Life is a gamble, we scramble for money,
I might crack a smile, but ain’t a damn thing funny.
Prodigy, “Eye for an Eye (Your Beef Is Mines),” from Mobb Deep’s The Infamous, 1995. More gems from P >
Tag: wisdom
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I think we all motherfuckin’ hypocrites,
Asking God for life and we ain’t even livin’ it.Stro Rockets, “From Me,” Grade A Frequencies EP, 2017
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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 -
Be grateful for blessings,
Don’t ever change, keep your essence.
The power is in the people and politics we address.2Pac, “Me Against the World,” Me Against the World, 1995 -
I have a strong point of view on the way things run:
Just shut up, and listen, and learn, my son.Erick Sermon, “You’re a Customer,” from EPMD’s Strictly Business, 1988
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Some type of grief you must experience
In order to appreciate happiness.
‘Cause if you are always satisfied,
Life will just pass by; you would’ve never tried.MC Lyte, “Search 4 The Lyte,” Act Like You Know, 1991
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It’s time to invent the future, cause there ain’t nobody else
Who can make it happen right, so make it happen for yourself.Mr. Man, “Gravity,” from Da Bush Babees’ Gravity, 1996
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How you gonna win when you ain’t right within?
Lauryn Hill, “Doo Wop (That Thing),” The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, 1998
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Reality’s really the individual’s mentality;
Some seek eternal life, while others seek fatality.Juju, “Peace Akki,” from Al’ Tariq’s God Connections, 1996
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To increase your life line, strengthen your heart.
Eat fish…that brain food will get you smart.
Yoga…deep meditational tactics,
You no good? Then just practice, cause practice makes perfect.
Stop burying your lies, and bring the truth to the surface.Ghostface Killah, “Food,” from BADBADNOTGOOD & Ghostface Killah’s Sour Soul, 2015
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It’s only human to express the way you really feel,
But that same humanity is my Achilles’ heel.
A leopard can’t change his spots and never will;
So I’m forever ill…now I can never chill.– Black Thought, “I Remember,” from The Roots’ undun, 2011
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Let me break it down for you again,
You know I only say it because I’m truly genuine:
Don’t be a hard rock when you really are a gem.Lauryn Hill, “Doo Wop (That Thing),” The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, 1998
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I’d rather stimulate your mind than emulate your purpose.
– Aceyalone, “The Guidelines,” A Book of Human Language, 1998
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Penny for your thoughts, a nickel for your dreams
A dime for your goals and a quarter in your jeans
Trying to make a dollar outta forty-one cents
Caught up in the barbed wire, shorty on the fence– Masta Ace, “Young Black Intelligent (Y.B.I.),” The Falling Season, 2016
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I lost my innocence at birth but I make no excuses
For the trivial things and the pain life induces.– B-Real, “Bitter,” from Cypress Hill’s Stoned Raiders, 2001
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God, money, war…
If heaven free, what we kill for money for?
They say, “When it rains it pours,” but it rain on the poor;
So you ain’t really rich if what’s rich ain’t in your core.– King Los, “God Money War,” God, Money, War, 2015
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Sippin’ on that brown stuff
Got you feeling like you found love,
Or maybe it was just luck.
But honestly…it’s probably none of the above.– Slug, “Arthur’s Song” from Atmosphere’s Southsiders, 2014.
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They say I’m so low key, I’m socially awkward,
Only those that really know me are the ones that I talk with.
They smile in the light, hate in the dark,
You call it beef, to me it’s just a fuckin’ walk in the park.– Nas, “I Do It for Hip-Hop,” from Ludacris’ Theater of the Mind, 2008
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To try and to fail:
The two things I hate.
Succeed, and this rap game:
The two things that’s great.– Jay-Z, “Izzo (H.O.V.A.),” The Blueprint, 2001.
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Life’s a bitch, who are we to judge each other?
I know I got faults, I ain’t the only muthafucka.– Guru, “No Shame in my Game,” from Gang Starr’s Daily Operation, 1992
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To everyone out there who’s a little different:
I say, “Damn a magazine, these is God’s fingerprints.”
You can call me ugly, but can’t take nothing from me;
I am what I am, doctor, you ain’t gotta love me.
Brother Ali, “Forest Whitaker,” Shadows on the Sun, 2003. -
I just want to innovate and stimulate minds,
Travel the world and penetrate the times,
Escape through rhythms,
In search of peace and wisdom.
Common, “The 6th Sense,” Like Water for Chocolate, 2000. More from Comm… -
Battle physically, conquer mentally.
CL Smooth, “Take You There,” from Pete Rock & CL Smooth’s The Main Ingredient, 1994 -
Stay far from timid.
Only make moves when your heart is in it.
And live the phrase ‘Sky’s the Limit.’Notorious B.I.G., “Sky’s the Limit,” Life After Death, 1997. More from Biggie… -
If you can’t live, you dying,
You give or you buy in.
Keep it real or keep it moving,
Keep grinding, keep shining.Raekwon, “Gorgeous,” from Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, 2010. More from Chef… -
The thing that men and women need to do is stick together,
Progressions can’t be made if we’re separate forever.Q-Tip, “Verses from the Abstract,” from A Tribe Called Quest’s The Low End Theory, 1991. More from the Abstract… -
The greatest lesson ever learned has yet to be taught.
Nas, “One Plus One,” from Large Professor’s The LP, 1996. More from Nasir… -
I guess nobody told you a little knowledge is dangerous,
It can’t be mixed, diluted, it can’t be changed or switched.
Here’s a lesson if you’re guessing and borrowing:
Hurry, hurry step right up and keep following the leader.Rakim, “Follow the Leader,” from Eric B. and Rakim’s Follow the Leader, 1988. More from Rakim… -
You say you wanna be my leader?
I think you wanna be my God.
You say you on the side of the righteous?
I say I’m gonna hang with the wrong.
There’s truth where the filth is,
There’s lies in the law.
You want a whore with a white dress,
I want a wife in a thong.El-P, “Angel Duster,” from Run the Jewels’ RTJ2, 2014. More from El-P… -
Talk…well I heard talk is cheap.
But like beauty, talk is just skin deep.
And when you lie and you talk a lot,
People tell you to step off a lot.Daddy-O, “Talkin’ All That Jazz,” from Stetsasonic’s In Full Gear, 1988. -
Now hear this mixture: where Hip Hop meets scripture,
Develop a negative into a positive picture.Lauryn Hill, “Everything is Everything,” The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, 1998. More from Ms. Hill > -
It’s the message in the song that makes you rock on,
Some people go to places where they don’t belong.
Whether wrong or right, a lot of people fight,
But I’m here to bless this mic, aight?Guru, “What I’m Here 4,” from Gang Starr’s Moment of Truth, 1998. More from Guru… -
In my heart, though, I do believe:
If you put out more love than you receive,
It’s bound to come back around, eventually.Masta Ace, “Glory,” from Marco Polo’s PA2: The Director’s Cut, 2013. More lyrics from Ace > -
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… -
Platinum don’t mean shit
When you’re perpetrating someone else’s life,
And they life ain’t legit.MF Grimm, “Do It for the Kids,” 12″, 1998. More words of wisdom from MF Grimm… -
You won’t get a harvest if you don’t sow seeds,
Ill-gained wealth brings stress from dirty deeds.
The choices that you make will fulfill your needs,
But the shit you go through will be hard to believe.Grap Luva, “Step Up,” from I.N.I.’s Center of Attention, 2003 -
Let me break it down for you again,
You know I only say it because I’m truly genuine:
Don’t be a hard rock when you really are a gem.Lauryn Hill, “Doo Wop (That Thing),” The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, 1998 -
The way mothers feel for they sons, how fathers feel for they daughters;
When he date, he straight, chip off his own papa.
When she date, we wait behind the door with the sawed off,
Cause we think no one is good enough for our daughters.Nas, “Daughters,” Life is Good, 2012. More from Nas… -
You tried keeping it real, but you should try keeping it right.
Posdnuos, “The Bizness,” from De La Soul’s Stakes Is High, 1996. More from De La… -
I give you life decoded,
Nicely quoted.Ka, “Day 110,” from Ka and Preservation’s Days with Dr. Yen Lo, 2015. More from Ka… -
A simple right or left
Can mean life or death.
Epic fail, or nice success,
Days of pleasure…nights of stress.Ka, “Decisions,” Grief Pedigree, 2012. More from Brownsville’s Ka > -
Been tested, ain’t fail: I’m tried and true.
When it’s all falling apart, my pride’s the glue.
I felt at times worthless…
Pulled shifts with shifty crime merchants,
Stained hearts, brainwashed by mind serpents.
The fact I’m still here, it’s clear it’s divine purpose.Ka, “Day 912,” from Ka and Preservation’s Days with Dr. Yen Lo, 2015. More from Ka… -
I ain’t the captain of the yacht, but I’m on the boat;
I ain’t acting what I’m not, knowing that I don’t.
You niggaz acting like you will, but I know you won’t.
Man, I read between the lines of the eyes of your brows,
Your handshake ain’t matchin your smile…Beanie Sigel, “Feel it in the Air,” The B. Coming, 2005 -
Hey kid, walk straight, master your high.
Slick Rick, “Hey Young World,” The Great Adventures of Slick Rick, 1988. More from Slick Rick the Ruler > -
You can see the weakness of a man right through his iris.
RZA, “4th Chamber,” from GZA’s Liquid Swords, 1995. More jewels from RZA… -
They say it’s lonely at the top, in whatever you do,
You always gotta watch motherfuckers around you.
Nobody’s invincible, no plan is foolproof,
We all must meet our Moment of Truth.Guru, “Moment of Truth,” from Gang Starr’s Moment of Truth, 1998
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This ain’t the world we thought it was when we as in pre-school.
Sometimes it’s hard to be cool, sometimes I feel like I’m see-through.
Sometimes I really wish…I wish that I could be you.Joey BADA$$, “Black Beetles,” B4.DA.$$, 2015. -
Make peace not war, make babies some more, Keep a smile when you travel from shore to shore.
Ghostface Killah, “Nuggets of Wisdom,” from BADBADNOTGOOD & Ghostface Killah’s Sour Soul, 2015. More nuggets of wisdom from Ghost… -
It’s like every step bring me close to destiny,
And every breath I get closer to the death of me.
I’m just tryna carry out my own legacy,
But the place I call home ain’t lettin’ me.Joey Bada$$, “Like Me,” B4.DA.$$, 2015 -
Fear is weakness, learn from what experience teaches.
Beware of leeches, the vampires, my secrets…
Never follow, cause most niggas is straight up cowards.
Take care of my body’s the temple, my mind is the power.Nas, “Self Conscience,” from Nas & Ill Will Records Presents QB’s Finest, 2000. More from Nas > -
…That’s when you start to stare at who’s in the mirror,
And see yourself as a kid again, and you get embarrassed.
And I got nothin’ to do but make you look stupid as parents,
You fuckin’ do-gooders; too bad you couldn’t do good at marriage!Eminem, “Renegade,” from Jay-Z’s The Blueprint, 2001 -
Now if I worry too much about all my have nots,
I might not recognize just what I’ve got…Mike G., “Jungle Brother,” from Jungle Brothers’ Raw Deluxe, 1997 -
Consequence is no coincidence.
Lauryn Hill, “Lost Ones,” The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, 1998 -
I’mma tell you a little somethin about this chick around my way,
She was a dime with a brown skin complexion…
She looked so good you’d think you wouldn’t need protection,
Girlfriend was top choice selection, around in every section.
They got twisted, she said “No condom,” so he risked it,
Caught in the mix and now you sick kid.
Word is bond, I thought by now you learned your lesson:
Fucking around with no protection.Pete Rock, “The Yearn,” from Lost Boyz’ Legal Drug Money, 1995. More from The Chocolate Boy Wonder > -
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 -
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 > -
Different day, same shit, same script, different plate
This the way of the world, and I’m just tryin’ ta fit in place.Oddisee, “First Step,” from Diamond District’s March on Washington, 2014 -
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… -
Everybody looking at you crazy,
What you gon’ do?
Lift up your head and keep moving,
Or let the paranoia haunt you?Kendrick Lamar, “I,” 2014. More from K.Dot… -
The world is full of bullshitters,
Liars, and triers and quitters,
Coulda-beens, wannabe’s, thought-I-was, isn’t-I-is’s…
And everybody in your business.Aceyalone, “Keep It True,” All Balls Don’t Bounce, 1995. More lines from Aceyalone > -
Once you find your lane, you can’t cruise;
When you define the game, you can’t lose.Ka, “Nothing Is,” Night’s Gambit, 2013. More Ka verbal jewels… -
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 > -
Picked up the yoga, put down the soda.
My healthy mind…that’s what’s gon’ help me over.
Life of a stoner (if you still concerned),
I never lose, I only win or learn;
It’s all about your state of mind.Dizzy Wright, “State of Mind,” State of Mind EP, 2014 -
You named them: hustlers, killers, fiends, ex-cons.
I called them: cousins, aunts, pops, moms.
To you? Hoodlums, crackheads, gunmens.
To me? Just neighbors, classmates, young friends.Ka, “To Hull and Back,” 1200 B.C. EP, 2014. More bars from Ka… -
Love is love, love is real, love is great.
But when it isn’t reciprocated, it could become hate.Apathy, “It’s Only Hip-Hop,” Honkey Kong, 2011 -
I said, ‘What you wanna be?’ She said, ‘Alive.’
It made me think for a minute, then looked in her eyes
…I coulda died.Andre 3000, “Da Art of Storytellin’ (Part 1),” from Outkast’s Aquemini, 1998. More from Outkast… -
We still wading in the water…
Cocaine, blunts, marinating in the water.
Lean and took a puff, and then she gave it to my father,
Used to take the bullets out so I could play with the revolver.
Satan serenading ever since I was a toddler,
Tell ‘em talk is cheap…niggas living for the dollar.Vince Staples, “Kingdom,” from Common’s Nobody’s Smiling, 2014 -
Truth brings light, light refracts off the mirror,
Visions of yourself and error could never be clearer.
The truth is that you ugly…
Not on the outside, but in the inside;
On the outside, you frontin’ you lovely.Pharoahe Monch, “The Truth,” Internal Affairs, 1999. More Pharoahe Monch quotes > -
Don’t clock anybody, let them all clock you,
Don’t be down with anybody, let them all be down with you.
Stay self-managed, self-kept, self-taught,
Be your own man; don’t be borrowed, don’t be bought.Heavy D, “We Got Our Own Thang,” Heavy D & The Boyz’ Big Tyme, 1989 -
Nobody put the crack into the pipe,
Nobody made you smoke off your life.
You thought that you could do dope and still stay cool?
Fool…you played yourself.Ice-T, “You Played Yourself,” The Iceberg: Freedom of Speech…Just Watch What You Say, 1989 -
People ask for God, ‘till the day He comes,
See God’s face…turn around and run.
God sees the face of a man,
Shaking his head, says “He’ll never understand.”Dice Raw, “Understand,” from The Roots’ …and then you shoot your cousin, 2014. More lyrics by The Legendary Roots Crew… -
Why did one straw break the camel’s back?
Here’s the secret:
The million other straws underneath it.Mos Def, “Mathematics,” Black on Both Sides, 1999. More Mos Def quotables… -
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… -
I’m livin’ in times where my daughters are found around
Kids who can’t afford thinking caps…
But always found drinkin’ raps and eatin’ off beats,
Claimin’ laws of the streets. But who made the laws?
Everybody playin’ rebel with no sign of a cause.Posdnuos, “Held Down,” from De La Soul’s AOI: Bionix, 2001. More from De La Soul… -
Takes a long time to happen so fast…
To realize that your future is somebody else’s pastLupe Fiasco, “Old School Love,” 2013. More Lupe Fiasco quotes… -
Could hate a person, but in fact it’s not worth it.
Never know how long you’ve got on this earth, kid.Large Professor, “In the Sun,” First Class, 2002 -
If you ain’t using all the talents God provided you with
For the betterment of Man, understand,
You ain’t nothing but a waste.Talib Kweli, “State of Grace,” Gravitas, 2013. More Talib Kweli quotes… -
My feet might fail me, my heart might ail me,
The synagogues of Satan might accuse or jail me,
Strip, crown, nail me, brimstone hail me…
They might defeat the flesh but they could never ever kill me.
They might feel the music but could never ever feel me.Jay Electronica, “Better In Tune With the Infinite,” 2014 -
It seems to me like all these people claim to be the victim,
Acting like the whole entire world is out to get them.
Stand up on your own,
And prove that you are grown,
Because the life that you save may be your own.Lee Majors, “Maybe,” from Da Bush Babees’ Gravity, 1996 -
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… -
I am recognizing that the voice inside my head
Is urging me to be myself, but never follow someone else
Because opinions are like voices, we all have a different kind.Q-Tip, “Steve Biko (Stir It Up),” from A Tribe Called Quest’s Midnight Marauders, 1993 -
If you admire somebody, you should go on ‘head tell ’em;
People never get the flowers while they can still smell ’em.Kanye West, “Big Brother,” Graduation, 2007. More Kanye West quotes… -
Can’t live with them…can’t live without them.
But I love a whole lot more than I hate about them.
They look good, feel good, and smell even better,
So why you acting like your mama didn’t use that leather?
‘B word’ this, ‘H bomb’ that.
In the midst all of this, I wonder: ‘Where your moms at?’
Cause if she ain’t one, then tell me where the hate from?
You just calm down, and maybe you can date one.
Buy some flowers, open up some doors.
She needs some tampons? Homie, go to the store.
Vitamin Water, a bottle of Motrin,
Teddy bear, candy bar, something, a token
Of affection, a step in that direction,
…Cause love is about progress, not perfection.Murs, “Love & Appreciate 2," Murs for President, 2008. More Murs quotes… -
Life is something you can’t borrow and give back;
Here today and gone tomorrow…just like that.E-40, “The Story,” Tha Hall of Game, 1996 -
My old soul remains forever young…
I’ve done it all, and still I’m doing shit that I ain’t ever done.
See, it depends on your definition of winning;
I ain’t started from the bottom, I started from the beginning.Oddisee, “Tangible Dream,” Tangible Dream, 2013 -
You can take back all the things you give,
But you can’t take back the days you live.
Life is to some people who’ve been on earth
Livin’ every single day for what it’s worth.
I live life just how I please,
Satisfy one person I know: that’s me.Too $hort, “Life Is.. Too $hort,” Life Is… Too $hort, 1988 -
If I upset you, don’t stress. Never forget
That God isn’t finished with me yet.
I feel His hand on my brain…
When I write rhymes, I go blind and let the Lord do His thang.2Pac, “Ghetto Gospel,” Loyal to the Game, 2004. More 2Pac quotes… -
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, 19941994, east coast, juju, life, new york, pain, queens, street level, stress, the beatnuts, weed, wisdom -
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. -
Now I don’t want to be a dopeman, listen:
I didn’t have a dime, a nickel, penny, a pot to piss in.
See, all my clothes had holes and they fit tight,
Pray to God cause it’s hard trying to live right.
Waiting on the train, can’t hang with the street gangs,
Making me insane, putting rain on my whole brain.
But the train means change to better thangs;
Can’t live with the negative and ghetto pains.
Can’t be late, can’t wait to get to where we’re going,
Almost ten to four and I’m sure that the train is showing.
But I ain’t sure where it goes, I don’t really know it,
But I got faith, that’s all it takes to get to where we’re going.2Pac, “The D-Flo Shuttle,” from Digital Underground’s Sons of the P, 1991. More 2Pac 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. -
I got a head full of headaches, a heart that’s full of woes.
I’m constantly singin’ them down home blues, and not many people knows
That leaves me with a twisted view of the whole wide world as I know it…
And I guess I got no choice but to be a poet.Aceyalone, “Headaches & Woes,” All Balls Don’t Bounce, 1995 -
I know you don’t wanna hear my opinion,
There come many paths and you must choose one.
And if you don’t change then the rain soon come.
See, you might win some, but you just lost one.Lauryn Hill, “Lost Ones,” The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, 1998. More Lauryn Hill 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