We speak the love language, they speak from pain and anguish.
Some don’t love theyselves, so they perception is tainted.

- Talib Kweli, “Love Language,” from Reflection Eternal’s Train of Thought, 2000

Too many MC’s take that word ‘emcee’ lightly;
They can’t Move a Crowd, not even slightly.

- KRS-One, “MC’s Act Like They Don’t Know,” KRS-One, 1995

I got styles sick as hell, sicker than sickle cell anemia,
Slaughter your circulatory like leukemia.

- AZ, “Rather Unique,” Doe or Die, 1995

Ain’t no love lost, cause there was never none there.

- Billy Danze, “Hood Music,” from Memphis Bleek’s M.A.D.E., 2003

I’d rather die enormous than live dormant.

- Jay-Z, “Can I Live,” Reasonable Doubt, 1996

Flawless victory, y’all niggas can’t do shit to me:
Physically, lyrically, hypothetically, realistically.

- Big Pun, “Beware,” Capital Punishment, 1998 

Fuck Batman and Robin: I’m robbin’ with a bat, man.

- Rock, “Gunz ‘N Onez (Iz U Wit Me),” from Heltah Skeltah’s Magnum Force, 1998

When I hit the skins they all say, ‘Damn Kane…
You knock out the Bush like a presidential campaign!’

- Big Daddy Kane, “How U Get a Record Deal?” Looks Like a Job For…, 1993

The mind tricks the body,
Body thinks the mind is crazy…

- Buckshot Shorty, “How Many MC’s…,” from Black Moon’s Enta Da Stage, 1993

I don’t feel pain cause it’s all in the mind,
And what’s mines is mines and yours is mine!

- Sticky Fingaz, “Throw Ya Gunz,” from Onyx’s Bacdafucup, 1993

I never ever ran from the Ku Klux Klan, and I shouldn’t have to run from a black man.

- Kool Moe Dee, “Self-Destruction,” from Stop the Violence All-Stars’ Self Destruction, 1989

I find it’s distressin’, there’s never no in-between:
We either niggaz or kings,
We either bitches or queens.
The deadly ritual seems immersed in the perverse,
Full of short attention spans, short tempers, and short skirts.

- Mos Def, “Thieves in the Night,” from Black Star’s Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star, 1998

When I need bread, I grab the toaster and stick niggas for they crumbs.

- Akinyele, “The Robbery Song,” Put It in Your Mouth EP, 1996

They say jealousy is a serious disease.
So I’mma say a prayer for you dudes,
Hope you motherfuckers get well soon.

- Lil Fame, “Hard NIggaz,” from M.O.P.’s Sparta, 2011

You got a man? That’s somethin we will talk about.
He’s smart enough to have ya, but dumb enough to let ya out.

- LL Cool J, “Mr. Goodbar,” Mama Said Knock You Out, 1990