Themes
Love Girls Life Death Humor Weed Guns Money Wisdom Philosophy Cars
Years
2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982
The image and the style that you’re used to.
- Shock G. aka Humpty Hump, “The Humpty Dance,” from Digital Underground’s Sex Packets, 1990
The ladies is out, lookin’ fly, dressed comfortable.
I love to wake up, and feel the breeze through my window,
Slip on fatigues, grab a dutch, and roll some indo.
- Dead Prez, “Happiness,” Let’s Get Free, 2000
Make money in Manhattan and never been tooken.
Go Uptown and the Bronx to boogie down,
Get strong on the Island, recoup, and lay around.
- Rakim, “Juice (Know the Ledge),” from Eric B. & Rakim’s Don’t Sweat the Technique, 1992
We ain’t buddies, we ain’t partners and we damn sure ain’t friends.
The games you playin, you get killed like that,
Actin like you all hard, you ain’t built like that.
- 50 Cent, “Life’s on the Line,” Guess Who’s Back, 2002
Every other day my whole dress code switch.
- Cappadonna, “Winter Warz,” from Ghostface Killah’s Ironman, 1996
She was a jelly to my peanuts, Mars to Venus,
The Earth to my sun, moon and stars,
We added up mathematically…
It’s like I had a bad habit, B!
- Ghostface Killah, “The Center of Attraction,” Twelve Reasons to Die, 2013
Smash any splitter or fastball—that’ll be it.
- Pharoahe Monch, “The Next Shit,” Internal Affairs, 1999
Brothers’ sellin their soul to go gold…
Going, going, gone, another rapper sold!
- Parrish Smith, “Crossover,” EPMD’s Business Never Personal, 1993
- MCA, “The Sounds of Science,” from Beastie Boys’ Paul’s Boutique, 1989. Remembering Adam Yauch, who passed away a year ago today. Rest in Peace, MCA.
Docious-ali-expi-fragalistic-cali-super.
Cancun…catch me in the room, eatin’ grouper.
- Ghostface Killah, “Buck 50,” Supreme Clientele, 1999
Keep dreaming cause a Mac you will never be.
So all y’all with the Dr. Seuss riddles,
You can get the finger…the middle
- Mac Daddy, “Warm it Up,” from Kris Kross’ Totally Krossed Out, 1992. Chris Kelly, one half of the ’90s rap duo Kris Kross, has died of a possible drug overdose. He was 34.
I’m Brillo Pad coarse…take your skin off.
You rub me the wrong way,
You a suit and tie nigga…P hoodie all day.
- Prodigy, “The Life,” H.N.I.C. 2, 2013
- Killer Mike, “Get It,” from Killer Mike and El-P’s Run the Jewels, 2013
Meaning: shit you spit might cause killers to come and clap at you.
- Killer Mike, “Get It,” from Killer Mike and El-P’s Run the Jewels, 2013
Emcees are grapes, and grapes are crushed to wine.
- MF Grimm, “Do It for the Kids,” 12”, 1998
