David Copperfield vs Harry Houdini/Rap Meanings

Harry Houdini
You've never seen a body quite the same as that of Houdini!

Slippery like linguini, sneaking out of teeny-weeny

Little spaces, small enough to fit your talent David!

(He claims that Copperfield has very little talent that could fit in the boxes or cases that he escaped from)

'''You're not a challenge David! '''

Your biggest endeavor is your bank account balances, baby!

So abracadabra, you billowy bitch!

Man, you look like a pirate on a Las Vegas strip!

I'm swallowing needles and spitting out evil, you couldn't escape from a flash paper bag!

(One of Houdini's tricks was supposedly swallowing a whole line of needles. Here, he says he spits out, or regurgitates, the needles as evil, or lines.)

A batter with patter, and matter of fact, you can't match my skill if you saw me in half!

(Houdini continues to jab Copperfield for having little skill compared to him, and even goes as far as saying he's nowhere near half of his skill)

David Copperfield:
'''When I was a child, you were a god to me. I had to do what you do.'''

(Copperfield admits that Houdini was his childhood inspiration to get into magic)

But now you're like a Chinese wall to me, bitch, I'll walk right through you, 

(Copperfield walked right through the Great Wall of China, and he's saying that he'll do the same to Houdini, walking right through him to victory as if he didn't exist. Aside from that, he calls Houdini a bitch.)

This ain't the magic that you're used to.

(Over the years modern magicians such as Copperfield, Criss Angel, Penn & Teller, and many others have done new magic tricks such as levitation of themselves and/or others, walking on water, bringing paintings to life, and more. Copperfield says Houdini isn't familiar with these kinds of new tricks.)

I float on ropes, handsfree, like it's Bluetooth.

(Bluetooth was a technological advancement that allowed hands free use of technology. Copperfield is saying that his magic is quite advanced compared to Houdini's.)

My grand illusions make your parlor tricks irrelevant,

(Copperfield is saying his magic is so much grander than Houdini's magic, which he compares to "parlor tricks" and says that such pathetic magic would leave him forgotten.)

The foot of Lady Liberty is stomping on your elephant.

(Copperfield famously made the Statue of Liberty (or "Lady Liberty") disappear. Houdini did likewise with an elephant. The enormity of the statue compared to just an elephant makes Copperfield superior to Houdini, he claims, saying he’s “stomping” on him with it.)

You failed at making movies, and you failed at making kids,

(Copperfield is mocking Houdini's poor film career and the fact that he didn't have any children.)

You should stick to what you're good at and lock them lips!

(Continuing on from the last line, Copperfield is telling Houdini to do something he's good at, such as being locked up, whilst also telling him to stay silent.)

(Ohh!) Here's a tidbit that might drive you nuts,

(A tidbit is a small piece of tasty food, but more commonly used as a word meaning a small piece of gossip or information. David is giving him a taste of what he can do as well as some information which he explains in the next line, which he claims could drive Houdini insane.)

I bought half your shit, and I keep it locked up!

(Copperfield has amassed a large amount of magic memorabilia. His collection has cost him upwards of $200M and includes the world's largest Harry Houdini museum, therefore “half Houdini’s shit”, or many of his belongings, are owned by Copperfield, and like its previous owner he keeps them locked up.)

Got the slim fingers that are built for sleights,

(Copperfield claims he has nimble fingers that were made for “sleights”, referring to sleight of hand, the hand methods and finger techniques used by performing artists in many art forms to entertain or manipulate, commonly used by magicians to trick the audience into believing their illusions.)

You're a chunky stuntman; dressed in tights!

(Houdini is famous for daring escapes. Copperfield is dissing Houdini's clothing and calling him overweight whilst referencing how in films, stuntmen are used for doing such escapes, calling Houdini merely a stuntman whilst elevating Copperfield to the primary actor.)

You talk shit about your hero; that ain't right!

(Houdini' became friends with the author of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This friendship ended when Doyle's wife invited Houdini to a seance and Houdini disproved it, leading Houdini to publicize the foolishness of the Doyle family and begin his 'famous war' on psychic mediums)

But you can look up to me now; I know you like heights!

(Copperfield is continuing from the last line, calling himself Houdini's hero and someone he would "look up to" or take inspiration from. Copperfield is also referring to how he was often suspended over something during his daring escapes, such as over the Hudson River. Copperfield is saying that he is far above Houdini in a metaphorical sense, being substantially greater and thus above Houdini, in saying that Houdini can look up to him, whilst continuing this metaphor. Houdini also was famous for height related stunts and took an interest in aviation, buying a plane in hopes of being the first man to fly a plane in Australia.)

Harry Houdini:
'''Ah! Your hack of a Bob Saget-y act is embarrassing!'''

(Houdini starts of by calling Copperfield's magic tricks not only a comedy act like the ones American stand-up comedian Bob Saget does, but he claims that it's just a rip-off from other magicians. To top it all off, he claims he should be ashamed of it instead of bragging.)

You're the saddest thing to happen to Magic since The Gathering!

(Houdini is saying Copperfield's magic and influence to the magic industry was the most pathetic thing since Magic the Gathering, a popular trading card game created in 1993.)

I'm hanging by my ankles, on a crane I dangle

(Houdini performed numerous acts that involved him hanging upside down, usually chained or wearing a straight-jacket. To make this even more spectacular, he would hang from a crane high up in the air.)

I got lox on my bagel that you couldn't handle!

Smash your mirrors while your flying wires tangle,

'''You can't hide shame with a camera angle. '''

(Many of Copperfield's tricks invole the angle that the camera is held at. Houdini exposes Copperfields success as camera tricks and shames him for it.)

Criss Angel
'''Did somebody say... Angel?'''

(Criss Angel mistakes the word "Angle" for "Angel", and steps in.)

Harry Houdini
No.

(Houdini confirms he did not, in fact, mention Angel.)

Criss Angel
Oh...

(Criss Angel is saddened by this fact.)

David Copperfield
See, would they be watching if it wasn't for me?

(Criss Angel is one of the other current magicians, known for his dark appearance. David insults him, saying that without him, people would be stuck watching someone like Angel.)

Magic is supposed to make you happy,

(David believes magic should be entertainment and uplifting, unlike Angel and Houdini's more serious takes on it.)

While you waste time proving everybody wrong

(Besides doing tricks, Houdini constantly proved many things wrong, including seances, where he revealed one of the most famous acts. By doing this, David says Houdini is ruining all the fun magic is supposed to be.)

I'm backstage getting my supermodel groove on

(Both of David's wives are supermodels.)

You can relax, take a private trip, to my private island, suck my private dick!

(One of David Copperfield's largest possessions is his chain of 11 islands. He suggests Houdini take a trip to them and suck his dick.)

Or play Monopoly or Halloween brunch, deep-fried sucker with a side of punch!