[Vjèze Fur]
Ik zal je een verhaal vertellen over telefoons. Ja?
Vroeger had je bij buurman Rinus, in de Pegelstraat was't, 37
Op de hoek zat een slager, maar d'r zat ook een bakkertje
Met die man, met die, met die rare huid had ie,
Met een baardje met van die blonde haren. (ja dat weet ik)
Nou, die slager dus; dan kwam je 's ochtends vroeg om een uur of vijf, vier
Zoiets, hé, de echte timmerlieden deden al opstaan toen, en dan had je van die katten
En die kwamen dan uit de hoeken en dan deden ze likken, met die poten
Mwia, nou dat was nog... daar moet je nu mee kommen, hé?

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of "Echte Hiphop" by Dutch hip-hop group De Jeugd van Tegenwoordig (translation: The Youth of Today) set the stage for a storytelling experience. The song starts with Vjèze Fur reminiscing about the old days when phones were not so ubiquitous, and people used to gather at specific locations to use them. He describes a neighborhood consisting of a butcher, a baker, and a man with a strange complexion and blond facial hair. The butcher would wake up early in the morning, and the "real" carpenters would already be awake by then. Cats would lick their paws and come out from the corners.

This nostalgic trip down memory lane serves as a prelude to the main message of the song, which is about the significance of authentic, old-school hip-hop. The group expresses a disdain for commercial, watered-down versions of hip-hop and raps about how the genre has changed over time. They argue that "real" hip-hop is not about making money, but rather about representing one's true self and expressing meaningful ideas. The song presents a vision of a pure, unadulterated form of hip-hop that is both a source of pride and a call to action.

In summary, "Echte Hiphop" is a celebration of authenticity, and it offers a critique of mainstream hip-hop's commercialization. The song's storytelling component helps set the scene and adds to its overall nostalgic tone.

Line by Line Meaning

Ik zal je een verhaal vertellen over telefoons. Ja?
Let me tell you a story about telephones. Okay?

Vroeger had je bij buurman Rinus, in de Pegelstraat was't, 37
In the past, at neighbor Rinus' house on number 37 in the Pegel street

Op de hoek zat een slager, maar d'r zat ook een bakkertje
At the corner, there was a butcher shop, but also a bakery

Met die man, met die, met die rare huid had ie,
The man with the strange skin and the beard with blonde hair

Met een baardje met van die blonde haren. (ja dat weet ik)
A beard with blonde hair. (Yes, I know)

Nou, die slager dus; dan kwam je 's ochtends vroeg om een uur of vijf, vier
Well, that butcher shop; you would go there early in the morning at around five or four

Zoiets, hé, de echte timmerlieden deden al opstaan toen, en dan had je van die katten
You know, the real carpenters were already getting up by then, and there were these cats

En die kwamen dan uit de hoeken en dan deden ze likken, met die poten
And they would come out of the corners and start licking with their paws

Mwia, nou dat was nog... daar moet je nu mee kommen, hé?
Well, that was still... you can't compare that to anything nowadays, right?

Contributed by Liliana D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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