Black boy, black boy, turn that shit down.
You know that America don’t wanna hear the sound
Of the bass drum jungle music, go back to Africa,
Nigga I’ll arrest ya if you’re holding up traffic.

I’ll be damned if I listen, so cops save your breath
And write another ticket if you have any left.
And I’m breaking eardrums while I’m breaking the law,
I’m disturbing all the peace cause Sister Soldier said ‘War!’

So catch me if you can, if you can, here’s a donut,
Cause once you drive away, yo, you know I’m gonna go nuts.
And turn it up to where it was before, nice try!
But you can’t stop the power of the bass in your eye.

Masta Ace, “Jeep Ass Niguh,” SlaughtaHouse, 1993. More from Ace…

I had a church girl, quiet girl…one girl was rich.
The most memorable girl was a Gangsta Bitch.
We went out a lot, sometimes we dressed the same,
Lickin’ shots in the park and had pet names:
I called her ‘Dollars’ cause that’s what she liked to spend;
She called me ‘Diamond’ cause my dick was her best friend.

Apache, “Gangsta Bitch,” Apache Ain’t Shit, 1993

Shorty, let me tell you about my only vice:
It has to do with lots of lovin’, and it ain’t nuttin’ nice.

Q-Tip, “Electric Relaxation,” from A Tribe Called Quest’s Midnight Marauders, 1993. More from the Tribe…

Working hard may help you maintain,
To learn to overcome the heartaches and pain.

Inspectah Deck, “C.R.E.A.M.,” from Wu-Tang Clan’s Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), 1993. Many more lyrics from The Wu…

Unpredictable, liable to flip my lid…
My moms dropped me on my head when I was a kid.
Back then I lost all my marbles, today I lost my job,
So in essence, it’s Armageddon, somebody’s bound to get robbed!

Sticky Fingaz, “Shiftee,” from Onyx’s Bacdafucup, 1993. More Onyx quotes…

Real niggaz represent and don’t die,
Never dead, like I said, all we fuckin’ do is multiply.

Buckshot Shorty, “Black Smif-n-Wessun,” from Black Moon’s Enta Da Stage, 1993. More Black Moon lyrics…

I be tossin’, enforcin’, my style is awesome.
I’m causin’ more Family Feuds than Richard Dawson.
And the survey said: “You’re dead.”
Fatal Flying Guillotine chops off your fuckin’ head!

RZA, “Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing Ta F’ Wit,” from Wu-Tang Clan’s Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), 1993. More RZA quotes…

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

I’m hooked on gin and tonics like your mama’s Hooked on Phonics.

Tash, “Make Room,” from Tha Alkaholiks’ 21 & Over, 1993

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

Crews talk shit, but in my face they kiss my ass.

A-Plus, “93 Til Infinity,” from Souls of Mischief’s 93 Til Infinity, 1993

Flip the flyer attire females desire,
Baby you can step to this if you admire
The extraordinary dapper rapper…
Keep tabs on your main squeeze before I tap her.

Opio, “93 Til Infinity,” from Souls of Mischief’s 93 Til Infinity, 1993

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

Food for thought, so get a buffet plate.
The lyrics are so fat you might gain weight.

Doodlebug, “Where I’m From,” from Digable Planets’ Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space, 1993

The first lady in my life, but now you’re gone,
I learned through the years to keep carrying on.
Your picture brings me tears and memories,
The way things could be…and they should be, but they’re not.

Afrika Baby Bam, “All I Think About Is You,” from Jungle Brothers’ J. Beez Wit The Remedy, 1993

It’s the principle of it, I get a rush when I bust
Some dope lines oral, that maybe somebody’ll quote.
That’s what I consider real in this field of music,
Instead of puttin’ brain cells to work, they abuse it.
Non-conceptual, non-exceptional,
Everybody’s either crime-related or sexual.
For those who pose lyrical, but really ain’t true, I feel:
Their time’s limited, hard rocks too.

O.C., “Time’s Up,” Word…Life, 1994

Payback’s a bitch, that’s why I never borrow;
And if push comes to shove, I’d do a stickup tomorrow.

Daddy-O, “Inner City Boundaries,” from Freestyle Fellowship’s Innercity Griots, 1993

I drink twenty forties, smoke forty blunts,
Say a hundred rhymes, and not sound like you once.

Dres, “Roll  Wit Tha Flava,” from Flavor Unit’s Roll Wit Tha Flava, 1993

The rap era’s outta control,
Brothers’ sellin their soul to go gold…
Going, going, gone, another rapper sold!

Parrish Smith, “Crossover,” EPMD’s Business Never Personal, 1993

Times are hard in the ghetto, I gotta steal for a living;
Eating turkey-flavored Now & Laters for Thanksgiving.

DMX, “Born Loser,” 12”, 1993

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

I get atomic, hypo-galactical…
Word to mom, I’m in my own world.
Galaxy rays? Powerful.

Kool Keith, “Raise It Up,” from Ultramagnetic M.C.’s The Four Horsemen, 1993

Little brats yellin ‘Trick or Treat’ all through my screen door,
When y’all should be at home sleep,
Instead of at my front porch 15 deep.
The jack o’ lantern came in handy…
I can turn my porch light out like I ain’t got no candy.
But ain’t that somethin?
You buy a Halloween costume and a pumpkin,
Almost gave your children a heart attack.
It’s a tradition, but who the hell started that?

Kam, “Holiday Madness,” Neva Again, 1993

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

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

EPMD in effect, I’m clockin’ mad green
Like Kermit the Frog, sloppy like Boss Hog,
Girl was runnin’ wild…ate her like a corn dog.

Parrish Smith, “Chill,” from EPMD’s Business Never Personal, 1992

It’s ninety-six degrees in the shade…
Before I catch blood on my blade.

Keith Murray, “Hostile,” from Erick Sermon’s No Pressure, 1993

God works in different ways and it shows…
And everybody knows, love comes and goes.

Ed O.G., “Love Comes and Goes,” from Ed O.G. and Da Bulldogs’ Roxbury 02119, 1993

I got a funny feeling like something was real wrong…
Looked at her shoes and her feets was real long!
Then it hit me, Oh please God no,
Don’t let this ho turn out to be a John Doe…
He pulled a fast one on me, yo!

Fatlip, “Oh Shit,” The Pharcyde, Bizarre Ryde II The Pharcyde, 1993

Every night I pray to God: ‘Please, no more wack MC’s.’

J-Ro, “Likwit,” from Tha Alkaholiks’ 21 and Over, 1993

I admit skinz ain’t a reason to lose friends,
But then again I didn’t know. Sorry.

Casual, “I Didn’t Mean To,” Fear Itself, 1994

I cannot stand no wack MC.
So step back if you please,
And don’t test me, you’re history.

Del the Funky Homosapien, “Wack M.C.’s,” No Need for Alarm, 1993

I like ‘em brown, yellow, Puerto Rican or Haitian.

Phife, “Electric Relaxation,” from A Tribe Called Quest’s Midnight Marauders, 1993

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

God damn! Drug dealers dealin’ to the kiddies,
Livin’ in the city ain’t no pity on the itty-bitty.
We try to cry, but still they all die,
I try to speak to the youth, and the truth is: they all high.

2Pac, “Wassup Wit The Luv?,” from Digital Underground’s The Body-Hat Syndrome, 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

Butterfly, searchin for a relax,
Pullin from the jazz stacks, cause it’s Sunday.
On the air is incense, sounds to the ceiling
Tried to get this feelin since Monday.

Butterfly, “Pacifics (NY is Red Hot),” from Digable Planets’ Reachin – A New Refutation of Time and Space, 1993

Well I’ma freakit like this because I be doper than the dopest,
I focus on the mic and if you like it you can quote this.

Dray, “Freakit,” from Das EFX’ Straight Up Sewaside, 1993

Used to have a crush on Dawn from En Vogue.
It’s not like honey dip would wanna get with me,
But just in case I own more condoms than TLC.

Phife Dawg, “Oh My God,” from A Tribe Called Quest’s Midnight Maruaders, 1993

I smoke on the mic like Smokin’ Joe Frazier,
The hell raiser, raisin’ hell with the flavor.

Inspectah Deck, “Protect Ya Neck,” from Wu-Tang Clan’s Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), 1993. RIP Joseph William “Joe” Frazier, (January 12, 1944 – November 6, 2011), known as Smokin’ Joe, was a former Olympic and Undisputed World Heavyweight boxing champion.

You know it’s funny, when it rains it pours,
They got money for wars, but can’t feed the poor.

2Pac, “Keep Ya Head Up,” Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., 1993 

First of all, who’s your A&R?
A mountain climber who plays an electric guitar?
But he don’t know the meaning of dope,
When he’s lookin for a suit and tie rap
That’s cleaner than a bar of soap!
And I’m the dirtiest thing in sight,
Matter of fact, bring out the girls and let’s have a mud fight.

GZA, “Protect Ya Neck,” from Wu-Tang Clan’s Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), 1993

Abraham Lincoln got shot and died,
Freed the slaves so they put him on the five.

Too $hort, “Money In The Ghetto,” Get In Where You Fit In, 1993

You just met me, you won’t let me…
Well if I couldn’t have it, silly rabbit, why you sweating me?

2Pac, “I Get Around,” Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., 1993

I hate your fuckin’ guts, and I hope that you die.
Sticky Fingaz’s tha name, and my life is a lie,
Cause I’m havin a bad day, so stay out of my way,
And what the pistol packin’ people say, you better obey!

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

I dribble rhymes like basketball…
People call me ‘E.T.’
What’s that, Shaq man?
‘Extra Tall.’

Shaquille O’Neal, “I Know I Got Skillz,” Shaq Diesel, 1993

You need to sweat yourself. Don’t sweat nobody else.

Busta Rhymes, “A Quarter to Cutthroat,” from Leaders of the New School’s The Inner Mind’s Eye (T.I.M.E.), 1993

Oh lord, get on my skateboard and do a motherfuckin driveby.

Buckshot Shorty, “Powaful Impak!” Black Moon’s Enta Da Stage, 1993

Damn, I can’t wait until it get dark,
So I can light these fireworks up at the park,
And celebrate my independence,
It’s the 4th of July, but I ain’t got 10 cents.

Kam, “Holiday Madness,” Neva Again, 1993

Rap is something you do, Hip-hop is something you live.

KRS-One, “Hip-Hop vs. Rap,” B-Side to Sound of Da Police 12", 1993

Do you ever think about when you outta here?
Record deal and video, outta here!?
Mercedes Benz and Range Rover, outta here!?
No doubt, BDP is old school, but we ain’t goin’ out!

KRS-One, “Outta Here," Return of the Boom Bap, 1993

Leave it up to me while I be livin’ proof,
To kick the truth to the young black youth.

Inspectah Deck, “C.R.E.A.M.” from Wu-Tang Clan’s Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), 1993

Commercial rap get the gun clap, day after day.

Buckshot Shorty, “Slave” from Black Moon’s Enta Da Stage, 1993

Are you tired of lyrical liars, passing fliers,
Wannabe MC’s, but really good triers,
Tripping over mic cords, getting you bored,
A total fraud, this kind of thing I can’t afford!

KRS-One, “Mortal Thought,” Return of the Boom-Bap, 1993

If wonder if I blasted a little Elvis Presley.
Would they pull me over and attempt to arrest me?
I doubt, doubt it, they’ll probably start dancin,
Jumpin on my dick and pissin in they pants and
Wiggle and then jiggle and grab on they pelvis
But you know my name, so you never hear no Elvis.

Masta Ace, “Jeep Ass Niguh,” Slaughtahouse, 1993

Don’t underestimate me when you date me,
Got my clamp off safety, that’ll make you hate me…

Yo-Yo, “The Bonnie and Clyde Theme,” You Better Ask Somebody, 1993

Dial the seven digits, call up Bridgette,
Her man’s a midget.
Plus she got friends, yo, I can dig it.

Opio, “‘93 Til Infinity,” from Souls of Mischief’s ’93 Til Infinity, 1993

Stop tryin to be loud as me, cause you can’t do that,
Think about it…playing Russian roulette with an automatic!

Fredro Starr, “Slam,” from Onyx’s Bacdafucup, 1993

I’m hooked on gin and tonics like your mama’s Hooked on Phonics

Tash, “Make Room,” from Tha Alkaholiks’ 21 & Over, 1993 

Used to have a crush on Dawn from En Vogue.
It’s not like honey dip would wanna get with me,
But just in case I own more condoms than TLC.

Phife Dawg, “Oh My God,” from A Tribe Called Quest’s Midnight Maruaders, 1993. Rest in forever peace, Malik Taylor, the rapper known as Phife Dawg, who died Wednesday at the age of 45. 1970-2016.

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…

I never want a jheri curl up under my hat,
The woman in my bed has got to be strictly black,
I never want money if my lyrics are wack,
So I must…rock…the mic.

KRS-One, “Mortal Thought,” Return of the Boom Bap, 1993. More from The Blastmaster…

Who do I blame if I’m not a success?
Do I blame it on my pops that left
When I was feedin on my mama’s breast?
Or do I blame it on society?
With all this black/white stuff…man this shit is real tough.

Freddie Foxxx, “So Tough,” Crazy Like a Foxxx, 1993

‘Cause in my physical I can express through song,
Delete stress like Motrin, then extend strong.
I drink Moet with Medusa, give her shotguns in hell
From the spliff that I lift and inhale…it ain’t hard to tell.

Nas, “It Ain’t Hard to Tell,” Illmatic, 1993. More from Nas…

Deep like The Shining, sparkle like a diamond,
Sneak a Uzi on the Island in my army jacket lining.
Hit the Earth like a comet…invasion,
Nas is like the Afrocentric Asian: half-man, half-amazing.

Nas, “It Ain’t Hard to Tell,” Illmatic, 1993. More from Nas…

It ain’t hard to tell, I excel then prevail,
The mic is contacted, I attract clientele.
My mic check is life or death, breathing a sniper’s breath,
I exhale the yellow smoke of buddha through righteous steps.

Nas, “It Ain’t Hard to Tell,” Illmatic, 1993. More from Nas…

As the night seemed darker, cops is on a hunt,
They interrupt your cipher, and crush your blunt.
See, you left your work at home so they pat you down for nothing;
Why in the hell does 10-4 keep fronting?

Q-Tip, “Midnight,” from A Tribe Called Quest’s Midnight Marauders, 1993. More from the Tribe…

I’m sick and tired of these fake-ass niggas,
Saying that they’re catching bodies when they never pulled a trigger.
I know your style, I’ve seen it before,
You wearing army suit, now you think you’re hardcore.
Drinking on your 40’s, smoking on your blunts,
Can’t afford a chain so you wear gold fronts…
You fakin’ the funk, kid.
And you’d be getting it up the ass if you ever did a fucking bid.

Fat Joe, “The Shit Is Real (Remix),” Jealous One’s Envy, 1993

Times are hard in the ghetto, I gotta steal for a living;
Eating turkey-flavored Now & Laters for Thanksgiving.

DMX, “Born Loser,” 12”, 1993

We went from African kings to Martin Luther King,
Now they wanna make us all Rodney King.
So they conspire to murder for hire;
Is the world just a big cup of water trying to douse the black fire?

Freddie Foxxx, “So Tough,” Crazy Like a Foxxx, 1993

There’s four developing stages in the art of hip-hop,
And most of them developed from the snap, crackle and pop.
The first was the usage of an actual band,
The second was a drum machine made by a man,
The third was the human beatbox and percussion,
The fourth in line was samplin’ and the book of rhyme bustin’.

Afrika Baby Bam, “Book of Rhyme Pages,” from The Jungle Brothers’ J Beez Wit The Remedy, 1993. More from the Jungle Brothers…

I keep the ugly rhymes in the cellar of my cranium,
Where no one can see them or hear cries for freedom.
Chopped up raw thoughts the only thing I feed ‘em,
Release the beats from the cellar when I need ‘em.

MF Grimm, “What a Nigga Know? (Remix),” from K.M.D.’s Black Bastards, 1993. More from Grimm…

God works in different ways and it shows,
And everybody knows: love comes and goes.

Ed O.G., “Love Comes and Goes,” from Ed O.G. and Da Bulldogs’ Roxbury 02119, 1993

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

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

I got Soul Power, never took a cold shower,
Never had a girlfriend the color of cooking flour.

J-Ro, “Make Room,” from Tha Alkaholiks’ 21 and Over, 1993. More from Tha Liks…

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. More from KRS…

Little brats yellin ‘Trick or Treat’ all through my screen door,
When y’all should be at home sleep,
Instead of at my front porch 15 deep.
The jack o’ lantern came in handy…
I can turn my porch light out like I ain’t got no candy.
But ain’t that somethin?
You buy a Halloween costume and a pumpkin,
Almost gave your children a heart attack.
It’s a tradition, but who the hell started that?

Kam, “Holiday Madness,” Neva Again, 1993