Challenge: lyrics to a rap song that show intelligence Edit: challenge has been met.

[dartworth]

Fugees - Family Business

Where I was born, nothing is promised
My life is filled with less hope than the prophecies of nostradamus
Omega marks the ending of predictability, birth of agility
Who will it be to test me and expose their futility.
Iron like a lion from zion stop tryin? so hard,
I think I smell your brain cells fryin?.
The family?s behind you if you?re worthy
Philosophies developed deep in the back streets of dirty jersey
Troops with scully hats and timberland boots
No more break-dancing for loot.
Niggas hustle and shoot
In the garden state, it grows stink weeds and criminals
Government funds are minimal
Oppression?s subliminal
[clef]
These days it?s hard for we to find peace of mind
Between insanity and sanity there lies a thin line.
Some dwell in hotels with jezebels
A stone age and fall a victim to the plague
Unclean bad dreams of wyclef being a fiend,
One last kiss from my sweet serpentine
Eliminate then break,
Navigate to rejuvenate thoughts of suicide with my nickel plate.
Reconcilation came from my enemy-friend
Who said family don?t bend
We stay silent till the end.
Now who would think that your best friend
Would be your worst enemy and your enemy your best friend.
Stare into the air inspiration from the atmosphere
I think of old ghosts, that ain?t even here.
Like alex haley take notes on this biography
My family tree consists of street refugees.
A ghetto land, where we talk slang
Stolen cars bang, like my chitty bang-bang sh-bang
For the heads, we ain?t sellin? cocaine today
So refrain and let my family reign okay
[omega]:chorus
Just walkin? the streets death can take you away
It?s never guaranteed that you?ll see the next day
At night the evil armies of shaton don?t play
So defend the family that?s the code to obey
[clef]
But if I fall asleep and death takes me away
Don?t be surprised son, I wasn?t put here to stay
At night the evil armies of shaton don?t play
So the family sticks together and we never betray
[clef]
Nah fvck that
Fifty-two pick up, no cops around
Fifty-two thousand in cash, I don?t want no savings bonds
Have the money ready, I smell something fishy
Your wife?s in my custody
One false move and you?ll find her body in the sea.
That?s the voice of the kid, that?s the kidnapper
I do my work and then I catch my ticket to jamaica.
Meet me in the alley, make sure you bring the money
This ain?t the seventies I?m far from a jive turkey
[lauryn]
My circle it can?t be broken
Open, cut-throatin?, provokin?
Record promotin, tokens chokin? on they words like smoke and.
Cause we soft spoken, doesn?t mean that we?ve forgotten
Your bootie smells rotten and one day you will be gotten
See joker?s is scatter-brained, their focus is unrestrained
My army is trained, you never find us beefin? in vain.
Cause I?ve seen fire and I?ve seen rain
You claim fame, while modest niggas remain.
I can judge a character like ito judge a verdict
And if you bringin? threats I give you sex if I ain?t heard it.
See poppin? s***?s about your attitude and how you word it
I?ve seen the biggest niggas on the block get murdered
And they deserverd it
Or so the beast said when they served it ? ? ?
That s*** is nervous
So what?s my purpose?
Family, we must preserve it.
Your number?s retired
I hope you like the hell fires
You?ll be screamin? murder she wrote like chaka demus and pliars.
[omega]:chorus
Just walkin? the streets death can take you away
It?s never guaranteed that you?ll see the next day
At night the evil armies of shaton don?t play
So defend the family that?s the code to obey
[lauryn]
If I should fall asleep and death takes me away
Don?t be surprised son, I wasn?t put here to stay
At night the evil armies of shaton don?t play
So the family stick together and we never betray.
[forte]
We used to jump rope,
But now we gun hope
Bustin? shots off of project roof tops
Sending signals with the blunt smoke.
Ock, don?t talk a lot if you can?t hold it in lock
If you think lips sink ships,
Imagine full glock clips.
I hold a glass of remy martin
Gettin? milks by the carton
Extortin? the light weights for thinkin? they important
The night pays and heavenly ways
Ain?t nothin? free ah
Knowledge of your family and steppin? to your b.i.
You see i, stay on top of s*** like a fly
My niggas reach when they got beef
Then jet down to south beach
Yo mouthpiece is yappin?
I hear it in your rap and
My family is thick so that bulls*** could never happen.
[clef]:chorus
Just walkin? the streets death can take you away
It?s never guaranteed that you?ll see the next day
At night the evil armies of shaton don?t play
So defend the family that?s the code to obey
[lauryn]
If I should fall asleep and death takes me away
Don?t be surprised son, I wasn?t put here to stay
At night the evil armies of shaton don?t play
So the family stick together and we never betray.

 

[murphy55d]

Artist: Arrested Development
Album: 3 years, 5 months and 2 days in the life of...
Song: Mr. Wendal

Here, have a dollar,
in fact no brotherman here, have two
Two dollars means a snack for me,
but it means a big deal to you
Be strong, serve God only,
know that if you do, beautiful heaven awaits
That's the poem I wrote for the first time
I saw a man with no clothes, no money, no plate
Mr.Wendal, that's his name,
no one ever knew his name cause he's a no-one
Never thought twice about spending on a ol' bum,
until I had the chance to really get to know one
Now that I know him, to give him money isn't charity
He gives me some knowledge, I buy him some shoes
And to think blacks spend all that money on big colleges,
still most of y'all come out confused

[CHORUS:]
Go ahead, Mr.Wendal (2x)

Mr.Wendal has freedom,
a free that you and I think is dumb
Free to be without the worries of a quick to diss society
for Mr.Wendal's a bum
His only worries are sickness
and an occasional harassment by the police and their chase
Uncivilized we call him,
but I just saw him eat off the food we waste
Civilization, are we really civilized, yes or no ?
Who are we to judge ?
When thousands of innocent men could be brutally enslaved
and killed over a racist grudge
Mr.Wendal has tried to warn us about our ways
but we don't hear him talk
Is it his fault when we've gone too far,
and we got too far, cause on him we walk
Mr.Wendal, a man, a human in flesh,
but not by law
I feed you dignity to stand with pride,
realize that all in all you stand tall

 

[isasir]

Eminem - Lose Yourself is another one.

 

[rh71]

Maybe Tupac ? The song Changes comes to mind... but I never gave much of chance to most rap/hip-hop.

 

[ndee]

Tupac - Changes (and that's even MAINSTREAM)

Come on come on
I see no changes wake up in the morning and I ask myself
Is life worth living should I blast myself?
I'm tired of bein' poor even worse I'm black
My stomach hurts so I'm lookin' for a purse to snatch
Cops give a damn about a negro
Pull the trigger kill a ni**a he's a hero
Give the crack to the kids who the hell cares
One less hungry mouth on the welfare
First ship 'em dope let 'em deal the brothers
Give 'em guns step back watch 'em kill each other
It's time to fight back that's what Huey said
2 shots in the dark now Huey's dead
I got love for my brother but we can never go nowhere
Unless we share with each other
We gotta start makin' changes
Learn to see me as a brother instead of 2 distant strangers
And that's how it's supposed to be
How can the Devil take a brother if he's close to me?
I'd love to go back to when we played as kids
But things changed, and that's the way it is

{Bridge w/ changing ad libs}
Come on come on
That's just the way it is
Things'll never be the same
That's just the way it is
Aww yeah
{Repeat}

{2}
I see no changes all I see is racist faces
Misplaced hate makes disgrace to races
We under I wonder what it takes to make this
One better place, let's erase the wasted
Take the evil out the people they'll be acting right
'cause both black and white is smokin' crack tonight
And only time we chill is when we kill each other
It takes skill to be real, time to heal each other
And although it seems heaven sent
We ain't ready, to see a black President, uhh
It ain't a secret don't conceal the fact
The penitentiary's packed, and it's filled with blacks
But some things will never change
Try to show another way but you stayin' in the dope game
Now tell me what's a mother to do
Bein' real don't appeal to the brother in you
You gotta operate the easy way
I made a G today But you made it in a sleazy way
Sellin' crack to the kid. I gotta get paid,
Well hey, well that's the way it is

{Bridge}

{Talking:}
We gotta make a change...
It's time for us as a people to start makin' some changes.
Let's change the way we eat, let's change the way we live
And let's change the way we treat each other.
You see the old way wasn't working so it's on us to do
What we gotta do, to survive.

{3}
And still I see no changes can't a brother get a little peace
It's war on the streets the war in the Middle East
Instead of war on poverty they got a war on drugs
So the police can bother me
And I ain't never did a crime I ain't have to do
But now I'm back with the blacks givin' it back to you
Don't let 'em jack you up, back you up,
Crack you up and pimp slap you up
You gotta learn to hold ya own
They get jealous when they see ya with ya mobile phone
But tell the cops they can't touch this
I don't trust this when they try to rush I bust this
That's the sound of my tool you say it ain't cool
My mama didn't raise no fool
And as long as I stay black I gotta stay strapped
And; I never get to lay back
'Cause I always got to worry 'bout the pay backs
Some buck that I roughed up way back
Comin' back after all these years
Rat - a - tat - tat - tat - tat that's the way it is uhh

 

[murphy55d]

Originally posted by: rh71
Maybe Tupac ? The song Changes comes to mind... but I never gave much of chance to most rap/hip-hop.

Artist: 2Pac
Album: 2Pac Greatest Hits (Amaru/Interscope)
Song: Changes
Typed by: HJWESS1@msg.pacbell.com

-1-
Come on come on
I see no changes wake up in the morning and I ask myself
is life worth living should I blast myself?
I'm tired of bein' poor & even worse I'm black
my stomach hurts so I'm lookin' for a purse to snatch
Cops give a damn about a negro
pull the trigger kill a n**** he's a hero
Give the crack to the kids who the hell cares
one less hungry mouth on the welfare
First ship 'em dope & let 'em deal the brothers
give 'em guns step back watch 'em kill each other
It's time to fight back that's what Huey said
2 shots in the dark now Huey's dead
I got love for my brother but we can never go nowhere
unless we share with each other
We gotta start makin' changes
learn to see me as a brother instead of 2 distant strangers
and that's how it's supposed to be
How can the Devil take a brother if he's close to me?
I'd love to go back to when we played as kids
but things changed, and that's the way it is

Bridge w/ changing ad libs
Come on come on
That's just the way it is
Things'll never be the same
That's just the way it is
aww yeah
Repeat

-2-
I see no changes all I see is racist faces
misplaced hate makes disgrace to races
We under I wonder what it takes to make this
one better place, let's erase the wasted
Take the evil out the people they'll be acting right
'cause both black and white is smokin' crack tonight
and only time we chill is when we kill each other
it takes skill to be real, time to heal each other
And although it seems heaven sent
We ain't ready, to see a black President, uhh
It ain't a secret don't conceal the fact
the penitentiary's packed, and it's filled with blacks
But some things will never change
try to show another way but you stayin' in the dope game
Now tell me what's a mother to do
bein' real don't appeal to the brother in you
You gotta operate the easy way
"I made a G today" But you made it in a sleazy way
sellin' crack to the kid. " I gotta get paid,"
Well hey, well that's the way it is

Bridge

Talking:
We gotta make a change...
It's time for us as a people to start makin' some changes.
Let's change the way we eat, let's change the way we live
and let's change the way we treat each other.
You see the old way wasn't working so it's on us to do
what we gotta do, to survive.

-3-
And still I see no changes can't a brother get a little peace
It's war on the streets & the war in the Middle East
Instead of war on poverty they got a war on drugs
so the police can bother me
And I ain't never did a crime I ain't have to do
But now I'm back with the blacks givin' it back to you
Don't let 'em jack you up, back you up,
crack you up and pimp slap you up
You gotta learn to hold ya own
they get jealous when they see ya with ya mobile phone
But tell the cops they can't touch this
I don't trust this when they try to rush I bust this
That's the sound of my tool you say it ain't cool
my mama didn't raise no fool
And as long as I stay black I gotta stay strapped
& I never get to lay back
'Cause I always got to worry 'bout the pay backs
some buck that I roughed up way back
comin' back after all these years
rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat that's the way it is uhh

Bridge 'til fade

 

[murphy55d]

damn you ndee

 

[ndee]

murphy55d

2pac - Dear Mama (A song he wrote for.... guess who?)

When I was young me and my mama had beef
Seventeen years old kicked out on the streets
Though back at the time, I never thought I'd see her face
Ain't a woman alive that could take my mama's place
Suspended from school; and scared to go home, I was a fool
With the big boys, breakin all the rules
I shed tears with my baby sister
Over the years we was poorer than the other little kids
And even though we had different daddy's, the same drama
When things went wrong we'd blame mama
I reminice on the stress I caused, it was hell
Huggin on my mama from a jail cell
And who'd think in elementary?
Heeey! I see the penitentiary, one day
And runnin from the police, that's right
Mama catch me, put a whoopin to my backside
And even as a crack fiend, mama
You always was a black queen, mama
I finally understand
For a woman it ain't easy tryin to raise a man
You always was committed
A poor single mother on welfare, tell me how ya did it
There's no way I can pay you back
But the plan is to show you that I understand
You are appreciated

{Chorus: Reggie Green Sweet Franklin w/ 2Pac}

Lady...
Don't cha know we love ya? Sweet lady
Dear mama
Place no one above ya, sweet lady
You are appreciated
Don't cha know we love ya?

{second and third chorus, And dear mama instead of Dear mama}

{Verse Two: 2Pac}

Now ain't nobody tell us it was fair
No love from my daddy cause the coward wasn't there
He passed away and I didn't cry, cause my anger
Wouldn't let me feel for a stranger
They say I'm wrong and I'm heartless, but all along
I was lookin for a father he was gone
I hung around with the Thugs, and even though they sold drugs
They showed a young brother love
I moved out and started really hangin
I needed money of my own so I started slangin
I ain't guilty cause, even though I sell rocks
It feels good puttin money in your mailbox
I love payin rent when the rent's due
I hope ya got the diamond necklace that I sent to you
Cause when I was low you was there for me
And never left me alone because you cared for me
And I could see you comin home after work late
You're in the kitchen tryin to fix us a hot plate
Ya just workin with the scraps you was given
And mama made miracles every Thanksgivin
But now the road got rough, you're alone
You're tryin to raise two bad kids on your own
And there's no way I can pay you back
But my plan is to show you that I understand
You are appreciated

{Verse Three: 2Pac}

Pour out some liquor and I reminsce, cause through the drama
I can always depend on my mama
And when it seems that I'm hopeless
You say the words that can get me back in focus
When I was sick as a little kid
To keep me happy there's no limit to the things you did
And all my childhood memories
Are full of all the sweet things you did for me
And even though I act craaazy
I gotta thank the Lord that you made me
There are no words that can express how I feel
You never kept a secret, always stayed real
And I appreciate, how you raised me
And all the extra love that you gave me
I wish I could take the pain away
If you can make it through the night there's a brighter day
Everything will be alright if ya hold on
It's a struggle everyday, gotta roll on
And there's no way I can pay you back
But my plan is to show you that I understand
You are appreciated

Sweet lady
And dear mama

Dear mama
Lady {3X}

 

[anxi80]

since people are posting whole song lyrics and i only pasted an excerpt...

nas - dance
I dream of the day I could go back to when I was born
Laying in your arms, wishing you was here today mom
Wish you to appear
Just for a second from heaven my tears would be gone
I wouldn't be rapping this song
I'd be happy driving up to your 8 bed room mansion
Up late laughing about the hard time we faced
The galaxy is so enchanting beyond, Galileo's understanding
Past the milky way and all the planets
There's something out there greater
But only god knows, scientist claim we came from apes
But they lies though, that was part of our conversation
I spark went up a star blazing
Thinking of how amazing she was
A angel gave me love
I'm thankful, to ever know a women so real
I pray when I marry my wife i'll have one of your skills
But mom you could never be replaced
I'd give my life up
Just to see you one more day
To have...

[Chorus]
One more dance with you mama
If I could only have
One more dance with you mama
Praying, wish that I could have
One more dance with you mama
If I could only have
One more dance with you mama

I wish you were here,
I miss you more each second I breathe
You resting in peace forever I accepted you free
A blessing to me, I see you dressed in all white
Smiling at me, happy knowing everything's all right
If only I could hear your voice and your laughter
Just one more time, my chest would be filled up with sunshine
April 7, ?42
That's when the gates of heaven opened up for you to stroll thru
Beautiful Anne Jones
Job is done, raising ghetto kids in the hood
You was my strength to carry on and now I'm good
Job well done, you lived threw you sons and your grandchildren
Jesus finally got his bride, mommy dance with Him
And you've been my guide threw all the trouble I faced
They playing our song the life beat my hand on your waist
I grab your other hand and try not to step on your toes
Spin you around with my eyes closed
Dreaming I could have

[Chorus]

I love you forever mom
You will always live threw me ... always

 

[psydancerqt]

rh71's song:

http://www.lyricsstyle.com/t/tupac/changes.html

 

[Hubris]

This is so ridiculous. Anyone who says EVERYTHING of a certain genre is crap is foolish. There's god stuff to be found in just about every aspect of the arts, if one's open to it.

I like rap, but I don't like the 'bling bling I'm gonna kill you' crap that's out there on MTV all the friggin time. I like Tupac, but only certain songs, the ones where he's pointing out problems in the world and he's determined to overcome them. That's what interests me; people using rap and music to overcome the hate and pain that has colored their lives so powerfully.

My current favorite Tupac song - Momma's Just a Little Girl

From the song:

[Tupac Talking]
They ask us why we mutilate each other like we do
And wonder why we hold such little worth for human life
Facing all this drama
But to ask us why we to turn from bad to worse
Is to ignore from which we came
You see you wouldn't ask why the rose that grew from the concrete had damaged petals
On the contrary
We would all celebrate its tenacity
We would all love its will to reach the sun
Well
We are the roses (echo)
This is the concrete (echo)
And these are my damaged petals (echo)
Don't ask me why (echo)
Thank god ni**a (echo)
Ask me how (echo)
(hahaha)
You see, mama's just a little girl

 

[clamum]

One of many:

I wanna devise a virus
To bring dire straits to your environment
Crush your corporations with a mild touch
Trash your whole computer system and revert you to papyrus
I want to make a super virus
Strong enough to cause blackouts in every single metropolis
Cuz they dont wanna unify us
So fvck it total anarchy
Can't nobody stop us

You see late in the evening
Fvcked up on my computer and my mind starts roaming
I create like a heathen
The first cycles of this virus I can send through a modem
Infiltration hits your station
No microsoft or enhanced dos will impede
Society thinks thier safe when
Bingo! harddrive crashes from the rendering
Alot of hackers tryed virus's before
Vaporize your text like so much white out
I want it where a file replication is a chore
Lights out shut down the entire whitehouse
I dont want just a bug that could be corrected
Im erecting immaculate design
Break the nation down section by section
Even to the greatest minds its impossible to find

I wanna devise a virus
to bring dire straits to your environment
crush your corporations with a mild touch
trash your whole computer system and revert you to papyrus

I want to develop a super virus
Better by far then that old y 2 k
This 3030 the time of global unification break right through they
terminals, burn em all
Slaves to silicon
Curupt politicians with leaders and thier keywords
F.B.I and spys stealin bombs
Decipitate thier plans in thier face and catch the fever
Everybody loot the stores get your caned goods
Even space stations are having a hard time
Beast keeepers seek to take our manhood
Which results in the form of global aparthied
Ghettos are trash dumps with gas pumps
Exploding and burnt out since before the great union
The last punks walk around like masked monks
Ready to manipulate the data base and break through em
Human rights come in a hudreth place
Mass production has always been number one
New Earth has become a repungnent place
So its time to spread the fear and the thunder some

 

[psydancerqt]

i kind of like this song by TLC called 'sumthin wicked the way comes':

http://www.lyricsstyle.com/t/tlc/sumthinwickedthiswaycomes.html

 

[new2AMD]

Originally posted by: anxi80
since people are posting whole song lyrics and i only pasted an excerpt...

nas - dance

Excerpts should be all that you post. Who is going to read the entire song? Besides just pull out the part that makes your point.

Thats what I did and mine is from 1988.

 

[v3rrv3]

I was gonna quote Nas - I know I can too

 

[anxi80]

Originally posted by: new2AMD
Excerpts should be all that you post. Who is going to read the entire song? Besides just pull out the part that makes your point.

Thats what I did and mine is from 1988.

yeah, but the song i posted the whole lyrics too proves my point also. its all so powerful, from the verses to the chorus. he talks about the passing of his mom to cancer and how she made his life better and he misses her so much and all the wisdom and life lessons she imparted him with.

my first post in this thread was an excerpt. figured id just share another example.

 

[AMCRambler]

"I like big butts and I cannot lie!
You other brothers can't deny,
that when a girl walks in,
with an itty bitty waist,
and a round thing in your face,
you get sprung!"


Awww yyeeeeaaaahhh, pwn3d!

 

[Entity]

Penny for a Thought, by Saul Williams

Cancel the apocalypse
cartons of the milky way with pictures of a missing planet
last seen in pursuit of an American dream
this fool actually thinks he can drive his hummer on the moon
blasting DMX off the soundtrack of a South Park cartoon

niggas used to buy their families out of slavery
now we buy chains and links, smokes and drinks
they're paying me to record this, even more if you hear it
somebody tell me what you think I should do with the money
yes, friend tell me what you think I should do with the money
exactly how much is it gonna cost to free Mumia?
what's he gonna do with his freedom? talk on the radio?

radio programming is just that - a brainwashin' gleamed of purpose
to be honest, some freedom of speech makes me nervous
and you looking for another martyr in the form of a man
hair like a mane with an outstretched hand
in a roar of hearts, thoughts, reactionary defensiveness and counter
intelligence what exactly is innocence?
fuck it, I do believe in the existence of police brutality

who do I make checks payable to?
a young child stares at a glowing screen transfixed by tales of violence
his teenage father tells him that that's life, not that Barney shit
a purple dinosaur that speaks of love, a black man that speaks of blood
which one is keeping it real, son?
who manufactured your steel, son?
hardcore, ancient elements at the earth's core
fuck it, I'mma keep speaking 'til my throats sore
an emcee told a crowd of hundreds to put their hands in the air

an armed robber stepped to a bank and told everyone to put their hands in
the air a Christian minister gives his benediction while the congregation holds
their hands in the air love the image of the happy Buddha with his hands in the air
hands up and feel confused, define tomorrow
your belief system ain't louder than my car system
awesome dude walked down my block with his rotwiler, a

subwoofer on a leash each one teach one
the DJ spins a new philosophy into a barren mind I can't front on it
my head nods as if to clear the last image from an etch-a-sketch
something like Rakim said- I could quote any emcee, but why should I?
how would it benefit me? karmic repercussions
are your tales of reality worth their sonic laced discussions?
suddenly, the ground shivers and quakes
a newborn startles and wakes
her mother rushes to her bed side to hold her to her breast
milk of sustenance heals and nourishes
from the depths of creation life still flourishes
yet we focus on death and destruction, violence,
corruption my people, let pharaoh go

 

[SuepaFly]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
I keep seeing these threads about Rap music being "so deep", and showing "so much intelligence" and "musical genius."

First disclaimer... I listen to rap/hip hop on occasion and find it occasionally entertaining... I'm not trying to put down the medium. But..

I've never heard intelligent lyrics. (or lyrics beyond that which a 7th grader could/would write for a poetry assignment) But, then again, everyone always adds the disclaimer that the good stuff is never on the radio. "you should listen to... or ..."

Well, here's your chance. Post some intelligent lyrics to a rap song. Put your money where, uh, their mouth is and their money on their mind and... uhh... Anyway, post something intelligent that a reaonable person would agree is intelligent.

This subject has been beat. Radio rap and such is all just mainstream. Its not intellectual or anything. But if you go more into real rap and hip hop, its not all bling bling.

Its a case of the most widely known being the worst representative of the group.

 

[waylman]

Perhaps the greatest rap song ever....

Song: Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos
Artist: Public Enemy
Album: It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back


I got a letter from the government
The other day
I opened and read it
It said they were suckers
They wanted me for their army or whatever
Picture me given' a damn I said never
Here is a land that never gave a damn
About a brother like me and myself
Because they never did
I wasn't wit' it but just that very minute...
It occured to me
The suckers had authority
Cold sweatin' as I dwell in my cell
How long has it been?
They got me sittin' in the state pen
I gotta get out - but that thought was thought before
I contemplated a plan on the cell floor
I'm not a fugitive on the run
But a brother like me begun - to be another one
Public enemy servin' time - they drew the line y'all
To criticize me some crime - never the less
They could not understand that I'm a Black man
And I could never be a veteran
On the strength, the situation's unreal
I got a raw deal, so I'm goin' for the steel

They got me rottin' in the time that I'm servin'
Tellin' you what happened the same time they're throwin'
4 of us packed in a cell like slaves - oh well
The same motherfu--er got us livin' is his hell
You have to realize - what its a form of slavery
Organized under a swarm of devils
Straight up - word'em up on the level
The reasons are several, most of them federal
Here is my plan anyway and I say
I got gusto, but only some I can trust - yo
Some do a bid from 1 to 10
And I never did, and plus I never been
I'm on a tier where no tears should ever fall
Cell block and locked - I never clock it y'all
'Cause time and time again time
They got me servin' to those and to them
I'm not a citizen
But ever when I catch a C-O
Sleepin' on the job - my plan is on go-ahead
On the strength, I'ma tell you the deal
I got nothin' to lose
'Cause I'm goin' for the steel

You know I caught a C-O
Fallin' asleep on death row
I grabbed his gun - then he did what I said so
And everyman's got served
Along with the time they served
Decency was deserved
To understand my demands
I gave a warnin' - I wanted the governor, y'all
And plus the warden to know
That I was innocent -
Because I'm militant
Posing a threat, you bet it's fuckin' up the government
My plan said I had to get out and break north
Just like with Oliver's neck
I had to get off - my boys had the feds in check
They couldn't do nuthin'
We had a force to instigate a prison riot
This is what it takes for peace
So I just took the piece
Black for Black inside time to cut the leash
Freedom to get out - to the ghetto - no sell out
6 C-Os we got we ought to put their head out
But I'll give 'em a chance, cause I'm civilized
As for the rest of the world, they can't realize
A cell is hell - I'm a rebel so I rebel
Between bars, got me thinkin' like an animal
Got a woman C-O to call me a copter
She tried to get away, and I popped her
Twice, right
Now who wanna get nice?
I had 6 C-Os, now it's 5 to go
And I'm serious - call me delirious
But I'm still a captive
I gotta rap this
Time to break as time grows intense
I got the steel in my right hand
Now I'm lookin' for the fence

I ventured into the courtyard
Followed by 52 brothers
Bruised, battered, and scarred but hard
Goin' out with a bang
Ready to bang out
But power from the sky
And from the tower shots rang out
A high number of dose - yes
And some came close
Figure I trigger my steel
Stand and hold my post
This is what I mean - an anti-great person machine
If I come out alive and then they won't - come clean
And then I threw up my steel bullets - flew up
Blew up, who shot...
What, who, the bazooka was who
And to my rescue, it was the S1Ws
Secured my getaway, so I just gotaway
The joint broke, from the black smoke
Then they saw it was rougher thatn the average bluffer
'Cause the steel was black, the attitude exact
Now the chase is on tellin' you to c'mon
53 brothers on the run, and we are gone

 

[lilFajita]

There's plenty of intelligent rap. and there's even more dumb rap. But I can say the same for every genre...rock, metal, whatever. For every Bad Religion there are two Good Charlottes.

 

[Ikonomi]

Originally posted by: lilFajita
There's plenty of intelligent rap. and there's even more dumb rap. But I can say the same for every genre...rock, metal, whatever. For every Bad Religion there are two Good Charlottes.

Good post, good post. :beer:

And oh sh!t, blackdogdeek rocking the Digable Planets. I love them. Reachin' is pretty incisive, but Blowout Comb is some heavy, political stuff.

Now, a couple of my own:

Blackalicious - Making Progress Lyrics


Chorus: Gift of Gab

We keep embellishin upon a new uncharted path
Expressin what we see and how we comprehend the math
So there's enough for everyone we gotta make it last
We gotta make it last..

[Gift of Gab]
As I embark on life's journey from the point where I'm at
Peace to everyone I know or who I go way back wit
Every pimp every mack, every gangsta to jack
Every hustler feedin babies, anybody pro-black
Every sister raisin kids without the help of a dad
Wantin for they children all the things that they never had
All the brothers handlin business even though shit's hard
Wakin up at five A.M., holdin down three jobs
All my rasta brethern gettin insight from trees
To my brothers up in college gettin Ph.D's
or any other degree, even if you just read
for mental health, see you're concious that your mind is free
All my people locked down, for your past mistakes
Mentally and spiritually, dwellin past the gates
You could change your ways, elevate today
To all recovered alcoholics chillin up in AA
Every black-owned business, keep doin for self
Helpin out the community and spreadin the wealth
Understand that help ain't gonna come from nowhere else
Revolutionaries makin the unjust get dealth wit
head on black people got to meet the task
Educate, keep learnin, gotta question, ask!
And let your light keep shinin and remember the past

By any means necessary, we'll be free at last

Chorus

[Gift of Gab]
As I embark on life's journey from the point where I'm at
Peace to everybody strivin to live right and exact
Even though anxieties try to pull you down
See your troubles as a blessin and you're homeward bound
Everybody gotta struggle, that's the way of the world
Can't develop biceps if you don't do curls
Can't achieve a a garden if you never water your crops
If you never paid your dues, then you don't get props
Couldn't eat a proper meal without cookin it first
Can't receive a paycheck if you don't do work
If it wasn't for the rain, then the trees won't grow
When the spring came around, what a sight to bestow
When you face adversities, dark clouds won't last
If you never study, how do you expect to pass?
The grasshoppers laid around while the ants did chores
When the winter came around, he was left outdoors
See the cycle keeps moving like a big machine
Evolution of the mind, soul body and being
God'll never put upon you more than you can take
Sometimes you even gotta learn from OTHER people's mistakes
So head on black people got to meet the task
Educate, keep learnin, gotta question, ask!
And let your light keep shinin and remember the past
By any means necessary, we'll be free at last

Chorus

One of the truest songs I've ever heard:

Jurassic 5 - Thin Line

[Chali 2na]
Yo, this is a lesson in friendship
The depths of a kinship
What women and men begin with, and then slip
My pen drips
As I scribble my thoughts on thin strips
Of emotion
A fraction, seduction, attraction
Eruption of passion
Corrupts if a lasted friendship's involved
But love to cross the line
But that's why we built these walls

[Hook: Nelly Furtado]
We been friends for a long time, a very close friend of mine
Love you like you was mine, but respect a thin line
I love you like you was mine, think about you all the time
Very close friend of mine, but respect a thin line

[Akil]
Opposite's attract
When the female and male come in contact
Sticky situation in fact
Tryin not to let the feelings catch
But there's a thin line between both of y'all
So you respect that
And entertain the idea, but get brought back
To reality, and could you really live with that?
Decision, based on intuition
You love and keep your distance
Hug and kiss in friendship

[Marc 7]
An ongoing kinship, we was people to begin with
Disrespect was not intended
but your feelings sparked the sentence
Sometimes you're too intense in your quest to invent
The perfect man, please understand, my rhyme is your repent

[(Hook) - repeat 2X]

[Soup]
Man, too bad that we became friends first
I'm not on expert on how relationships should work
But, (echos) from the minute it as known
It changed the whole tone on how we spoke on the phone
Yo, it was cool but I felt it wasn't enough
And I was stuck when your moms would pick it up
Over you, all my buddies would swoon
But I felt we were in tune, you let me up in your room. (Damn)
But to me girl, you're still off limits
No matter all the times that I hit it. (Yo, whatchu doin after this?)
Infactuation was authentic, but yo I just pretended
So I wouldn't lose the friendship
Maybe, I should spill all my guts
Or write a letter, then tear it up
Or do a song, just to say what's up
I want ... just ... a touch

[(Hook) - repeat 2X]

[Nelly Furtado]
I can't do this anymore
See my heart just spills out when you walk in the door
Friendship turns into lust and this only tip
That I can't comprehend even if I knew it
Can't do justice to these things that I'm feeling
You got someone else, don't wanna be caught stealing
Hell if she knew she would never leave us alone
in the roo-ooo-ooom

[Chali 2na]
This was a lesson in friendship
I stress in this sentence
Should women and men be friends first?
And then slip?
My pen drips as I scribble my thoughts on thin strips
of devotion

[Akil]
Opposites attract
And best friends make a perfect match
If you only knew that
Once you cross, ain't no turning back
The minute you let him in it and he hit that
That's that

[Marc 7]
We was people to begin with, but you was too relentless
Jeporidizing kinship, respect is intended
Resolve is my intent
While we got it in
I'm tryin to salvage a friendship

[(Hook) - repeat 2X]

 

[fs5]

Alphabet Aerobics - Blackalicious

Artificial amateurs, aren't at all amazing
Analytically, I assault, animate things
Broken barriers bounded by the bomb beat
Buildings are broken, basically I'm bombarding
Casually create catastrophes, casualties
Cancelling cats got their canopies collapsing
Detonate a dime of dank daily doin dough
Demonstrations, Don Dada on the down low
Eatin other editors with each and every energetic
Epileptic episode, elevated etiquette
Furious fat fabulous fantastic
Flurries of funk felt feeding the fanatics
Gift got great global goods gone glorious
Gettin godly in his game with the goriest
Hit em high, hella height, historical
Hey holocaust hints hear 'em holler at your homeboy
Imitators idolize, I intimidate
In a instant, I'll rise in a irate state
Juiced on my jams like jheri curls jockin joints
Justly, it's just me, writin my journals
Kindly I'm kindling all kinds of ink on
Karate kick type brits in my kingdom
Let me live a long life, lyrically lessons is
Learned lame louses just lose to my livery
My mind makes marvelous moves, masses
Marvel and move, many mock what I've mastered
Niggas nap knowin I'm nice naturally
Knack, never lack, make noise nationally
Operation, opposition, off, not optional
Out of sight, out of mind, wide beaming opticals
Perfected poem, powerful punchlines
Pummelling petty powder puffs in my prime
Quite quaint quotes keep quiet it's Quannum
Quarrelers ain't got a quarter of what we got uh
Really raw raps, risin up rapidly
Riding the rushing radioactivity
Super scientifical sound search sought
Silencing super fire saps that are soft
Tales ten times talented, too tough
Take that, challengers, get a tune up
Universal, unique untouched
Unadulterated, the raw uncut
Verb vice lord victorious valid
Violate vibes that are vain make em vanished
? well would a wise wordsmith just
Weaving up words weeded up, I'm a workshift
Xerox, my X-ray-diation holes extra large
X-height letters, and xylophone tones
Yellow back, yak mouth, young ones yaws
Yesterday's lawn yards sell our (yawn?)
Zig zag zombies, zoomin to the zenith
Zero in zen thoughts, overzealous rhyme ZEA-LOTS!....

-----
show me a 7th grader that can do that.

 

[fs5]

Originally posted by: lilFajita
There's plenty of intelligent rap. and there's even more dumb rap. But I can say the same for every genre...rock, metal, whatever. For every Bad Religion there are two Good Charlottes.

good charlotte? more like medicore green day! - CR
oh and.. I think there's enough in this thread to show that DrPizza is an ignoramus

 

[edro]

Music is not supposed to have "deep" meanings... Rap especially is supposed to give you the point up front, in your face, with anger.