HIP HOP
Eminem (ft. Royce da 5'9) Lyrics

Hip hop, (hip hop) That's the way of life
Hip hop is not just a genre of music, it's a way of life

If you think you're nice, then go grab the mic
If you believe in your skills, prove it by taking the microphone

Let me tell you my story, cause everybody got one
I want to share my personal journey, because everyone has their own story to tell

Grab the pen and pad, and start to jot some
Take a pen and paper and start writing down your thoughts and experiences

Always told myself, that I would never be losin
I always had the mindset that I would never fail or give up

Man, I ain't have no hood, my mother was always movin
I didn't have a stable home or neighborhood growing up, as my mother was constantly moving

From Detroit to Texas, Texas to Detroit
We moved back and forth between Detroit and Texas

Goddamn, mama, what's the point?
I questioned my mother's constant moving and wondered what the purpose was

So I would go in my room and pack my little bags
To cope with the constant moving, I would pack my belongings in preparation for the next move

Jump in the truck, with my step-dad
I would then get in the truck with my stepfather and continue our journey

When I was 10 years old, I started to feel the hunger
At a young age, I developed a deep desire and hunger for success

Got a little older, then the force got stronger
As I grew older, my determination and drive became even more intense

And me and my rap partner wasn't seein' eye to eye
My rap partner and I were not in agreement or on the same page

So we picked up and started a group with some other guys
We decided to form a new group with different members

This is hip hop (hip hop) Man, I won't stop
This is what hip hop is about, and I will never give up on it

Yo Big Boi! "What up?" Give me a beat box
Hey Big Boi, can you provide a beatbox for me to rap over?

From the hip hop Shop to Maurice Malone
From the hip hop Shop, a famous store, to Maurice Malone, a renowned designer

Ten years later, I'm still in the zone
Even after a decade, I am still fully committed and focused on my craft

7 Mile and Foyer where a star was born
In the neighborhood of 7 Mile and Foyer, my talent and success began to shine

United we stand, divided we swore (D12!)
We, as the rap group D12, are stronger when we are together and loyal to each other

Hell yeah, I looked in my car
I had a moment of reflection and realized how far I've come

Bitch, I was homeless, I slept in a jar
I was once homeless and had to sleep in cramped and uncomfortable spaces

And Dirty Management, I wish y'all the best
I have good wishes for Dirty Management, although we had to part ways

But me and my niggas had to do what's best, it was a mess
My friends and I had to make tough decisions for our own well-being, even though it was chaotic

All them taxes and accounts
Dealing with taxes and financial matters

Checks started to bounce, niggas couldn't buy an ounce
Our checks were no longer valid, and we couldn't even afford to buy drugs

And now that we platinum, they diss our name
Now that we've achieved platinum success, people try to disrespect us and criticize our reputation

Like we won't go the car and get them things
Implying that we have access to weapons and won't hesitate to use them

And beef, sometimes you don't have a choice
In conflicts or disputes, there are times when you have no other option but to engage in confrontations

From the fight with Whitey Ford to the Beastie Boys
Referencing his past beef with Whitey Ford (Everlast) and the Beastie Boys

To the Ja Rules, Benzinos, and the niggas in the club
Naming Ja Rule, Benzino, and other adversaries in the music industry or nightlife scene

To the E Dubbs and niggas that you ain't heard of
Referring to lesser-known individuals or enemies that people may not be aware of

And man, I don't know how to use a gun
Emphasizing that he lacks knowledge or expertise in handling firearms

But I'll learn quick if the fuckin' beef come
If faced with a serious conflict, he is willing to quickly learn how to use a gun to defend himself

{gun sprays}
Implies the sound of a gun being fired, representing the potential violence or retaliation

Man, I thought this was supposed to be hip hop, hip hop
Expressing disappointment or frustration that the music industry or hip hop community is not living up to his expectations

I'd rather be fishin' in flip flops, flip flops
Instead of dealing with the drama and conflicts in the music industry, he would prefer a peaceful and leisurely activity like fishing

Or cross over to country like Kid Rock, and I
He contemplates the idea of transitioning to country music like Kid Rock did

Can't see no country singers beefin' over some guitar
Country singers don't engage in the same level of feuds and conflicts as rappers do

Riff to Willie Nelson lifted from Bob Seeger
Referencing how musicians can take inspiration from each other and borrow elements from different songs or artists

When I was younger I was so eager
In his youth, he was full of enthusiasm and eagerness to pursue his musical aspirations

To have a gun, I would do the same
He used to believe that owning a gun would make him feel more powerful or protected

Couldn't wait to get to the shootin' range
He was eager to practice shooting at the shooting range

Me and my man Goofy Gary just tryna let loose some steam
Him and his friend Goofy Gary wanted to release their frustration or tension

Motherfuckers laughin' cause I couldn't aim
Others would mock or laugh at him because he couldn't shoot accurately

So I pulled the fuckin' target closer and just shoot the thing
To compensate for his poor aim, he brought the target closer and shot at it

I used to have this theory, keep three bullets in the gun
He used to believe that having only three bullets in the gun would limit the potential harm or danger

It was a mandatory year up here in Michigan
In Michigan, there was a law that required an additional year in prison for each bullet in possession without a proper license

For each bullet if you got no C-C-W license
If you were caught without a concealed carry weapon license, you would face an added sentence for each bullet

I tried to apply for one, they said it take 5-6 months
He attempted to obtain a concealed carry weapon license, but the process would take several months

What the fuck am I supposed to do meanwhile when rivals come?
He questions what he should do in the meantime when confronted with enemies or threats

Hide that son of a bitch in the glove box or inside the trunk
As a temporary solution, he would conceal the gun in the glove box or trunk of his car

Now back to what my three-bullet theory was
Returning to his earlier theory of keeping only three bullets in the gun for self-defense purposes

I'm triple-platinum, I ain't tryna catch no murder 1
Being a successful artist, he doesn't want to risk being charged with first-degree murder

Figured I'd shoot the womb, probably missin' at least one
He jests that rather than taking someone's life, he would shoot them in a non-lethal area like the abdomen

But the other one's fuck his shoulder and his knee cap up
The other bullets would cause severe injuries to the person's shoulder and kneecap

And I'm a say for self-defense how come I had the gun
He would argue that he possessed the gun for self-defense purposes in case of a conflict

Is because I was at the range, on my way back from
He would claim that he had the gun because he was coming back from the shooting range

This dude approached me on some bullshit
A person confronted him in a confrontational or aggressive manner

I'll get a year for each bullet at the most as opposed to
He believed that if caught with the gun and bullets, he would receive a shorter sentence for each bullet possession rather than having a fully loaded gun

Havin' a full clip in that
Possessing a gun with a full magazine of bullets

That was my idiotic logic, it was basically for safety
He admits that his thinking at the time was foolish and based on the false belief that it was for his protection

But it gave me power, and it made me crazy
Although misguided, having the gun made him feel powerful and, in turn, affected his mental state

And psychotic, I just got retarded
He acknowledges that his behavior became irrational and mentally unstable

Once I got and I thank God it was empty the night I got caught with it
He expresses gratitude that the gun was empty when he was caught, sparing him from potentially severe legal consequences

What the fuck man, I thought that it was supposed to be
He expresses frustration and disappointment once again, questioning what the true essence of hip hop should be

Hip hop, hip hop
Repeating the phrase to emphasize the theme of the song

Hip hop
Repeating the phrase to emphasize the theme of the song

Hip hop (hip)
Repeating the phrase to emphasize the theme of the song

Hip hop!
Repeating the phrase to emphasize the theme of the song

Sounds like gold, sounds like street, (whoo)
The sound of hip hop is reminiscent of both valuable gold and the rawness of the streets

Niggas know they gettin' told what they mama did (whoo)
Certain individuals are being exposed and criticized for their inappropriate behavior or actions

The rump bumpabumbum in the jeep
Referring to the booming bass of hip hop music playing in a car

These people know what I do with the MPC
People are aware of his talent and skills in producing music using the MPC (Music Production Center)