Hip Hop
Dead Prez/Static-X Lyrics

All my dogs
All my friends and allies

It's bigger than hip hop, hip hop, hip hop, hip
The impact of hip hop music on society extends beyond the genre itself

Uh, one thing 'bout music
Music has the power to move us without causing physical pain

White folks says it controls your brain
Stereotypical beliefs about hip hop music being detrimental to Black people

I know better than that
I don't believe those stereotypes

That's game and we ready for that
Those stereotypes are a tactic to undermine hip hop culture, but we are aware of it and ready to face it

Two soldiers head of the pack
We, dead prez, are leaders of the hip hop movement

Matter of fact who got the gat?
Who has the gun?

And where my army at?
Where are my soldiers, my allies?

Rather attack than not react
We are willing to fight back against oppression rather than remain passive

Back the beats it don't reflect
The music itself shouldn't be blamed for societal issues

On how many records get sold
The success of an artist's work shouldn't be the only metric of its quality or impact

On sex, drugs, and rock and roll
Society often glamorizes these things in music, but we reject that.

Whether your project's put on hold
Even if your work is not immediately successful

In the real world
In the actual world, not just the music industry or entertainment industry

These just people with ideas
Artists are people with opinions, thoughts, and feelings like everyone else

They just like me and you
They are not inherently different from the average person

When the smoke and camera disappear
When the hype around an artist fades away

Again the real world (world)
We return to real life

It's bigger than all these fake ass records
The impact of hip hop is greater than the superficial, commercialized music we often hear on the radio

When poor folks got the millions
Some of the most commercially successful artists come from low-income backgrounds

And my woman's disrespected
Many women are still not given the respect they deserve in the music industry and beyond

If you check 1,2
Addressing the crowd with a microphone check

My word of advice to you is just relax
Stay calm and don't get worked up about trivial things

If that don't work then kick the facts
If calmness doesn't resolve the issue, then communicate the truth of the situation

If you a fighter, rider, lighter, flame ignitor, crowd exciter
Different types of people enjoy hip hop in different ways

Or you wanna just get high
Some people like to use hip hop to escape or feel good

Then just say it
It's ok to express different emotions through art, including enjoying music simply for pleasure

But then if you a liar-liar, pants on fire, Wolf-cry agent with a wire
Some people in the music industry are fake and lie to get ahead

I'm gon' know it when I play it
We can tell when someone is not being genuine

Uh, who shot Biggie Smalls
Referencing the unsolved murder of iconic rapper The Notorious B.I.G.

If we don't get them
If we don't fight against systemic oppression and violence

They gonna get us all
We will all be affected by it eventually

I'm down for runnin' up on them
I'm ready to confront them

Crackers in they city hall
Refers to government officials who maintain systemic racism and oppression

We ride for y'all
We fight for our community and allies

All my dogs stay real
All my friends should stay true to themselves

Nigga don't think these record deals
Don't assume that getting a record deal will solve all your financial problems

Gonna feed your seeds
Provide for your children and future generations

And pay your bills because they not
Record deals are not a guaranteed solution to financial insecurity

MC's get a little bit of love and think they hot
Some artists let fame get to their heads and believe they are above others

Talkin' 'bout how much money they got
Bringing up wealth as a metric of success

Nigga all y'all records sound the same
A criticism of the commercialization of hip hop, in which many songs have similar beats and lyrics

I sick of that fake thug, R & B
Tired of inauthentic, embellished personas in music

Rap scenario all day on the radio
Radio stations frequently play the same types of songs and artists

Same scenes in the video, monotonous material
Music videos often use similar themes and imagery

Y'all don't hear me though
People aren't listening to the message in the music

These record labels slang our tapes like dope
Music labels sell our music like a commodity and exploit the artists

You can be next in line, and signed
Anyone can become a signed artist

And still be writing rhymes and broke
Financial instability is still a reality for many artists, even those with record deals

You would rather have a Lexus or justice
Would you prefer material wealth or true social equality?

A dream or some substance
Do you want to chase your dreams or pursue something that has real meaning and depth?

A Beamer, a necklace or freedom
Do you want material wealth or true liberation?

Still a nigga like me don't playa' hate
Despite everything, I refuse to hate on others. I will stay true to myself

I just stay awake
I remain aware of the issues and areas of injustice in society

This real hip-hop, and it don't stop
This is authentic hip hop, with a message that is not just for entertainment purposes

'Til we get the po-po off the block
Until we can eliminate police oppression and violence in our communities and society

They call it
Referring to hip hop music itself

DP's got that crazy shit we keep it crunk up
Dead prez has unique and unconventional music

John Blaze'd and shit what
Our music is hot and on fire

1, 2, 1, 2
Refers to microphone check or preparation before performing live

Fake, fake, fake records
Many commercialized hip hop songs lack authenticity and substance