I’ve been layin’, waiting for your next mistake,
I put in work, and watch my status escalate.
Guru, “Work,” from Gang Starr’s Moment of Truth, 1998
Tag: brooklyn
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A lot of rappers be like one time wonders,
Couldn’t say a fly rhyme if there was one right under their noses…
I hate those motherfuckin posers.Guru, “Mass Appeal,” from Gang Starr’s Hard to Earn, 1994 (via ninetynow) -
MCs get a little bit of love and think they hot,
Talkin bout how much money they got…all y’all records sound the same.
I’m sick of that fake thug, R&B-rap scenario, all day on the radio,
Same scenes in the video, monotonous material.
…Y’all don’t hear me though:
These record labels slang our tapes like dope.
You can be next in line and signed, and still be writing rhymes and broke.stic.man, “Hip-Hop,” from Dead Prez’s Let’s Get Free, 2000 -
Why do I need ID to get ID?
If I had ID, I wouldn’t need ID.Mos Def, “The Questions,” from Common’s Like Water for Chocolate, 2000 -
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 -
When I get involved, I give it my heart,
I mean my mind, my soul, my body: I mean every part.
But if it doesn’t work out, yo, it just doesn’t.
It wasn’t meant to be, you know, it just wasn’t.MC Lyte, “Paper Thin,” Lyte as a Rock, 1988 -
If I wasn’t in the rap game,
I’d probably have a key knee-deep in the crack game.
Because the streets is a short stop:
Either you’re slinging crack rock or you got a wicked jump shot.The Notorious B.I.G., “Things Done Changed,” Ready to Die, 1994 -
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 mind is a terrible thing to waste.
I show love cause it’s a terrible thing to hate.Guru, “Peace of Mine,” from Gang Starr’s The Ownerz, 2003 -
I’m surrounded by psychopathic little fellas,
Ghetto dwellas, with ammunition in their cellas,
And no remorse in their hearts
When the shit starts it don’t end…
Until somebody’s gone with the wind.Masta Ace, “Maintain,” Sittin on Chrome EP, 1995 -
Know the shit I don’t write be the illest shit that’s ever been recited in the game,
Word to the hyphen in my name!Jay Z, “The Watcher 2,” The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse, 2002. Jay Z dropped the hyphen today. -
I got mouths to feed,
Unnecessary beef is more cows to breed.GZA, “4th Chamber,” Liquid Swords, 1995 -
Rappers act so wild, and love to profile,
Frontin’ hard, but ain’t got no style.Big Daddy Kane, “Smooth Operator,” It’s a Big Daddy Thing, 1989 -
Consider me the entity within the industry without a history of spitting the epitome of stupidity.
Talib Kweli, “Definition,” from Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star, 1998 -
In time, you’ll see a thin line between friend and rival.
Between you and me: stupidity and men’s bravado.Ka, “Iron Age,” Grief Pedigree, 2012 -
If you love someone, you should say it often,
You never know when they’ll be layin’ in a coffin.
Wake up, it’s important that you know that
No one on Earth is promised tomorrow.MC Lyte, “Poor Georgie,” Act Like You Know, 1991 -
Lyrically, I’m supposed to represent;
I’m not only the client, I’m the player president.The Notorious B.I.G., “One More Chance (Remix),” 12", 1995 -
I’m only trying to show you how black niggas live,
But you don’t want your little ones acting like this.
Lil Amy told Becky, Becky told Jenny,
And now they all know the skinny.
Lil Joey got his durag on,
Driving down the street blasting Tupac’s song.Jay-Z, “Hell Yeah (Pimp the System) (Remix)”, from Revolutionary But Gangsta, 2004 -
Feds still lurking,
They see I’m still putting work in.
Cause somewhere in America…
Miley Cyrus is still twerkin’.Jay-Z, “Somewhere In America,” Magna Carta Holy Grail, 2013 -
It’s drones over Brooklyn, you blink, you could get tooken,
And now you’re understanding the definition of ‘Crooklyn.’
Pigs on parade, but bacon fryin’ and cookin’,
Cause kids’ tired of dyin’ and walkin’ round like they shooken.Killer Mike, “DDFH,” from El-P + Killer Mike’s Run The Jewels, 2013 -
You dudes is noodles, I got more ziti to bake.
You dudes is cake, I keep two biscuits on the waist.
Razor blades under the tongue, I will eat your face,
Appetite for destruction, I am starvin’ today.
Got a money hungry lawyer that’ll eat the case,
And that’s just food for thought, don’t let it go to waste.Jay-Z, “U Don’t Know (Remix),” The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse, 2002 -
You and your friends…always together,
No time for the B-I-G, so I’m O-U-T.
The sex was great, but the headaches I can’t take.
I think I made a very big mistake.Notorious B.I.G., “Buddy X (Remix),” from Neneh Cherry’s Homebrew, 1992 -
I go to Queens for queens to get the crew from Brooklyn,
Make money in Manhattan and never been tooken.
Go Uptown and the Bronx to boogie down,
Get strong on the Island, recoup, and lay around.Rakim, “Juice (Know the Ledge),” from Eric B. & Rakim’s Don’t Sweat the Technique, 1992 -
I’m your idol, the highest title, Numero Uno,
I’m not a Puerto Rican, but I’m speakin so that you know,
And understand, I got the gift of speech,
And it’s a blessin, so listen to the lesson I preach…Special Ed, “I Got it Made,” Youngest in Charge, 1989 -
You can tell by the rhyme it’s my time to shine;
Let’s eat, motherfucker, I don’t dine on swine.
I don’t beef with turkeys, I told you the God’ll fold you,
Hard to digest: I suggest that you take tofu.Sean Price, “Like You,” Jesus Price Superstar, 2007 -
Music business hates me cause the industry ain’t make me,
Hustlers and boosters embrace me and the music I be makin.
I dumbed down for my audience to double my dollars…
They criticized me for it, yet they all yell ‘HOLLA!’
If skills sold, truth be told, I’d probably be, lyrically, Talib Kweli.
Truthfully I wanna rhyme like Common Sense,
But I did five mil…I ain’t been rhymin like Common since.Jay-Z, “Moment of Clarity,” The Black Album, 2003 -
Why give you the cure when the disease makes money?
Talib Kweli, “The Traveller,” from J.Period’s Rage Is Back mixtape, 2013 -
Real, rough and rugged, shine like a gold nugget,
Every time I pick up the microphone, I drug it.Jeru The Damaja, “Come Clean,” The Sun Rises in the East, 1994 -
My sense of self and my mental health
Is much more powerful than any hint of wealth.Guru, “Peace of Mine,” from Gang Starr’s The Ownerz, 2003 -
For 9-6, the only MC with a flu.
Yeah, I rhyme sick, I be what you tryin’ to do.Jay-Z, “Brooklyn’s Finest,” Reasonable Doubt, 1996. Visit the Flu Trends map on Google for more information on how the flu is impacting your community. Theme song: Beatnuts “No Escapin’ This”. -
Just because no one can understand how you speak,
Don’t necessarily mean that what you be sayin is deep.Talib Kweli, “Good Mourning,” from Reflection Eternal’s Train of Thought, 2000 -
New York, New York is where we live and we’re thorough,
Never taking shorts, ‘cause Brooklyn’s the borough.
Peace to Uptown, to Queens and The Bronx,
Long Island and Jersey get as fly as they want.
But I must tell you, where we rest is no joke…
So let me break it down to sections for you slow pokes:
Fort Greene, Bed-Stuy, Flatbush, Brownsville,
Crown Heights and East New York will be down till,
Medina takes respect for the styles we bring,
‘Cause in Brooklyn we be into our own thing.Guru, “The Place Where We Dwell,” from Gang Starr’s Daily Operation, 1992 -
Breathe in…inhale vapors from bright stars that shine,
Breathe out…weed smoke retrace the skyline.Mos Def, “Respiration,” from Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star, 1998 -
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 -
Put a quarter in your ass, ‘cause ya played yourself.
Big Daddy Kane, “The Symphony,” from Marley Marl’s In Control, Vol. 1, 1988 -
Won’t cha…picture life as my wife, just think:
Full length mink, fat X and O links,
Bracelets to match, conversation was all that,
Showed you the safe combinations and all that.
Guess you could say you’s the one I trusted…
Who would ever think that you would spread like mustard?Notorious B.I.G., “Get Money,” from Junior M.A.F.I.A.’s Conspiracy, 1995 -
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 -
Yo, it’s 1 universal law but 2 sides to every story,
3 strikes and you be in for life, mandatory.
4 MC’s murdered in the last 4 years,
I ain’t tryin to be the 5th one, the Millennium is here.
Yo, it’s 6 million ways to die, from the 7 deadly thrills,
8-year olds gettin’ found with 9 mill’s.
It’s 10 P.M., where your seeds at? What’s the deal?Mos Def, “Mathematics,” from Black on Both Sides, 1999 -
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 -
Telling my business to kids I don’t even know,
You’re like a daytime talk show…and that’s low.Guru, “Take it Personal,” from Gang Starr’s Daily Operation, 1992 -
Your reign on the top was short like leprechauns,
As I crush so-called Willies, thugs, and rapper-dons.The Notorious B.I.G., “Kick in the Door,” Life After Death, 1997 -
On the square…I’m not riffin’ like Andy Griffith,
Just fed up, goin’ head up, with competition.Positive K, “Step Up Front,” 12", 1988. Legendary television actor Andy Griffith died of natural causes today at the age of 86. -
When you say you love me, it doesn’t matter.
It goes into my head as just chit-chatter.
You may think it’s egotistical or just worry-free,
But what you say, I take none of it seriously.MC Lyte, “Paper Thin,” Lyte as a Rock, 1988 -
Ayo, the arm bone connected to the hand bone,
Nigga, the hand bone connected to the damn chrome!Sean P, “Don’t You Cross the Line,” from Boot Camp Clik’s The Last Stand, 2006 -
Nowadays rap artists coming half-hearted,
Commercial like pop, or underground like black markets.
Where were you the day hip-hop died?
Is it too early to mourn? Is it too late to ride?Talib Kweli, “Too Late,” from Reflection Eternal’s Train of Thought, 2000 -
Fake MC’s – they always act hard
But won’t walk the streets without their bodyguards.Guru, “Suckas Need Bodyguards,” from Gang Starr’s Hard To Earn, 1994 -
Rappers can’t sleep, need sleepin’,
B.I.G. keep creepin’,
Bullets heat-seekin’,
Casualties need treatin’,
Dumb rappers need teachin’.Notorious B.I.G., “Unbelievable,” Ready To Die, 1994 -
I was always taught my do’s and don’ts:
For do’s I did, and for don’ts, I said I won’t.GZA, “I Gotcha Back,” from the Fresh soundtrack, and also on Liquid Swords, 1994 -
Don’t you like when the winter’s gone,
And all of a sudden it starts gettin’ warm?
The trees and the grass start lookin’ fresh,
And the sun and sky be lookin’ their best…Biz Markie, “Spring Again,” The Biz Never Sleeps, 1989 -
Look: if I shoot you, I’m brainless,
But if you shoot me, then you’re famous.
What’s a nigga to do?Jay-Z, “Streets Is Watching,” In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, 1997 -
Lemonade was a popular drink and it still is;
I get more props and stunts than Bruce Willis.Guru, “DWYCK,” from Gang Starr featuring Nice & Smooth DWYCK 12", 1994 -
This country of ours was built on violence;
If your ass got in the way, you was killed in silence.
And these been the ways since back in the days:
Just ask the Indians or the African slaves.Masta Ace, “The Ways,” A Long Hot Summer, 2004 -
I’d rather die enormous than live dormant.
Jay-Z, “Can I Live,” Reasonable Doubt, 1996 -
If you can’t respect that, your whole perspective is wack.
Maybe you’ll love me when I fade to black.Jay-Z, “December 4th,” The Black Album, 2003