I got a lot of things to do, a lot of money to make;
I got no time for you and all the moves you fake.
JuJu, “Props Over Here,” from The Beatnuts’ Street Level, 1994
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Life is full of stress and it wrecks my brain,
So I puff the buddha bless and destroy the pain.
JuJu, “Props Over Here,” from The Beatnuts’ Street Level, 1994
I have a dream:
One day we will get to the promised land.
Then the president will be me,
The government will be Shabaam, Mos and Kweli…that’s it!
All wackness is now banned.
Pharoahe Monch, “Intro,” Internal Affairs, 1999. More from Pharoahe Monch…
Got more milky syllables than alphabet cereals.
Keith Murray, “Tell ‘Em,” from Erick Sermon’s Double or Nothing, 1995. More Keith Murray quotes >
Play the game for my people, stay in charge of your dreams.
Keep your vision focused, get wise, and largen your C.R.E.A.M.
AZ, “New Life,” Pieces of a Man, 1998. More AZ quotes.
I play chess, but my past is checkered,
The mic and I are like staff and shepherd.
Ka, “Peace Akhi,” Night’s Gambit, 2013. More Ka quotes.
You better recognize, adjust your bifocals;
Your style is local…I sit on the beach in Acapulco.
I put words together like Peter Jennings,
And skate on motherfuckers like Peggy Fleming.
Diamond D., “The Next Level,” from Tha Alkaholiks’ Coast II Coast, 1995
Question: Why is that MC’s be wack
And major labels wanna sign that crap?
A-yo…funk that!
Phife Dawg, “One Two Shit,” A Tribe Called Quest’s The Love Movement, 1998. More Tribe Quotes.
Fuck movin’ mountains, I move planets and leave you Earthless.
Terror Squad: the worst that hurt shit, split your universes.
Fat Joe, “Find Out,” Don Cartagena, 1998
I can’t relate to livin’ less than great.
Large Professor, “Stress (Extra P Remix),” from Organized Konfusion’s Stress 12", 1994
Funny how things change when you got a liquor in ya:
You’re quicker with the tongue, givin’ me rhythm now.
Block the music and the people out to admire the love,
The nerve of us…impervious to the entire club.
And like marijuana shotguns, let’s blow this joint,
It’s pointless to stay here, so let me anoint.
Pharoahe Monch, “The Light,” Internal Affairs, 1999. More Pharoahe Monch quotes.
Take a sip from the cup of death…
And when you’re shaking my right hand, I’ll stab you with the left.
Ol’ Dirty Bastard, “Cuttin’ Headz,” Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version, 1995. More Wu-Tang Clan quotes.
If you don’t got endz, you won’t be gettin’ no skinz,
And if you don’t got money, you won’t scoop a honey.
If you don’t got cash, you won’t be gettin’ no ass,
And if you don’t got loot, you won’t be knockin’ no boots.
Big L, “No Endz, No Skinz,” Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous, 1995. More Big L quotes.
Niggas out here buyin’ hoes bags n’ shoes,
But couldn’t buy their kid a new coat for school?
Damn.
Troy Ave, “My Grind,” New York City: The Album, 2013
You’re living up in Heaven, but I know you’re mad as Hell.
MF Grimm, “Do It For the Kids,” 12”, 1998. More from MF Grimm.
All I need is one life, one try, one breath, I’m one man.
What I stand for speaks for itself…they don’t understand.
Nas, “One Mic,” Stillmatic, 2001. More from Nas.
I’ve been to college, but to be truthfully frank:
Weed is knowledge, cause it makes me think.
Keith Murray, “Get Lifted,” The Most Beautifullest Thing In This World, 1994. More from Keith Murray.
Lyrical lecture, word architecture,
Rap director, the best in my sector.
Microphone cool chief, releasin the smooth speech…
I get nasty with a pen and some loose leaf.
Lord Finesse, “Baby, You Nasty,” from Lord Finesse and DJ Mike Smooth’s Funky Technician, 1990
I got beef with commercial-ass niggas with gold teeth
Lampin’ in a Lexus eatin’ beef.
Raekwon the Chef, “Da Mystery of Chessboxin’,” from Wu-Tang Clan’s Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), 1993
A born terror, a rebel without a pause…
Ain’t never had a good Christmas, so who is Santa Claus?
Shyheim, “On and On,” Shyheim a.k.a. The Rugged Child, 1994
Americanomics works, and I won’t argue that is true.
But if the economy is getting better, getting better for who?
Well, if you ask me, I’m doing much worse than before,
With the welfare cuts, I don’t eat no more.
So if I did wanna go out, I couldn’t go nowhere,
Cause I ate every last one of them reindeer.
Rudolph first, I went down the list,
I got so hungry, I just couldn’t resist.
I ate Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Dixon,
Fried them up and then started to mix them.
And before you knew it, they were all gone,
I wonder what y’all gonna do about my reindeer song!
Kool Moe Dee, “Santa’s Rap,” from Beat Street, 1984
It was December 24th on Hollis Ave. in the dark,
When I see a man chilling with his dog in the park.
I approached very slowly with my heart full of fear,
Looked at his dog, oh my God, an ill reindeer!
But then I was illin’ because the man had a beard,
And a bag full of goodies, 12 o’clock had neared.
So I turned my head a second and the man had gone,
But he left his driver’s wallet smack dead on the lawn.
I picked the wallet up, then I took a pause…
Took out the license and it cold said ‘Santa Claus!’
Run, “Christmas in Hollis,” from A Very Special Christmas, 1987
I said ‘Whoa, little hottie,
I’m not DeLorean, Gambino or Gotti.
I don’t deal coke,
And furthermore you’re making me broke.
I’ll put you in a rehab and I won’t tell your folks.’
And what do you know,
In 18 months she came home,
And I let her back in…
And now she’s sniffing again.
Smooth B., “Sometimes I Rhyme Slow,” from Nice & Smooth’s Ain’t A Damn Thing Changed, 1991.
White Jesus in my crock pot,
I mix the shit with some soda.
Now Black Jesus turn water to wine,
…And all I had to do was turn the stove up.
Jay-Z, “The Devil is a Lie,” from Rick Ross’ Mastermind, 2014. More Jay-Z quotes
Fuck a moment of silence…I need a moment of violence.
Immortal Technique, “Toast to the Dead,” The Martyr, 2011. More Immortal Technique quotes
God gave us music, so we play with our words.
Talib Kweli, “Manifesto,” from Lyricist Lounge, Volume 1, 1998. More Talib Kweli quotes
MC’s they retreat cause they know I can beat ‘em,
And eat ’em in a battle and the ref won’t cheat ’em.
I’m the best takin’ out all rookies,
So forget Oreos…eat Cool J cookies.
LL Cool J, “I’m Bad,” Bigger and Deffer, 1987. More LL Cool J quotes
Complainin’ to my lawyer how this rookie tried to frisk me…
Jealous of my jeep, I gave his badge to the chief,
And got his ass directin’ traffic in the heat for a week.
RZA, “Wherever I Go,” Birth of a Prince, 2003. More Wu-Tang Clan quotes
I get a craving like I fiend for nicotine.
But I don’t need a cigarette, know what I mean?
Rakim, “Microphone Fiend,” from Eric B. and Rakim’s Follow the Leader, 1988. More Rakim quotes
Elvis was a hero to most,
But he never meant shit to me, you see.
Straight up racist that sucker was,
Simple and plain…
Motherfuck him AND John Wayne.
Chuck D., “Fight the Power,” from Public Enemy’s Fear of a Black Planet, 1990. More Public Enemy quotes
Do the math: You never settle for less than the whole if you knew the half.
Talib Kweli, “Violations,” Gravitas, 2013. More Talib Kweli quotes
From open mics to solutions, I got a collage of answers,
And a 10-point program, just like the Black Panthers:1: First, respect yourself as an artist
If you don’t respect yourself, then your rhymes is garbage.2: Make sure your crew is as tight as you
Cause when them niggaz fallin off, they gonna bring you down too.3: Understand the meaning of MC
The power to Move the Crowd like Moses split the seas.4: Know your shit and don’t ever be blunted
If you don’t know what your words mean, then your rhymes mean nothin.5: Kick facts in the raps, and curse with clarity
What’s a curse when language is immersed in vulgarity?6: We gonna fix industrial poli-tricks
Shit, they made an art form out of ridin dicks.7: We soldiers for God needin new recruits
So if you rhymin for the loot, then you’s a prostitute.8: Acknowledge that you need food on your plate
In order to say your grace, make sure your business is straight.9: We buildin black minds with intelligence
And when you freestyle, keep the subject matter relevant.10: Every MC grab a pen
And write some conscious lyrics to tell the children.
Talib Kweli, “Manifesto,” from Lyricist Lounge, Volume 1, 1998. More Talib Kweli quotes
I’m real good at troubleshooting;
When there’s trouble…I start shooting.
Necro, “Pain,” from Necro & Kool G. Rap’s The Godfathers Once Upon a Crime, 2013
Up against Goliath, to bring butter home.
I’m David on pavement, sling another stone.
Ka, “Up Against Goliath,” Grief Pedigree, 2012
A wise man sees failure as progress.
A fool divorces his knowledge and misses the logic,
And loses his soul in the process.
Canibus, “Poet Laureate II,” Rip the Jacker, 2003
Shawn Carter was born December 4th,
Weighing in at 10 pounds, 8 ounces.
He was the last of my 4 children,
The only one who didn’t give me any pain when I gave birth to him.
…And that’s how I knew that he was a special child.
Jay-Z’s mom, Gloria Carter, “December 4th,” The Black Album, 2003. Happy Bornday, Shawn Carter, born December 4, 1969.
Never we sleep, a thug doesn’t rest,
Cause a wise man said: it was a cousin of death.
Big Pun, “Who Is a Thug,” from Whiteboys soundtrack, 1999
I never sleep, ‘cause sleep is the cousin of death.
Nas, “N.Y. State of Mind,” Illmatic, 1994
Brain cells are lit, ideas start to hit,
Next the formation of words that fit.
At the table I sit, making it legit,
And when my pen hits the paper…ahhhh shit!
Big Daddy Kane, “Ain’t No Half Steppin’,” Long Live The Kane, 1988
Let’s pretend we’re both guns, and make this shit erratic:
I’ll be the revolver, you can play the automatic.
Automatic flip scripts, revolver show loyalty.
Each gun is die-able, but only one’s reliable.
You shoot fast, but in the end you jam,
Then I click back, and turn your brains into spam.
MF Grimm, “Crumb Snatchers,” Scars & Memories, 2005
You gotta understand: I’m a man with needs that needs fulfilling.
And if you ain’t with it, somebody else is willing.
Lord Jamar, “Love Me or Leave Me Alone,” from Brand Nubian’s In God We Trust, 1993
Cats be talkin’, “Bobby I ain’t feelin’ ya.”
But I bet if I was peelin’ your cap back with a two-shot Dillinger
Hot lead released from my cylinder,
You’d be talkin’ ‘bout, “Bobby I’m feelin’ ya!”
RZA, “W.W.T. (Worldwide Thugs),” 2001
The world is kinda cold and the rhythm is my blanket.
Q-Tip, “Verses from the Abstract,” from A Tribe Called Quest’s The Low End Theory, 1991
You thought your shit was fly, but the flight was delayed.
J-Live, “Braggin’ Writes,” The Best Part, 2001
Dutch in my ear, Olde E in my palm,
I Freddy Krueger your face, Michael Myers your moms.
You botherin mine? That’s when I’m sparkin the nine.
Sean Price, “King Kong,” Jesus Price Superstar, 2007
Believers of Jesus be denouncing Satan on every level,
But every Halloween they’re dressin’ like devils.
KRS-One, “Higher Level,” Return of the Boom Bap, 1993
Feeling mad hostile, wearing Aéropostale,
Flowing like Christ when I speaks the gospel.
RZA, “Protect Ya Neck,” Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers, 1993
War’s extremely serious and it saddens me.
Masta Killa, “Assassination Day,” from Ghostface Killah’s Ironman, 1995
It’s all love, but love’s got a thin line
And Pun’s got a big nine,
Respect crime…but not when it reflect mine.
Big Pun, “Off the Books,” from The Beatnuts’ Stone Crazy, 1997
Commentating, illustrating, description-giving
Adjective expert. Analyzing, surmising,
Musical, myth-seeking people of the universe…
This is yours!
T La Rock & Jazzy Jay, “It’s Yours,” 1987