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Hip hop, a way of life |
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Chosen by the ghetto youth out of necessity |
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It involves graffiti, deejaying, breakdancing and emceeing |
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Which all rely on raw, artistic skill |
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You know, they used to tell me that this music would never last |
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Now look at it now, it influences all music here today |
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So either you respect it we gon' take it back |
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Hip hop, the voice of the street, the voice of the youth |
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The voice that you hear, the voice that only we produce |
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The way that we salute that makes the wildest niggas start to shoot |
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The voice that recoupes only 12% of the loot |
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The voice of the groups, like OutKast, LOX and The Roots |
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The voice of the truth, that no society can ever mute |
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The voice of the men and women who gave their lives defendin |
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The God-given rights, they had no choice but to fight |
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The voice of the black, latino and the white |
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The voice of the club that makes the freaks come out at night |
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The voice of the thugs who pop champagne and rock ice |
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The voice of the shorties who wear tight shirts and talk sheist |
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The voice of the shook who look one time but not twice |
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The voice of the crooks at gambling spot with hot dice |
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The voice of the church, mosque, synagogue and temple |
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The voice of your soul, your body and your mental |
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The voice that says "rap!" when I hear a instrumental |
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The voice that don't stop and it's just that simple |
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The voice that don't stop and it's just that simple |
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The voice that don't, d-d-don't, d-don't... |
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Yo, we live that life that you call hip hop |
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From the bottom straight to the tip top |
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Hey Rawls, we got em while them others did not |
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So if you with the LC, nigga, lick shot |
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If you live that life they call hip hop |
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Worldwide everyday tic-toc |
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This life is like nothin to play with, ock |
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That's why when I say "shit" you say "shit hot" |
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That's why when I say "shit" you say "shit hot" |
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That's why when I say "shit" you say "shit hot" |
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That's why when I say "shit" you say "shit hot" |
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That's why when I say "shit" - |
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[excerpt from the movie _Wildstyle_] |
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[Double Trouble] |
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Cause here's a little story that must be told |
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About two cool brothers that were put on hold |
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Tried to hold us back from fortune and fame |
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They destroyed the crew and they killed our name |
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They tried to step on the ego and walk on the pride |
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But true blue brothers stand side by side |
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Through thick and thin, from beginning to end |
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This battle we lost, but the war we'll win |
