Super Mario vs Sonic the Hedgehog/Rap Meanings

== Mario: ==
Let's-a go! Back to the Dark Age
("Let's-a Go!" is one of Mario's numerous catchphrases within the Mario universe. The ‘Dark Age’ refers to an Early Beginning of a time period. In other words, Mario's talking about his beginning where he was one of the first ever video game characters to be created (after Pac-Man) in the game, Donkey Kong.)
where a light shone forth stark in an arcade
(‘Stark’ is defined as ‘to an absolute or complete degree’ or ‘Sharply delineated’. "A light strongly lit down in an arcade, when Mario’s game started to become popular". "Stark" could also refer to Tony Stark/Iron Man from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as his film "Iron Man" was the very film that started the whole Marvel Cinematic Universe to begin with. the "Light" refers to not only the light of the miniature Arc Reactor in Tony's chest shown in said film, but also referring to the beginning of Mario's era where the light formed a stark crisp silhouette in a dark arcade)
embarking to shape the video game industry! 
(The 'light' from the previously mentioned verse would take a wild journey thirty-five years into the future to this very day shaping the video game industry. This can also connect to the Marvel Cinematic Universe once again, as the light that forms in Iron Man's Chest from the miniature Arc Reactor, is what was keeping Tony Stark alive. That Light that shone in the arcade long ago, is keeping Mario's franchise alive to this very day, and how it's popularity started similar to the Marvel Cinematic Universe)
If there's one mascot to thank, it's-a me!
(Continuing on from the previous verse, Mario exclaims that he's the mascot responsible for shaping the entire video game industry, and not Sonic. Although, Pac-Man was the very first game in the Hall of Fame and was one of the first video gaming icons of the 1980's (alongside Nintendo's Mr. Game & Watch). "It's-a Me!" is another one of Mario's many catchphrases within the Mario universe.)
Let's watch you clock out at Mach Speed
(Mario doesn't believe that Sonic is as fast as he claims to be, as Mario could be just as fast as he is, if not faster, if possible. Sonic's speed is also shown to be inconsistent within the Sonic Franchise, as often times Sonic's also shown to be walking normally and slowly without his signature running gimmick. "Clock Out" could also refer to being pummeled or knocked out, and Mario would likely clock Sonic while he's at mach speed, also figuratively as he still doesn't believe Sonic would be fast to beat even a clock.)
running away from my hedgehog stomp spree!
(As Mario has already established his dominance in the video game scene, Mario wants to see Sonic try and prove himself on the track. This can also refer once more to the Success of Mario's franchise overthrowing Mario's franchise in quality and popularity, stepping up on the blue hedgehog's territory. Mario compares Sonic to some of his enemies, such as the Goombas and Koopa Troopas, and would literally stomp on him if given the opportunity.)
Notice how a flame throwing pro bro spits!
(Aside from his jumps, another one of Mario's famous abilities is his pyrokinesis, as he gains the ability to shoot fireballs out of his hands when he picks up a Fire Flower, and in the RPG games and most spin-off titles, Mario is capable of using fire abilities without the aid of power-ups. Here Mario references those abilities, by saying that he "spits fire", which is a term for performing with skill and energy, especially when reciting poetry or rapping.)
Bring a hell far greater than the one of ‘06!
(Not only is Sonic the Hedgehog, or referred to as "Sonic '06" by the fanbase, is considered one of the worst games in Sonic's franchise, and it's plotline even consists of Sonic the Hedgehog's future becoming a literal hell due to a demonic creature of 'hellfire' causing it.)
Mario builds of his previous verse which references his pyrokinetic abilities, by saying the fire he unleashes will bring about a hell that is far greater than the one of Sonic '06, which is not only one of the worst games of all time, but the plotline of that game also tells about how Sonic's future becomes a hell. So Mario is saying that the hell he'll bring down on Sonic will not only be worse than the one he faced in Sonic '06, but it will also be even worse than the game itself.)''
It's a great gaming race, and you're getting lapped.
(Mario, once again, reiterates the severity of this confrontation. In all iterations of Mario versus Sonic, the preconceived notion is that Mario is the one defending his title, whilst Sonic is trying to win that title for the first time. It's always champion versus runner-up, and that's where Mario has the inherent advantage over Sonic, which he exploits in this line. The paradox of the wordplay here is that while Sonic is obviously incredibly fast, Mario's success in sales overlaps him in a metaphorical race track. Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System sold over forty million copies, while Sonic the Hedgehog for the Sega Genesis only sold fifteen million.) 
How do you claim to be-a fast when you're-a crap on the track?
(In audio production, a track is a channel that contains information to play back as sound. The word "track" is simplified as another term to mean "the beat" in common layman terms, so if Sonic's "crap on the track", it means that Sonic is not good at rapping on the instrumental provided for this rap battle. So the fault in Sonic's claim is that while he claims he's fast, he's crap on the track, meaning that he cannot rap. This also has a double meaning, as Mario is also saying that Sonic is not only crap on the audio track, but only crap on the race track, as Mario is capable of beating Sonic in a footrace in the Mario & Sonic series.)
I'mma burn you, bro, and when I'm through with you, the world will see your true Colors: black and blue!
(Mario references his pyrokinetic abilities once more, by saying that he will not only burn Sonic verbally, but physically too, and after he's through with him, he will expose the rodent's secrets about how he runs so fast. A term for exposing someone is to "show their true colors", and Sonic Colors is one of the games in Sonic's franchise. Mario is saying that those true colors will be black and blue after he's finished with bruising him up.)
I'm a proud plumber whose business thrives off the flushed out content your franchise provides!
(What Mario is saying here is that Sonic's games are so bad, that he has made a successful living off of clearing the sewers off the literal crap that is Sonic's games.)
Don't push my big red buttons, or you'll see soon, your legacy will blow up with one Sonic Boom!
(Big Red Button Entertainment was the company that developed Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric. Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric is considered to be one of the worst video games ever made, leaving a severe negative impact on the Sonic franchise's reputation. The wordplay here is that a common trope exists where pressing a "big red button" usually results in an explosion, or in this case, a "sonic boom", and telling someone not to "push their buttons" is common saying when someone doesn't want to be aggravated. So what Mario is saying in this line, is that Sonic shouldn't provoke Mario, or else he will cause his legacy to go out in a sonic boom like he did with the game which shares the same name.)
== Sonic: ==
== Mario: ==
Mamma Mia! With this abuse, I'm-a gonna give PETA a real reason to sue!
(Mario claims that Sonic's verse was so bad and in such poor taste, that it would seem like Mario's abusing him with how much better Mario's lines were compared to Sonic's. To rebuttal the claims about the animal abuse scandal, Mario says that he will give PETA a real reason to get angry, when he abuses the poor hedgehog.)
You live in my Shadow, Brawling me is Tabuu!
(With a reference to two enemies from both franchises, Mario says two things in this line. He uses Shadow the Hedgehog to say that Sonic has always lived in the shadow of Mario, as Sonic was merely a faster paced spin-off of the side-scrolling genre, which is a genre which Mario created. Mario then references Super Smash Bros. Brawl, where Mario and Sonic first officially crossed paths. Mario is saying that trying to Brawl against the person who made you is taboo, or unacceptable due to the fear of supernatural repercussions. It would also make sense to suggest that brawling Mario is fearfully equivelent to brawling Tabuu, the name of the final boss of Super Smash Bros. Brawl's Adventure Mode: The Subspace Emissary.)
Side-scroll you to roadkill, drive you into fast food!
(Mario references multiple things in this one line. The original formula for the Super Mario Bros. games was side-scrolling, in which the screen progressively follows the play as they move along, and in some levels, if the player fails to keep up with the screen, the screen will run you over. If Sonic the Hedgehog were to be run over, for instance, by a kart, that rodent would be roadkill as hedgehogs belong to the Erinaceinae family. So Mario is saying that he will drive into Sonic with his go-kart, turning him into roadkill, but the word "drive-in" leads us to yet another clever reference. Mario is also going to drive into the fast food chain which is coincidentally also named Sonic, which is a drive-in styled restaurant where the customers drive into a booth and eat in their car, so Mario is saying that he will turn Sonic into his meal when he runs him over with his go-kart, and as Sonic is fast, that would inherently make him "fast food". Ultimately this line says "I will use the methods of which my game mechanics run, to run you over into roadkill, after driving you into fast food, like the drive-in fast food chain which shares your same name, Sonic.")
Sega would be nothing without it's one trick rat!
(Mario calls out Sega in it's entirety, saying that the only character they've ever created that people care about is Sonic. While Nintendo has Mario, Kirby, Legend of Zelda, Pokémon, and several other successful franchises that are largely considered to be titans in the video game industry, Sega only has Sonic and a few other obscure titles that barely ever get time in the spotlight. If it weren't for Sonic and his one speed gimmick, Sega wouldn't have lasted long in the video game industry, as evidenced by the Master System.)
And his fanbase's more annoying than Big the Cat!
(Big the Cat is one of the most annoying characters in the Sonic franchise, and his levels in Sonic Adventure have been generally considered to be the worst. Sonic's fanbase have been known to be rather toxic and divisive, as it's very common to find Sonic fans fight over differing opinions. What Mario is saying in this line is that Sonic's fanbase is so annoying toxic and cancerous, that they're even more annoying than the most hated character in his own series.)
You should-a never faced the gaming godfather, son! Cause-a Mario's always Number One!
(Mario is essentially the "godfather of gaming", as he's the original and one that everyone looks up to, but Mario calling himself a "godfather" is also referencing The Godfather, which was originally a novel written by an Italian American author Mario Puzo, which parallels Mario who not only shares the same name, but the same ethnicity as well. Mario saying he's "number one" is a reference to his finishing catchphrase in most modern Mario titles.)
Category:Rap Meanings