocalist.

[@ottam]

I'm not sure if El-p is misremembering his own song, but the lyrics are "She could clean my gun and *I could help her* clean the floor". A woman cleaning a gun and a man helping a woman clean the floor is very un-patriarchal, in my mind. Also, "I'll tell her she's innocent, and she'll show me she's not" implies that he at least fantasizes that she consents to the act, if not instigates it. "I kiss the number on her arm and lay her on the cot" sounds very sweet and like something you would imagine in a movie with a Nazi running away with an Auschwitz prisoner. He is kissing the very symbol that posits her as an enemy and something inhuman. Of course, it's his song and he knows what he meant better than I do. But the lyrics of their imagined escape seem very much in contrast with his explanation.

[@SingingInTheRain2222]

I think these go into the main character's warped, twisted perspective of love, and how he is trying to grasp this idea of affection, but his condition as an executioner is corrupting his thought process. I personally read "she could clean my gun and I can help her clean the floor" not as an analysis of patriarchy, so to speak, but more like: "I want to live a normal life, even helping the missus with chores-" but he is unable to shake the imagery of violence he has been accustomed to, so in this scenario she is therefore cleaning his weapon. The man is fantasizing about a "normal" life with this woman, but guns and ID numbers are just so omnipresent in his life he is physically unable to shake the thoughts of these things even in the context of love. At the very least I do guarantee you that El-P is not misremembering his own song.

[@ottam]

@@SingingInTheRain2222 nice to get a thoughtful response from a fellow lyric lover. Cheers

[@FeintMotion]

gun is wang, cleaning the floor is banging

[@ottam]

@@FeintMotion And then there's this kind of comment, too.

[@FeintMotion]

@@ottam El ain't always a warrior poet he write about fuckin a lot yannoe

[@larrykendrick8253]

Face rippers.

[@jamiewilliams685]

Wish someone would write a song about the horrors of communism. Millions and millions slaughtered without remorse.

[@ottam]

I've come to realize something: things that have a "nice" intent are often beyond reproach. Communism, in intent, is for everybody to be equal. There is no income disparity, and thusly implied, no happiness disparity. It is the same with open borders or equity. They all *sound* nice and sympathetic. It doesn't matter that they both would absolutely destroy any society that they touch, because they sound nice. It doesn't matter than capitalism has done more to lift the poor from starvation, disease, and death. All we imagine is fat cats lighting their Cohibas off burning hundred-dollar bills, so we don't celebrate it like we should.

[@glovesforsocks4603]

lol only Millions capitalism has Billions

[@Drivesfastlikescats]

What good or insight do you figure that would accomplish for an American artist to touch on that subject? Fascism and capitalism are things that are actually relevant in the west, communism as a song topic in America you might as well be on some science-fiction like Deltron, there's no reason for it. Unless you just think it'd be neat I guess

[@jhonnyappleseed1786]

Sweet. So he wouldn't fight to save the country that made him a millionaire. What a stupid world we have created.

[@antoniodalmas6603]

The country didn't make him a millionaire. He made himself a millionaire. No one should be stupid enough to accept dying for some useless, made up war

[@Jphizzle96]

And what a stupid comment you have left

[@Vision_3030]

LOL

[@mediumvillain]

No country gave him musical talent. One of his earlier songs was a Company Flow track called "Patriotism" about what this country really is, go look it up. Anyway where are all you reactionary clowns coming from, you dont even know who this guy is

[@Burst644]

you're proof of the stupid world we live in