Meaning of "The I.N.C. Ride" by Masta Ace

"The I.N.C. Ride" is a song that celebrates the joy and freedom of riding in a car, specifically highlighting the rap culture's affinity for luxurious vehicles and booming sound systems. The song opens with Masta Ace introducing himself as part of the I.N.C. crew, claiming to have more "Biz" (meaning success, influence, and talent) than Biz Markie, the renowned rapper and beatboxer. He boasts of his skills on the microphone, declaring his ability to hype up people and leave them in awe.

Throughout the song, Masta Ace portrays himself as a figure to be admired and respected, comparing the power and impact of his rap to the force of lightning. He expresses his determination to impress and dominate the rap scene, illustrating this with references to powerful vehicles like Cadillac Coup DeVille and Chevy Camaro (referred to as a "Caddy" and a "Burban" respectively).

The song's chorus emphasizes the geographical reach of the I.N.C. crew and rap culture as a whole, highlighting that the love for riding and music extends from the East side to the West side, and from the North side to the South side of various neighborhoods. This reinforces the unity and shared enjoyment of the passion for automotive culture and rap music.

Lyrically, Masta Ace demonstrates his ability to deliver intricate flows and wordplay, weaving in references to popular culture and other rap artists. He mentions the infamous feud between Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes of TLC and the rapper group Da Brat, referencing a line from the TLC hit "Waterfalls" ("The roof is on fire"), while playfully dismissing any comparisons to Left Eye.

Overall, "The I.N.C. Ride" captures the spirit of the rap culture in the 90s, celebrating the joy of cruising in luxurious cars, showcasing skillful wordplay and boasting about one's talent on the microphone.