You see y’all got it all wrong like women in tuxedos,
And comin’ up shorter than five Danny DeVitos.
I’m on a cool ranch…get laid more than Fritos,
With five strippers, four wives and three amigos.
I go scuba divin’ in Bays at Montego,
I find gold links and snatch ‘em like I’m Deebo.
But I’m the light-skindeded version of Mandingo,
I’ve seen more Beatles and Jagged Edges than Ringo,
I used to run numbers in line they called me ‘Bingo.’

Ludacris, “Coming 2 America,” Word of Mouf, 2001. More from Luda…

When I drink a brew for you, I pour some on the block, son.
You might be gone, but you damn sure ain’t forgotten.

Big Mike, “6 Feet Under,” from The Geto Boys’ Till Death Do Us Part, 1993

Most people don’t make love no more,
They just fuck and they fight.
What happened to the stay-togethers?
I’m with you, and that means forever.

Big K.R.I.T., “Soul Food,” Cadillactica, 2014

Through every ghetto I carry the heavy metal,
Just in case a shovel is needed when arguments are settled.

Killer Mike, “Underground Kings,” from DJ Premier and Royce da 5’9"’s PRhyme, 2014. More from Killer Mike…

Before you act black,
Or try to dress black,
You better be born black,
Or I’ll call your shit wack.

Y’All So Stupid, “Dirt Road White Girl,” Van Full of Pakistans, 1993

Think you figured it out, but you don’t have a clue.
Think you on top of the world, but the world on top of you.

Jeezy, “Holy Ghost,” Seen It All: The Autobiography, 2014

I think if Adam would have had another squeeze he might
Not have ate those fruits from the leaves of life.
Far as Eve…there couldn’t have been a more deceiving wife;
Seeing the nigga had a weak spot, and she was right.

Scarface, “Girl You Know,” Made, 2007. More verses from ‘Face…

I love Dr. King, but violence might be necessary;
Cause when you live on MLK and it gets very scary,
You might have to pull your AK, send one to the cemetery.

Killer Mike, “Lie, Cheat, Steal,” from Run the Jewels’ RTJ2, 2014. More Killer Mike quotes…

This year Halloween fell on a weekend
Me and Geto Boys are trick-or-treatin’
Robbin’ little kids for bags…

Bushwick Bill, “Mind Playing Tricks On Me”, from Geto Boys’ We Can’t Be Stopped, 1991

God really exists, I tell you like this:
It resides inside.
And anybody tell you different,
Just selling you religion,
Tryin’ to keep your ass in line.

Killer Mike, “Angel Duster,” from Run The Jewels’ RTJ2, 2014. More from Killer Mike >

You need to git up, git out and git something…
How will you make it if you never even try?

Outkast, “Git Up, Git Out,” Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, 1994. More from Andre and Big Boi…

They say ‘Love Jesus’ and ‘Listen to your pastor,’
But Jesus told the truth, and the pastor’s a lying bastard.
All he talk about is economic elevation,
And all Jesus talked about was soul salvation.
Jesus sat with the sick and he walked with the poor,
If He gave blood for our sins, why we giving more?
I got some Gangster Disciples at church with me tonight,
With five dollars worth of gas, and a matchbook to light.

Killer Mike, “Burn,” Pl3dge, 2011. More serious lyrics from Mike Bigga >

The IRS’ll never sweat me or even put up a fight…
Cause I’m sure I’ve paid more in taxes than you’ve made in yo’ life!

Ludacris, “Large Amounts,” The Red Light District, 2004. More Ludacris quotes…

Bitch, I’m coming live from the trunk and I thrive on the funk;
Cause I’d rather die like a man than survive like a punk.

Bun B, “Re-Akshon (Remix),” from Killer Mike’s Monster, 2003

I met a gypsy and she hipped me to some life game,
To stimulate, then activate the left and right brain.
Said, ‘Baby boy, you only funky as your last cut.
You focus on the past, your ass’ll be a has-what.’
That’s one to live by, or either that’s one to die to.

Andre 3000, “Rosa Parks,” from Outkast’s Aquemini, 1998. More Outkast quotes…

You download it for free, we get charged back for it.
I know you’re saying, “They won’t know, they won’t miss it,
Besides, I ain’t a thief, they won’t pay me a visit.”
So, if I come to your job, take your corn on the cob,
And take a couple kernels off it, that would be alright with you?

Andre 3000, “What a Job,” from Devin the Dude’s Waitin to Inhale, 2007

I’m so Rakim and Eric. B, bitches check out my melody.
I might Slick Rick on a fella…catch me a felony.
I might Shyne Po a ho…POW! Catch me a case.
Producto must have rolled the L because this blunt feels laced.

Killer Mike, “Twin Hype Back,” Run the Jewels, 2013

I make niggas eat dirt and fart dust,
Then give you a $80 gift certificate to Pussies “Я” Us.

Ludacris, “Mouthing Off,” Back for the First Time, 2000

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

We missed a lot of church, so the music is our confessional.

Big Boi, “Aquemini,” from Outkast’s Aquemini, 1998

My momma did her part,
But it ain’t her fault that I was born without a heart.
In other words: I’m heartless dude.
I don’t love me…how the fuck I’mma love you?

Scarface, “Born Killer,” Mr. Scarface is Back, 1991

Others tell like it is, while I tell it how I would like it to be.

Cee-Lo, “The World I Know,” from Slam The Soundtrack, 1998

I got a girl and she treat me fine,
But the homies all think that I’m losin’ my mind.
I’m trippin’ and I know it cause I’m all nerved up,
Cause everytime I go to sleep, I see this big ol’ butt.
See, I ain’t never gave no chick 4 stars,
But she treat me so good that she be drivin my car.
And every day it get better, I can’t lie,
Went to the house and she made me some hot potato pie.
All my friends be sayin, “She ain’t nothin but a scrub!”
But she make me feel high like I’m hooked on drugs.
So I give her what she need, and what’s done is done,
But I’m a special kind of fool but ayo, it don’t bother me none.
I can’t help myself, I know that I’m trippin’,
But she got it goin’ on like Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Pimp C, “Use Me Up,” from UGK’s Too Hard to Swallow, 1992

Life can change your directions, even when you ain’t planned it.
All you can do is handle it, worst thing you can do is panic.

T.I., “No Matter What,” The Paper Trail, 2008

Who’s that peeking in my window?
Pow.
Nobody now.

Goodie Mob, “Cell Therapy,” Soul Food, 1995

They love the fact you made it, but hate the fact you got it.
The stairway to heaven is packed…I’m in the lobby.
Too scared to go to sleep, cause most times I often doubt my dreams.

Big K.R.I.T., “R.E.M.,” King Remembered In Time, 2013

I wanna live like Arnold, Willis and Mr. Drummond…
And keep my paper sturdy, big birds and tight herbs.

Pimp C., “Ridin’ Dirty,” from UGK’s Ridin’ Dirty, 1996. Rest in Peace Conraid Bain, better known as Mr. Drummond from the beloved TV sitcom Diff’rent Strokes. He died today at the age of 89.

I bet you never heard of a playa with no game,
Told the truth to get what I want, but shot it with no shame.
Take this music dead serious while others entertain.
I see they makin’ they paper so I guess I can’t complain…or can I?
I feel they disrespectin’ the whole thang.
Them hooks like sellin’ dope to black folks,
And I choke when the food they serve ain’t tastin’ right,
My stomach can’t digest it even when I bless it…

Andre 3000, “13th Floor/Growing Old,” from Outkast’s ATLiens, 1996

Will I die slain like my King by a terrorist?
Will my woman be Coretta, take my name and cherish it?
Or will she Jackie O., drop the Kennedy, remarry it?

Killer Mike, “Untitled,” R.A.P. Music, 2012

Love comes in every color, but the fact is…
I never needed 50 Shades of Grey,
Just turn the lights down low and give me every shade of blackness.

Phonte, “Afro Blue (9th Wonder’s Blue Light Basement Remix)”, from Robert Glasper Experiment’s Black Radio Recovered: The Remix EP, 2012

I ain’t never gave a fuck, I never did and never will.
Live my life on principle: keep it true, keep it real.
Better said, I keep it TRILL and no matter who don’t like it,
Homie, that just it how it is, naked truth
Like that stripper that’s in front of me,
And I keep a blunt, and a Bible, and a gun on me.

Killer Mike, “Untitled,” R.A.P. Music, 2012

You’ve got to realize that the world’s a test,
You can only do your best and let Him do the rest.
You’ve got your life, and got your health,
So quit procrastinating and push it yourself.

Cee-Lo, “In Due Time,” from Soul Food Soundtrack, 1997

The route to all evil…daily I chase it.
Blow it on weed and drink, and hustle to replace it.

Eight Ball, “Where Ya From,” from Mobb Deep’s Murda Muzik, 1999

Fuck a blog, dog, cause one day we gon’ meet.

Rick Ross, “Ima Boss,” from Maybach Music Group’s Self Made Vol. 1, 2011

Fuck a medic, we gon’ call yo ass a taxi cab,
Bleedin’ so hard you need a life-size maxi pad.

Ludacris, “We Got,” Chicken-N-Beer, 2003 

I remember when I fell from my first bike:
There were no ‘Are you okays?’ and rarely ‘Are you alrights?’
Just dirt in my pockets, handful of gravel…
That’s when I realized that getting up is only half the battle.

Big K.R.I.T., “Rich Dad, Poor Dad,” Live from the Underground, 2012

Everybody’s got opinions on the way you’re livin’,
But see, they can’t fill your shoes.

Andre 3000, “Synthesizer,” from Outkast’s Aquemini, 1998

The line between playing to win and sin is thin,
But I walk it with grace and I talk it with taste.
I am that raw, simply put, and I rest my case.

Cee-Lo, “One for the Road,” Cee-Lo Green and His Perfect Imperfections, 2002

We brag on havin’ bread, but none of us are bakers.
We all talk havin’ greens, but none of us on acres.
If none of us on acres, and none of us grow wheat,
Then who will feed our people when our people need to eat?
So it seems our people starve from lack of understandin’
Cause all we seem to give them is some ballin’ and some dancin’,
And some talkin’ about our car and imaginary mansions.
We should be indicted for bullshit we inciting,
Havin’ children deaf and pretendin’ it’s exciting.
We are advertisements for agony and pain.
We exploit the youth. We tell them to join a gang.
We tell them dope stories, introduced them to the game.

Killer Mike, “Reagan,” R.A.P. Music, 2012

I don’t respect killers, I respect O.G. knowledge,
Codes of the streets got new rules, but no guidance.
Lessons, detrimental to a young disciple;
Folks, take care of your brothers, niggas do as I do.
Keep your enemies close, where they can see you.
It’s not your enemy who get you, it’s always your own people.

Nas, “In Between Us,” from Scarface’s The Fix, 2002

We can’t complain for this borrowed time;
So don’t misuse yours, cause you can’t borrow mine.

Big K.R.I.T., “Wake Up,” 4Eva N A Day, 2012

There ain’t no time to be wasted, the world is going under…
Nowadays, can’t tell Fall from Spring, and Winter from Summer.

Big K.R.I.T., “As Small as a Giant,” K.R.I.T. Wuz Here, 2012

Killer Mike (Run the Jewels) • “Oh Mama” • RTJ3 • 2016

I smoke the holy herb, get high as hell and meditate.
Swear to God, shit’s so good…fat boy’ll levitate.
God’s gift to man, how the fuck they try to legislate?
Mom’s, she recovering, tell me I overmedicate.
I tell her, “Holy fuck, Jesus Christ, give me a fucking break!”
She said, “Don’t curse your mama, goddammit,” and threw a dinner plate.

Killer Mike, “Oh Mama,” from Run the Jewel’s RTJ3, 2016

Killer Mike • “Reagan” • 2012

Thanks to Reaganomics, prisons turned to profits,
Cause free labor is the cornerstone of US economics.
Slavery was abolished, unless you are in prison,
You think I am bullshitting? Then read the 13th Amendment.
Involuntary servitude and slavery it prohibits,
That’s why they giving drug offenders time in double digits.

Killer Mike, “Reagan,” R.A.P. Music, 2012

Big Boi (OutKast) • “War” • 2003

I rap about the Presidential Election and the scandal
that followed;
And we all watched the nation, as it swallowed
And chalked it up…basically, America, you got fucked.
The media shucked and jived, now we stuck.

– Big Boi, “War,” from OutKast’s Speakerboxxx, 2003

Killer Mike (Run the Jewels) • “Nobody Speak” • 2016

I rob Charlie Brown, Peppermint Patty, Linus and Lucy,
Put coke in the doobie, roll woolies to smoke with Snoopy.
I still remain that dick grabbin’ slacker that spit a loogie,
Cause the toter of the toolie’ll murder you friggin’ Moolie.

– Killer Mike, “Nobody Speak,” from DJ Shadow’s The Mountain Will Fall, 2016

The moral of the story is: Keep your mouth shut.
Cause everybody’s listenin’; speak and you fucked up.
I tell you like them old cats say:
Get what you get, and get your ass out the way.
Cause greed’ll get you 35 tight,
You 27…that’s the rest of your life, right?

Scarface, “Rooted,” Deeply Rooted, 2015. More from ‘Face…