I never understood Planned Parenthood,
Cause I never met nobody planned to be a parent in the hood.

Kanye West, “The Joy,” from Kanye West and Jay-Z’s Watch the Throne, 2011. More from Kanye…

You see, if you ever wanted to ever be anything,
There’d always be somebody that shoot down any dream.
There’ll always be haters, that’s the way it is:
Hater niggas marry hater bitches, and have hater kids.

Kanye West, “Bring Me Down,” Late Registration, 2005. More gems from ‘Ye

I got a problem with spending before I get it…
We all self-conscious, I’m just the first to admit it.

Kanye West, “All Falls Down,” The College Dropout, 2004. More Kanye West quotes…

First I snatched the streets, then I snatched the charts.
First I had they ear, now I have their heart.
Rappers came and went…I’ve been here from the start.
I seen them put it together, watched them take it apart.

Jay-Z, “Never Let Me Down,” from Kanye West’s The College Dropout, 2004

If you admire somebody, you should go on ‘head tell ’em;
People never get the flowers while they can still smell ’em.

Kanye West, “Big Brother,” Graduation, 2007. More Kanye West quotes…

What if somebody from the Chi that was ill got a deal on the hottest rap label around?
But he wasn’t talking ‘bout coke and birds, it was more like spoken word,
Except he’s really puttin’ it down.

Kanye West, “Through the Wire,” The College Dropout, 2004. The highly influential debut album was released 10 years ago, on February 10, 2004. More Kanye West Quotes…

I’m living three dreams:
Biggie Smalls’, Dr. King, Rodney King’s.
Cause we can’t get along, no resolution?
‘Til we drown all these haters…
Rest in peace to Whitney Houston

Kanye West, “New God Flow,” Cruel Summer, 2012

When you feeding on hate, you empty, my nigga. It shows.

Rick Ross, “Hold On,” from Pusha T’s My Name is My Name, 2013

Pain is joy when it cries, it’s my smile in disguise.

Pusha T, “Pain,” My Name is My Name, 2013

This is my time, this is my hour,
This is my pain, this is my name, this is my power.
If it’s my reign, then it’s my shower,
This pole position…I made a lane ‘cause they blocked ours.

Pusha T, “King Push,” My Name Is My Name, 2013

And as for the critics, tell me I don’t get it.
Everybody can tell you how to do it, they never did it.

Jay-Z, “Already Home,” The Blueprint 3, 2009

It seem like everybody dress tight now,
And I just want my credit.

Kanye West, “Gifted,” from N.A.S.A.’s The Spirit of Apollo, 2009

‘What you doing in the club on a Thursday?’
She say she only here for her girl birthday…
They ordered champagne but still look thirsty,
Rock Forever 21 but just turned 30.

Kanye West, “Bound 2,” Yeezus, 2013

I wonder if these wack niggas realize they wack,
And they the reason that my people say they tired of rap.

Common, “Chi-City,” Be, 2005

I could let these dream killers kill my self-esteem,
Or use my arrogance as the steam to power my dreams.
I use it as my gas, so they say that I’m gassed,
But without it I’d be last, so I ought to laugh…

Kanye West, “Last Call,” The College Dropout, 2003

Never looking back or too far in front of me,
The present is a gift, and I just want to Be.

Common, “Be,” Be, 2005

I don’t know what’s better: getting laid or getting paid.
I just know when I’m getting one, the other’s getting away.

Kanye West, “This Way,” from Dilated Peoples’ Neighborhood Watch, 2004

You know that one auntie, you don’t wanna be rude,
…But every holiday, nobody eatin’ her food.

Kanye West, “Family Business,” The College Dropout, 2004

Success is what you make it, take it how it come.
A half a mil in twenties, like a billion where I’m from.
An arrogant drug dealer, the legend I become,
CNN said I’d be dead by 21.
Blackjack…I just pulled an ace,
As you looking at the king in his face.

Pusha T, “So Appalled,” from Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, 2010

I bumped into Loon, he like ‘Well, As Salaam-Alaikum.’
You know I ain’t Muslim, my nigga, I’m about my bacon!

Ma$e, “Higher,” from Kanye West Presents G.O.O.D. Music: Cruel Summer, 2012

Rappers spit rhymes that are mostly illegal,
MC’s spit rhymes to uplift their people.

KRS-One, “Classic (Better Than I’ve Ever Been),” 2007

Went from most hated to the Champion God Flow,
I guess that’s a feelin’ only me and LeBron know.

Kanye West, “New God Flow,” Cruel Summer, 2012

Sophisticated ignorance, write my curses in cursive.

Kanye West, “Otis,” Watch the Throne, 2011

You would think I would recycle by the way I found my last chick…cause all she wants is paper or plastic.

Consequence, “Whatever U Want (G.O.O.D. Remix)”, 2009

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

J. Cole • “False Prophets” • 2016

He’s fallin’ apart, but we deny it,
Justifying that half-ass shit he dropped, we always buy it.
When he tell us he a genius, but it’s clearer lately
It’s been hard for him to look into the mirror lately.
There was a time when this nigga was my hero, maybe,
That’s the reason why his fall from grace is hard to take.
‘Cause I believed him when he said his shit was purer and he
The type of nigga swear he real, but all around him’s fake:
The women, the dickriders, you know, the yes men,
Nobody with the balls to say somethin’ to contest him.
So he grows out of control,
Into the person that he truly was all along, it’s startin’ to show.
Damn, wonder what happened?
Maybe it’s my fault for idolizing niggas
Based off the words they be rappin’.

J. Cole, “False Prophets,” Dreamville, 2016

Kanye West • “All Falls Down” • 2004

It seems we living the American Dream,
But the people highest up got the lowest self-esteem.
The prettiest people do the ugliest things
For the road to riches and diamond rings.

Kanye West, “All Falls Down,” The College Dropout, 2004

If you can’t live, you dying,
You give or you buy in.
Keep it real or keep it moving,
Keep grinding, keep shining.

Raekwon, “Gorgeous,” from Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, 2010. More from Chef…

You know that one auntie, you don’t wanna be rude,
…But every holiday, nobody eatin’ her food.

Kanye West, “Family Business,” The College Dropout, 2004. More from Kanye…