What is the meaning behind “Backpack rap crap, yap-yap, yackety-yack And at the exact same time, I attempt these lyrical acrobat stunts while I’m practicin’ that”? Rap God by Eminem
- by imrk
- March 24, 2023
Eminem has spoken of making non-rhyming words sound like they rhyme. This tricky pronunciation is referred to here as “lyrical acrobat stunts”. “Backpack Rap” is a term used to describe lyrical rap artists who go against the mainstream and are not commercially successful. Yackity-yak is defined as noisy, trivial talk. “Yackity-yack backpack” rappers might be similar to the “lyrical miracle” style he lampooned a couple of years before on BET . In both the linked BET cipher and the lyric being annotated here, Eminem may have been making fun of other rappers; but also may have been making fun of himself and/or his critics. Benzino —one of the rappers theoretically dissed by Eminem in “Rap God"—dissed Eminem years before in the song “Pull Your Skirt Up” by saying if he were black he would be just like Canibus , whom he called an out of style backpack rapper with complicated rhymes that no one cares about. The line may be a reference to the song “Yakety Yak” by The Coasters. In the song, “yackety yack” is followed by “don’t talk back,” which Em may be silently implying here.