Wake up: all of that ‘crack in the street’ talk?
It’s made up, like ‘Jack and the Beanstalk.’
Sean Price, “Pyrex,” Mic Tyson, 2012
Posts Tagged With: brooklyn
Breathe in…inhale vapors from bright stars that shine,
Breathe out…weed smoke retrace the skyline.
Mos Def, “Respiration,” from Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star, 1998
Age ain’t nothing but a number, that’s what Chi-Ali said.
OK, then why don’t you get that through the judge’s head?
Biz Markie, “Young Girl Bluez,” All Samples Cleared!, 1993
Put a quarter in your ass, ‘cause ya played yourself.
Big Daddy Kane, “The Symphony,” from Marley Marl’s In Control, Vol. 1, 1988
Won’t cha…picture life as my wife, just think:
Full length mink, fat X and O links,
Bracelets to match, conversation was all that,
Showed you the safe combinations and all that.
Guess you could say you’s the one I trusted…
Who would ever think that you would spread like mustard?
Notorious B.I.G., “Get Money,” from Junior M.A.F.I.A.’s Conspiracy, 1995
You’re too light to fight, plus you’re too thin to win.
Who ya gonna call when I break your glass chin?
Tek, “Wrektime,” from Smif-N-Wessun’s Dah Shinin’, 1993
Yo, it’s 1 universal law but 2 sides to every story,
3 strikes and you be in for life, mandatory.
4 MC’s murdered in the last 4 years,
I ain’t tryin to be the 5th one, the Millennium is here.
Yo, it’s 6 million ways to die, from the 7 deadly thrills,
8-year olds gettin’ found with 9 mill’s.
It’s 10 P.M., where your seeds at? What’s the deal?
Mos Def, “Mathematics,” from Black on Both Sides, 1999
Braniac dumb-dumbs, bust the scientifical,
Approach to the course and the force is centrifugal.
Can you find your way through the lyrics that be catchin’ ‘em?
Throw another rhyme across the room, they be fetchin’ ’em.
Masta Ace, “Jeep Ass Niguh,” Slaughtahouse, 1993
Telling my business to kids I don’t even know,
You’re like a daytime talk show…and that’s low.
Guru, “Take it Personal,” from Gang Starr’s Daily Operation, 1992
Your reign on the top was short like leprechauns,
As I crush so-called Willies, thugs, and rapper-dons.
The Notorious B.I.G., “Kick in the Door,” Life After Death, 1997
On the square…I’m not riffin’ like Andy Griffith,
Just fed up, goin’ head up, with competition.
Positive K, “Step Up Front,” 12", 1988. Legendary television actor Andy Griffith died of natural causes today at the age of 86.
When you say you love me, it doesn’t matter.
It goes into my head as just chit-chatter.
You may think it’s egotistical or just worry-free,
But what you say, I take none of it seriously.
MC Lyte, “Paper Thin,” Lyte as a Rock, 1988
Ayo, the arm bone connected to the hand bone,
Nigga, the hand bone connected to the damn chrome!
Sean P, “Don’t You Cross the Line,” from Boot Camp Clik’s The Last Stand, 2006
Nowadays rap artists coming half-hearted,
Commercial like pop, or underground like black markets.
Where were you the day hip-hop died?
Is it too early to mourn? Is it too late to ride?
Talib Kweli, “Too Late,” from Reflection Eternal’s Train of Thought, 2000
Fake MC’s – they always act hard
But won’t walk the streets without their bodyguards.
Guru, “Suckas Need Bodyguards,” from Gang Starr’s Hard To Earn, 1994
Rappers can’t sleep, need sleepin’,
B.I.G. keep creepin’,
Bullets heat-seekin’,
Casualties need treatin’,
Dumb rappers need teachin’.
Notorious B.I.G., “Unbelievable,” Ready To Die, 1994
I was always taught my do’s and don’ts:
For do’s I did, and for don’ts, I said I won’t.
GZA, “I Gotcha Back,” from the Fresh soundtrack, and also on Liquid Swords, 1994
Don’t you like when the winter’s gone,
And all of a sudden it starts gettin’ warm?
The trees and the grass start lookin’ fresh,
And the sun and sky be lookin’ their best…
Biz Markie, “Spring Again,” The Biz Never Sleeps, 1989
Look: if I shoot you, I’m brainless,
But if you shoot me, then you’re famous.
What’s a nigga to do?
Jay-Z, “Streets Is Watching,” In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, 1997
Ain’t nothin’ like hip-hop music;
You like it cause you choose it.
Most DJ’s won’t refuse it,
A lotta sucka MC’s misuse it.
Daddy-O, “Go Stetsa I,” from Stetsasonic’s On Fire, 1986
Lemonade was a popular drink and it still is;
I get more props and stunts than Bruce Willis.
Guru, “DWYCK,” from Gang Starr featuring Nice & Smooth DWYCK 12", 1994
This country of ours was built on violence;
If your ass got in the way, you was killed in silence.
And these been the ways since back in the days:
Just ask the Indians or the African slaves.
Masta Ace, “The Ways,” A Long Hot Summer, 2004
I’d rather die enormous than live dormant.
Jay-Z, “Can I Live,” Reasonable Doubt, 1996
If you can’t respect that, your whole perspective is wack.
Maybe you’ll love me when I fade to black.
Jay-Z, “December 4th,” The Black Album, 2003
Stro Rockets • “From Me” • 2017
I think we all motherfuckin’ hypocrites,
Asking God for life and we ain’t even livin’ it.
Stro Rockets, “From Me,” Grade A Frequencies EP, 2017
Joey Bada$$ • “FOR MY PEOPLE” • 2017
Music is a form of expression, Imma use mine just to teach you a lesson.
– Joey Bada$$, “FOR MY PEOPLE,” ALL-AMERICAN BADA$$, 2017
I’m not a ‘Businessman,’ I’m a Business… man! Let me handle my business, damn!
Jay-Z, “Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Remix),” from Kanye West’s Late Registration, 2005
Said she loved my necklace, started relaxin’.
Now that’s what the fuck I call a chain reaction!
Jay-Z, “Money Ain’t a Thang,” from Jermaine Dupri’s Life in 1472, 1998
Guru • “Watch What You Say” • Jazzmatazz Volume 2: The New Reality • 1995
Too much weak talk, and not enough real hip-hop.
Guru, “Watch What You Say,” Jazzmatazz Volume 2: The New Reality, 1995
MC Lyte • “Search 4 The Lyte” • Act Like You Know • 1991
Some type of grief you must experience
In order to appreciate happiness.
‘Cause if you are always satisfied,
Life will just pass by; you would’ve never tried.
MC Lyte, “Search 4 The Lyte,” Act Like You Know, 1991
Ka • “Chamber” • 2012
Was crazy poor, now I’m tryna get mad rich;
With a good girl…you couldn’t tell, cause she’s a bad bitch.
Ka, “Chamber,” Grief Pedigree, 2012
Special Ed • “Ready 2 Attack” • 1990
Christmas is over and this is my resolution:
To stop the confusion.
Let the fresh get fresh, and the stale get staler
And throw em in a pail of
Trash…with the other trash, and smash down the lid,
For all the weak shit they did.
Special Ed, “Ready 2 Attack,” Legal, 1990
Ladybug Mecca (Digable Planets) • “It’s Good To Be Here” • 1993
We love it where we from, but we kick it where we at.
Ladybug Mecca, “It’s Good to Be Here,” from Digable Planets’ Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space), 1993
Jeru Tha Damaja • “Come Clean” • 1994
Got a freaky, freaky, freaky-freaky flow, Control the mic like Fidel Castro.
– Jeru Tha Damaja, “Come Clean,” The Sun Rises in the East, 1994
Masta Ace • “Young Black Intelligent (Y.B.I.)” • 2016
Penny for your thoughts, a nickel for your dreams
A dime for your goals and a quarter in your jeans
Trying to make a dollar outta forty-one cents
Caught up in the barbed wire, shorty on the fence
– Masta Ace, “Young Black Intelligent (Y.B.I.),” The Falling Season, 2016
Jay-Z • “A Week Ago” • 1998
Funny what seven days can change…
It was all good just a week ago.
Jay-Z, “A Week Ago,” Vol. 2…Hard Knock Life, 1998
Dead Prez • “Hell Yeah (Pimp the System)” • 2004
I’m not the one to kiss ass for the top position,
I take mine off the top like a politician.
Where I’m from, doin dirt is a part of livin…
I got mouths to feed, I gots to get it.
– Dead Prez, “Hell Yeah (Pimp the System),” RBG: Revolutionary But Gangsta, 2004
Troy Ave • “Drug Game” • 2016
You can’t raise a man if you ain’t one yourself,
Getting all your cred from the gun on your belt.
– Troy Ave, “Drug Game,” Roland Collins, 2016
Jay-Z • American Dreamin • 2007
Survive the droughts? I wish you well.
How sick am I? I wish you health.
I wish you wheels, I wish you wealth,
I wish you insight so you could see for yourself.
– Jay-Z, “American Dreamin,” American Gangster, 2007
Jay-Z • “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” • 2001
To try and to fail:
The two things I hate.
Succeed, and this rap game:
The two things that’s great.
– Jay-Z, “Izzo (H.O.V.A.),” The Blueprint, 2001.
Guru (Gang Starr) • “No Shame in My Game” • 1992
Life’s a bitch, who are we to judge each other?
I know I got faults, I ain’t the only muthafucka.
– Guru, “No Shame in my Game,” from Gang Starr’s Daily Operation, 1992
We live to love, and we love to rock mics.
We speak in ghetto tongue, cause ghetto’s the life.
Doodlebug, “Where I’m From,” from Digable Planets’ Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space), 1993. More from Digable Planets…
Stay far from timid.
Only make moves when your heart is in it.
And live the phrase ‘Sky’s the Limit.’
Notorious B.I.G., “Sky’s the Limit,” Life After Death, 1997. More from Biggie…
She claims she loves my mind, cause I’m so intelligent,
But fuck my mental…she was scheming on my mint.
Jeru tha Damaja, “Me or the Papes,” Wrath of the Math, 1996. More from Jeru…
You know, I used to be a player…flygirl-layer and a heartbreaker,
Lovemaker, backbreaker, but then I made a mistake.
Yes, I fell in love with this ill chick,
Sweatin’ me for money, my name and the dilsnick.
My homeboys told me drop her cause it would be to my benefit;
She used to say I’d better quit hanging with those derelicts.
Guru, “Ex Girl to the Next Girl,” from Gang Starr’s Daily Operation, 1992. More from Guru…
Rosa Parks sat so Martin Luther could walk,
Martin Luther walked so Barack Obama could run,
Barack Obama ran so all the children could fly…
So, I’mma spread my wings, you can meet me in the sky.
Jay-Z, “My President is Black (Remix)” from Young Jeezy’s The Recession, 2008
Smoke good, fuck, eat, drink.
Drive nice car, wear all green mink.
Action Bronson, “Terry,” Sincerely, Mr. Wonderful, 2015. More from Bronsolini…
I wouldn’ta came and said my name and run some weak shit,
Puttin’ blurbs and slurs and words that don’t fit
In a rhyme, why waste time on the microphone?
I take this more serious than just a poem.
Rockin’ party to party, backyard to yard,
I tear it up y’all…and bless the mic for the Gods.
Rakim, “My Melody,” from Eric B. and Rakim’s Paid in Full, 1987. More from Rakim Allah…
Now, yo: Juice Crew’s the family, Slick Rick’s a friend of me
And Doug E. Fresh, Stet, KRS and Public Enemy.
Blahzay-blah, you know who you are:
The red, black and green, the sun, moon and star.
Knowledge of self is being taught here on after,
Peace in the name of I, Self, Lord and Master.
I come to teach and preach and reaching each
With the speech every leech I’ll impeach.
Drop science and build with math,
And the dumb, deaf and blind’ll feel the Wrath…of Kane.
Big Daddy Kane, “Wrath of Kane (Live),” It’s a Big Daddy Thing, 1990. More from Kane…
Got the new Hummer in the summer when,
I was a newcomer then,
Drugs and Mac-10s, hugs from fake friends.
Make ends: they hate you,
Be broke: girls won’t date you.
Notorious B.I.G., “Long Kiss Goodnight,” Life After Death, 1997. More from Biggie…